I chuckle and then go quiet contemplating his question. Can I do that?
“Might not be a rune,”Sabin observes.“He could be mixed with something that has wings.”
“I don’t know,”I answer.“That was my first thought, but they kept calling us filth and unworthy magic. I’m not getting the impression that they think very highly of other supernatural species or magic users. They went straight for the slut shaming for being with you guys, so I doubt these Sentinels are getting it on with other supes, even if it does give them wings,”I explain.
Sabin nods, but he looks lost in thought.
“It’s probably the opposite really,”I add.“Wouldn’t surprise me if a bunch of fucked up Lannister inbreeding shit is going down in these parts. That dude clearly has a screw loose.”
I jerk my chin the direction of Ory, and a growl rumbles up from Torrez’s chest. Several Sentinels stop and trace the sound back to Torrez with alarmed expressions.
“Tell your mutt to keep his threats to himself,”Suryn orders.
“Call him a mutt one more time, and I’ll cut your fucking tongue out,” I retort.
She rounds on me, a katana appearing in her hands. I flash short swords into my palms and step toward her. My Chosen and Shields all move to block my way, annoyingly boxing me in. They call on their own various weapons and take up defensive positions around me.
Fucking hell, I could really use that rocket rune right about now.
“Suryn!” Ory yells. “Stand down!”
She points her katana at him. “I don’t take orders from you,” she grinds out between clenched teeth.
“Not normally, but I am the Voice chosen by the Sovereign herself, so in circumstances like these, I outrank you. You will stand down and keep your mouth shut until the Sovereign states otherwise!”
They glare at each other, and I try not to judge myself too much by the enjoyment it gives me to see the power struggle going on between them. Suryn stomps off, and Ory watches her go with a resigned huff.
“I don’t think your girlfriend likes you very much,” Bastien tells him.
Ory shoots him a glare and then storms off in the same direction as Suryn.
“I think we’re growing on them,” Valen deadpans.
I slam a hand over my mouth to keep the laughter inside, but it doesn’t work. I lose it. I try really fucking hard to get a hold of myself, but the harder I try to shut the fuck up, the harder I laugh. A couple of the other Sentinels eye me, judgment clear in their gazes. I’m sure I look like a fucking nutter. Good. Maybe they’ll be less likely to fuck with us if they think we’re bat shit.
My giggle fest slowly becomes contagious, and the other guys start to guffaw. The more they laugh, the more I laugh. It makes no sense that I’m suffering from a giggle attack in the middle of the shit that’s going down, but I have no fucks to give.
Ory watches us over his shoulder, and I can’t read the expression on his face.
Oh yeah, definitely growing on them.
11
Torrez growls at me as I dart out of the protective circle he and the others have formed. I blow a kiss at him over my shoulder and drop back so I can talk to Kallan and the others. We’ve been walking for hours, all of us silent and contemplative. It’s like the giggle-off drained us of the last dregs of our energy. I’ve hit my limit with the quiet. I was planning on talking to Enoch and his coven when we were alone, but the need to talk about their new marks is making me itchy, and I just can’t put it off anymore.
Becket looks up as I fall in line with them and gives me a small smile. I return it, dismissing any reservations it stirs up. I’m still waiting for him to go back to hating me, and I’m not sure what to do about the fact that he hasn’t yet. We need to talk, but for that kind of chat, I need to wait until it’s just the two of us.
“You guys okay?” I ask quietly.
Ory and another winged Sentinel take notice of our chatting, and I wonder if they have the ability to increase their hearing and eavesdrop like I can.
“I don’t think any of us are close to any kind of version of okay,” Kallan tells me, and I rub my shoulder against his. Enoch snorts his agreement with Kallan’s assessment.
“Yeah, I’m not sure what to think about any of this,” Enoch admits.
“How can she just mark us? I thought there had to be sex and shit as a catalyst?” Becket asks.
I shrug. “Sentinels can mark Chosen without sex, but I thought it had to be a conscious choice that they made, like when I marked Torrez and Siah. She looks as confused by her magic as I did when I unknowingly first marked Valen, Bastien, Sabin, Ryker and Knox. So I don’t know.”
