“Come on, Nai,” Reyna grumbled from the doorway. “We need to get a move on or you’re going to be late for your first lesson.”
Looking at me, Sariah raised her eyebrows. “Reyna’s the queen of not being a morning person.”
“I heard that,” Reyna grumbled as she filled a mug the size of Texas with black coffee and then chugged it down like it was water.
Whoa.
Sariah swallowed and then pushed back from the table, crossing the kitchen to the other wolf-shifter. With her voice lowered, my aunt asked, “How’s my dad?”
I rose and stepped closer so I could hear as well.
Reyna drained the last of her mug and then wiped her hand over her eyes. With a flat expression, she met my aunt’s worried gaze. “He’ll sleep a lot more from now on. He’s too weak to make the potion that gives him energy, which means I’ll feel weak and tired too. I’m doing my best, but…”
She shrugged and then poured another cup of coffee.
I frowned. Taking in all Reyna was saying was a lot. And I wasn’t sure what, if anything, I could do to help.
“Oh, honey,” Sariah placed one hand on each of Reyna’s shoulders. “I didn’t mean … how are you?”
Dread slithered into me, icy snake-like tendrils that were invisible but so, so real. Reyna was my grandfather’s shield, and she must be taking on a lot to keep him alive—much like how Rage, Honor, andallof the Midnight brothers did the same for me.
“I’m fine,” Reyna growled, shrugging off my aunt’s hold. “He’s magically taking most of the sickness to keep it from me like the stubborn ass he is!”
“Cuss word!” Donovan announced from the table.
Reyna’s attention bounced to my cousin, and she sighed, letting the fight drain from her as fast as it’d rushed in. “Sorry. I-I’m—” Her voice cracked. “I’m not ready to let him go.”
In that moment, whatever wall I’d built to keep away the sadness of my grandfather passing … broke. Hot tears burned my eyes at Reyna’s vulnerable declaration, and I had to blink them away.
“Me neither,” I managed to say … or rather croak.
Sariah plucked the coffee cup from Reyna’s hand, setting it on the counter, and then reached out, pulling both her and me into a bone-crushing hug.
“Me neither. But this is the way things are, and somehow we’ll get through it,” Sariah said.
“I hate hugging,” Reyna said from deep within our tight snuggle-fest, but she was enough of a badass that if she’d really hated it, she could’ve easily broken free.
“I don’t believe you,” Sariah said, letting go and wiping her eyes. She leveled my grandfather’s shield with an epic stare. “Everyone needs a hug now and again, even badasses.”
“Cuss word!” Donovan declared again, and my aunt rolled her eyes.
“Sometimes, I’m not sure which is worse, the crime or the announcement of it,” Sariah said with a chuckle. She went over and hugged her son. “Thanks, sweet boy, for keeping us honest.”
“Well, now that we’ve had a chipper morning chat, let’s get you off to class, shall we?” Reyna asked.
Maybe, if something was inevitable, it was best not to think about it. Wiping my eyes, I nodded at my fierce friend. “Do I get a schedule or books or anything?”
Reyna burst into laughter, but when she saw my confused face, she stopped. “Oh, you’re serious.”
“So … is that a no?” I asked.
Sariah reached out and patted my shoulder. “The only way to learn about spirit is from spirit.”
Okay … that was vague and slightly terrifying. “So … if Gramps is sick, and I need to learn spirit … who is teaching my classes?”
Sariah nodded. “Your ancestors. Your mom.”
My heart thundered against my ribs so hard and so fast I thought I might faint. “But … my mom’s dead.”
