Chapter 16 Zuko
zuko
. . .
Rune’s nose crinkled in the most adorable fucking way when she snored.
It wasn’t a dainty snore, either. It was loud and a little wheezy, and I loved it.
She was hunched over her study notes, ink smeared on her cheek.
Her buns had come undone through the session, and her hair fell like a wavy waterfall around her.
Dimitri had worked us to the bone. His idea of a “quick review” was five straight hours of foundation information for Charm and Deception as well as combat tactics to subdue supernaturals. Eleanor and Rune passed out mid-debate on some deception theory.
Koa had to plead with Dimitri to stop studying, and once he agreed, everyone pretty much ran for their rooms.
Lorian swooped in and scooped Eleanor up, like the overly polite bear shifter he was, and carried her off to her room before shutting the door as he left her to sleep.
I, on the other hand, was already moving toward Rune. Before Slater could even blink, I was sliding one arm under her knees and the other behind her back, lifting her gently.
“Hey! No fair!” Slater whisper-yelled. “I wanted to pick her up!”
“Should’ve moved faster, chaos demon,” I shot back, nuzzling my nose into her hair just to inhale her midnight orchid scent. Fates, she smelled perfect.
Slater followed me as I carried Rune toward her room. I felt Aura squinting at me like she was waiting for me to be a creep, but she didn’t say anything. Koa, Hawk, and Dimitri trailed behind us.
I walked her to her bed, placing her down gently, adjusting her blanket and pillow with a weird level of care that I wasn’t used to doing.
The guys and Aura watched me carefully, as if to wait for me to fuck up somehow. But I didn’t. I wasn’t going to fuck up. Not with Rune.
I turned back and shut the door behind me, hearing the magical click of the locking ward.
Dimitri crossed his arms. “Do not screw our year here up by making it weird, Zuko. She’s the headmaster’s daughter. She’s the agent-coordinator’s daughter. And Professor Bloodwyne’s daughter. That’s three death warrants, minimum, if you do something wrong.”
I shrugged. “I’ll chance it.”
Slater slapped my hand for a high five. “Yes! Besides, we’re going to be their son-in-laws-by-mating!”
“Exactly.” I nodded in agreement, knowing the Fates wouldn’t give me these feelings for Rune and not have her be my mate. I wasn’t stupid. The Fates knew what they were doing.
Koa exhaled slowly. “Not saying I get it…but yeah. I get it. She’s really special.”
Just then, Vel strode onto our floor with a smile, surprise flickering on her face. “Good evening, little legends. Why are you awake? You need rest. Hop to it. And Aura, dear, come with me for a moment.” She gestured for Aura to follow her.
Aura rolled her eyes before giving us all a small wave and hurrying behind Vel as she led her out the front door.
Everyone else went back to their rooms, but Raze followed me to mine. He leaned against the wall as I jumped onto my bed. “So...you’re really into her, huh?”
I groaned and threw my head back. “Yes! It’s consuming, and I can’t really explain it. I like it, though; I like her. I need to tattoo her name on me.”
Raze snorted. “You clearly have a tattoo obsession. What’s the deal with the sleeve?”
I grinned, taking off the suit’s top half, letting it fall to around my waist, and showing off my sleeve of tattoos. “It’s a torture game. I roll two dice and whatever number the dice add up to is what I do to whoever I’m torturing.”
“Sick.” Raze’s pink eyes lit up with interest. “Do you torture often?”
A dark chuckle fell from my lips as I nodded. “Dad’s a torture expert for the council. I’ve been working with him a lot.”
Raze’s lips curled into a sadistic smirk. “So, it’s a dice game?”
“Yep.”
“Hmmm. They should die then, shouldn’t they? Hey, man, I want to adopt that but with the final blow, ya know? Permission?”
“Granted.” I shrugged lazily. “My dad does tattoos. You come home with me after this year, and he’ll ink you.”
Raze walked over and bumped fists with me. “Bet.”
My phone rang, and it was my parents.
Raze grinned. “Night, man.”
