“You better hope no one stole my wallet. Now, where did you throw it?” Aydin grumbles.
I use my foot to point since I’m still thrown over his shoulder and laugh at the grumpy mumbling coming from Aydin as he vows, “This isn’t over.”
15
Iwake up to the sun streaming through the windows, making my bed nice and warm. I stretch and let out the obligatoryscreech. I should get up, but this is the most comfortable bed I have ever slept in, and I don’t want to seem ungrateful by abandoning it so soon.
I lay in the embrace of the perfect mattress and pillows, noticing the exposed beams on the ceiling for the first time. I groan and reluctantly pull myself out of my covers, giving the bed an appreciative pat for the awesome sleep it gave me. I straighten the bedding and arrange all the pretty pillows exactly how they were the first time I walked into this room.
Lila greets me merrily when I walk into the kitchen. She hands me a warm omelet, and I stare at it, wondering how she knew to have it ready. I chalk it up to the sisters’ sneaky magic and proceed to straight-up inhale everything on the plate.
I get up, intent on cleaning my dish, but Lila snatches it away as quick as lightning and starts scrubbing it. I gape at her.
“Birdie warned me about you," she laughs over her shoulder.
I shake my head at her. “This means war, Lila.” My attempt at sounding formidable falls flat when she giggles at me. “Seriously, I can fend for myself while the coven is gone, you don’t have to wait on me," I tell her again, but it’s obvious my declaration falls on deaf ears.
Lachlan and the coven left on another case a couple of days ago. I get that the sisters cook and clean when the paladin are here, but it’s just me right now, and being waited on and served feels awkward. The sisters won’t let me help with anything, and I’ve already been lectured twice for trying to eat cereal for every meal.
“I like it, dear," she states dismissively. “My sisters and I have been with the Aylin family for a very long time, and we love what we do, so don’t you go feeling bad about it or trying to put us out of a job.”
Lila gives me adon’t mess with me lookand snaps me on the butt with the drying towel in her hands. Like the true badass I am, I squeak and scamper away.
“Go be lazy!” she orders with a chuckle.
I rub my butt cheek and salute her as I head outside to follow orders. I’ve spent the last two days lounging by the pool and reading. I’ve been raiding the library in Lachlan’s office where I discovered a ton of books about casters and magic, and I’ve been completely engrossed.
Today, I decide to do some exploring outside. I walk for hours around the property, making it familiar and getting my bearings. I spot an inviting little path, and I decide to follow it. I walk for a while, running my hands over the trunks of trees and listening to the birds chatter back and forth when I stumble into a clearing that overlooks a big lake.
The clearing is covered in soft grass with little white flowers sprinkled throughout, and it’s so idyllic it looks like it belongs in a painting. The soft grass begs me to take my shoes off and run my toes through the lush green blades, so I do just that.
The grass is cool, and a breeze sneaks by, bringing the smell of rain and something floral with it. There’s a rocky drop off before it meets the dark blue lake, and I sit and watch patches of sun sneak through the clouds to kiss the lake until it sparkles. I brush my hand over the top of the grass, tilting my face back and relishing in the sun, and then the shade when clouds float by, blocking the rays and diminishing the heat.
I’m not sure how long I sit peacefully before the first raindrop hits my skin. I open my eyes and inspect the sky, seeing some darker, more ominous clouds in the distance. I pull myself from the tranquility I’m surrounded by and start heading back toward the house.
The light sprinkle of rain turns into a downpour, and I’m grateful that Lila warned me to take something warm with me when I headed out. I pull my hoodie on, flipping the hood up over my head in an attempt to keep my face and hair somewhat dry.
My stomach growls, and I pick up my pace. The thought of some yummy food and dry clothes motivates me to move quicker. I’m thinking about how I can bottle the smell of fresh rain when I hear the sound of heavy footfall pounding behind me.
Before I can so much as look for the source, something slams into me from behind. My legs fly out from underneath me, and I hit the ground hard, landing on my side. Rocks and other debris dig into my skin as I fight to regain the breath that was just knocked from my body. A hand grabs my shoulder and flips me onto my back. My lungs finally inflate, and I gasp in air, trying to get my brain to focus on defense and not on what’s hurting.
“This is private property. What the fuck are you doing skulking around?”
A tanned, masculine face glowers at me, while simultaneously ripping my hood back from my face, taking some of my hair with it. I wince in pain and watch shock fill the hazel eyes of the man pinning me down. He gawks at me, taking in my features, and I feel his grip on me loosen.
I take advantage of his distracted hesitation and punch him in the throat. He falls forward and clutches his neck.
With serious effort, I roll us over and switch our places. The man gasps for air, his hands at his throat, and his eyes tightly shut. I’m not sure how long I have before he recovers from my hit so I waste no time in doing what I can to incapacitate him.
I hit him several times in the face and drop my knee onto his side. I try to knee him a second time, but two huge arms wrap around me from behind. I’m lifted off of the guy who tackled me and thrown at least five feet away.
I roll as I land and come up in a crouch. I call on the runes for several small throwing knives and palm them in both of my hands as I study the newest threat.
My mind stutters for a second as I stare into the same face I was just hitting. No, not the same, I realize as I look to the man still groaning on the ground. These two must be twins. This one’s hair is pulled back into a knot, but the same pissed off expression crosses his face.
They’ve got to be at least six foot five, and they’re sporting lean, defined muscles. They have a golden tone to their skin, strong angled jaws, and full lips. Their noses can join mine in the posh club, and long obsidian lashes surround their hazel eyes. I would wipe my drool from my chin over how hot these guys are, if these assholes hadn’t just picked a fight.
The one still standing forms a ball of magic in his hands, but he just holds it there and glares at me.
