Page 57 of Above Cursed Winds

“It isn’t for me. It’s—it’s for a kid.”

Silence lingered between them over the static for half a minute before Isaiah cleared his throat. “What kid?”

“One who is struggling with an ability similar to yours, and going through a very isolating time. He’s eight, and I hate seeing the boy so sad and alone,” Jeremiah sputtered, grasping at straws. “Please.”

“One of Nero’s?”

“Yeah.”

Isaiah sighed. “I’ll work with him. I’ll reach out to Nero to ask after him. What’s his name?”

“Myko.”

“Consider it done.” A pause. “Rukia worries about you. I’ve no idea why, considering you’re a waste of space, but you will ease my mate’s heart, or I’ll do you a couple more ‘favors’ you won’t like as much.”

“She’ll be fine.” Shrugging it off, and wanting to hasten the conclusion of their conversation, Jeremiah said, “Thank you, Isaiah.”

“I haven’t done anything yet, Elemental, but since I will be—”

“What?”

“—You’ll do a favor for me.”

Here we go. Jeremiah cleared his throat. “What do you want?”

“Answer when the mother of my child calls.” It was a terrifying tone if Jeremiah had ever heard one. “If you keep on putting her off and worrying her, letting her think you’ve died or been eaten by Hawaiian sharks, I’ll ensure you never feel the wind on your skin again.”

The Raeth sovereign hung up without another word. Grumbling at his own foolish expense, Jeremiah flipped through emails and texts. His thumb hovered over the string of unanswered texts from Rukia.

Soon, he thought.

Reclining in a leather chair while he shot off a few work-related emails, Jeremiah didn’t notice Zia until she was ten feet in front of him, a covered basket in her hands.

“I’m surprised you aren’t beating up some poor defenseless human.”

Chuffing a good-natured laugh, Jeremiah locked his phone. “Decided to take the day off. Too much of a good thing and the humans are liable to start protesting.”

Zia’s tone sobered. “I’m sorry about what happened when Sehrin arrived. He … surprised me. It’s intentional on his part, to catch me unaware. I used to get visibly angry, but that just gives him what he wants. And I didn’t want to speak to him about what’s happened between you and I until I could figure out how to tell him without him twisting things to Myko.”

Jeremiah rose from where he’d been lounging. “And what is happening between you and me? I want to hear your version of it. Was my kiss not transparent?”

“I’m not ashamed of it, Jeremiah, if that’s what you’re asking.”

When his fingers gently brushed her cheek, she shivered and leaned into the touch.

“Just embarrassed?”

Violet eyes snapped open. “Why would I be embarrassed?”

“Because I’m an Elemental. Because I failed at Kane’s and the word got around,” he offered, surprisingly unaffected by her fury. “Because I’m younger than you? I don’t know, take your pick.”

“You’re infuriating sometimes, that’s what you are.”

“Just sometimes?” he echoed, laughing.

Jeremiah laughed gamely as Zia stalked forward and playfully shoved him. He stumbled a step backward. When his back collided with a wall, he clicked his tongue. “Making me cower now? Closing off my escape route?”

“Resistance is futile.”

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