“That’s not an appropriate question, Estelle,” Leonie said firmly. “Shan’s my co-counselor, and I respect him. And on that topic, you kids need to show him more respect. I know you’ve been trying to peek under his sunglasses. That’s got to stop.”
“Do you know why he always wears them, Leonie?” Beth asked.
“Yes, I do.” Having seen Shan’s hands, it wasn’t hard to deduce that his eyes must be equally inhuman. “But that’s between him and me. If Shan doesn’t want to talk about it with you kids, you all need to respect his privacy, understand?”
“In some books, eyes are the one thing that always reveal someone’s true nature,” Tiff said thoughtfully from the next bunk. “Maybe he’s a demon.”
“I can assure you, Tiff, that Shan is not a demon,” Leonie replied, though she suspected Shan himself would have disagreed. She raised her voice, addressing the whole dorm. “No more talking, girls. Time to go to sleep.”
A general chorus ofawwwwandalready?came in reply, but most of the girls quietened, settling down in their bunks.
Leonie turned off the room, slipping out of the dorm. As she pulled the door closed behind her, she distinctly heard Estelle whisper, “She didn’t answer my question.”
Leonie grimaced. Well, at least she’d made it clear the campers weren’t to keep prying into Shan’s personal business. She’d just have to make sure to behave more professionally around him herself. Kids werewaytoo good at picking up on things adults were trying to hide.
She headed for the junior boys’ cabin, which was set some way off from the girls’ cabin. Just as she reached it, Shan emerged, somewhat rumpled. He shut the door behind himself, then leaned on it, rather like he was holding back a horde of ravenous zombies.
She surveyed him, mouth quirking up. “Boys give you a rough time, huh?”
Shan straightened, adjusting his sunglasses. “Archie instigated a pillow fight. Counselors against campers. I am not sure who won.”
“If you can still walk, you did.” A few downy feathers clung to the front of his T-shirt. She moved to brush themaway, then checked herself. After the awkwardness in the bathroom, it seemed best to avoid casual contact. “You, ah, have some battle debris stuck to you. Any casualties?”
He started to pick feathers from his black T-shirt. “Pillows or children?”
“Either.”
“Not so far.” He released the last feather, letting it spin away. “Though I continue to have misgivings about this plan.”
“So am I.” Aware that the boys could be eavesdropping, she started walking away from the cabin, beckoning him to follow. “Though only for your sake. I’m sorry, I honestly didn’t think this would be such a hazardous assignment.”
He fell into step with her, somehow managing to move silently even on the gravel path. Though she barely came up to his chin, he didn’t seem to have any trouble adjusting his stride to match hers. “I have faced greater dangers.”
She wasn’t so sure of that. “You sure you still want to go through with this? It’s not too late to back out.”
He shook his head. “You asked for my help.”
“I wouldn’t have, if I’d known the kids were going to inexplicably turn into feral little monsters.”
“You asked for my help,” he repeated, as though this explained anything. “I am glad to be able to assist you.”
Leonie had always liked helping people. Still, it was nice to have someone wanting to helpher, for a change. She found herself reaching to squeeze his arm, and jerked her hand back, flushing. Whatwasit about the man that had her constantly forgetting the entire concept of personal space?
She cleared her throat, hoping he couldn’t see her blush through his dark glasses. “I appreciate that. I came to ask you if you’d like to join me at the senior staff campfire. It’s something of a tradition for us all to get together on the first night of camp.”
Shan hesitated. “I do not wish to intrude. I am not really a staff member, let alone a senior one.”
“You’re my co-counselor, even if only briefly. That makes you one of us.” She smiled up at him, knowing he’d taste her sincerity. “Please come. I’d like you to be there.”
Shan exhaled through his mouth. “Very well.”
In the evening, most people tended to congregate in the central square, but the senior staff had their own private area, set in a secluded area away from the rest of the buildings. It wasn’t fancy—just a small firepit surrounded by a few log benches—but it was somewhere they could talk freely without being overheard. The leadership team had to maintain a certain level of decorum in front of other staff, but sometimes you just needed to let off steam.
She and Shan were the last to arrive. When she led him into the warm circle of firelight, the other senior staff were already there, comfortably arranged around the firepit.
Honey sat on one log, chatting to Moira and Ragvald, while next to her Buck glowered at the fire as if it might leap up and burn down the whole camp without constant supervision. Paige—her expression a combination of bemusement and exasperation—reclined in an actual upholstered armchair, her feet in Conleth’s lap.
Zephyr was pacing around the group with a slow, bouncing gait, his baby fussing against his shoulder. His eyebrow quirked as he caught sight of Shan.
