Page 3 of Hellfire

I compressed my lips. “My news isn’t quite that good, but it’s good.”

Cole thumped me in the arm. “Define good.”

I ruffled his hair and kissed the side of my brother’s head, feeling more like the old me than I had in years. “We’re all reinstated to the Academy.”

“Finally!” Cole fist-bumped me.

Luna’s eyes widened with a ray of hope. “Blaze too?”

When my smile fell, the light snuffed out, and I hated being responsible. “Venellan wants to keep an eye on him first.”

Blaze displayed more than just PTSD and depression symptoms after his rescue. The stubborn serpent branding on my best friend gave both me and his mentor cause for concern. It was my duty to protect the Academy, and I couldn’t put Luna and the Guildlings at risk if the symbols had a residual effecton him. In time, when Blaze healed his mental wounds, he’d understand.

She ran her palms along her jeaned thighs. “He’d get better faster if he was given a little hope.”

My chest cracked as if my stone skin came to life hours before the call of night. I loved that she advocated for him when he couldn’t do it himself.

Circumstances couldn’t be easy for my best friend after losing his position and magick in the space of a month. On top of that, he now had to juggle the nightmares, panic, and vigilance of his ordeal. Things we wouldn’t leave him to deal with alone.

I massaged the heel and ball of her hand to shake off her despair and win back her smile. “We’ll be there for him in the meantime and keep him out of the darkness.”

Meanwhile, we’d catch the mysterious traitor who helped Nelle smuggle in the snakes, spell the gargoyles to sleep, blind the cameras, and erase the protective symbols in the library, giving Camus access to the Academy. Hopefully, that would strengthen our vulnerable positions, fortify the Academy, and give us sway to request Blaze’s return to teaching duty. At least, that was the plan.

“I guess that’s something,” Luna admitted, patting her thighs.

I caught her chin with the crook of my hand and traced my thumb along her jaw, elevated by the softness of it against my calloused fingers. “You’re some princess, you know?”

She hmphed me and cracked a brief smile.

I changed the topic to break up the mood that went south. “Want to come down to the bar for a celebratory drink?”

Luna wound the cord of her and Cole’s controllers and packed them up. “Can Blaze and Gable come?”

They were part of our team and warranted an invite, except Gable had been busy acquainting his sister to a life free of thesnakes. I wasn’t sure if he’d leave her alone and come to the bar with us, or bring her with him when she wasn’t used to the outside world.

“Do you think Gable will come if he’s nursing Mary?” I wasn’t updated with the latest on him and his sister since I was busy closing in on the Academy’s second traitor.

My princess retrieved her phone. “Only one way to find out.”

I addressed my next concern. “I don’t know if Blaze would be up for it after…” The rest didn’t need to be said.

His kidnapping ordeal left him on edge, twitching at unexpected noises, motions, or someone brushing him, his gaze scanned for danger in the shadows, his body primed to bolt, and it pained me to see him like that.

Luna gave me a solemn nod. “I’ll call Gable.”

CHAPTER 2 - LUNA

Gable surprised me by agreeing to come to the bar and meet up.

We got there early, Talon shaking off his caramel wool coat, exposing the navy blazer below that brought out his green-brown eyes. Cole came in the same attire as what he gamed in—jeans, and an olive hoodie under a puffer coat that made his skin even more tanned and delicious. They both rocked wind-blown hair from the gust outside. Thankfully, my hat kept my hair in place.

Just as my Frog Prince suspected, Blaze declined the invitation, preferring to stay holed up in his office or room. It killed my upbeat mood when I wanted to celebrate with all my men. Watching him slip away from us left me helpless to protect him from falling deeper into his depression.

Pendant lights, red brick walls, and hardwood floors warmed the atmosphere in the bar, which used to be the town’s gold store in the gold rush days. Bottles of various alcohol lined the shelves behind the counter, and a cook prepared light meals in the tiled kitchen along the left wall. Tables occupied the rest of the space.

Talon took out his wallet. “My shout for drinks. The usual?”

Cole nodded. “What about munchies? We can’t deprive our princess of food, can we, brother?”

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