Chapter 34
Killian
Killian and Elyse strolled down the hallway, leaving behind the comfort of their bedroom as they headed for the dining room.
Elyse stifled a yawn—a ridiculously humanizing and adorable action.
Killian suppressed his own body’s need to mimic the yawn.
They had stayed in the study long, long after the sun set.
At first it had been Elyse, Killian, and Zubir, discussing strategies as well as the shifters’ strengths and weaknesses.
Then Sera and Manny had arrived, joined by Corin and Nina.
Now that he knew the secret, it’d been thrilling watching their friends’ reaction to Zubir’s talents.
Then various cousins had come and gone in groups of two or three, introducing themselves and staying to chat.
With his cousins there, Zubir had noticeably relaxed in a way Killian had never seen before.
He opened up more about their time together, both in captivity and after.
Killian and the others had listened respectfully, wanting to know more about their new allies.
Sometime in the wee hours of the night, they had finally decided to go to bed.
Despite his heavy eyelids, Killian was filled with an exhilaration that buzzed through his body, making him restless. His mind was a flurry as he tried to predict the different ways Lazarus might attack, and how the shifters would be uniquely useful in each scenario.
“I’m going to need a grueling training session today,” Killian said as they made their way down the staircase.
Elyse shot him a smirk. “Is that an innuendo?”
Killian quietly snorted, an awkward combination of giddy laughter and hiding his arousal at the simple joke. To be fair, he found everything she did sexy—from speaking politely with Sera’s parents to knocking him on his ass with her magic. Perhaps he had a problem.
As they descended the stairs, the energy in the house began to change.
The shifters had come inside for breakfast, and all fifteen of them darted about, carrying plates of food from the kitchen or scurrying to talk to one another about their accommodations.
The din of so many voices bounced off the walls and breathed life into the space.
Dah beamed at each of her guests as she made her rounds, checking to make sure everyone was comfortable and well fed.
Killian and Elyse navigated their way through the packed dining room toward the kitchen.
Each of the shifters greeted them cheerily and offered to get them breakfast, which both Killian and Elyse fervently declined.
Manny and Sera were already in the kitchen, and they seemed equally as excited and overwhelmed as everyone else.
The four of them loaded their plates with food before venturing back into the dining room and finding seats together.
“Your mother seems happy,” Killian noted to Sera as he dug into his breakfast.
“She certainly loves playing hostess,” Sera mused. “I think she especially likes having your mother around.”
They glanced down to the end of the table, where Mrs. Tan had taken a seat next to Mrs. Southwick. After losing Privya, Killian had insisted his mother stay at the estate with them. Fortunately, Dah had been more than happy to accommodate.
“So, Zubir is a werewolf?” Manny asked in a hushed but delighted voice. His gaze darted around the room with a childlike wonder. “All of these people are?”
“Shifters,” Sera and Elyse corrected together.
“He’s a man that can transform into a wolf—how is that not a werewolf?” Manny challenged.
“He can transform into anything,” Elyse corrected.
“And he can do it on command,” Sera added, “not just during the full moon.”
Manny blinked a few times. “These sound like semantics to me.”
Killian grunted a laugh.
“Be respectful of our allies, Manny,” Sera chided him.
“Respectful?” he repeated. “They love me!” He waved with far too much enthusiasm at one of the passing cousins, nearly flinging sausage off his fork. “Tamar, how was your breakfast? Those eggs were divine, weren’t they?”
The cousin, Tamar, stopped and nodded. “Oh yes, everything was wonderful. Thank you so much for the hospitality.”
As Tamar retreated, Manny waggled his brows. “See?”
“They love everyone,” Elyse grumbled as she took a bite of bread.
“About that,” Killian said, lowering his voice. “Do they seem a bit… reverent to you?”
“Speak plainly, brother,” Manny uttered.
Killian sighed and leaned closer to his friends. “Why are they here? Why did they offer to make our plates for us?” he asked, hoping none of the shifters kept their wolf-hearing in their human forms. “If anything, we should be doting on them. They’re helping us.”
Elyse waved him off with a handful of bread. “They’re a very communal people. Through dozens of generations, they’ve been raised to believe in helping each other, and putting others’ needs before their own.”
“Even strangers?” Killian pressed.
“To them, we’re not strangers,” Elyse explained, setting down her bread. “We’re Zubir’s friends, which makes us their friends as well. And we’re all part of a bigger community—society. Citizens of the realm. When we need help, they want to answer the call.”
“That sounds like an oversimplification of an entire group of people,” Manny said.
Sera scoffed. “I once heard you say that everyone from Bendsworth is boring,” she accused.
“Well, they are!” Manny defended. “Have you ever heard a single one of them laugh?”
“Maybe they don’t think your jokes are funny,” Killian chimed in.
Manny pointed a finger at him. “Don’t you dare, Southwick.”
“Regardless, culture is still a thing,” Elyse noted. “The shifters tend to be selfless and thoughtful. And maybe people from Bendsworth have a more refined sense of humor.”
Manny shot Elyse a glare, which only made her smirk triumphantly.
“Elyse is right, though,” Sera said. “Values change across all cultures, but they’re especially strong among supernatural beings. Seers are raised to be more open-minded, less judgmental than most people. We’re taught that everyone has a story and a reason for their choices.”
“That explains why she likes you, mate,” Killian taunted, pointing his fork at Manny.
“Anyway,” Sera said, pointedly changing the subject, “we’re having a going away dinner tonight.” She clapped her hands together—something Killian hadn’t seen her do in some time. He smiled at her excitement.
“It will be a formal event, and I’ve already picked out your outfits.
They’ll be delivered to your room today,” she went on.
In a very unladylike fashion, she shoveled the last of her eggs in her mouth.
Then she rose from her seat and, towering over Killian and Elyse, gave them each a piercing stare.
“Be in the dining room at a quarter to seven. Do. Not. Be. Late.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Killian answered, a little afraid of what sort of creative punishment Sera was capable of.
“I suppose I can find time in my busy schedule,” Elyse sighed as she smirked.
“Yay!” Sera squealed. “Oh, there’s still so much to do—I’ll see you two later!”
Before they could say anything else, she’d strode out of the room. Manny simply shrugged and followed after her, mumbling something about meeting them for training later.
Elyse rolled her eyes, but her smile was impossible to miss. Killian couldn’t help but mirror her joy he returned to his breakfast.