“You mean, you stalked him like dragon prey.”
“Semantics.”
“Semantics, huh? What about how awkward it would have been if you’d actually gone at him when you were studying up at Haven Initiative where his other dad works—Cassius?”
“Well, I’m sure my brother would have been more than willing to kick the Immortal’s ass.”
We both burst out laughing, especially because Torvek didn’t usually talk so bluntly like that. Only sometimes in my company… it kind of infected him a bit.
“Seriously, though, are you gonna be okay knowing you’re likely gonna run into Winter at Loxley?”
I swallowed hard. I hoped so. I hadn’t seen or spoken to him in two years. I didn’t like how we’d left it. Especially because that night had been… well, it had been incredible. And Winter was… son of a bitch, he was perfect.
And I’d hurt him.
Despite us both understanding the stakes and why it couldn’t be, it didn’t take away from that.
“I’ll handle it. Loxley is the start of a new life. That’s what I’m focused on.” I pushed off my bed and walked back to him. “When it comes to Fanor, take a leaf out of my new book. You don’t need to jump to sex either, just chill. Pick up where you left off with her wanting to blow you.”
“Urgh,” he uttered.
“Well, it’s true. It’s what it is,flame bite.”
“Even so. This is her we’re talking about.”
“The love of your life?”
He glared at me. “Stop.”
“Fine. So long as you promise you’ll at least try to take my advice. And when it comes to the actual fucking, why not go to Vorzyr for help? He has the same abilities as you. His lovers are a True Celestial, a sorcerer, and an incubus-sorcerer. He obviously manages his abilities around such very different species very well.”
He stared at me for a moment. “I mean, we don’t usually discuss that sort of thing. I’ve had Kai give me somepointers,as he referred to it. Then Nyx got into some mechanics until I stopped him because it got too graphic about my brother’sribbed dick.”
“Ah, you even have that in common.”
He held up his hands. “Talking to you about that is much worse. Fine. Never mention again that you’ve seen it, and I’ll consider going to V.”
I grinned. “Deal.”
“Deal?” a familiar voice sounded. “What are the two of you conspiring about now? Is this yet another thing that will require preemptive damage control?”
I turned to see my dad striding on in.
His broad shoulders barely fit through the door; he was such a big and sturdy guy. And with both a commanding and magnetic presence all rolled into one. His silver-white hair flowed down past his thick and tailored navy coat, his collar standing high and brushing his jaw. His dark gray shirt strained with his movements, tucked into a pair of navy pants. In human years, he looked to be in his mid-thirties.
His glacial blue-green eyes that were exactly like mine, flicked between me and Torvek with amused suspicion.
“Nothing that will require calling in the cavalry,” I assured him. “We’re just joking around.”
He looked to Torvek, knowing my penchant for a little mischief all too well. While Torvek was much more straight down the line.
“All is well,” he assured him.
“Well, that’s a relief.”
I noted the shimmering silver bag in my dad’s hand. “Is that a going away present?” I asked excitedly.
“I thought you didn’t want anything? You were concerned if you took anything extravagant to this school that it would single you out—as aspoiled royal, is how you referred to it.”
