Chapter 38
CAM
Willowman examined me by shining a light in my eyes and checking my pulse while the elite stood around the sofa waiting for a verdict.
“What did you eat and drink tonight?” Willowman asked.
“What? Um…just supper with you guys, then maybe a couple of drinks at the party.”
“Anything else?”
“No.”
“Why does that matter?” Orix asked.
“I’m not sure it does, but the symptoms are consistent with being drugged.”
Serath stepped forward with a menacing growl. “Someone drugged her?”
My skin zinged at the sound of his voice.
“I can’t say for sure,” Willowman said. “This could simply be an acceleration of whatever maturing developments are happening to Cameron, or…”
“Or what?”
“Or a result of denying the mate bond.”
My shoulders sagged. “You mean this could get worse?”
“I honestly don’t know.” Willowman stood and straightened, looking down at me with a sigh. “You’re a halfblood, and this is new territory.”
I hated not knowing, but one thing I was certain of. “It can’t be drugs. I only took food and drink from people I trust.”
“Someone could have injected you,” Prasan said. “Your stone skin wouldn’t activate if you weren’t aware of the threat on some level, but any wound would have healed by now.” He ran his hands through his hair in obvious agitation.
“I don’t think it’s drugs either,” Orix said. “Unless someone wanted to take advantage of you, there would be no point of using such a drug.”
“Weren’t you with the Mason boy?” Prasan asked.
I didn’t like what he was implying. “Mason didn’t do anything to me. He wouldn’t…I…I begged him to, and he wouldn’t.” Damn, I sounded lame.
“She’s right. He had no such intention,” Serath said. “He was keeping her safe.”
I wish that those moments with Curi were a blur, and that I could claim I didn’t remember what I’d said or how I’d acted, but that would be a lie.
I recalled every moment of it, and there was no expressing how grateful I was that it was Curi who’d been with me when the heat hit and not some random goyle who might have taken advantage.
“We need answers,” Selas said to Willowman.
“I’ll do my best to get them for you. I leave at dawn, and I’ll do my best to be back before the cadet exams. In the meantime, you need to stay close to the people you trust and do what needs to be done to assuage any flares.” He gave me a pointed look.
Any flares? He meant any bouts of intense arousal. My cheeks heated, and I dropped my gaze as the room went silent.
Great, now everyone was thinking about me getting off.
“It’s getting late,” Selas said. “The sun will be up soon, and Cameron needs her sleep before the field test tomorrow.”
The field test I’d been looking forward to suddenly felt like a chore. I needed to recharge and get my oomph back.
Serath took a step toward me, but Selas moved to block him and held a hand out to me. “Come on. I’ll tuck you in.”
I allowed her to haul me to my feet and made sure to hold my breath as I passed Serath. The last thing I needed was his scent in my head when I fell asleep.
If I couldn’t have him in real life, then he needed to stay out of my dreams.