After trudging up the stairs in utter soundlessness, still baffled by Cree’s perplexing reaction to our infractions, the last thing I wanted to see was Asher waiting in front of our door.
Farrah, ever the perceptive one, slipped by him with a mellow goodnight, her eyes twinkling with amusement, and closed the door behind her to give us a moment of privacy.
“How bad is it?” He immediately took hold of my hand, his thumb tracing slow, deliberate circles across my palm.
I wasn’t sure why, but after the strange, almost paternal admonishment from Cree, this familiar intimacy somehow felt wrong, out of place.
“It’s not bad at all,” I replied, forcing a lightness into my voice.
“He just wanted to let me know he needed me to help with a sensing project tomorrow, that’s all.” I discreetly pulled my hand away, tucking my hair behind my ear, avoiding his gaze.
His eyes narrowed slightly, a hint of suspicion entering them.
“That’s it?
So there’s another reason why I now feel like we’re back to avoiding each other?” He didn’t miss a beat.
I shook my head in denial, surprised he could already feel the chasm I intended to increase between us, a sudden distance I was determined to establish.
“What?
No, we’re fine,” I insisted, forcing a small, unconvincing smile.
“I’m just tired, and I have to wake up pretty early in the morning now.” He still eyed me, his gaze piercing, like he didn’t believe a word I was saying.
Hell, I barely believed what I was saying myself.
“How about this,” he proposed, his voice soft, a hint of persuasion in his tone, “when I get done tomorrow, I’ll come find you, and we can get something to eat?”
He was awfully quiet, his expression unreadable, and I thought he was about to call me on my BS, to see right through my flimsy excuse.
But then, he broke out his megawatt smile, that disarming pureblood charm, and simply agreed before sending me in to get some sleep.
The relief that washed over me was immense.
I went in, fully intending to talk to Farrah about the night’s events, the strange encounter with Cree and the even stranger conversation with Asher, but she was completely knocked out, still in her clothing from the party, sprawled across her bed.
I quickly showered, the cool water a welcome shock, changed into my pajamas, and curled up under my blanket.
I didn’t even get much time to worry over anything before my eyes closed, and blissful sleep took me under, a much-needed escape.
The following morning, I jerked from my sleep, completely disoriented and confused by the sudden waking.
Glancing at the alarm clock on the nightstand, my eyes widened in horror when I saw it was 7:55 AM, and I almost had a heart attack.
I flew out of bed and promptly fell to the floor when my legs got entangled in the sheets, creating a loud enough noise to awaken sleeping beauty.
“Wha- I’m up, I’m up,” Farrah mumbled, her voice thick with sleep.
She looked around the room until her bleary eyes landed on me, a tangled mess on the floor.
“Gen?
What are you doing down there?”
I completed my struggle for freedom, untangling myself from the sheets, and sprang up from the floor.
“I’m late to meet with Cree!” I exclaimed, panic rising in my voice.
“I can’t believe I forgot to set the alarm.”
Forgoing the shower, a luxury I couldn’t afford, I gave my teeth a quick run through with my toothbrush and splashed cold water on my face, hoping it would wake me up.
I was almost out the door when Farrah stopped me, her expression amused. Get faster updates on g.com.
“What?
What is it?
I told you I’m late!” I said impatiently, already halfway out the door.
“Uh, shouldn’t you at least change?
Perhaps shoes would be nice?” she asked, her voice laced with gentle mockery.
I looked down and saw I was indeed still in my pajamas, a faded T-shirt and plaid shorts, and my fluffy doggie bedroom slippers adorned my feet, completely unsuitable for a meeting with the Headmaster.
Going over the incantation in my head, I didn’t even bother to say it out loud, focusing intensely.
I just visualized the dark jeans, a simple T-shirt, and my trusty sneakers, all of which I knew were in my closet, and in no time, I was fully clothed, dressed appropriately.
The magic worked instantly.
I blew a kiss in her general direction to thank her for the heads-up and then bolted down the steps at full speed, a blur of motion.
I dashed across the courtyard to the administration building, the foliage around me blurring slightly when I added a bit of vampire speed, for the first time ever wishing I dabbled in blood to help that particular enhancement, to make it even faster.
I dashed through the doors of the administration building and ran smack dab into a rock-hard chest, the impact jarring.
Strong arms wrapped around me instinctively, steadying me, and my insides turned to mush.
My heart rate skyrocketed, a frantic drumbeat against my ribs, as I brought my hands up to his arms in an attempt to steady myself.
Our eyes met, and I was pleasantly surprised when his eyes had a golden glow, a tell-tale sign, letting me know his wolf was at the forefront, his instincts guiding him.
