“Why?” I asked. “Do you know how sketchy that sounds?”
“Because my being there will keep the scum at bay. Sure, they may run their mouths on their little phones and platforms and whatnot, but they will stay away.”
“I’ll talk to him about it when he feels better,” I nodded.
“Now, I think it’s time for you to go. Get the baby on the ground before he wakes up if he really is afraid of heights. Sometimes panic overrides phobias but panic can’t last forever.”
“How do you know that?” I asked.
“We’re on a family link,” he laughed. “Thought you’d know that from Clary and Smokey’s little book.”
Chapter 26
Jade
Guardians of Glitter Bomb Territory
I lay face down on the bar with the world coming in and out of focus. Inside his inner sanctum, my lion rolled around as if someone dosed him with draconic catnip. The irony didn’t escape me. This was where my carrier laid, face down and pants down, the first night he was in the GGB. It might not have even been the GGB yet. Still, he’d runaway from home and my literal psycho grandfather and then Liam shot him in the ass with a crossbow.
“Not my ass! Only Beryl can touch me there!”my lion said and made the closest sound a lion could to laughter. I laughed too and my carrier smoothed down my hair.
“It’s okay, baby,” he whispered to me. “Beryl has Jondi. They’ll be here soon.”
“He’s a good dad,” I whispered. “Hey! Is my baby okay?” Panic cut through the laughing gas.
“Yes,” it was Doctor Lawngry speaking now. “Remember? We did an ultrasound before we got you settled on the bar. The blow didn’t land near the baby and they’re just a little jellybean. We’re ensuring you stay as relaxed as possible. That’s all you need to do for your baby right now.”
“Okay. Okay. I can do that,” I said as the mask was slid back over my face.
The doctor and my carrier talked but I couldn’t make out their words. The next time I woke up there was a pillow under my head and an otter asleep across my legs. On my pillow was the little rock with the face to keep me company. I smiled. I almost tested my wing but remembered someone told me they had set it and wrapped it and I should try not to move it too much. I didn’t remember shifting back into human form after biting out the belly of my attacker but somewhere along the way I had. Wait! Beryl ripped that fucker in half! I raised my head up to look around.
“Shhh… I’m here,” Beryl whispered from the barstool nearest my head. His mom and Bree sat at a table on the other side of the room. Poor Bree looked so pregnant. “They’re moving the wedding back again.”
“No,” I sighed.
“Yes,” he nodded. “They’re not going to have a wedding that we can’t be at. Plus, I think Mum might’ve come around to the idea Bree might not lay her egg until she’s near more water. I don’t think either of them thought it would be a problem, but maybe…” he glanced worriedly at his moms.
“But not because of me,” I said, hating that I ruined everything.
“That’s the pain meds talking or coming down from the pain meds talking, I should say,” Beryl took my hand in his. “You didn’t make those bears do that.”
“There’s something you’re blocking from our link. I don’t like it. Who died?”
“No. Well, a lot of mercenary bears,” Beryl sighed.
“But that’s not what you’re hiding. Did Jondi get hurt? Did they attack the school?” The questions tumbled out of my dry mouth.
“Do you want an ice cube?” he asked.
“Yes, but…” I didn’t get to finish what I wanted to say because Beryl spooned an ice cube into my mouth.
“My dad is in town. I don’t know how I feel about it and I don’t think this is the right time to talk about it.”
I opened my mouth to ask if it was the dragon who smelled sort of like him but thought better of it. He said he didn’t want to talk about it after all.
“I met Volex too. The one from Medwin and Clarence’s book. It’s him. We’re on a flight or a family link or something. He knew Pras. Of course, he knew Pras,” Beryl said. “Shit. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be talking about any of this right now you need to rest.”
“Distract me from the fact I don’t know if I can sit up yet or not,” I said and squeezed his hand.
