Page 119 of Living Legend

After everyone put their dishes away, I went to my room for a jacket and walked back into the living room towards my sword, still leaning against the wall. I picked it up, feeling the weight in my hand and loving the way it felt just right. I sheathed it behind my back, fingering the leather strap of my baldric.

“Where are you headed?” my father asked, stepping up to me. I looked around him at Dani and Daya on the couch, talking and laughing as if they had known each other for years.

I focused back on my dad. “Oculus.”

“Ah, for Reese and Elise.”

I scratched the side of my head. “Yeah…”

“And something else?” he pressed, leaning in towards me.

“It’s nothing. Just something I need to talk to Natalia about.”

My father stroked his chin. “I assume that Dani isn’t going with you?”

“I’m not going to be gone long, but there is something I need her input on that Dani can’t be a part of, not yet. She’ll be safer here with you guys.”

He looked over his shoulder at her and sighed. “Keeping secrets is no way to start a relationship, Nicholas.”

I ran my hand through my hair, frustratingly. “Relationship? Dad, please don’t make whatever there is between me and her a thing. It’s not a thing. It can’t be.”

“Because she’s a demon?”

“It’s not just that, but yeah, that is a big factor.”

He chuckled, rocking back on his heels. “You are an adult, so you can make your own decisions, but I will tell you that if you like her, explore that for as long as it takes. Demon or not, you feel something.” I opened my mouth to protest, but he cut me off. “You like her, Nicholas. There is no law saying you can’t be with her. I’m not getting in your way. That is all you, son.”

I let out a huff that sounded like defeat and my father patted my cheek. I pushed his hand away, so he decided to pat my other cheek. My mouth broke into a smile as he continued to go back and forth, slapping lightly at my cheeks. Once a small, annoyed laugh creeped out of my throat, he finally stopped. We both laughed, causing the girls to turn around and look at us. I caught Dani’s eyes and noticed the minute she took in my expression and the sword strapped to my back. She was up and off the couch in a matter of minutes. She saddled up to my father, who raised his eyebrows at me before stepping back and walking over to his girlfriend.

Dani tilted her head to the side and placed her hands on her hips. Her hair had dried, causing her curls to spring from her braid. I was so fucking tempted to wrap my finger around the spirals, but I didn’t.

She licked her lips before she spoke. “Where are you going?’

“Oculus.” This conversation was literal déjà vu.

“Okay, let me go say bye to Daya…”

I waved my hand to stop her. “No, you can stay here.”

She pressed her lips together, her brows furrowing. “You want to go alone?”

“I’m just going to check on the others and get intel from Natalia, that’s all.” She would either be pissed that I let what she said affect me so much, or she would want to come with me, and I needed some space from her. Not in a bad way, but with everything that had happened in less than twenty-four hours, I just needed to clear my head.

“Without me…” She said it like she was trying on the words for size. She was tasting them along her tongue, and she wasn’t a fan.

“I don’t know what beyond this village looks like for you right now, so staying here would be your best bet. I’ll be back, don’t worry.”

“I’m not worried, I’m just curious what you’re keeping from me.”

“I’m not keeping anything from you.”

She rolled her eyes. “You’re a terrible liar.”

I caught my father’s eye from across the room and quickly looked away. He was giving me that ‘just tell her what’s on your mind’look, and I wasn’t in the mood. “Dani, I promise if I find anything useful, I’ll come back and tell you. I don’t know if people are looking for you, so I would rather you just stay here.”

She tapped her fingers on her exposed skin under her crop top. “Sounds like you care about me.”

I shrugged. “Maybe.” I turned away from her and towards the backdoor. I would open the portal towards the woods and walk straight into Oculus. Sounded simple enough. When I swung the door open, I heard my father yell, “be careful, Nicholas,” right as Daya yelled, “come back safely.” They worried too much; or maybe I wasn’t worried enough.

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