“Night,” I said as he left my room. Once the door shut, I answered the phone. “Hey.”
My mom answered first. “Zuko! Baby! We haven’t heard from you in days! Is the academy feeding you? Are you picking fights?”
My dad chimed in. “Are you winning those fights?”
“Of course.” I chuckled.
“Have you made any friends?” Mom pressed.
I ran a hand through my hair, feeling my heart pound harder just thinking about Rune. “Yeah. A few. There’s also a woman I’ve met that’s probably going to cause me to go insane.”
Mom gasped. “Zuko, are you blushing? Are you blushing, baby?”
My cheeks heated. “No.”
“Zuko,” Dad said, “you’ve never mentioned a girl before. Tell us about her.”
I hesitated, then smiled like an idiot. “Her name’s Rune.”
“Rune?” Mom squealed. “You’ve never told me about a girl before!”
“I’ve dated!” I defended myself. I was twenty-five, of course, I had a past. But...nothing like this.
“Yeah, but you’ve never liked anyone before,” she said as if she’d read my mind.
I rubbed my jaw. “She’s…different. Brilliant. Dangerous. Makes me feel like I’ve been dosed with poison since the moment I met her.”
Mom gasped again like she was about to burst with excitement. “You said she makes you feel like you’ve been poisoned? My baby’s in love. In love, Skarnax!” she squealed to my dad.
“Mom,” I groaned, feeling heat bloom over my cheeks. “It’s not like that. I just—I don’t know. She makes my magic feel different. She smells like midnight orchid, and when she talks, I can’t help but want to listen forever. Or kiss her. It’s fucking weird.”
Dad chuckled, low and deep. “Kid, that’s love. Or obsession. Depends on how long it’s been.”
“Two days give or take,” I muttered, then immediately realized how that sounded.
“Two—” Mom nearly choked. “Two days? And you’re only now telling me about her?”
“I haven’t even kissed her yet,” I grumbled, dragging a hand down my face. “She’s complicated. She’s the headmaster’s daughter. And Sabine Bloodwyne’s daughter. And Professor Bloodwyne’s daughter. And capable of venomously melting people from the inside out.”
Dad whistled. “Sabine’s daughter? Zuko, you better be serious about her.”
“Of course he’s serious!” Mom squealed again. “Do you think it’s a matebond? Oh my Fates, Zuko, what if she’s your fated mate?”
My entire body locked up, and my heart overflowed with hope. “…I didn’t say I thought she was,” I muttered, but the idea rooted deep in my gut the same way it did every time Slater claimed it. “But if she was…I would love that.”
“Fates,” Mom whispered. “You’ve never sounded like this before. You were practically mute during your last relationship. I had to find out from my own intel that you both had the relationship and broke up!”
“That’s because she was boring,” I snapped, hating the thought of being with literally anyone but Rune Bloodwyne. “Rune is not boring. She could liquify someone’s insides with a single touch. It’s mesmerizing.”
Mom cooed. “And terrifying.”
“I love that for you,” Dad said approvingly. “Dangerous and beautiful. Just like your mom.”
Mom laughed. “Aw, stop. You’re embarrassing him.”
I was already embarrassed; she had that right, but I was also grinning. My mom might’ve been nosy, but she only wanted the best for me. I appreciated that.
“I’ll bring her home if I ever get the chance,” I mumbled. “You’ll love her.”
“I already do,” Mom said. “Just be good to her.”
“I know.” My voice softened. “I won’t ever hurt her, but I will hurt for her.”
“Zuko?”
“Yeah?”
“If you end up tattooing her name,” Mom added, “please don’t do it across your forehead like your uncle did with that banshee girl.”
“I promise,” I said, chuckling because that was a wild story. “Love you, guys.”
“We love you too, baby,” Mom said.
“Love you,” Dad added.
The call ended, and I put my phone on the nightstand, rolling over in the bed with a sigh.
Rune and I might’ve been flirty, but we weren’t even dating.
I told my parents about her.
I was so fucked.