Page 15 of Eat. Prey. Love.
“Great,” Felix growls as he prowls around the room for a moment. “Has another player entered the game?”
We look at one another, and no one has an answer. I can’t stand here and let the fear of adding yet another plate to my stack, so I jerk my head at the doorway. Fitz grabs my arm, linking with me as we head down to the fire stairs. I’m pleased he figured out that I’d want to see what they look like and when he opens the door to the next floor down with a flourish, I giggle.
Fitz Khan is the best cure for the blues I’ve ever known.
“Let’s get this done, Baby Girl. My focus is waning, and Chess is hungry. Felix is nearly falling off the edge of Furious Mountain. The mopey monster is still brooding. All we need now is the Saucy Skink to set the whole place on fire and we’ll get kicked out on day one.”
Shut Up and Dance
Fitz isn’twrong to wonder if I’ll raze this cursed place. The buildings and set-up are perfect for men like Rennie and I—all focused on learning and art and beauty. But they’ve allowed corruption to seep in and despite the majestic outer layer atAcademie, the core is rotten as they come. I despise seeing the least objectionable school in the private pred system turned into a weapon.
For that alone, I could justify burning it to the ground without asecond thought.
Setting our delectable bunny up to fail or be harmed simply emphasizes the need for us to show these snooty dicks who they’re messing with. Her smaller hand is tucked in mine as we walk across the manicured lawn towards the French version of the Shird. Fitz is discussing methods of dismemberment with Felix, who is seething like he used to before Dolly came to campus. His sore spot is his family and he needs to conceal it better. People will use it against him every time and all of us will suffer if he rises to the bait each time.
“What’s on your mind, big guy?” Dolly asks as she squeezes my fingers with hers. “You’re always quiet, but you seem simmery, too.”
I smile as I look down at her. Perceptive as usual, the woman who has entranced my entire family never fails to make us communicate rather than letting sleeping dragons lie. “This campus is amazing, but they’ve tainted it with their evil. I hate that, and even more, I hate knowing that every time we remove someone from your gallery of goons, another steps forward. It’s like some sadistic carnival game.”
She snorts, covering her mouth with her free hand. “What doyouknow about carnival games, grumpy pants? I can’t see you ever going to a crowded event with clowns and sugary shit and dangerous rides.”
“You’re not wrong, but alas, our mate has led me through some truly awful events in the past centuries. He enjoys studying humans and supes, finding new hobbies to amuse himself and dragging me alongside him.” My gaze cuts to the gargoyle talking animatedly with Chess and I notice he’s mimicking one of the stitches he’s having trouble with.
How did I get so fucking lucky twice? Sweet Ra, I owe someone a boon.
“We’re all enjoying your knitting lessons, you know,” she grins and whispers conspiratorially. “Even Felix. I think it relaxes him and he doesn’t realize it.”
“Fitz’s knots are pretty funny,” I admit. “He’s trying harder than I would have expected.”
Dolly’s expression turns smug as she lifts our hands to kiss my knuckles. “I told all of you that he’s easy to teach if you adapt to how his brain works. Comparing the counts to lines of code was genius.”
Her praise makes me flush and I huff a surprised chuckle. I don’t know how she does it, honestly. Without even thinking about it, our girl is able to quell the raging fire in my dragon and the others’ animals as well. It’s completely effortless on her part and I’m baffled by the easy calm my fiery inner monster is bathed in now. “Do you think this place will be better or worse than Alexandré?”
“Who the fuck knows?” she groans. “I’ve gotten used to assuming the worst and being pleasantly surprised when I don’t find some fucking cartoon character trap waiting for me. It’s much easier on my anxiety than expecting people to act like they have any goddamn sense in their heads.”
I squint at her, my lips curling up playfully. “You’re awfully young to be so cynical, snack size.”
“Oh, please. I’ve been hunted, shamed in front of the world, disowned, lied to, threatened, and attempts to poison or kill me are common. The bullshit in my life doesn’t lend to being a ray of sunshine.” She pauses and turns to look at me seriously. “But that doesn’t mean I’m not happy with you guys. I truly am. It’s the rest of the world who can get fucked.”
“Even your band of merry shifters?” I tease. “Dolly Hood, the gatherer of misfits and rebels is a pretty good title for you.”
Her giggle is delightful as we finally reach the broad archway of the fancy arts building. “I prefer Queen of Anarchy, thank you very much. Down with the system and all that shit.”
Looking at the others as they approach, I shrug. “If you want to burn it all to the ground and rebuild, we’ll all follow you to gates of Hell and back, Delores Drew. Just say the word.” The look she gives me has a flash of her mother in it and it makes my dick stand at attention.
Our sweet little bunny is sexy as hell when she’s plotting the downfall of the dictators.
“Oh,wow,”Dolly breathes as she spins around the stage in a flurry of ballet turns. Her excitement is even making Felix smile as she looks aroundAcademie’s enormous theater in awe. “This even makes Apex’s look small. It’s swag as hell.”
Rennie walks over to her, grabbing her hand to kiss it before bowing low.
Here it comes—Frenchie’s going to dazzle her like a fucking Disney Prince.
“Rennie,” she squeals as he clasps her fingers and sends her spinning outward, before bringing her back in close. “Can you do a merengue?”
He chuckles low, setting their hands in position before they start moving around the large proscenium in a quick step. The music must be in their heads because it’s certainly not playing out loud. Regardless, the laughter makes my chest warm as they twirl around the stage like the couple in the dance movie they like to watch with ice cream. Before I can comment, Fitz rushes over, grabbing her hand when my mate spins her out again.
“My turn, my turn!” The tiger bounces like he’s on an upper, leading her into a jaunty swing step. I blink when he holds her waist to swing her around his body and into the air like a pro.