Page 41 of Whispered Warnings: Part One

“Yeah, we all did. I’m not surprised though, we needed it. We haven’t really had a good night’s sleep for a while,” Evander replies.

“Good point,” I agree, and take a massive bite of the flakey pastry in my hand. I have no idea what it’s called. I have never really had the need to learn fancy pastry names, but I do know that it is absolutely delicious, and I could probably eat at least five more.

“If you would like to Neith, I can take you into town after breakfast,” Raiden offers, he smirks, “I did my report last night, so I don’t have anything to do.”

“You clever fucker,” I swear I hear one of them mutter, which momentarily makes me frown in confusion before I dismiss it and focus on a hopeful looking Raiden.

“Since when do you write up your reports at any time other than the very last minute?” Ransom asks him.

Raiden’s smile is proud as he looks at me, “Since the reward outweighs the pain of writing the report.”

“Wow,” Evander chuckles.

Raiden ignores him and asks me, “So, how about it?”

I nod, “Yes please, that would be great. I only need to get a few essentials and then if I can borrow a laptop from someone, I can get the rest delivered.”

“Sure, I don’t mind shopping,” Raiden replies with an easy-going smile.

“That makes one of us,” I grumble, earning myself amused smiles, “can we at least get food that might make it more bearable?”

Raiden nods, “Absolutely.”

“Deal,” I reply, and I push away from the table, and turn to head out of the door, “I guess I should go and get dressed then.”

“Wait, before you go,” Evander says, and I pause hearing the tension in his voice and turn back to face him.

He looks very serious and as I look around at all of the other guys, I realize that he is not the only one and that all of the amusement that was on their faces moments ago has disappeared.

I stand up straighter and cautiously reply, “Okay?”

“Ty rang us before we went to bed, and he said that a few of the other teams had heard of your track record and had shown an interest in having you on their team,” Evander starts to explain.

The tension drains from my body, and I smile, “Oh, you had me worried for a moment then I thought it was something serious.”

“It is,” Reed says bluntly.

Ransom takes over the explanation, “Unlike humans, supes do it a bit differently. If two teams wish to have a certain person on their team, and neither one backs down, then one of the teams can challenge for the Choosing. It doesn’t happen very often anymore because usually, everyone respects the choice of the individual.”

“And it’s not so necessary to make sure that the teams are well-matched now that we aren’t in Trieneliea,” Raiden adds.

I am going to make sure that I ask questions about that later on, but right now I feel like there is a much more important question to ask, “So, if someone challenges you guys for me like I am something to own, then I have no choice but to wait and see who wins me like I’m a prized fucking cow?”

The whole table winces.

Evander clears his throat and carries on explaining, “Not exactly, you have to compete in a series of tasks, some by yourself and some with the teams that are interested in you. The tasks are dangerous for supernaturals, but for you, they risk being deadly. When you have passed all tasks, the scroll inscribes the best team for you, and it’s not like, ‘Oh, you guyswill kind of fit;’ it’s like a soul connection, and you are bonded for life. No one can deny the connection, and it comes with certain perks too, and an extra level of respect in supernatural society, and especially in the realms, if the team were ever to travel to them.”

I take a deep breath, “Okay, I sort of like that bit, I guess. I am assuming that because this is a supernatural thing, I can’t just tell the other team or teams to fuck off and that I want to be on your team?”

I need the clarification.

“No,” Evander grimaces.

“But it’s only a possibility that someone might invoke the Choosing. It’s not a certainty,” Doc says.

I detect something in his voice that makes me ask, “What aren’t you telling me?”

“It isn’t a certainty, I didn’t lie, but we are pretty sure that one of the teams that have expressed an interest in you is a team that fucking hates us for no other reason than we are better than them,” Doc explains.

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