Hero wrinkled his nose but nodded. “Didn’t expect it to bother me. Not sure if the politics are new or if I’m just seeing them now.”
I studied him, waiting for a mention of a girlfriend, or boyfriend, or both, given his interaction with Seth, but he said nothing. Was it possible Hero had a secret?
“You’re just noticing them,” Everly teased, poking her twin, oblivious to my thoughts. “Our family offered you up to Quinn on a silver platter, and I had to point it out, remember?”
Hero looked right at me. “We received your response. I’ve been instructed to take you up on a coffee.”
I grinned. “It’s a date.”
Ezra’s growl rumbled from the shadows. I should’ve been startled, but instead warmth bloomed in my stomach. Acrossfrom me, the hair on Hero’s arms literally rose. He looked around, but when no one else reacted, he calmed.
I badly wanted to reach out to Ezra and let him know about our inside joke, but if he was skulking, that meant someone watched us.
“Where are you sitting tonight?” I asked Everly instead.
Everly chewed her bottom lip. “I don’t know. Mom’s unhappy and doesn’t believe that I ‘didn’t realize’ the truth of Seth’s story. But if I sit with the Architect, it will be making a statement against my family.”
“You could sit with the Tates,” I suggested. “Rowan’s family are the Architect’s allies, but they don’t bring anything to the table, right? That sounds pretty peaceful.”
“Look at you, all political.” Everly pretended to adjust imaginary glasses. “It’s not a bad suggestion either.”
“You could walk in with us,” Brit added.
Everly froze. “I’m expected back with my family this evening.”
“Just don’t go,” Brit said as if it were that simple. “Camp out with Quinn. She’ll need support after those fuck’n bat-shite McDonalds. She was a mess yesterday.”
I took Everly’s hands between mine. “I’ll send a scrawl if that helps.”
Everly took a deep breath. “Just, I need some time to think on it. I don’t want to go back to my family, but my contracts and, I mean, family is family, right?” She turned to her twin. “And then Hero…”
Hero lifted his hands. “Don’t drag me in. The more freedom you get, the more I get. If it blows up, that’s on you. I can’t lose.”
Everly sighed. “Why is being a man always so damn easy?”
Hero glared at his twin and crossed his arms over his chest.
“Anyway, your test tonight.” Everly changed the topic. “I heard a rumor that the McDonalds were bringing animals, like sheep and horses into The Pit.”
I rolled my eyes. “They are not. That would be too big a coincidence.”
“How would that be a coincidence?” Everly asked.
I broke into “Old McDonald”—full animal noises included. By the time I sang the last note, Everly was rolling around on the floor laughing. “It’s a song from my time that no one even knows here.”
“Oink, oink here and an oink, oink there,” Brit recited, an eyebrow raised.
I nodded.
“Does Alex know this song?” Ezra’s voice came from behind me.
Everly screeched, and Brit and Hero sprang into fighting stances. Although Brit relaxed immediately, Hero studied Ezra while Everly clasped her heart.
“Why would you…” she trailed off, and her eyes bugged. “Commander Ezra?”
“Shh.” I pressed a finger to my lips. “He’s just one of Ravana’s cousins right now.”
Everly bit her lips together, and Hero finally sheathed his sword. We all returned to our seats, though Ezra still hovered at my back.
