King Collins muttered, “I still didn’t understand a damn thing she just said.”
“She’s tired,” Leric growled quietly. “Leave her alone. After all, she did just save all of you.” He gripped the back of my neck, gently massaging. “Moreover, she stated unmistakably that King Zeller apparently spilled the news, which I would imagine he overheard with those fucking ears of his.”
“Your dad,” I muttered, my words more of a yawn.
Leric snorted.
I blinked. “Have you talked to Lissa recently?”
“No,” he whispered softly. “Quiet now.”
“It still stands: we won’t allow you to take our memories, however we found out,” King Collins explained. “We’re not really fond of that method.”
“Jesus,” Leric muttered, growling quietly under his breath. “God, I hate the overly sensitive sometimes.” He was walking again, and he growled quietly when he stopped, “Dad, you’re taking care of this crowd and their issues since you apparently forewarned them.” Then he was instantly moving again, muttering over his shoulder and away from my head, “Don’t give me that look, and make sure you get her swords. She seems attached to them. I’ll get Sprite into bed, and perhaps next time you’ll keep your mouth shut.”
Chapter Fourteen
I glared at Leric inside Elder Farrar’s spelled privacy suite the next morning, where everyone was congregating for a meeting. I didn’t see my property anywhere. “Where are my swords?”
Brann answered my question. “I have them. I’ll give them back when we have a free minute.”
I nodded in agreement. “Thank you.” They were mine.
Leric muttered a curse, his eyes jerking to his dad. “You couldn’t have picked them up as I asked?”
“Don’t take that tone with me, young man,” Mr Damon griped. “I was a little busy, seeing as you ordered me to fucking take care of them. By the time I was done, the swords were gone. I thought they had been stolen.”
I blinked at their candor in front of everyone. I stared at Mr Damon. “You were supposed to…you know…” My finger twirled about, since I wasn’t able to speak of it. “What the hell happened? Did they take you down or something?”
Leric growled quietly, “My father informed me that Elder Farrar apparently put a memory spell on all the Elders, Kings and Queens, and Prodigies before my dad could break through the protection spell.” A white brow lifted. “They still know, and I’m fairly sure the spell can’t be broken if my dad couldn’t push past it.”
I blinked at him. “Okay.” That was weird…and not technically against any spirit Law.
King Zeller cleared his throat. “About that. We should probably thank you for killing all of those…” He stalled in his speech, glancing at King Collins. “What did you call them?”
King Collins answered evenly, “Shadows is what the book accounted for.”
My gaze was huge on their faces. Where the hell did he get this book?
Actually, I didn’t want to know. Some things were better left to the unknown.
I shrugged, keeping it cool. “No problem.”
Mr Damon and Mrs Damon nodded their heads respectfully.
But not another thank you was said. Everyone was silent.
Really, King Zeller’s gratitude wasn’t even a real thank you.
Leric muttered a foul curse quietly then stood abruptly. “One day, you will all understand the importance of a spirit Elemental, and you will show the proper respect due. Until then, I feel bad for all of you. Your ignorance is hindering your growth as a community.”
I blinked repeatedly as he and the rest of the spirit Elementals left the room.
Shocked to my bones, I eyed the Mysticals inside this room. All leaders. All powerful. And not one showed any remorse for their rudeness. “I know you have better manners than what you’ve been expressing so far to him and his family.” I brushed hair out of my face, peering up to the faces that appeared carefully blank. Becoming plenty irked, I asked heatedly, “Why the hell aren’t you thanking us for saving your asses?”
All I heard was the sound of people walking outside the suite.
Everyone was mute, looking anywhere but at me.
“What?” I finally asked. “I know Leric is a bit of an ass…” Almost everyone he had once threatened glanced at me with frosty gazes, so I paused, altering my speech, “All right, he’s an asshole, but his parents—and I—saved you last night.”
More silence.
“Seriously?” I stared at everyone wide-eyed. “You aren’t going to say anything?”
Aria cleared her throat, earning everyone’s attention. She stared at the floor and stated softly, “We’re trying to be respectful to you and the spirit Elementals.” She finally peered up at me with apologetic blue eyes.