All except Philip. Every look he gave me, or word he spoke in my direction, expressed a quiet, yet confident, interest. One out of five wasn’t bad, even if the interest was more personal. I could work with that.

Justice spoke of the Mys/Com treaty and keeping it as strong as it had been for the past thirty years. The rest of the Coms jumped onboard the topic, seeming earnest in their agreement to keep the peace. The same held true for us. No-one wanted another war, or even another of the ten years after that bloody upheaval where an uneasy truce had followed before the treaty was signed. Because of this, I could tell they all knew about the attack that had taken place, but they carefully skirted the conversation around it, only once briefly glancing to me, expressing their sympathies. Justice, by the same token, had unique ideas about integrating our Laws with Com laws to make a more unified nation, but I wasn’t positive anyone — Com or Mys — was ready for that.

Arthur wanted to talk about integrating more Mysticals in to the United States of America’s defense departments. We carefully edged around the notion. The last thing we were going to do right now was hand over our people to make Com armies stronger. Maybe, in the far, far off future, we could talk about keeping Mys and Coms safe together, but not when there was a Com group targeting us and we didn’t know who the head of the extremist group was.

Simply put, we didn’t trust them right now.

That would take time, and this was only the first, tiny step.

Exiting the building, we were again ogled.

Pearl peered longingly at a boutique across the street, but kept quiet. The streets here were so busy. So full of Coms. If they mobbed us right then, we were goners. No matter how powerful we were.

Wind whipped through the gaps between the bodyguards, ruffling my hair, and I hunkered down in my jacket, hating that I felt fearful. Like I had much of my life. It felt like a never-ending battle, but I knew tricks in dealing with it. Imagining a safe place, warm and protected, helped to keep me together. Sadly, my life growing up had somewhat prepared me for this.

Jack sighed behind Pearl and me, his words quiet. “I’m hungry. I didn’t have breakfast.”

Pearl shook her head. “Neither did I.”

It probably didn’t help that there was a small Mexican restaurant near the parking garage. There was a spicy aroma from it wafting on the frigid breeze. The scent heavenly to my senses, my stomach chose that moment to growl in sympathy and agreement. I hadn’t eaten, either. The scent intensifying the closer we got, I murmured, “Maybe, we can find something on the way back to the debriefing?”

We had to talk with the Kings when we got back to Choep. I knew they were going to drill us on our observations of the up-and-coming Com leaders of America. We were going to need sustenance to deal with them.

Ezra growled low in his throat, stopping so suddenly that Pearl and I banged against his back, Jack smacking into us. He pivoted as we unpeeled ourselves, whispering harshly, “We’re acting like a bunch of pussies.” His fists clenched. “I’m starving, too. Let’s get something to eat.”

“Ezra,” I spoke softly, as all the Coms were halting on the sidewalk, trying to peek through the bodyguards, “I understand you think you’re wicked and dangerous, and you don’t like feeling small, but right now isn’t the time to stay in a city full of Coms.” Every fiber in me, everything I had been taught, didn’t like our situation.

A roll of his shoulders, then he hissed, “I don’t think I’m wicked and dangerous.” He grunted. “I am a step beyond wicked and dangerous. If we walk away right now from something as simple as having lunch in New York City, what does that say about us? What door are we opening to being bullied? Not just by Coms, but by our own minds?” He shook his head and turned, making the bodyguards move with him. He was heading straight toward the restaurant. “We’re eating here.”

“I’m with him,” Pearl grumbled. “I won’t be cowed like this.” She followed Ezra.

Jack grunted, walking after her. “I hope they have good enchiladas.”

I blinked. Were they serious? They could not be doing this when we were at a threat Level 5. The Kings were going to be so furious! The Shifter guards stayed glued to my side, and Ezra, Jack, and Pearl stopped, peering back to me.

Pearl smiled sassily, asking, “Coming?” That smile was for any Com who could see her, but her fists were nervously clenched.

No, my flee-addled mind screamed. We’re too outnumbered!

“Tacos with extra salsa,” Jack murmured, licking his lips, his words speaking legions of how close we had become, knowing my favorite Mexican fare as he did.

“Maybe even empanadas.” Pearl’s grin was real this time. We loved those.

Again, my tummy grumbled at me. I still hesitated. If I did this, it would be against every ingrained instinct I had. I vibrated with tension, standing on the balls of my feet, ready to rush to safety.

Jaw clenched, Ezra took five long strides in my direction and bent down, whispering against my ear, “Sweetheart, is today the day you run away alone in fear? Or the day you have the balls to trust in our friendship? Trust in the four of us. Together.” He straightened, raising a black, arched eyebrow.

I knew what he meant by friendship. Inexplicably, the four of us, four completely different Mysticals, had somehow, someway, made an unsaid and unusual friendship with each other after Dominic’s death. After the threat to our lives. Our unsaid friendship was something unheard of within the Mys communities. Being the Prodigy Shifter had made that happen for myself. Every other Mys felt like they were somehow “under” me, and that had altered any real friendships I’d had before. But, these three didn’t feel that way. They dealt with the same issues I did. The four of us were on equal footing.

Ezra held out a hand.

I stared at his waiting, steady palm.

Was today the day I made this real? Made this bad dream my reality? Because that’s what this was if I chose to go against the one-woman-stand I had going on internally. As I glanced to Jack he jerked his head toward the restaurant, a gentle smile playing on his lips. My gaze slid next to him where Pearl sighed, tapping her foot impatiently, but it was still too fast; she was still as fearful as I was. Again, I stared down at Ezra’s hand.

Bit by bit, I lifted my small hand, comprehending this was a stepping stone in my life, and placed it in Ezra’s larger one. “I want to go on record and say this is a really bad idea.” I was still frightened. Trust in the four of us, or not, fear didn’t diminish that easily.




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