I hissed under my breath.
Dimitri let out a low chuckle. “Don’t worry, lethal darling. I’m yours.”
“Andwehave an advising meeting to get to.” Shadows spilled off Ominous and coiled around our ankles.
The common room blinked out.
Shadows clamped over my senses and peeled away.
The scent of magic and industrial cleaner slapped me in the face.
We stood inside the Advising Office within Apex Nexus.
“Must be nice to be able to do that,” Dimitri muttered.
Ominous shrugged. “Faster than walking.”
The door to one suite opened before any of us could knock.
The man who stepped through the doorway said my name,“Rune Bloodwyne.”
I had to tilt my head back to meet his gaze. Bright, unnatural blue eyes and jet-black hair, slicked back away from his angular face.
He was a siren.
Cora went utterly still beside me.
“Oh,” she muttered, head tipping to the side as she looked him over with clear disdain.“You.”
His gaze flicked to her, and he bowed his head, tension rippling through his shoulders. “Coralynn. I saw your name on the roster, but I must admit that I’m still surprised to see you here.”
“Yeah, I bet,” she snapped. “Considering you were with the pod when we were cursed and thrown into the sea.”
Shame flickered across his face. He bowed his head further.
“I genuinely apologize,” he murmured. “I voted against the curse. I tried to stop it. But my mother is sick, and they threatened her if I didn’t comply.”
Cora’s eyes softened for just a second, but she turned her head away.
“Doesn’t change what happened,” she said quietly.
“No,” he agreed. “It doesn’t.” His eyes came back to me. “Rune, if you will.”
He gestured into the office.
Dimitri’s hand squeezed mine, and the bond pulled taut with reluctance.
I squeezed back before I stepped into the office.
It wasn’t very inviting. Black shelves lined the black walls. An obsidian desk was situated in the center, with a single fae orb light casting everything in a cold glow. The temperature dropped a few degrees once the door shut behind me.
He moved around the obsidian desk with fluid grace and sat down in his black chair.
“Please, take a seat.” He gestured at the chair across the desk from him.
I walked over and sat. The seat was hard and cold.
“I’m Atlas Brinewater,” he said. “Temporary House of Twilight Advisor.”
