Page 113 of Silent Jay

Instead of stepping to the side and doing what my logical brain required of me, I pointed at the bag. A gust of wind sent it sailing into my hands. A phone sat on top of layers of blue cloth. Jay tapped me on the shoulder and looked at me with pleading eyes.

I held up her phone. “None of us are supposed to have phones.”

She looked longingly at mine. Her big green eyes and the pout of her mouth made my heart twist. She took the phone out of my hand, and I didn’t stop her.

I was so screwed.

“So, do I just stand here until the others arrive?” Rehan asked, eyeing me curiously.

I’d expected the prince to be furious, but he wasn’t.

I cleared my throat. “Yes, or you can confirm they’re all on their way.”

Jay thrust her phone under my nose, and I found myself reading a group chat between the elemental princes.

My world tilted.

The three of them. Three different elements. In a group chat. Together.

The room spun. Elements didn’t work together; we’d been separated virtually since coming to this island. We had different ideals, different gods, and different social standards.

Jay pushed her phone toward me again, and I took it with shaking fingers.

Ogden:Ty is incoming.

Ogden:I’m shifting now. Maybe we can get more of your magic unlocked.

Three eggplant emojis followed that message. My jaw dropped. Were the three elemental princes sharing?

A rush of longing clashed with the rage of my simmering rut. My human half wanted to share, my dragon didn’t. Pure power washed around me, filling the air with little sparks. The edge of my vision dimmed as my two natures clashed. My legs buckled. I’d never felt anything like this. Only Jay’s firm grip wrapped around my arm kept me from falling. A final view of the three names and the three eggplants filled my sight before the world went dark.

I cameto with my head pillowed on someone’s lap and voices above me. My dragon sat quietly with its head cocked to the side as if watching my human half.

“It says unsold goods tiles equal one victory point, remaining silverling equal one victory point, and every two worker tiles equal one victory point,” a rich baritone recited.

“Feck this, I’m not here to think,” Tyson said, his voice too familiar.

“We wouldn’t want to melt your brain, now, would we?” Rehan’s much deeper voice responded.

An inner peace I’d never experienced before sank into my bones. No. It wasn’t peace, exactly. It was understanding or hope. Before I analyze it further, Jay’s cool hand pressed against my forehead. I looked up into the most beautiful, vivid green eyes I’d ever seen. Her ponytail fell over her shoulder and brushed against the side of my face.

‘You OK?’ she mouthed, tossing her hair behind her.

I reached up and pressed my hand into whatever part of her I could. “I am now.”

“Sister Abby.” Jay leaned back, and Ogden’s face replaced her beauty. “Are you hurt?”

I sat up, finding myself hip-to-hip with Jay. Two elemental princes tried to stab me with just their gazes while Ogden grinned. I tensed, expecting my rut to destroy my self-control, but my dragon only watched as an inner calm brought the room into sharp focus.

“She just fainted Og, relax,” Jay answered for me.

“I don’t think…” I started but trailed off. Maybe this was for the best. What better way to disguise myself as a delicate priestess than to faint like one? “It must have been the wine.”

“Good thing I brought a few bottles.” Tyson set my bottle of Cava in front of me like they were a personal affront. “Wiggles does not drink this cheap crap, got it?”

‘She should be drinking my wine, you twat,’ is what I wanted to say. Instead, I channeled my calm teacher persona. Life was just a series of lessons. I’d just met Tyson, but I already knew he badly needed one.

“We’re an orphanage with limited funding.” I wrapped my metal hand around the bottle, making it rattle. “We do not have the money for liquor. Usually, the royals stock this room with our local wine. You’ll need to take up your complaint with them.”

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