Page 44 of Psycho Beasts

Aran scoffed. “It looks like you’ve been tortured by an earth fae, then stabbed by a water fae for hours.”

Lucinda grimaced. “Sis, you really gotta try better to avoid violence.”

Suddenly, there was a loud shriek, and everyone whipped around in surprise. Xerxes pulled out his twin knives.

Immediately, the tension dissipated. It was Cobra who had shrieked, and he was hiding behind Ascher’s large frame.

Jinx was holding a long, furry black creature in her hands.

“What is that?” Cobra growl-hissed at Jinx.

For the first time since I’d met her, Jinx giggled like the twelve-year-old girl she was. “It’s a ferret. The don stopped by to say hello and gave us him as a housewarming gift.”

Jax growled.

My internal radar went off as I remembered Xerxes shifting from a nice little kitten into the fae queen’s soldier.

“Are you sure that’s not an omega in disguise?” I asked as I glared at the fluffy creature.

Jinx glared at me. “Don’t be ridiculous. He’s just a ferret.” She held him protectively against her chest. “He’s mine.”

I narrowed my eyes and debated ripping it out of her arms and torturing it to get it to reveal itself.

Jinx scowled harder.

If I was wrong, she might actually kill me. “Whatever,” I said under my breath as I glanced sideways at what was most definitely a spy.

“What do you mean, the don stopped by?” Cobra straightened to his full six-foot-five height, eyes blazing emerald. “Did he threaten you girls?”

Aran raised her hand. “Did everyone forget I was looking after them? He honestly seemed pretty chill and just gave us the pet for good luck. Told us to stay safe and said something about all teenagers needing a pet while stroking his snake. Then he left.”

We all gaped at Aran.

She shrugged. “They were never in danger, trust me.”

I opened my mouth to argue, but then remembered the way Aran’s eyes had turned blackish orange. Sharp claws had sprouted from her fingertips, and she’d brutally slaughtered her powerful mother.

Aran was definitely something more than fae, and only a fool would call her incompetent.

Before anyone could say anything, Jinx shouted, “Everyone, relax!” Then she gave a girlish squeal of delight and held up the black ferret like he was a prize. “This is Noodle. He is my new best friend.”

Noodle took that moment to chitter and wave his two little front legs in the air.

Cobra shrieked and hid behind Ascher.

Ascher moved to the side and glared down at him with exasperation. “Dude, you’re embarrassing yourself.”

“That creature is not natural. Tell her to get rid of it, Jax.”

Jax sighed heavily, like he couldn’t believe this was his life. He looked at his little sister, who was cuddling the ferret against her cheek like a normal girl her age.

Something told me she didn’t make friends easily.

After a long moment, Jax nodded, and his golden chains tinkled. “Jinx, you can keep Noodle. Cobra, grow up.”

With that, Walter continued with his room tour.

The ferret perched on top of Jinx’s dark head, and she whispered something about “nincompoops” to him.

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