Page 62 of Shifting Tides

Suddenly, Kendall’s hands were wrenched off my shoulders, and strong hands shoved Kendall backward.

“What did you do to her?” Tobias barked, clenching his fists as he closed in on Kendall.

“What are you talking about?” Kendall rebuked, smoothing his hands down his shirt.

“She’s crying!” Tobias snapped. “What did he do to you?” he demanded, turning on me.

“Wh—uh,” I stammered.

“I didn’t do anything to her,” Kendall retorted. “What do you care, anyway? You brought her here and then practically pretended she didn’t exist.”

“That’s none of your business.” Tobias’s jaw stiffened as he turned glowing blue eyes back on Kendall.

I had only seen shifters’ eyes glow when they were about to use their powers, and that realization made my heart jump in my chest. As much as the slighted teenage girl part of me was silently reveling in the fact that Tobias at least believed he was coming to my rescue, I didn’t want to see either of these boys hurt each other, especially not over me.

“Tobias, it’s fine, really.” I put my hands on his chest, keenly watching his eyes in hopes that the glow would fade away. “I was just having a moment about my mom, and Kendall was talking me through it.”

Looking frightening as he towered at least half a foot over me, he looked down at me, his calculating eyes scanning me, I assumed for marks of abuse. When he found none, the tension slowly eased all over his body, and the glow dissipated, leaving only those warm amber eyes that were finally giving me their full focus.

“So, he didn’t... hurt you?”

I shook my head, incredibly relieved.

“What right do you think you have accusingmeof hurting a girl?” Kendall asked, stalking toward Tobias.

Maybe I hadn’t prevented the fight after all.

“I’m not the one who treats them like garbage before throwing them away,” Kendall continued. “Who makes out with them behind the greenhouses then never calls them again. Cora is the hardest girl I know, and yet she cried for days after you used her.”

I gasped.Tobias messed around with Cora?My stomach twisted with disgust, and I thought I was about to be sick.

“Shut up!” Tobias yelled, his pride clearly wounded.

“Why don’t you dragons just stay away from our mermaids,” Kendall said, puffing up like a blowfish.

The two guys were practically chest-to-chest, and though I was admittedly a little turned on by this whole episode, I needed to find some way to stop it from escalating.

I slipped between them and put a hand on both of their chests to push them away from each other. But as my vision passed through the open back door, I caught a glimpse of Cora and her squad circling Shea, whose hands were balled into fists, her chin jutting stubbornly forward.

“Oh no, this can’t be good.” I pushed past the two testosterone-filled guys and rushed to the aid of my friend before the vultures could descend. Shea was more important.

“I knew there was something off about you as soon as I saw you walk in with that bottom-feeder,” I heard Cora say as I came into the living room. “You’re no phoenix. You’re awitch.” Cora said the word like it left a bad taste in her mouth.

Shea stood tall, looking ready to pound this bitch into the dirt.

“What’s your problem, Cora?” I stomped into their circle to stand beside Shea. “Why do you have to try so hard to tear everyone else down? Do you really think it makes you look better?”

Cora narrowed her eyes on me. “Iambetter. I’m Mer nobility, not that you would know anything about that.”

“Big fucking deal!” I snapped. “You think the status of your blood gives you the right to treat others like crap? If that’s the case, I suspect quite a bit of inbreeding.”

A round of “ohs” went up as I climbed onto the couch and stood on it so that everyone at the party could see me.

“Shea may not be a shifter, but she has just as much right to study her craft as we do. I think she belongs at our school. Every single one of you enjoyed her company tonight. Clearly she fits into our world. If we rally together, I’m sure we can get her accepted into The Dome.”

While a scattered few were nodding their heads, most of the partiers were averting their eyes—or rolling them. Shea was looking at them all, probably tallying the response, her jaw twitching, the hope draining from her eyes.

Helena stepped forward. “Witches can’t be trusted.”

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