“And if it is permanent?” Draco asked, his mental voice simultaneously echoing in my head, laced with concern.
Are you okay with this?he asked privately, and I realized I could feel the difference between a thought directed only at me and one shared with all of them.
Before I could answer, a commotion at the door drew everyone’s attention. A familiar black shape slithered into the room, moving faster than I’d ever seen Noodle move before.
‘You are hurt!’his panicked voice filled my mind as he raced across the floor and up the bed frame.‘Do not like!’
“Noodle, I’m okay,” I said aloud, relief washing through me at the sight of him.
‘Not okay. Broken inside. Magic wrong.’He coiled around my wrist, his scales cool against my skin.
“Did he just say...” Aiden began, staring at Noodle with wide eyes.
I froze. “Wait, can you hear him?”
All four men nodded slowly.
“Holy shit, the snake can speak English,” Eris breathed.
Noodle tasted the air in their direction to study them with suspicious eyes.‘Why do they taste like you now?’
“They saved my life,” I told him, kissing his snoot, aware that the Assembly officials were watching our exchange with rapt attention. “We’re bonded now, but we don’t know for how long.”
“This is unprecedented,” Deputy Director Kwan said, stepping closer. “Familiar communication transferring through an axis bond...”
Noodle hissed aggressively, rearing up.‘Stay back, suit man. I bite.’
Percy actually laughed, which I was beginning to think was a physical impossibility for him. “I think like your snake.”
‘Not snake. Noodle,’came the indignant reply, which Percy clearly heard based on his raised eyebrows.
“We need to run tests,” the sharp-featured woman said, reaching for a tablet. “Cognitive assessments, magical resonance scans?—”
“No,” I said firmly, sitting up despite the pain. “No tests. Not today.”
“Ms. Black, you don’t understand the significance?—“
“I understand that when you people look at us, you’re seeing a potential weapon instead of five people trying to process a life-altering event, but you need to back the fuck off if you want us to even consider cooperating with you. Pick your battles, Director.”
I could feel a swell of appreciation through the bond.
Director Waverly’s expression softened almost maternally. “Jupiter, the Assembly needs?—”
“The Assembly can wait,” Percy interrupted, his tone leaving no room for argument. “She needs rest. I would heavily suggest you get the hell out of here before you piss us off.”
I felt a wave of his anger through our new connection, followed by similar sentiments from the others. It was disorienting to feel emotions that weren’t mine.
“Twenty-four hours,” Director Waverly finally conceded. “You’ll have twenty-four hours to rest and adjust. Then we begin the assessment.”
The officials filed out reluctantly, leaving only Director Waverly behind. She approached my bed. “For what it’s worth, this isn’t how I wanted it to happen. But now that it has...” She glanced at the four men. “This bond could change everything in our fight against the bane.”
After she left, silence fell over the room. I looked at the four men who had saved my life, who were now linked to me in ways none of us fully understood.
“So,” I said, attempting to not be as awkward as I currently felt. “I guess we should talk about this.”
“There’s nothing to talk about,” Eris said, running a hand through his hair. “We did what we had to do to save your life. No one expected...this.”
‘I like this one,’Noodle commented, studying him.‘He has a funny voice.’
