“The woods.” I pointed to said woods, having picked him to talk with because I hadn’t thought he would be mean. “Anything—”
He shook his head, stopping me. “Exactly, Lil. Exactly, what did you say?”
“Um…” A slow blink. “See anything interesting out there in the woods of King Hall?”
He disappeared.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Dumbfounded, I asked no one in particular, “Did I say something wrong?”
Cahal grunted. “He’s always been that way.”
My gaze met his dead on. “Not around me.”
All of a sudden, Ezra was standing behind his chair wearing a different shirt. It was black, like the other, but it had silver skull buttons instead of plain black ones. He had remembered to roll up his sleeves on his forearms like before. Hopefully, no one would…
“You changed your shirt,” Vivian exclaimed. Leave it to Mom to notice. “Did you get something on the other while you were eating?”
I blinked, barely keeping a straight face.
Ezra didn’t do so well, though. He coughed hard. Really hard. In fact, he had to walk away, having a coughing fit. When he covered his mouth, I could see little beads of water on his hand. So he had washed, too.
People were beginning to stare, whispering to one another.
Vivian’s jaw clenched and she turned to the gossiping tables, stating loudly, “He does not have a germ. He’s just got something caught in his throat.” Vampire hearing in action. She turned her gaze on Ezra. “Right?”
King Venclaire snickered quietly, making me almost lose it in a bad chain reaction.
Ezra’s face was priceless.
Spring green eyes wide, he cleared his throat hard. “Right, Mom. No germ.”
She nodded curtly, and then glared at the other tables’ occupants. Scary teacher. She patted his seat, still daring the others to dispute her son’s claim as he sat down as expected.
Cahal was quietly watching me, but he asked his son, “Why did you change your shirt? And in such a rush?” He turned his head, looking him straight in the eye. “And where did you disappear to after you left the dance floor?” The man had a scary-ass dad face. His parents were a perfect mating.
Ezra held that frightening gaze. “I had to use the restroom, and then got soap on my shirt. I changed it.” He shrugged. “And, Lily and I escaped the masses for a little while after dancing.” He smiled. “I’m sure you remember how it was when everyone wanted a piece of your time.” His smile widened. “Way back in the day.”
His dad didn’t rise to the bait, only hummed softly, and then turned his attention back to me, staring silently.
“She can give you a picture if you like her face so much,” Ezra stated calmly.
“She reminds me of someone,” Cahal murmured thoughtfully.
Oh, dear Lord, not another one. “When were you mated?”
His head cocked. “Around forty years ago.”
Relief flooded me…until he blinked…and peered right at King Venclaire.
How bad can a day get?
“Yes,” King Venclaire murmured. “She’s Angela Springs’s daughter.”
Oh, he just knew about their affair. Again, relief flooded me.
“That must be it.” Cahal looked back at me. “You look just like her.”
I smiled. “Thank you.”
He blinked, his gaze returning to King Venclaire. “Didn’t Antonio say he raised her?”
I was really beginning to dislike this man.
King Venclaire’s jaw clenched, and he nodded once.
Cahal’s roaming gaze again revisited me. He said nothing verbally, but his eyes spoke volumes. He did not — to put it politely — approve of interpersonal relationships between Mys groups, and therefore, my mom, which was a direct consideration of me.
“Well,” my voice was soft as I turned to King Kincaid, “I’d like to be,” I cleared my throat, determined not to cry in front of this asshole, “excused, if I may?” My gaze was behind King Kincaid as I let my hair cover the side of my face, just in case my eyes were glistening.
“Go,” King Kincaid stated, a little wolf’s growl in his tone.
“Thank you.” I stood, walking away.
Only to hear Ezra behind me, arguing with his dad. I heard a definite “fucking asshole” growled from him somewhere in his heated words before, without warning, he was at my side. He didn’t wrap an arm around me, still conscious of the people near us, but his arm was brushing mine as we walked through the tables.
I whispered, “Thank you for sticking up for me and my mom.” I gazed up at him. “She wasn’t a slut, even if she did sleep with a Vampire and, maybe, a Mage.”
“I know.” Ezra’s teeth were clenched. “He’s just trying to see what rattles you. It’s his way. Find the weakness, and use it when needed. I could tell he didn’t honestly think your mom was a slut. He just wanted to see your reaction.”
That stopped me dead in my tracks. “Really?”
Halting with me, he nodded.