Vaxan had slurred out an explanation that the nature of the brutal fucking process he’d endured meant he couldn’t heal until all that vibrational resonance settled in his system for some time. So the damage to his organs and the far too many broken bones would remain until that happened. He’d told us that by sinking intoself-immobilization,which was a Basilisk version of a healing sleep, it would speed up the process. The moment he’dfallen asleep, his entire body had scaled-up, every single inch of his skin covered with those black snake scales that had gleaming citrine veins forming a pattern matching a cobra’s markings.
Since then, he hadn’t woken once.
That, combined with Winter’s abduction, hadn’t exactly been sitting well with Zayn.
It hadn’t been with me either. It was a lot to push through. And my dragon nature didn’t exactly make it easy not to rage and respond with furious displays of might and violence. But we had to tread carefully, especially with everything going on.
So I was channeling my upset and rage into finalizing the Exalt Charter, keeping things moving and conversing with Octana, River, and Fanor. I’d also finalized my part of keeping the Dracoryn Realm from mobilizing.
I’d consolidated indisputable documentation that directly countered the negative framing of Winter that Ruxnoth had put out there with what I was calling Honor Conduct. It contained intel on his saves, personality, everything needed to build a powerful case to demonstrate that what Ruxnoth wanted of Winter couldn’t come to pass, as Winter being who he was stood in direct opposition to Ruxnoth’s aspirations.
Zayn had been using his influential position among the student body at Loxley Academy to gather support waiting in the wings. He’d also somehow managed in just two phone calls to calm the whole place in regard to the four of us, so we could return once Winter was back with us, resume our studies.
But once he’d been done with that, the proverbial dam had started cracking.
In the last two days, he’d told me about the horrific process Vaxan had suffered through—five times in graphic detail, needing so badly to get it off his chest, to talk it out, after witnessing it up close like that. Seeing our sweetheart lord hurt and suffer like that.Fuck.
Yesterday afternoon, I’d managed to veer him toward his cooking passion to help him take his mind off things, to give the pressure a break.
First, I’d suggested he immerse himself in his Flamecraft art, but he’d felt he was too on edge to mess with his flame in that way, where so much intricate control was needed.
Then I’d floated the idea of the two of us sparring, but just like times I’d brought it up before, he’d shot it down hard. He couldn’t stand the thought of a hit from him landing on me, or on any of us.
So, the cooking thing it was.
And as we sat at the black and pink striped breakfast nook eating—kind of a post-lunch and pre-dinner snack—the mess all over the kitchen spoke volumes on how deeply he’d gotten into it. Okay, so the batter dripping off the ceiling tiles had been my doing when I’d tried to help. Following that, Zayn had claimed that he had a certain“cooking protocol”that had already been in play so any furtherhelpwould have messed with that. A cute way to get me out of the kitchen, no doubt.
I pushed my plate with the last Savory Hand Pie across to Zayn who was sitting beside me, his inked arm pressed up against my pale-blue tank. He was definitely off, even his clothing was reflecting that. He had on a plain white T-Shirt and a pair of black jeans, the only bling or sign of his eclectic way of dressing was the studded belt.
He shook his head at the plate, then went on talking. “I mean, we need to give it an even cooler name than the one at Win’s family home.Entertainment Hubfor our den isn’t gonna fly. But we should definitely have all the video games, and fun magical activities too, right? Oh shit, you wanna create an ice and frost room? You and Win could make it together. Oh! We could also get Nuvri a friend. I’ve seen Vax cuddle up to him in the middle of the night a bunch of times now. You and Win usually sleephard, but you know me with my restlessness… kind of translates over into me waking up a lot in the night, so believe me, I’ve seen it. We could call itNuvro, or something.”
I burst out laughing. “Nuvro?”
He grinned. “Easy, it was just off the top of my head.”
“Sorry, but you’re not living that down.”
He tickled under my chin, making me giggle and writhe. “Stop,” I choked through it, batting his hand away.
He chuckled. “That’s what you get, baby.”
I let out a dragon growl, and he wagged his fingers at me. “Nuh-uh. Now, that’s not very nice, is it?”
“You little fucking—” I ruffled his hair, messing it all up.
He smirked at me and fixed it in a split-second with a flick of his magic, flashing me a shit-eating expression.
“You know, in all seriousness, I think your ideas for expanding this place are great.”
“Yeah?”
“Definitely. And I’ll work on some designs for the ice and frost room.”
“Awesome!”
My chest squeezed at the enthusiasm radiating off him, his eyes finally sparkling again.
I pushed the plate toward him again, then I was smiling, relief flooding through me, as he snatched up the pie and shoved the whole thing into his mouth, munching voraciously.
