Cass stepped back in front of me, his silver eyes full of humor. He shook his head, and his crazy silver hair swayed in an unseen breeze. He snickered. “You’re just fine, Ms. Peyton. You don’t need to see a doctor.”
“Faith,” I corrected. “You can call me Faith.”
He waved a hand in front of himself in a grand affair, even dipping into a regal bow. “And I am Cassander, Faith. But you may call me Cass or Cassander. Whichever you prefer. It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”
“Hell of a way to meet.” I eyed his hands as he straightened. He had fine hands. Long fingers and strong. “Did something happen to your hand earlier?”
Cass nodded and raised his hand. He spread his fingers wide, palm up. The man whispered, “Watch. It’s magic.”
I snorted, but my breath caught in my throat.
A white ball formed in the palm of his hand, bright and pure. Delicate and small. The one before had beenmuchlarger.
My mouth flapped until I mumbled, “You’re serious, aren’t you?” I raised my eyes toward his slowly. I couldn’t hide the wonder gleaming there. “Magic is real?”
He closed his hand into a fist, the light extinguishing. The magician tossed his left arm over my shoulder and started maneuvering us into one of the rooms, a living room full of rustic furniture, like an old hunting lodge.
He asked candidly, “I’ve been waiting some time to ask you this, ever since I first saw you in a vision. Why would you so readily believe in real magic when the rest of the world doesn’t?”
I shrugged under his arm. “I’ve read a lot of fictional stories. I guess I’ve always hoped there was more out there. Humans are so boring and drab.”
He snorted. “I wouldn’t say that, but I understand your meaning.” Cass waved a hand in front of us in a large arc. “Are you ready to learn all about the world that you’ve stumbled upon?”
Narrowing my eyes, I said, “I don’t have to fall down some rabbit hole to hear it, do I?”
His head tipped back, and he roared with laughter. “Faith, you’re one of my favorites. But,shh, don’t tell anyone, okay?”
I merely lifted a brow. “Rabbit hole?”
He continued laughing, his silver eyes beaming at me. “Just a couch to sit on while I talk. I promise.”
“And maybe something for this pain. My head is killing me.”
“I imagine I can find something here.” He side-eyed me. “But, truly, if you just wake up the man sleeping upstairs and have sex with him, it’ll cure all your ills.”
I snorted and sat down carefully on the couch. “I think you better start at the beginning.” I waved a hand. “What are you? Magicians? Because Alaric sure isn’t human and neither are you.”
“We’re not magicians. Although all of my closest friends do have a special added something-something. Like, Alaric can go into berserker mode. When he does that, only our king can stop him normally. Or me, as a last resort. And I sure as hell wouldn’t actually want to fight him when he’s like that.”
I blinked. “I said the beginning. Like, how you knew my name before you even met me.”
“Ah.” He waved his hand up and down his frame. “Welcome to the wonderful world of Shifters 101. I’ll be happy to lecture tonight…once I get you some medicine.”
I lifted a weak fist into the air. “Amen, brother.”
