Page 13 of Group Studies
I clasped my hands in front of me to hide their trembling. Alrick had stuck a fear multiplier in my head and found every opportunity he could to make me miserable.
He grinned and made a shooing motion with his hands. “Private conversation. Piss off.”
I bobbed my head but didn’t leave. Alrick made the shooing motion bigger, and I danced lightly on the balls of my feet. “Sorry, Nitis, can I talk to you really quick?”
Nitis rotated his neck around slowly, still not looking at me. “Later, Alrick.”
Alrick punched his fist into his palm. “This is bullshit.”
“One person’s bullshit is another person’s fertilizer,” Nitis’ voice lilted as he spoke, the sound much lighter than I’d expected. “This won’t take long, I’m sure.”
A stream of pink magic drifted from Nitis to Alrick’s gem, adding rations.
“Get yourself a coffee on me, come back in five,” Nitis told Alrick.
Alrick scowled before stomping off.
Nitis turned his full attention to me. His wide features didn’t quite match his long face. Much like his pink rims didn’t match the almost black irises they surrounded.
“Time’s rations, Aphrodite,” Nitis said, beckoning me to come closer. “I assume you’re approaching me because of Beryl’s absence. I cannot, nor will I try, to heal the rift between you. Beryl has chosen his path, and it doesn’t include you.”
I bit my lip, my shoulders falling. Although it hurt to hear, it wasn’t why I was here.
“I need some things,” I said quietly. Nitis narrowed his eyes as I did a crazy double-check for Beryl before plowing on. “I need them,” I said again. “I need help. I need to help myself. These things will help.”
Nitis rolled his neck again. “Calm down. I’m sure Beryl…”
“No,” I cut him off, waving my hands. “I just need the things. Beryl doesn’t need to know. He wants to keep his distance, and I want to respect that. No. I need to respect that. I dumped my world onto him…”
I put my hands over my mouth to force myself to shut up. I was going to start crying at this rate. With an effort of will, I focused and met Nitis’ gaze. “I need a thin chain of pure silver. A pot or large bowl that has been passed down by at least three generations, and a turtle. A baby turtle if possible.”
Nitis looked at me. I swallowed hard and turned my gaze to our wavy reflections on the metal table.
“Please,” I added.
The word hung in the air between us.
“And you don’t want Beryl to know.” Nitis’ words were a statement, but I nodded anyway. “Quite the spell you’re working, Aphrodite.”
I swallowed and hugged myself, before meeting his gaze. “It is. I need this.”
“It will cost you. Getting a live baby turtle will be near impossible.”
“I’ll pay whatever it takes.”
I reached for my gem, but Nitis held his hand out in front of him. “This will cost more than rations or money. I’ll need something only you can give me.”
Chewing my bottom lip, I tried to think of what I had. Maybe he wanted me to transfer magic, but that felt too obvious. I could sleep with him, but Nitis could get sex from anyone. My knees clacked together when I realized what he wanted—a dragon scale.
My master hadn’t given them out like candy, but there was a patch missing from my side. And nothing bad had come of it yet. I needed one for my spell anyway. Taking a second couldn’t hurt anything. “Done. How long?”
Nitis eyes glowed. “Five days, at least.”
His fingers danced in front of him, and a glowing pink sheet of scrawling writing appeared between his outstreatched hands.
I skimmed through the summary of what we’d said, the words blurring with my rush. A square at the bottom waited for my magic to seal the deal. “I can’t use magic to sign this.”
Nitis’ gaze flicked to my clasps. “Then use your blood.”