Page 83 of Silent Jay

“I mean,” he rubbed his hands together. “Never mind.” He blew out a breath, and I focused. “How did you learn magic? Are you a shifter?”

I threw my hands up and motioned for the paper pad. ‘I’m not writing you a fucking novel. I’m God-damned old, and I got it through blood, sweat, tears, and a lot of trial and error. What’s your plan? Just to keep me in here, shitting in a bucket until I’ve written a textbook for you?’

The color drained out of Ogden’s face. “No, I didn’t mean, that wasn’t….” He rubbed his scruffy jaw and took a deep breath, his dragon-slit eyes growing and shrinking as he fought with his nature.

I wrinkled my nose. This guy wanted to protect his people yet felt drawn to me. It had to be the curse that pulled in Rehan andTyson. He had no idea what to do with me. I tapped my knee twice before standing and sliding over to the glass bowl of food. I looked down at him, still sitting, and made eye contact before picking it up and backing away. His gaze bore into mine, but he didn’t stand. Instead, he nodded, relief filling his eyes.

The warlock shouldn't be relieved I stole the food he brought as a bargaining chip. I sighed and popped off the top of the glass bowl. A pile of lukewarm meats and hummus rested at the bottom.

At least he doesn’t think you’re a vegan.

I picked up the little spoon and inhaled the meal. It was good, and I hummed appreciatively. Back in my teens, when I’d been trading my internal organs for more power, I’d gotten the opportunity to exchange my taste buds, but that meant never tasting again. Even as a hot-headed, power-hungry youth, I’d realized food was one of those pleasures that made life worth living.

“I’ll bring you more,” Ogden said, watching me with glowing, pleased eyes. “I should have brought you more.” He clenched his fists.

I got out the notepad. ‘Look, if you’re trying to starve me and make me uncomfortable so I’ll be more pliable, you shouldn’t bring me more food. And for fuck’s sake, take the stuff out of here that I could use against you.’

I pointed to his LP collection before holding out a very flammable Toad Piss bottle.

He widened his eyes and stood, snatching the bottle out of my hands. Before either of us could say more, a floral scent billowed into the room. My potions were ready to go.

We separated the two bright liquids into four beakers, and I placed one of each in front of him first and then myself. He elongated a claw to prick his finger, adding a drop of blood to each and a scale to the latter. I hadn’t found many sharp objects,and though I suddenly understood why, it didn’t help me. After a moment, he hesitantly held out his dragon-clawed finger.

I reached out and pricked my pinky. Ogden gave me a goofy grin, and my stomach fluttered.

Oh, fuck me.

Oh, let him!

Shut up.

Ignoring the flutter and my inner voice, I dropped blood into each beaker. The thick red swirled in the bright color liquids, absorbing my essence so it could better target everything else.

I turned to Ogden with the bright pink one in my hand and held it up like a glass of champagne. ‘Cheers, dude.’ Though just “squeak squeak” came out.

Ogden cocked his head to the side but clicked his beaker against mine.

Both potions tasted like ass, and I knocked them back like shots.

Ogden didn’t change. There was no foreign magic on him, or at least none that my basic potion could find. My skin glowed white before lighting up with bright green like a glow stick. I poked my forearm and wished I was close to a wall so I could knock my head against it.

“Right.” Ogden brushed his fingers across my shoulder. When I didn’t pull away, he let them lightly rest there. “So, based on the color, the curse is tied to your magical essence, not your physical.”

No shit, Sherlock.I looked at him through my lashes as if dazzled by his brilliance, wondering if silent sarcasm came across.

It didn’t. He squeezed my shoulder, oblivious. “And you have no idea how this happened?”

I pulled away from his touch, disliking the comfort it gave me. He didn’t glow, so whatever curse drew him to me onlycame from me. The spell work on me had to be targeting specific dragons. Otherwise, males would have swarmed me at The Social.

Ogden seemed hurt when I pulled away, and my stupid heart broke a little. I itched my chest to remind myself I was dirty and locked up in a dragon’s lair, not falling in love.

You like him!

Oh my fucking god, please stop.

I stepped back to the bed, and Ogden followed me, dropping down at my side so he could read over my shoulder.

‘I do not know how this happened,’ I wrote on the pad. ‘A semi-truck slammed into my car. I should be dead. Instead, I woke up enrolled in the island’s hunt.’ I swallowed and pressed the pen's tip into the pad before turning to Ogden.

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