Puttin’ On The Ritz
Xerxes
T his day has been a major buzzkill: no classes with Kit, edging Headmaster keeping info from us, and the OG caliphate chat going bonkers with Jasper fretting about us ‘keeping up appearances’. I’m still pissed that Darkstar canceled all the extracurriculars for this nonsense, as Drama Club is one of my main outlets for my creativity that isn’t tied to a grade.
Hopefully, Kit survived Dark Age Lit with Salem and Oriel. I know Romero is a fun professor—surprising given her status as a Fallen—but dealing with those alone in the afternoon can’t be easy. By the end of the day, Oriel is usually fidgeting, aching to find things to steal, and the bear falls asleep. It has to be like baby-sitting more than getting educated.
Perhaps I’ll steal him away for a tour of the costume lab? I bet he’d like ? —
The squeal of magic precedes a loud boom intended to get our attention and the campus-wide announcement system stops everyone in the quad in their tracks. I roll my eyes, hating the insane dramatics of the fucker who runs this place; this could definitely have been a mass email or text.
“ Attention, loyal demons of Hell and Discordia students! There will be a caliphates-only meeting in the Triclinium in five minutes. If you are in a caliphate, your class, studio, or lab is now canceled for the evening so you may attend. Make your way to the Triclinium in an orderly fashion, but do not be late.”
“Fuck,” I mutter as I reverse the direction I’m headed to go straight to the cafeteria without freshening up first. “I hate being grubby around food.”
Stomping across the last half of the quad, I climb the stairs, noting Kit making his way up with Oriel and Salem. Anton and Zav will have to finish whatever they’re doing in their labs, so they’ll be cutting it close. A quick glance behind me to the open area I came from lets me find Jasper and Slash tromping over with veritable lines of steam coming from their heads. This last minute bullshit is pissing everyone off, and if Lucian doesn’t show again, they’re going to have a riot on their hands.
Not the smartest move when gathering the strongest demons on campus in one place.
By the time I get to the door, Kit and his bodyguards are even with me, and we form a group as we march into the big room. I hold up my hand, pausing for effect so the demons in the room before us note our presence. Oriel snorts, and Kit arches a brow, but once I’m satisfied, I move again. We have to make an entrance, even if these two think it’s stupid, and I know the Prince would agree. The other groups need to fear us and what we might do if they disrespect anyone in our caliphate.
“X, I know we’re supposed to?—”
“Shh, KK. Let me work this. Tell one of them what you want from the line before we get to the table. Make it look good.”
He makes a face, but turns to Salem, laying his hand on the big bear’s arm. “You know what I like, so you also know what else I haven’t tried that might work. Just… grab me whatever you think is good.”
I roll my eyes. Not quite the display I’d hoped for, but good enough when Salem beams and peels off to head for the food and drink lines. It’s easy to forget Kit doesn’t know everything about our history or food or whatever because outside of pissing Jasper off, he’s slipped into our lives without a hitch. It’s like he’s a perfect fit, and the thought makes me a little giddy.
Fuck only knows why it tickles me so much, but I don’t question my instincts.
We ascend to the high table slowly, and Oriel shakes off his derision to pull chairs out for both Kit and me. I give him a dazzling grin, pleased with his compliance, and sit in the seat to the left of our newest member. He left space on my other side for Anton, though it means he’ll be next to the Prince. Salem is going to pout for sure—the crow shifter is sitting on Kit’s other side with a grin of satisfaction.
“You know, I’m starting to think this entire thing is a big mind fuck,” Kit says as he lifts Dottie out of his bag to let her perch on the table. “That dude is going to take away shit everyone likes, yank our chains frequently, then come up with some lame excuse for not having the Games that’s our fault.”
I grin at him. “ Now you’re thinking like a demon, dude.”
He snorts, pulling a baggie of some Salem-created mix to start feeding the kinkajou. “Nope. Feels like something authority figures would do in my world, too. Humans are definitely as devious and manipulative as demons, just in different ways. I don’t know if that’s a chicken or egg thing, but it’s true.”
“It’s not like any supes—even deities or primordials—are any less inclined. We all came from somewhere, man. Down here, we’re grouped into lineages that reveal what our darkest desires and greatest weaknesses are, which levels the playing field somewhat.” Oriel shrugs and pushes his dark hair out of his eyes. “Humans aren’t, which makes them much more dangerous than they look.”
Kit scoffs as he tosses a dried berry to the small animal. “Duh. You don’t have to remind me of that, O. If I met a goddamn lion shifter, in theory, I’d know what to watch out for. With people, you have no idea what lurks behind smiles and pretty faces. Being able to tell how shitty people are is a blessing.”
Salem walks up, frowning at the seating as he sits across from Kit. He slides the plate of roasted black cow, veggies, demonic gravy, and grains over, but doesn’t release the delicious looking desserts. “Now, Kit Kat, I promised Slash I’d make sure you bulked up with protein and nutrients before the sweet stuff. He was very specific when he texted me.”
Kit’s eyes narrow as he swivels his head to glare at the approaching Prince and his shark companion.
This is going over like a lead brick; I can feel it.
“Who gave you jurisdiction over my food?” he asks, fuming as they take their normal seats at the head of the table.
