I make a mental list of what I’ve learned about my fated family so far.
1. Angel is a touchy person.
2. Once Seiji starts talking, there’s no stopping him.
3. Grace is not just quiet, she’s timid.
4. Hazel would rather swallow glass than show her real emotions.
The more I watch Hazel, the more I see myself in her.
She keeps her daggers close, and it’s not just her love for the weapon but a telltale sign of someone expecting danger. She keeps track of every time the elevator chimes when it opens on a floor. If there’s a strange noise, Hazel is already up to figure out where it came from.
The only reason it’s so easy for me to notice her paranoia is because I struggle with it too. Angel is highly observant. He’s been quickly catching my twitchy fingers and nervous habits, but Hazel is much subtler with her tells.
Even after three years of living with the Horsemen and being a strong warrior, Hazel still shares my nerves and panic. It makes me wonder if the constant fear buried deep inside my chest is permanent. Is it a part of me now?
I need a distraction from my sudden, sad revelation, and Hazel looks like she could use one, too.
“So, you’re always grumpy because you want a mate? That’s adorable,” I tease her in the same baby voice I use on my little Monkey.
Judging by the steam coming out of Hazel’s ears, I’d say my noble plan to lift her mood worked beautifully.
“If I knew a way to hurt you without hurting Anxo, I would’ve stabbed you hours ago.” Hazel tries to hide it, but I catch the twitch at the corner of her lips.I knew she liked me!
“Sure, water fairy.”
“Do not compare me to those emotional sissies!”
“Isn’t it weird how Nevaeh wasmade, notborn? No one pushed her out of herVa-jay-jay.” Grace squeaks, interrupting my fun.
Hazel forgets about me and turns to scowl at Grace. “Ew. Why are you calling it va-jay-jay, nerd?”
“Yeah, just say coochie like normal people.” Seiji chimes in.
“That’s not what normal people call it, you fucktard. It’scalled avagina.” Hazel corrects Seiji, rolling her eyes at him when he refuses to repeat the word ‘vagina’ because it makes him feel queasy.
The debate ends with Seiji running for his life and Hazel hot on his heels, yelling that she’s going to“choke the stupidity out of him”.
When neither of them shows any signs of slowing down, Angel wearily trudges into the center of the room, and Seiji immediately darts behind him, hiding from the deadly siren.
“Drop it.I don’t want another kingdom to manage. I’m barely surviving three as it is.” Angel’s stern command finally gets them to stop.
I don’t even have time to process how parental Angel sounded because his words raise a storm of questions in my mind.
“What do you mean, three kingdoms?” I ask.
Suddenly, the room falls silent. Seiji and Hazel stop bickering and turn to me with wide, horrified eyes.
Fuck.I thought the bad news part of the day was over, but judging by their tense expressions, we’re circling back to it.
Anxiety coils in my chest as I glance at Angel. He doesn’t look eager to have this conversation. I blow out a sharp breath that does little to ease my nerves, and tuck my hands under my thighs to hide how they’ve started to tremble.
Angel keeps his eyes on me as he closes the distance between us in two long strides. Sitting on the carpet in front of me, he gently pulls my hands from under me and holds them in his.
A lump forms in my throat, the weight of my worst fears clouding my mind, making it hard to swallow. “Where’s my papa?”
Angel’s head snaps to Grace, who mirrors his alarm. I hate when these idiots talk with their eyes, leaving me completely out of the loop.
