Page 232 of Bride of Choice

Turning to her, adjusting the bag on my arm and tote over my shoulder, I clucked my tongue. “Ginger, you’re starting to sound an awful lot like Mary Ann.”

“I know about your super secret support group and how you were helping mated Lo denaii be better mates.” She spoke so fast it all sounded like one giant eff you of a run on sentence.

“My what now?” My poker face was on point but Red had that look in her eyes. Someone had told. The jig was up.

“One of my mates, who shall remain nameless, had his brother try and go to one of these secret meetings he’d heard about, a secret space only told in whispers, a supporting group, he said. So his brother went in search of this with the idea to pretend his problem was theirs, so he could ask you for advice. A male told him there was a witch in the woods that gave advice, but only on the third midweek of every short cycle,” her hand lifted in a wave, “however you say that nonsense that’s too confusing to keep up with for their calendar. You know what I mean.” Taking a deep breath, she continued. “The witch, was apparently you, and you gave him, through his brother, some very helpful advice and I just wanted to- I wanted-” With something akin to a mock-Lo denaii growl she’d probably picked up from her grumpier looking males, she grabbed me up in a bear hug. “Thank you.”

“Ugh,” I garbled out, prompting her to release her death squeeze on me.

“Sorry.” Her smile was small and sheepish. “I’m told I’m stronger than I think.”

“No shit.” Smirking through a grimace, I coughed a few times. The struggle to catch my breath was real for a minute there.

“I just wanted to thank you and let you know that while I know, and now you know that I know, I have no plans to tell anybody.”

“I have no desire to be burned at the stake for being the village “witch”,” I snarked. “Your discretion is appreciated.”

“They said you haven’t shown up to the last few meetings,” she stated softly, a note of concern filling her voice. “Is everything okay?”

“I’ve been busy,” I said simply, curtly, knowing if she went by my tone she’d leave it at that.

“Of course. With the Festival right around the corner and everything. I can’t believe it’s day after next!” She bobbed her head in a knowing nod, while I silently freaked out a little on the inside.

The Festival is when now?! Good googly moogly, I’d totally lost track of my days. Panic threatened but I hogtied that shit and stuck a sock in its mouth.

“I’ll see you there, maybe, huh?” I offered conversationally, once more adjusting my tote over my shoulder. If she caught me fidgeting, she’d just hold me captive longer and try to see if she could get me to crack. She couldn’t. I was a titanium walnut. Nothing was coming in or going out unless I willed it. Or so I liked to bullshit myself. Considering my track record with Rek, Maury would make my ass sit the hell down so he could tell me and his avid audience that was in fact a lie.

Looking like she was debating on whether or not to bring it up to me, she must have decided to throw caution to the wind as she murmured, leaning in like she was about to divulge a big, juicy secret, “You know, I saw you before that last hunt, at the picnic.” A wide grin spread across her face. “Anything you want to share with the class?”

“Rek’s a headcase?” Purposely misunderstanding her, my face scrunched up like I smelled something gross. “Doogie is like a brother to me. Please, blech- Argh. Gag. No. Don’t even go there. I might puke.”

Red’s face pulled into a frown. “I thought… One of my fellas said- Celuk didn’t take off with you?”

Was I, like, the only asshole that didn’t know that’s who Kooky was?!

“I jumped into the middle of Rek’s crazy and Celuk plucked me right out of it and dragged me to safety.” There. That wasn’t a flat out lie, was it?

Disappointment flitted across the tomboyish but pretty red head’s face. “So you- There’s not a Mr. Joanie on the horizon?”

Running my tongue along my teeth, I sighed heavily. “I dunno, does Rektal McCrazyPants count?”

Red laughed at that. “I hope you two figure it out one day. One moment you’re chummy, the next you look like you want to rip each other’s faces off. I can’t keep up.”

“Being a batshit badass bitch- Or should I say witch?” I teased with a wink. “Is hard.”

“Amen.” Red chuckled, shaking her head.

“You know, I do have to go, though.” My thumb hooked over my shoulder and I gestured vaguely off behind me.

“Of course! Of course. So much prep work and not enough hours in the day.” She was just about to take off and I felt myself inching towards freedom when she turned at the very last possible moment. “Hey, you are going to that thing Dorothy’s doing, aren’t you? Out in the meadow? It’s like the Lo denaii version of a Whoville feast.”

My smile didn’t quite reach my eyes this time. “Uhm, I’m not sure yet.”

“You should come! I haven’t seen much of you lately. Even Daisy’s starting to complain.”

I laughed along with her like nothing was amiss but I felt like my feet had just been yanked out from under me.

I couldn’t expect Dorothy to invite me to her thing when I was on the outs with, like, practically her entire male household, could I?

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