Page 23 of Her Psycho Beasts

“You will learn that she is quite stubborn,” I say dryly.

Damien’s reaction is not at all what I expect, and it makes my dragon’s hide crawl. His eyes glitter with something akin to excitement. “Is that so?” he murmurs. “A good quality.”

We leave the new deputy’s office in silence, Scythe cold and distant, as per normal, and me irritated and heated up, as per normal.

Georgia, Lyle’s old PA, is now at her desk just outside the office, looking a little worse for wear with an unusually messy lopsided bun and smudged eyeliner. She is aggressively chewing on her lip as she stares at Lyle’s back where he waits for the elevator.

I get out a dragon-strength joint and light it with a finger flame as the doors slide open and we step inside.

“Give me that.” Lyle snatches the joint right out of my fingers. “I need it more than you.”

Scythe prowls into the elevator just before the doors close. I take out another joint and light it for myself.

“What’s the plan?” Lyle growls, smoke streaming out of his mouth as he speaks.

“To keep you calm,” Scythe growls. “To keep you away from a murder trial.”

I nod in agreement as Lyle glowers at us both.

Chapter 11

Aurelia

“This is shit,” I say to Beak as I sit down next to him the following day at breakfast. The rest of yesterday had gone much the same as any normal day at the academy. We had a lot of questions for Theresa in group counselling, but she really wouldn’t answer any of them. I could see she was unhappy because she wasn’t her usual chirpy self, and even snapped at Roland, the male counsellor. The cherry on top of it was that Scythe sent me a mental message informing me it is nowmysole and critical responsibility to keep Lyle calm and not murderous. When I asked him who was going to keepmecalm, I got an icy silence.

Typical.

“Gee thanks, Lia,” Beak says, after swallowing a huge mouthful of a protein smoothie and letting his bicep flex. A vulture down the table giggles and whispers to her friend. Beak’s a handsome guy, fit as an AFL player and handsome as a runway model. He doesn’t lack for bed-friends but was always testing his luck with me.

“You know what I mean.” I gesture with my fork around the hall.

It’s a falcon across from me who blurts out, “So, how many animals can you shift into? You must be able to do a lioness, right? If Mr Pardalia is your mate.”

I chew my croissant carefully, even as heat rushes my cheeks. Lyle had warned me to be ready for this as people got over the shock of things. My animas had already showered me with questions when they first found out months ago.

“So, crocodile makes it two,” Beak counts on his fingers.

I try not to choke on that one. “I can do a few, and I don’t like to talk about it.”

“What?” the falcon exclaims. “Why the fuck not, Lia? If it were me, I’d?—”

“Well it’s not you, is it, Jacob?” Beak snaps. “And she said she doesn’t want to talk about it, sodon’task her again.”

Jacob grumbles and returns to his plate. I give Beak a grateful look and he flashes his dimples at me.

We’re all pleased to see Connor at the lions’ table, returned from his detainment and loudly and enthusiastically chatting about his experience down in the ‘dungeons’ overnight. I’m just glad he’s okay, but the whole debacle left a sour taste in everyone’s mouth. The other lions are furious and have their eye on Damien Agnis, who is imperiously looming over the buffet this morning.

Minnie, Yeti, and the others join me in exiting the dining hall for our first class after breakfast, but there’s a slow queue to leave, which is unusual.

“The wolves are saying that Dolores is checking everyone’s clothing as they exit the dining hall,” Raquel explains. “Make sure your skirt isn’t above your knee.”

“Dolores?” I ask, shimmying my skirt down a little.

Minnie makes her eyes wide. “Yeah, it’s code for the new asshole calling himself deputy.”

Lyle, supervising the line just ahead of us, determinedly pretends not to hear our conversation.

“Minnie, I’m shocked by your dirty mouth!” I say with feigned horror.

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