She stared for a long moment, and oddly, her lips twitched. “An ass issue is enough without adding the ailment of a hearing problem, don’t you think?”
Unbidden, I huffed with a chuckle. “I’m kind of digging the hot-and-cold vibe you’ve got going on.” I nodded once. “It suits the first in command.”
“Thank you.” Prim words, then she was back to arguing with Reese. They were not really the cutesy couple their Walkers had been.
I flicked a finger at them, asking Mr Damon, “Have they always argued like this?”
His brows lifted with a slight teetering of his head. “Pretty much, yes.”
I hummed quietly then took another drink of water, my stomach completely settled now. I ran my fingers through my hair. “Do I look like I’ve been put through the wringer?”
His lips quirked. “No, although I have heard his power can be…uncontrollable.”
I snorted, placing my glass on the table. “Everyone should try it sometime.”
Dry words. “I think not.”
I did like this man, the One’s real father. “Well, it’s about time to make my call, so if you could quiet the boisterous couple I would appreciate it.”
“Quiet,” the One ordered, again with simple words. “Both of you.”
And beautifully, they both shut up.
“That works, too,” I muttered, letting my Core flare. My eyes glowed as I waved a radiant hand in front of my face. This time I tried what Reese had mentioned, just asking for King Collins. My screen flared neon blue and the sound of familiar voices in the background could be heard. I asked, “King Collins? Are you there?”
The voices instantly died down. King Collins asked, “Caro?”
“That would be me,” I mumbled. “Are you decent for viewing?”
He chuckled quietly. “Yes.”
I eyed the screen, unsure of how to bring in the video. “Hold on. I’m having technical difficulties.” I glanced around the screen to the spirits staring at me. “Reese, you didn’t tell me how to make it go regular.”
Mr Damon answered with a bit of amusement. “And that would be Reese’s biggest hang-up in life, never finishing anything.” He sighed, but with a smile. “Just finish calling.”
“Oh.” I blinked at him. “I guess that was a no-brainer.” I turned my attention back to the screen and blew the stars into it, calling to King Collins. The screen abruptly showed all I had asked for. Sitting in one of the Shifter living rooms, everyone was there. I grinned. “I did it.”
“Can I touch it?” asked Elder Farrar instantly, standing and coming toward the screen. “This is really ingenious.”
My eyes widened and a tiny squeak emitted from my pinched lips—I was more than a bit freaked for him if he did, but unable to say so.
Intelligently, he stalled. “Actually, I don’t think I need to touch it after all.”
“Or you could, and we could all get a good laugh out of whatever made her face scrunch up like that,” Elder Jacobs murmured, chuckling unobtrusively. But his hilarity halted and he glanced at me. “Hey…I…um…” For the first time, I watched him stutter. “Is there…uh…I would very much like…”
It was Elder Farrar’s turn to laugh, vaguely pointing a finger at him. His humored gaze held mine. “He wants a dose of the protection you gave us.” Golden eyebrows rose. “He heard from someone how amazing it was.” He leaned forward, mock whispering, “Don’t do it, Caro.”
I laughed outright at the cross expression Elder Jacobs gave Elder Farrar.
But I quickly cut off my laugh when Queen Cooper asked, “What are they talking about?”
My lips pinched.
I swear there was the longest pause in which faces quickly blanked, no one looking toward her or King Collins. Which meant I could make the pretty good guess that they all knew they were together-together somehow.
“Caro?” Queen Cooper growled after eyeing everyone. “What do I need to know?”
“I can’t say anything, as you know,” I stated with calm words, covering for my King, who was all kinds of flustered and barely able to keep his face void of emotion. “But I can say a few of them acted a bit drunk or high for a small while.”
More like an hour, but whatever.
“Oh.” Queen Cooper flicked her golden locks over her right shoulder. “That’s not so bad.” She glanced at everyone like they were crazy. “I’m not exactly innocent, people, I can be told things like this.”
Elder Farrar quickly jumped in, creating a distraction. “Caro…” He grinned extra slowly. “Did you like the questions I wrote for you?”
My jaw dropped. “You did that on purpose?”
He shrugged a shoulder. “I thought you could use a laugh.” He held up a finger. “But I do endorse quite a few of those questions.”
My brows lifted and I spoke dry words. “Yes, we all need to know where he got his nipples pierced.”
A few of their eyes popped wide and they started chuckling.