“Even a massage?” I asked. The fairy massages at the academy were legendary. I’d never so much as peeked inside the spa as it was invitation only.
“I expect you might have a tight muscle or two that needs coaxing,” the chancellor said.
I rolled my tense shoulders. “Or four or five.”
“Take the tray back to your room, if you like,” Chancellor Tilkin instructed. “Hazel won’t mind.”
“You don’t need to ask me twice,” Bryn said, rising to her feet and swiping the tray from the table. “Her fizzlewick tarts are the best.”
“You think everything you eat here is the best,” Mia said.
“How many can we have?” Cerys asked hesitantly.
“Oh, I don’t know,” the chancellor said. “As many as you can manage, I suppose.” She winked.
“Now that’s a choice with real consequences,” Bryn said.
I left the library after midnight, my shoulder bag heavy with books. I’d hoped to immerse myself in my studies. Anything to stop replaying recent events over and over in my mind. It was to no avail. Even Cato found it difficult to hold my attention and, usually, I was mesmerized by his stories.
“You’re here late, strawberry,” Fred said, as I passed by the gargoyle statue.
“Where’s that supermodel smile?” George asked. “Did someone hex you? Point us in their direction and we’ll take care of it.”
“We’re made of stone, George,” Fred said. “The only thing we can take care of is catching pigeon poop before it hits the steps.”
“Do you always have to undermine me?” George asked.
I gave George a pat on his stone head. “No one hexed me,” I said. “I’m just trying to toughen up. I lost my grandmother recently and I think it left me feeling more vulnerable than I would’ve normally been.” At least that was what I kept telling myself.
Fred whistled. “Sorry to hear that, strawberry. If it’s any consolation, that’s a pretty normal way to feel.”
“You should see the crybabies we get out here,” George added. “They slobber all over us. I need to wait for a good rainstorm to wash away the gunk.” He hesitated. “Not that we’re accusing you of being a crybaby.”
“We know you’re harder than that,” Fred added.
I knocked on Fred’s stone body. “As hard as you, at the very least.”
“Um, Dani, I think you might have a visitor,” George said. “Do you want me to scare him off?”
My stomach twisted when I saw the familiar silhouette approaching the steps. “Hello, Peter.”
“I went to your room and poked my head in the window, but Bryn said you were here.”
I folded my arms. “I’ll deal with her treachery later.”
“Don’t worry,” Peter said. “I got your back. I scared all three of them, plus your familiars. Sometimes I’m a little too skilled in the ninja department.”
A lump formed in my throat. “What are you doing here?”
“I wanted to apologize,” he said. “Now that the giant rebellion has been thwarted and everything’s back to normal, I thought I could explain myself better.”
I glanced at the gargoyles. “What do you think, fellas? Should I hear him out?”
“May as well,” Fred said, “but do it within earshot in case we want to mock him.”
I didn’t have the heart to do that to Peter. “Why don’t we walk toward the lake,” I said.
Peter shoved his hand in his pocket. “I brought you a present.” He produced a heart-shaped peach. “It’s not quite a doughnut, but it seemed appropriate.”
It was one of the special peaches from Urania’s palace. “You know, neither one of us opted for immortality,” I said. “Did you even consider it?”
“I’m already destined to live a long life,” Peter said. “Until now, I didn’t think I’d want to hang around any longer than necessary.”
I walked down the steps to the pavement and plucked the peach from his fingertips. We walked side by side toward the gateway. Now that he was here, my emotions were in turmoil. I found it difficult to walk so close to him without touching him. It took all my strength not to reach for his hand.
“So did you steal this from the banquet in case you changed your mind later?” I asked.
“No.”
“If not for immortality, then why?” My eyes widened. “To sell it?”
His cheeks grew flushed. “No, not to sell it, Dani.”
“Then why?”
As we passed through the gateway, he met my curious gaze. “As a memento.” He hesitated. “A souvenir of our time there together.”
In a heartbeat, we were back in the orchard, my back pressed against the trunk of a peento tree. His lips on mine. I shook off the memory.
