I sigh tiredly and count to three to curb my frustration. These idiots need to grow up.
“Stop. Both of you.” I really need some peace and quiet. “I’ll drive. Just give me a second to settle Nevaeh in the front—”
Seiji gasps, clutching his chest like he’s in pain. “How. Could. You?” he says, scandalized. “A pretty girl shows up, and suddenly I’m chopped liver? Oh, how the tables have turned on my poor soul. Ineverexpected this from you, Anxo.”
I knew this was coming. Seiji is not great at sharing. He’ll give the world to someone he loves, but snatch the last sip of water you need to survive if he doesn’t. It’s a strange balance.
Once my mate—Fates, I love saying that—is secure in the passenger seat, I turn to Seiji, who is still huffing and puffing.
I open the door for him to climb into the backseat. The idiot grumbles the whole time about how it’s not fair of me to revoke his driving privileges just because heaccidentallyhit one old lady.
I wish it was justoneold lady.
Grace slips into the back with a relieved breath, sitting in the middle with the kid on her lap so Hazel and Seiji aren’ttempted to start again.
Once we’re on the road, it dawns on me that we can’t return to the kingdom. The amount of Divine we used back in the coven means there’s a risk of witches tracing the portal we’ll use to get home.
Those portals are sacred. The mere thought of witches finding them makes my skin crawl.
Nevaeh and the kid are too injured to risk that journey anyway. I need to get them both some medical help first, and then figure out where Harvey is. I’m not going back home without my brother.
Staying in the human realm is our safest option for now. The mix of humans and other supernatural scents will mask our trail if anyone tries to track us.
As I park outside the hotel and cut the engine, Seiji asks, “How long are we staying? I’ll need more clothes if it’s longer than two days.”
“You also need a new brain,” Hazel mutters under her breath.
“And you need better comebacks. And just so you know, staying out of the water for so long is giving you wrinkles.”
Before Hazel can tear him a new one, I slap a hand over Seiji’s mouth and shoot Hazel a warning look. I’m tempted to leave these two in this God-forsaken realm and seal the portals behind me.
“We’re staying until these two have had some time to heal and adjust to the new circumstances. And we need to find out what happened to Harvey. We owe his family an explanation if nothing else.”
Once everyone is on board with the new plan, I step out of the car.
Hazel starts whistling once I’ve got my mate back in my arms again, but this tune is different from what she usually uses to torture us, not low and pitchy like before.
The power behind her tune intensifies, forcing every human within a mile to turn their backs on us and stand stillas we pass through the hotel lobby. Her magic ensures there are no witnesses to us carrying an unconscious girl and child into the building. That would raise more than a few questions.
Hazel alters the pitch once we’re near the elevator up to my penthouse, and finally stops whistling when the doors shut behind us.
“I love it when you don’t use your powers to rupture our eardrums,” Seiji teases her. Again. I’ll never understand why this imbecile insists on poking the grumpy bear.
“Don’t start with me right now, or I’ll make you run around the block naked.”
Seiji scoffs, his face glowing with arrogance. “Please. These humans will thank you for blessing their eyes with perfection.”
We gag in sync. Thank Fates the elevator doors open before Seiji launches into a big speech about his junk.
Walking down the hallway, the floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room twinkle from the hundreds of lights coming from buildings in our view. The dark sky reminds me that none of us has slept in the last two days.
I stop at the bottom of the stairs that lead to my room upstairs and wait for everyone to gather. “Grace, take the kid to the guest room and make sure he’s comfortable. I’ll call Khatri and ask him to send two of our best healers.”
“What about Nevaeh?”
“She’ll be in my room.”
I start to leave, but Hazel halts me with a suspicious glare. “Whyyourroom?”
