She was also lugging that three-drawer wooden box that lived on her library desk. As Koa leapt forward to take it, her eyes widened on Cas’ rulebook, but not with the dread anyreasonableperson wouldfeel. No, she looked like someone had just handed her a winning lottery ticket.
“You made it!” she exclaimed, hurrying over to the desk as Koa sat her box down. “Good! I brought supplies!”
With a flourish, she pulled open a drawer to reveal an arsenal of stickers, glitter pens, and brightly colored sticky tabs.
“For the rulebook!” she explained, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.
Koa moved to loom next to her like an avenging mountain of prey, producing a small paper bag from his jacket pocket.
“Here, baby. I got you these,” he murmured, his voice soft in that way it only got around Seri.
Seri peeked inside and let out a delighted gasp.
“New washi tapes!” She threw her arms around his waist. “You’re the best, Koko! Thank you!”
Fang-rotted fucker blushed, and I couldn’t help the snicker that escaped me. The mighty Koa Cimmerian, terror of the supernatural underworld, buying moon-damned washi tape. Lucian would have an aneurysm.
Mom, though, would have smiled just like Seri is,a tiny voice whispered, and I shoved it away.
“If you’re ready, Seri, I’ll begin the official review of the guidelines.” Cas was either oblivious to or deliberately ignoring the crafting apocalypse about to befall his precious document.
Seri wiggled with excitement, uncapping a purple glitter pen. She perched on the edge of her chair, feet swinging, as Casimir handed her a copy, and the sight hit me somewhere unexpected. She looked so young, so happy. It was easy to forget sometimes that she was just nineteen. That she’d had so much stolen by that witch. That despite everything, she still found joy in stupid things like decorating a rulebook.
Night’s teeth! Look at me getting all thoughtful and shit!
“I’ll use stars to mark the important things.”
“Rainbow or sparkle?” Koa held up two different sheets of stickers.
“Sparkle.”
She smiled up at him, and something flashed across his face, a look reserved exclusively for her. As she took the sheet of stickers, he dropped a kiss on the top of her head, his big hand gentle as it smoothed over her hair.
“If we could return to the matter at hand,” Cas interjected, although I caught the slight twitch of his lips. Secretly, Mr. Zero Chill loved how Seri softened all our edges.
“Oh, absolutely,” she agreed with a wide-eyed nod that made my heart squeeze painfully.Cruor! Can men have hormone fluctuations? Because something awful is happening to me.“I’m ready, Simmy! I’ll even take notes!”
“That won’t be necessary. I’ve already written everything down.”
I transmitted a thought directly to Koa’s mind:Twenty bucks says he gives up before the last rule.
A tiny nod was his only response. Easiest bet I’d ever win.
“Rule Number One.” Cas straightened his shoulders, assuming what I mentally labeled his “Commander Stick-Up-His-Ass” posture. “Seri stays behind at least one Cimmerian brother at all times.”
She nodded solemnly and reached for a sticker.
“These are not suggestions.” Cas seemed puzzled by the bedazzling happening to his magnum opus. “They are non-negotiable safety protocols.”
“Absolutely.” Seri placed the star next to rule number one, and I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing out loud.
“Rule Number Two,” Cas forged ahead, his brow furrowing. “At the first sign of danger, Seri will immediately retreat to the designated safe zone, which will be established upon arrival at each location.”
Seri nodded again, selecting a glittery pink star this time.
“Pink means I extra-promise to follow it.”
“Rule Number Three.” Cas’ eye twitched. “Seri will remain in verbal or visual contact with at least one Cimmerian brother at all times. If she cannot speak freely, she will use the emergency hand signals we practiced.”
