“You too.” I nodded at him, placing my hand on Wren’s back and guiding her around Gerry and off the bridge. I paid extra attention to my pheromones as I did so.
“Do you always go offering strangers creams?”
Her cheeks blossomed with a light pink as she shrugged. “He looked like he needed it.”
I schooled the amused smile on my face. “The guy was four times your size, Wren. What if it wasn’t Gerry? What if the person was violent?”
“I’m especially fast in my fox form.” She giggled as we walked past the Natatorium.
She paused, glancing over at the calm, crystal blue water. “Why is it called the Natatorium when it’s not man-made?”
“It’s magic-made, and it sounded moreofficial.” I chuckled. “At least, that’s what Rowan told me when I started working here. I had the same question as you did.”
She wrinkled her nose before turning back to me. “Who is Rowan? I know he’s the headmaster, but he seems like someone a lot of people respect and not just because of his supernatural type.”
I grinned as we picked up the pace again. “Rowan is a firedrake, which obviously starts others off with respecting him like our instincts tell us to do, but he’s someone who cares a hell of a lot about everybody. He took me in when I had nowhere else to go. He did the same for Alister, and even Blair—our seer. The man is a fucking saint.”
Her lips curved upward as she swatted at the hair blowing in her face. “He sounds like a really kind soul.”
“He is. I don’t know what would’ve happened if he hadn’t found me when he did.”
Being a demon, the rest of the demons looked up to was one thing, but being a demon that demons feared was another story altogether.
“I’m glad he found you because if he hadn’t, I wouldn’t have been able to meet someone like you.”
“Someone like me?”
She nodded, looking straight out as she walked. “You’ve taught me new... ah, feelings. And you don’t abuse the power you were given. You’re a counselor. You seem to care about the students here.”
“Because I do. Everyone deserves to feel like someone cares.”
She plucked at her bag strap as she nodded. “Yeah, they do.”
We took the set of stairs in front of the dormitory, and when we reached the doors, Damien faded in and wrapped his arms around Wren. “Little bird, how was your session? Was Rhett a gentleman?”
I rolled my eyes. “As if you weren’t watching the whole thing.”
Wren shot a curious gaze at Damien, who shrugged as he pressed a kiss to her head. “Caught me. I have to make sure she’s safe. But I do trust her judgement, and if she says she trusts you, then I suppose I do too.”
“Good night, Wren.” I offered her my hand, and when she placed her hand in mine, I brought my lips to the back of her hand.
“Good night, Rhett.”
I smirked as I rose back up, and Damien smirked wider.
“Good night, Rhett. I’ll make sure she’s safe and warm tonight.” He winked at me before disappearing into the shadows along with Wren, who was staring a hole into the ground with a shy smile.
Could Wren really be as sweet as she seemed? Or were the Fates dealing me another bad hand?
TWENTY-TWO
Wren
“Oh,what’sthisone?”Trixie pointed toward a purple group of flowers withering away beside a few shrubs as we scoured the Bestial Forest for medicinal herbs so I could make new salves.
I’d never had anyone tag along with me to search for herbs, and it was a welcomed change. I never realized what I was missing out on with friendship, and there was a dull ache in my chest at the thought of all those years doing everything alone.
I made my way toward her, snapping a few sticks under my feet, and started picking the flowers. “This is echinacea.” I held one out to her and she took it. “It’s best used for colds and sore throats.”
