Page 50 of Raven's Dawn
We sat, and we waited.
Although the topsoil was moist, the ground below must have been frozen for it to be so goddamned cold beneath my ass. It only got colder as the night dragged on. Graham had tried to start a fire when someone atop the city wall flashed the spotlight on him, shouting, “Don’t fuck up our soil.”
“I’ll grow it back?—”
“Don’t fuck up our soil.”
So he didn’t fuck up the soil.
I would’ve loved to cuddle with all of my guys for warmth, but two of them were just as cold as the wind around us. Instead, I curled up against Graham and used his cloak as a blanket. Obviously, I had my cloak, but he was warmer. Jake must’ve agreed, because he was cuddled up against his other side.
It was the strangest thing, really. Because the bond allowed us to use one another’s powers, I expected my body temperature to match his. That usually fell anywhere between one hundred and hundred and ten. But nope. I remained a steady 97.8, aside from when I used his flames. Even then, within minutes my body would return to its normal temperature.
Ezra marveled over that. It was a scientific mystery he couldn’t wrap his head around. Neither could I. But I also couldn’t fathom how we were able to ignite fire with our fingers on a scientific level. For me, some questions were better left unanswered.
Laila tossed a twig at Iliantha. Iliantha furrowed her brows and dusted the spot on her blue gown where the bark had hit. “Do you need something?”
“Is she always like this?”
“I’m assuming you’re talking about Caeda?” Iliantha asked. Laila nodded. “Late?” Another nod. “Usually, yes.”
Amidst resounding groans, Naomi voiced the question everyone was waiting for. “Think she’ll leave us out here all night?”
Iliantha tilted her head slightly, opened her mouth, then snapped it shut. It took a moment for her to say, “I do hope not.”
“Huh,” Laila muttered. “No way for any of us to see in there, huh? Get an idea of if she’s out of bed yet?”
“Not that I know of, no,” Connor said. “If we had a good enough Witch, they could probably break through the barrier at least to see something, but I don’t think anyone here is strong enough.”
“Excuse me.” Luci gave him a look. “I did create an entire dimension, in case you forgot.”
“Guess I’m chopped liver too,” I said.
“In fairness…” Naomi looked me over, then shrugged.
I flipped her off.
“Well?” Connor said to Luci. “Can you?”
“No.” Luci crossed his arms against his chest. “It’s Elvan magic. Not my specialty.”
“Thanks for proving my point,” Connor said.
“Don’t be rude.” Luci gave him that same look again. “I could criticize the fact that you, a Fae with Elvan ancestry, should be more familiar with this magic that I am, but I have not.”
Laying on the ground a few strides away, using Jeremy’s massive winged wolf as a pillow, Connor snatched a pebble off the soil. He flicked it in Luci’s direction. “Ah, but you just did, esiasch.”
“Only because you were mean first.”
“Fight nice, kids,” Naomi said, squinting up at the dome. “If I’d known it was going to take this long, I would’ve already taken my husband into the woods for a quickie.”
“No way.” Grinning, Laila elbowed her in the ribs. “I was just thinking the same thing.”
“So that’s all we are, huh?” Jeremy asked.
Smirking, Connor said, “Just pieces of meat to you.”
“Oh, sweetie, you’re more than that.” Naomi playfully tapped Connor’s thigh. “You are our pieces of meat.”