“At least one of us slept well,” she mumbled Carefully or so she thought, she tried to slide off
the bed without waking him, but her groggy limbs had other plans. She winced as a sudden twinge of pain shot through her side as her foot snagged on the tangled mess of clothes she’d discarded on the floor.
With all the grace of a drunken sparrow, she stumbled forward, catching herself on the corner of a chair with a muffled yelp. Her hair fell in a wild mess across herface as she froze, glancing over her shoulder at Cat, who remained blissfully undisturbed.
Her relief was short lived as she groaned and rubbed her side, muttering under her breath, “So much for a quiet exit.”
Sorcha walked to the washroom, quietly closing the door behind her. She lifted her shirt and, as much as it hurt, removed the dressing. To her surprise, the cut had already healed. Sorcha had always healed quickly, but she had never really thought about it until now.
Maybe it’s because of my powers.
The thought lingered as she recalled all the times she had been hurt—every cut, scrape, and bruise. But she couldn’t think of many. Her hand moved to her head and arm, touching her most recent injuries. Both had healed so fast that she had nearly forgotten about them. Now, as her fingers brushed over her side, only a thin sliver of a scar and some bruising remained, hidden among her runes.
She changed her clothes, brushed her hair, and tied it back with a ribbon at the nape of her neck, leaving a few strands to frame her face.
Emerging from the washroom, she found Cat still lying on her bed, now watching her as she moved around the room.
Cat lazily stretched. “Good morning, Sunshine.
Oh, I likeSunshine,it works.”
Sorcha rolled her eyes. “And I suppose I should continue to call youCat…?”
Cat, now leaping off the bed, padded toward her. “Cat works just fine. I’m not really a cat, and Cait Sídhe have many names. Mine isMaelan, but I’d rather not have others know my name… Cat is perfect.”
Sorcha tilted her head, considering the name.
Maelan.She nodded. “Alright,Cat. It’ll be our secret.”
Cat was already making his way toward the kitchen when he turned back. “Thank you,Sunshine.”
“Sorcha! It’sSorcha—MAELAN!” she called after him, a grin spreading across her face.
But Cat just kept walking, calling over his shoulder, “We have work to do,Sunshine! We have to find Kyron and the Commander and get your powers under control. We can’t have you exploding fire or blinding half of us, now can we?”
Sorcha exhaled, shaking her head. She knew she didn’t have much time. Samhain was only four days away, and she would have to work harder than ever to figure it all out.
She followed Cat into the living room when a steady thud… thud… thuddd… thud… thud echoed in rhythm against the door. Kyron stepped inside, greeting them with a wide smile and a wave, holding up a bag as if it were a peace offering, as though he expected an ambush the moment he entered.
“I brought food!” he announced in a singsong voice before stepping fully inside.
The rich smell of cinnamon, sugar, spices, and freshly baked bread filled the air. Sorcha’s stomachrumbled in response, and even Cat was no better, licking his lips.
Kyron set the food on the table before walking over to Sorcha, his expression softer, more hesitant. “Are you alright? I didn’t dare come by last night after the way you walked off. I know you’re mad at me, and I’m sorry, Sorcha.”
He took her hand, his touch warm, steady. With his free hand, he brushed a few stray strands of hair behind her ear, his fingers lingering for a moment. His gaze met hers, deep and unwavering.
“I care about you, Sorcha,” he said, his voice low and sweet. “I’m sorry that in my desire to protect you, I ended up hurting you. I can’t change that now, but I promise you I won’t hide anything from you again. Even if I don’t have all the answers myself.”
He meant it. She could see it in the way he looked at her, the way he leaned in, mere inches from her lips. She could feel the warmth of his breath against her skin, as heatcrept up her cheeks. Sorcha’s breath caught in her throat. The warmth of his touch sent a ripple through her.
A loud, choking sound shattered the moment.
Followed by gagging. Then what could only be described as someone drowning in their own disgust.
“Please, for the love of the gods and all things Otherworldly, STOP IT!” Cat hacked violently, his body convulsing. “That was just… disgusting. Kyron, that was the best you had?”
Kyron barely had time to react before Cat dramatically gagged again, this time coughing up an actual hairball. He spat it onto the floor and glared at them.