“You lied to me, Peter,” I said. “About something very important.”
“You don’t know what it’s like to be the son of Javar, the Death Bringer,” he said. “I’ve been keeping that side of me hidden my entire life.”
I gaped at him. “You think I don’t know what it’s like to be related to someone shunned by society? Someone despised?”
“Your grandmother wasn’t feared,” Peter said gently. “It’s different for me. I didn’t want his gift, but it isn’t the kind of thing you can return. I’m stuck with it.”
“Is that why you’re a smuggler?” I asked. “To avoid having to use your power?”
“It definitely helps. I always figured if I lay low and don’t mingle with society, then there’ll be no one to reject me if they ever found out. Funny how that panned out.”
“I’m sorry, Peter,” I said. “I didn’t react the way I did because of your power. You know that, right?”
His gaze lowered. “The thing is—I’ve been perfectly content as a lone wolf for a long time.” He looked up. “Until I met you.”
My heart stuttered in my chest. “I don’t know, Peter.” As much as I wanted him in my life, the idea terrified me. I’d worked so hard to not let my emotions weaken me because it was one step closer to losing control. To my grandmother’s fate.
“Now that I’ve had a taste of your kind of friendship—of you…” A grin tugged at the corners of his mouth. “I’ve realized that this lone wolf might be ready for a pack. Or, at least, a she-wolf to howl at the moon with every so often.”
I rubbed my fingers over the soft curves of the peach. The longer I held it, the more I didn’t want to let it go. I didn’t want to let him go. “I need to trust the wolves in my pack, Peter. With my family history, it’s important to have paranormals around me I can rely on and confide in.”
He exhaled sharply. “You can trust me, Dani. I’d do anything for you.” His expression was pained. “I’d even slay a giant with my father’s staff for you and reveal my carefully hidden secret to everyone in sight.”
“That wasn’t for me,” I argued. “That was for the fate of the world.”
He took a step closer. “No, princess. Make no mistake. That was for you.”
“Thank you for the peach,” I said. “I’ll keep it somewhere safe.”
“A strawberry probably would’ve been more appropriate,” he said, lightly touching my hair, “but we didn’t share our first kiss in a strawberry patch.”
My chest tightened, remembering what it felt like to be wrapped in his arms. Yes, he was the son of a Death Bringer, but he was also a druid—a healer. More than any of that, though, he was Peter, a guy I knew I could really care for if I gave him the chance he deserved.
“I think we should take it slowly,” I said. I knew it would take a little time before I could fully trust him again.
“When you say slowly,” he began, “you mean don’t kiss you too fast, right? You’re looking for long and deep. Make it last?” He cocked an eyebrow and my stomach dipped.
I patted his cheek. “Down, wolf. I’m talking about the relationship. About the wonderful friendship that’s blossomed between us.”
He seemed mildly amused. “You have a fun
ny idea of friendship, princess, but I’ll take it.”
My brow lifted. “You will?” I was genuinely surprised. I assumed he’d lay on the charm and try to convince me to go full speed ahead.
He curled his fingers around mine and gave them a gentle squeeze. “I will. Like I said, I’d do anything for you. If that includes spending time in the friend zone, then so be it.”
I laughed. “You’re not in a zone, Peter. You’re part of my life now.” I stood on the tips of my toes to kiss his cheek. “Welcome.”
Also by Annabel Chase
Thank you for reading Outlier, the first book in the Sentry of the South trilogy. If you enjoyed it, please consider signing up for my newsletter here http://eepurl.com/dsug5j and receive 2 FREE short stories-one set in the Spellslingers world and one in the Magic Bullet world. You can also like me on Facebook.
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Magic & Mystery, Book 2
Magic & Mischief, Book 3
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A Touch of Magic, Book 7
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All Spell Breaks Loose, Book 10
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Lost That Coven Feeling, Book 2
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Outlier: Spellslingers Academy of Magic (Sentry of the South Book 1) Page 19