Chapter 29 The Bonfire
The Bonfire
Present Day
Malcroix Bones Academy
“What? What is the matter with you?” His voice was hard, irritated. “You said you still wanted to come. You said you’d do what I ask. Are you changing your mind about this now, too?”
I looked over from where I’d been staring at a lantern hanging from the wall of his shed compartment. I didn’t miss his dig about the night of my birthday, which he still hadn’t let go, but decided not to rise to the bait.
I wondered if he’d even known it was my birthday.
He seemed to be aware of that date last year, when he’d gifted me Wraith.
I fought to shake it off, to forget every part of that rehashed argument, which we’d had a dozen times now, much less the fight with Miranda about that same night, my conversation with Luc about Bones, and my conversation with Jolie while she’d been helping me with my Halloween costume.
As much as I hated to admit it, I knew the conversation with Jolie lingered, too, and likely made some of those arguments with Bones worse than they needed to be.
Honestly, that was the main reason I was annoyed with him right now.
“Did you change your mind?” Bones’s voice was flat now, devoid of emotion.
I turned finally, and fought to shake myself out of my foul mood.
“No,” I told him.
I walked over, balancing carefully on the high-heeled boots, and stopped in front of him, folding my arms.
“You sure you haven’t changed yours?” I retorted.
My voice might’ve been a touch sharper than it strictly needed to be.
He frowned, gauging my eyes. He clearly thought I wasn’t telling him something. That, or he thought I was lying to him outright for some reason. I felt his magic pass over me, and I didn’t think, just shoved at his chest with a hand.
“No,” I said coldly. It came out of my mouth as an open warning.
“I’ll need to be in your mind tonight.”
“That wasn’t you communicating,” I retorted. “That was you spying.”
“What the fuck is the matter with you?” he demanded. “Is this about that bloody Priest broadcast again? I’m not going to agree with you just because you want me to––”
“I don’t want to talk about that again,” I warned.
When he fell silent, his jaw hard, I looked away.
“And I wasn’t thinking about that night, anyway.
” I refolded my arms. “Can we just… not fight, for a change? Can we try that? We have to leave soon, don’t we?
” I pursed my lips, glancing at the clock on his compartment’s wall.
“We’re already late. We’re going to be well past fashionable if we take much longer. ”
He raised an eyebrow, then looked me over with the barest glance. “Nice outfit, by the way.” He grunted. “You buy it for Joran?”
I bit my lip, controlling my fury with an effort. “You told me to wear something revealing,” I reminded him. “You were very clear on that, Bones.”
“Well, points for following the assignment. You know with you wearing that, every one of those fucks will be staring at your arse and tits, asking if they can have you after I’ve done with you.”
“Isn’t that the bloody point?” I asked, annoyed, folding my arms. “Probably better they’re distracted by my body than looking at my face. Or listening to me speak.”
He only continued to frown as he looked at me. His voice grew a touch harder. “Where’d you get it? Hookers’ Emporium?”
“I got it in France, actually,” I said, my words icier. “With Jolie.”
There was a silence where he stared at me.
I saw the exact instant his eyes changed.
“Ah,” he said. “She told you.”
“You told me,” I retorted. “She just confirmed it when I asked.”
“And that’s why you’re so pissed off at me?” he asked derisively. “Because of one drunken snog, months ago? You might’ve told me. It would have saved me trying to guess, at least.”
I bit my lip, right before my voice grew colder.
“I told her I wouldn’t give you shite about it, so I’ve been trying very hard not to,” I said, glaring at him.
“But don’t expect me to be happy about you taking advantage of one of my best friends when they’re drunk and sad, the very day they’ve just broken up with someone else. ”
I was a little surprised when this silenced him.
I was even more surprised when I saw his neck and face turn a few shades darker.
“Are you blushing?” I asked. “The man-whore of Malcroix Bones?”
“I told you why I do that,” he growled.
“That doesn’t explain why you’d do it in a beach bar in Nice, with none of your royals pals around to report it back to your father.
” At his silence, I folded my arms tighter.
“Don’t worry. I’m fully aware of how fit Jolie is.
I also know you’re not a monk, despite your protests to the contrary.
I just wish you would’ve kept it to yourself.
” I bit my tongue before adding sourly, “Jolie definitely wished you had, too, by the way. So… thanks for that. I managed to embarrass her, asking her about it, all because you more or less dared me to.”