His hand cupped the nape of my neck, his thumb brushing against my cheek in soft wisps, a gentle caress.
“Echo, I—” The sudden sound of Cree’s voice was enough to pull us apart, Echo going as far as taking a step away from me, his movements swift and almost imperceptible.
I was mortified that not only had he seen me in a compromising position with Asher less than twelve hours earlier, but now he’d caught me with Echo, his Beta’s son, and his daughter’s boyfriend.
Kill me now.
“Ms.
Adams, you’re late.” Cree’s voice was stern, cutting through the awkward silence.
“I know, I overslept.
Sorry.” I found myself avoiding looking in his direction, my gaze fixed on the plush carpet below my feet, which suddenly seemed like the most interesting thing in the world.
“Very well.
The item you’re looking for has to possess some strong magic, one that would be able to sustain him for a while.
Everything he’s used so far has been drained in a matter of a couple of days, and it takes a while for the magic to replenish itself.” His voice was calmer now, the earlier anger gone.
“It also needs to be something he can keep on his person at all times, so start with medallions and the like.
Do you understand?” I finally allowed my eyes to meet his own and nodded, acknowledging his instructions.
“Good, Echo,” He took some keys out of his pocket and passed them to Echo, the metal jingling softly.
“You know the way, lock up when you’re done.” He turned back into the direction of his office, but stopped short and turned back around.
“Echo, a word?” They faced away from me, their backs turned, and he said something in hushed tones, officially barring me from their exchange.
Using the key that Cree had given to him, he opened it and gestured me forward.
I took tentative steps forward when I realized that there was a stairwell leading down, beneath the building, a descent into the unknown.
It was a well-lit area, surprisingly bright, but it still didn’t take away the anxiety I felt at going underground, a primal fear of enclosed spaces.
An anxiety that only grew stronger the deeper we went, the air feeling heavier with each step.
In an attempt to ease the palpable tension that filtered between us, a heavy, uncomfortable silence, I decided to strike up some conversation.
“Sorry you’re stuck with me today.
I’ll try to find something you can use as quickly as possible so you can at least get to spend some of the day with your girlfriend.”
He grunted slightly, a low, dismissive sound.
“It’s me who should be apologizing for keeping you from your boyfriend, don’t you think?”
My head snapped in his direction so fast that I missed the next step and stumbled a bit, my balance momentarily lost.
His hand darted out to steady me, his fingers brushing my arm, but I was too focused on what he had just said to even pay attention to the way his skin felt against my own, the electricity that always sparked between us.
“What boyfriend?
I don’t have a boyfriend,” I retorted, my voice sharp with indignation, and carefully made my way down the steps once more, regaining my footing.
“Everyone was talking about you and the prince this morning,” he explained, a hint of amusement in his voice.
“I just assumed you were like an item now.” It took me a minute to realize he was talking about Asher; apparently, Cree was right, and we did make a spectacle last night.
“Oh, we’re not.
I don’t think so.” I realized, with a sudden, uncomfortable clarity, that I didn’t know what exactly was going on with me and Asher.
We hadn’t finalized anything, and I had to admit that things had changed after my scolding from Cree, his words reverberating in my mind.
We were saved from any more of the uncomfortable discussion when we finally got to the bottom, and the floor opened up to giant double doors, imposing and heavy.
Echo brushed past me to unlock these doors as well, his movements fluid, and I shamelessly inhaled his scent when he did, the rich, earthy aroma filling my senses.
The smell of pine and rain assaulted my nostrils, clean and invigorating, and I held in a moan of delight, a purely involuntary reaction.
What the hell am I doing?
This is Echo, he has a girlfriend!
I needed to pull it together, to regain my composure and focus.
I was able to compose myself just in time when he turned to usher me in, his expression unreadable, but I didn’t miss the know-it-all smirk that was creeping onto his face, a silent acknowledgment of my reaction.
Everything was forgotten when I entered the room, the sheer intensity of magic pulsing around me, through me, a tangible force.
The room was huge, cavernous, with two levels to it, and filled with countless magical artifacts that probably aged all the way back to Morgana herself, relics of unimaginable power.
“So, where should we start?” Echo questioned, his voice echoing in the vast space, and I closed my eyes, hoping this could be over soon because I wasn’t sure I could be around him for an extended period of time without doing something incredibly stupid.
My eyes sprang open and roamed the room, scanning the shelves and display cases, until they landed on the second floor.
I could see the deep cherry of a specific door up there, radiating a subtle warmth, and I instinctively pointed to it, a magnetic pull guiding me.
“Up there.”