My chuckle could have rivaled an old Com’s. “There’s always a catch.” More picking of Tristan’s fur. “Your deal would be?”
His words were unpretentious and without fanfare. “Quite simply, that mother-fucking bastard—who is going to die—actually managed to pull one over on the most powerful Mysticals both inside the Temple and outside it. In fact, he beat us to the punch. Roselle, Reese and I were speaking on leaving the Temple for a few days to meet the current Prodigy Elemental—you—to try to figure out how you were missed for my protection and also to get to know you better. We considered possibly working on political ties, since you’re one of us and we can actually have a normal conversation with you. We also wanted to speak with the current Rulers and the other Prodigies to get to know the people who were going to be around the spirit I wasn’t able to protect, and make sure they understand the restraints you’re under for silence.”
Through all his pretty words, I understood the truth. I chuckled anxiously, staring blindly at Tristan’s fur. “You want to go there in exchange for the name.” Here we go all over again.
“Somewhat…yes.” He was quiet, until he drawled, “And I plan to help you find and kill the bastard who did this.” He sniffed—entirely arrogant. “You do know that a Walker holds only a bit of the power from whom it was stolen, correct?”
“Yes.” I waved a hand. “You’re much more all-powerful than the Walker Leric.”
Dry words in a lazy tone. “I can be of help to you.”
I licked my lips. “I’m not sure anyone will want you there. It’s not my choice to make, and your Walker wasn’t exactly liked even before the truth came out.”
I heard his thumbs tapping. “That bad?”
My lips pinched. “Worse.”
More drumming. “I understand your hesitancy, Ms Jules, but I think this is a relationship that could prosper in the long run, if you don’t stifle it in the beginning because of prejudice provoked from a Walker who wasn’t really me.”
I chuckled wryly, the laugh of the cynical, while running a hand over my face. “Nicely done.”
A slow response. “I do try.”
“Fuck.” I rested my head on my hand. “Who and when?”
“Reese, Roselle, and myself,” he stated instantly. His mom cleared her throat and he ground out, “No, you’re not coming.” A pause. “Mom…no way.” Another pause. “Don’t give me that look.”
I chuckled. “The Walkers had that right.”
There was a beat of silence, then the One asked, “Do I want to know?”
“The Walker Mrs Damon showed up in the middle of the night and proceeded to dig through my purse looking for my driver’s license so she could have my name.” I twirled an absent-minded finger, picking at Tristan’s fur with my other hand. “I believe she called it tenacious, instead of overbearing.”
He muttered, “That’s just weird.” Humming quiet. “No way in hell are you coming, so you can stop looking at me like that.” Then he spoke directly at me. “So, Ms Jules, the three of us. And as soon as possible.”
“Wonderful,” I grumbled under my breath. I unlocked my Core, sighing heavily as my eyes glowed faintly. I looked up and waved a glowing hand in front of my face, opening a small section of the air in front of me—the rectangular space was like a miniature wide-screen television. This was the method of speaking to those outside the Temple. The ether was inside the screen, and I inhaled, breathing out slowly into the cosmos and calling on King Collins. The heavens disappeared, replaced by the interior of my home.
My brows puckered in confusion at the blue and gold I saw on screen. “King Collins?”
Unexpectedly, I heard what sounded like a banshee scream.
Over the shout, I barely heard the masculine bellow, “Get the fuck out!”
My eyes popped wide, grasping exactly what I was seeing. I mumbled quickly, “Shit…I’m so sorry!” I started to wave my hand in front of the screen to end the call, and I couldn’t help but see a rustling of covers over body parts. I was instantly blushing, the intimate forms of both King Collins and Queen Cooper now ingrained in my mind.
King Collins shouted, “Wait, wait!” A slow word. “Caro?”
My hand paused. “Yes.” I cleared my throat. “Behind you.”
My King moved.
Rapid, rapid words. “Blanket, blanket, blanket!”
He fumbled for it, but it was too late.
I saw more of my King than I had ever planned to.
I rubbed at my forehead, my cheeks flaming brightly. I was very happy no one else in the room could see this picture from the way my chair was angled. I flicked a finger, pointing behind his kneeling position. “I really don’t care to see that, either.”