“I didn’t…” He trailed, looking at me, then averted his eyes. “I’m sorry.”
“Right.” I squeezed my arms to my chest, just under my breasts, and fought to let it go.
I motioned at my face and body with a hand.
“Forget it. Just change me. Whatever it is you plan to do.” I bit my tongue again, but couldn’t resist adding, “I’d prefer if you didn’t make me look like my flatmate, though, if it’s all the same to you.
I’m sure there’s some other model of witch you can pretend to find nearly as enticing. ”
His jaw ticked, but he didn’t answer right away.
He stared at me for a few seconds, then shook his head.
“We can’t do this,” he said, decisive.
I blinked, then scowled. “What do you mean, we can’t?”
“Shadow, you can’t be angry at me when we go out there.” When I glared at him, his voice grew harsh. “You’re going to have to touch me, and let me touch you. If you’re sitting there, scowling at me like you want me dead, flinching every time my fingers brush against––”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake. I won’t.”
“You’re doing it right now.”
“We’re not out there right now.”
“You’re missing my point,” he growled. “We can’t do this. Not now. You’re not that good of an actress.” When I aimed another glare at him, he only shook his head. “I’ve seen you lie. I was already worried you’d be shit at this, but if you’re actively angry at me––”
“When am I not angry at you?” I snapped.
There was a silence where we just looked at one another.
“You promised,” I said, seeing the increasingly immovable look on his face. “We made a deal, Bones. I let you listen in on The Golden Sun, and in return, you were going to let me listen in on the royals. You can’t back out of this now, just because––”
“It might get you killed?” he growled.
I stared up at him, half in disbelief.
“Don’t pretend this is for me,” I said coldly. “I know you’d rather I was anyone else but me. But, unfortunately for you, I’m what you’re stuck with.”
Frustration flickered through his eyes, right before he looked away. I watched him think, his gold eyes staring at one of the black-painted walls.
“I’ll take you out of there,” he threatened in a low voice.
“If you can’t pull it off, or worse, if you sit there, snarling at me, or acting like you want to stab me in the eye every time I touch you, I’m pulling you, Shadow.
I don’t give a fuck what you say. I don’t care if we’re only five minutes in.
I’ll throw you over my shoulder and carry you out of there, knocked out, if necessary, and this part of our deal will be over.
I’ll find some other way to let you listen in, but you won’t be there in person. Ever again.”
I swallowed, but slowly nodded when I realized what he was saying.
He was right. I knew he was right.
I didn’t have to like it.
“Okay,” I said.
“Just pretend I’m someone else,” he said, gruff.
“I said okay.” I gave him a warning look. “Now change me, Bones. And give me semi-realistic proportions, please. This is the first time I’ve ever even worn this outfit, so I’d prefer it if you didn’t stretch it out so badly I’ll never be able to wear it again.”
He stared at me blankly for a second.
Then he let out a low, humorous scoff.
“I’ll try my best,” he said, his voice mockingly sweet. “But as you said, I do need to at least attempt to make you ‘enticing,’ mongrel, so no promises…”
Shouts and catcalls greeted us as soon as we entered the bare edges of the firelight around where the party had been staged.
Bones raised a hand in return, a faint smirk on his lips, and pulled me closer by the hand.
We passed a freestanding bar and an outer ring of armchairs and couches to one side of the roaring flames.
I gazed briefly up at The Eyrie where it loomed over us.
Its shadowy form looked menacing in the moonless sky, barely outlined by stars.
When my eyes returned to the giant bonfire, I was nearly blinded.
It took a few seconds for the view to come into focus, then I was looking around at the sprawl of mages and witches who filled over a dozen couches and armchairs.
Most held drinks in their hands, and a fair-few looked like they were well into their cups already.
A number of couples were snogging where they shared chairs and loveseats.
I heard a laugh as a witch wrapped herself around a black-haired mage I vaguely recognized.
From the way another witch writhed on a different mage’s lap, they might’ve been shagging, right there, but I didn’t stare long enough to make up my mind.
Someone had thrown powder into the fire to change its colors, or, more likely, enhanced it with some kind of spell.
The air smelled of cinnamon and cloves, chocolate and mint, pine needles and citrus.
I caught a whiff of lavender and roses when the flames turned purple and scarlet, then apple when they shifted back to green.