Slash arches a brow and shrugs. “You don’t manage it on your own.”
The new guy looks around with a pissy expression, but none of us can argue Slash’s logic. Kit doesn’t know how to manage intake for a human, much less an emerging demon or hybrid. He’s spent too long living under the thumbs of shitty fosters in that world. I sigh, deciding to take one for the team before he jumps over the table to smack the shark.
“KK, he’s right about your diet, though maybe… not how he chose to handle it?” I cut my eyes to Slash, who doesn’t look sorry in the slightest. “It is important to keep your calorie and nutrient intake up. We’ve talked about that before and I know Salem sends stuff with you for during the day.”
He throws his hands up in the air, growling softly. “I eat them. I’m following the plan.”
“You need more after the weekend.” Slash sniffs, then rises to his feet. “I will fetch our dinner, Prince.”
Kit gives him another dirty look, but digs into the food Oriel brought him regardless. Both Salem and the crow look pleased, so the tension in the air fades. When I realize that, I turn to look at the astonishingly quiet Prince at the head of our table. He hasn’t once taken a swipe at Kit, nor did he give Slash shit about monitoring the kid’s diet.
Something is off with him.
“Jas, you’re uncharacteristically quiet,” I say as my eyes roam over him. I’m looking for evidence of magic, though I’m not nearly as good at it as Annie. “What’s going on?”
The dragon huffs, blowing a smoke ring from his humanoid nostrils and I know he’s upset. “I don’t like the idea of Darkstar gathering all the most powerful Discordians in one place. I highly doubt this meeting is a feint, but if this becomes a common occurrence for this Games, it will be more dangerous each time.”
“Shit.” We all look at Kit as he drops his fork with a clatter. “You think they’re laying the groundwork for some kind of secret attack later on. Normalize things that aren’t normal, then use that predictability to create a vulnerability.”
Slash gives him a toothy grin as he drops trays in his place and in front of the Prince. “Good, little demon. Excellent strategy.”
The dude flushes and mutters something about listening to books as he’s falling asleep to catch up. I had no idea he was working quite this hard even when he’s not around any of us, but I think we need to find something fun to do this weekend if all Hell doesn’t break loose—literally.
“You know, it occurs to me that we should do something fun this weekend.” They look at me as if I’m crazy, but Annie and Zav finally arrive as I’m speaking. They both concur as they drop their bags, and I go on. “Even if we don’t leave campus this time, we should do something that isn’t training, studying, or prepping for these stupid Games. I think we all need a break, even for a couple of hours.”
Jasper tilts his head back, thinking for a moment, and nods slowly. “You’re probably right, X. Whatever Lucian is about to announce will bring shit to our doorstep, and the accompanying danger will only add to the stress.”
“We can plan it,” Anton says and I grin at him happily. “Xerxes loves this shit and I’m willing to put up with the nonsense involved if it gets everyone to stop being so fucking intense for a bit.”
Kit pokes at his roast, slathering it in the gravy. “I’m down for that. What are you gonna do?”
“No idea,” I reply as the doors to the Triclinium open. “But I’ll think of something.”
Lucian Darkstar strides up the center row of the cafeteria in the exact same way Jasper insists we do, his cape flutters behind him as his contingent of lackeys and lickspittles strain to catch up. His eyes rake over our table, but he makes a sharp right to ascend the tall podium against the front wall. Other than our sheer power and Jasper’s hatred of him, I have no idea why he’d single us out. We’re not the only people looking at him like we want him to disappear, especially since the revival of the Games.
He’s not exactly popular and never has been—that’s not Jasper’s doing, either.
“Finally,” the Prince snarls. “This asshole said no one could be late then showed up twenty minutes later than he said he’d start. Fucking bullshit power moves.”
“Not surprising,” Salem says with a sigh. “This is going to take forever if that asshole has his way.”
Zavida frowns. “We all need to eat and study. None of the professors seem to give a shit about this yet. They’re proceeding as normal with the workload.”
“Word,” Kit said as he nods at Zavida. “And I have like a thousand other things to catch up on while I’m keeping up with it. I want out of here.”
“Keep calm, and don’t let him see that it is bothering you, Kit Kat,” Oriel says softly. “You know he feeds on the bad mojo now.”
He grins at the panda, waving his beet root at him. “I’m always anxious; it’s my reverse Hulk power. The person you need to warn is Prince Prickface. He’s going to launch into outer space if the dumbass doesn’t start talking soon.”
We all look down to see Jasper’s smoke rings gathering in formation in front of him—a telltale sign that the new kid is absolutely right. When Jasper gets angry and compulsive, he’s almost past reason. Annie pushes to his feet, abandoning the seat next to me and gestures for Zav to switch with him. The kitsune hurries over and I sigh as my love ends up on the other side of the wood.
“That’s not fair, you know. He’s plenty old enough to mind his own temper.”
Kit snorts and his kinkajou prances in front of him happily. I smile as it seems like the animal is working to keep him calm just like Zav is by cuddling up to the Prince. Annie catches my eye and winks, making me take a deep, calming breath.
I guess we’re all a bunch of neurotic nits when it comes to our family being in danger.