Page 42 of The Naga

Silas nodded, then stood there for another few moments, looking like he wanted to say something.

"Khush, he doesn't really talk about his past. He's never told anyone, and even the headmaster only knows what he witnessed. If you can get him to talk to you, I think that would be really good for him," Silas said, shooting his friend a worried look. I could see nothing but concern in his eyes, and I reached out, patting his forearm.

"I'll try to talk to him. Thank you for helping."

"Of course. Anytime," he said, eyes crinkling in a smile even though the mask hid most of it. He took Touya's hand, and the two made their way downstairs.

Scrappy raced up the stairs after they'd left, and immediately crawled into the bed. She curled up on Khush's chest and started purring.

Smiling at her, I removed my shoes and slid into the bed on Khush's other side, throwing an arm over his torso and pressing a kiss against his temple.

"Wake up soon, okay? I'm really worried about you, my sweet, gentle snake."

Pressing my face into his shoulder, I closed my eyes, breathing in his soft, familiar scent. Today had started off on such a bright note, and I suddenly felt an unbearable hatred for the womanwho'd given birth to Khush. That might just be the only good thing she'd done in her sorry life.

I didn't need to know her, or meet her, or even hear her voice to hate her. Just the fact that talking to her had brought up memories traumatic enough to make Khush lose control was enough for me. She'd hurt him, when all she should've done was love and protect him.

I knew the man Khush was today was despite her. Despite her and what she did to him, and because of Headmaster Morrigan. The Sanctuary had saved him, and now I was going to make sure to protect Khush, because he was mine, just like I was his.

Eighteen

Khush

I woke up underneatha bright sky, and for a few minutes, I simply watched the leaves flutter in the slight breeze, moving hypnotically as they almost lulled me back to sleep.

The arm around my torso squeezed, and that, coupled with the weight on my chest, made me finally look down.

Scrappy was curled up on my chest, her whiskers twitching as she dozed peacefully.

At my side, Dustin lay with his eyes closed, his face pressed against my shoulder, his arm thrown over my torso. How longhad we been napping? Had we missed lunch again? Jacinta was going to kill us.

It was another few moments later that I remembered how I'd ended up here. Well, not exactly. I had no idea who put me in bed, but I could make an educated guess. No, I remembered freaking out after the call from my mother...Shit! Had I really made the ground shake?

The last time I'd had an outburst that big, I'd brought down almost half of the underground city I'd lived in with my parents. It was what had finally prompted them to search out Headmaster Zephyr and hand me over, and I'd known even then that I wouldn't hear from them again, and for years, I hadn't.

I was sure my mother had some selfish reason for calling now, that meeting Dustin was just an excuse, and I didn't care.

Dustin stirred at my side, and I glanced down at him, pinned in place by the sleeping cat. He blinked slowly, and his eyes widened when they met mine.

He shot upright, his palms cupping my cheeks as he glanced down at me. "Oh my God, you're awake. Thank fuck!" he blabbered, then leaned down to smack a kiss on my lips. His palm covered my forehead, and I realized he was checking for a fever.

When he was satisfied there was nothing wrong with me, he slumped over me, burying his face in my throat. I wrapped my arm around his waist as Scrappy gave a disgruntled meow and leaped off the bed.

"Sorry if I scared you," I murmured, and he jerked upright to glare at me.

"If? Of course you scared me! I thought you were having a stroke or a heart attack or something, you asshole!" Dustin smacked my chest, and I noticed his eyes were brighter than usual, gleaming in the afternoon sunlight. Shit, I'd really scared him, hadn't I? Not by causing an earthquake, no, but by the wayit'd affectedme. He was scared because he'd been worried about me.

Sitting upright, I pulled him close, and he practically climbed into my lap as he threw his arms around me, clinging tightly. I wrapped my arms around him, lengthening my tail and surrounding us both with it as I tried to comfort him.

"I'm okay, Dustin. I'm okay. I'm so sorry I scared you," I murmured into his hair, breathing him in as he did the same to me, his lips pressing against my neck. "Is everyone okay? Did anyone get hurt?"

Dustin shook his head against my neck, then sighed softly before pulling back and meeting my eyes. "The headmaster used a spell to stop you before it got worse, and it knocked you out."

"Yikes, and we were doing so well too."

Dustin's brows furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"That spell is something he uses when one of us gets out of control. It takes a lot out of him, so we try our best to not let ourselves get that far."

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