Page 105 of Coerced

His eyes went wide with panic, and it took me a minute to understand that he was unsure if she was making fun of him, insulting him, or simply stating facts.

“And you’re a growing boy.” Mira stacked the candy into neat piles. “I bet you shot up a few inches recently. You look all stretched out and lanky, like you’re still growing into those wide shoulders.”

“Is that… Is that bad?” he asked.

“Of course not. It’s part of the natural process.”

“He grew four inches between December and January,” Gigi told us, then turned to Kerry. “You need your nourishment, but why did you get so much chocolate?”

“That stuff’s not for me.” He dropped her hand and frowned. “Period minus chocolate equals mean girl. Period plus chocolate equals happy girl. And I want you to be happy girls, especially you, Tennessee. You’remeanwhen you’re mean.”

Gigi and Mira looked at each other, then burst out laughing.

“What did I say?” He looked at me with perplexed eyes.

When I shrugged my shoulders, he copied me and apparently decided to let it go.

“Mira, did Gigi tell you I was possessed for ten years?” He put it right out there. “And Travis was enthralled for a few months last year.”

“Uh, yeah. She caught me up to speed on everything.” Mira seemed uncomfortable. “I’m sorry that happened to you.”

Kerry shrugged one shoulder, and I thought I’d better change the subject.

“Has anyone checked on John lately?”

Gigi said he had thrown up again, but managed to keep down some ginger ale before falling asleep. I heard the worry in her voice, but I knew as much as she did about concussions. She said Travis had looked it up on the web and suggested we dose him with more pain relievers when he woke up again, then let him sleep if he wanted.

“Oh, hey, I just remembered. I found Maddy’s bow, but it was broken,” Kerry said. “I put it in her case anyway. I couldn’t find Spin’s, though. Should we get them new ones?”

“Spin’s has returning on it.” Now I know why he was so adamant about that when he’d picked out his bow. “If you look, it’s back in its case. I guess we should get Maddy one, though. The more cover fire, the better.”

“Can’t she generate a bow?” Gigi bit her lip. “Like Kerry does his sword?”

“Yeah, but that drains a lot of power,” I explained. “Only warriors can manifest weapons or armor without it becoming a power suck. If I pull up blades that way, they stay with no effort from me until I dismiss them. If Spin manifests a bow, he has to fight to hold on to it, spending power the whole time. It can be done, but it’s a worst-case scenario move. Which might happen regardless, I suppose.”

“Let me see the bow.” Mira looked up. “Maybe I can fix it, depending on what it’s made of and if my toolbox is still in the trunk.”

“It’s there. I’ll fetch it for you,” Kerry volunteered, “and get Maddy’s case.”

My phone chirped with a new message and I pulled it out. Seeing who it was from, I dragged my tired, aching self up, and followed Kerry out to the parking lot.

“Good news.” I called out as he popped the trunk. “Clem’s finally left his woman alone long enough to get back to me. He says Castle is a warrior-class nephilim, which we already guessed, but Hubler’s a human. Mira is who she says she is. The Council of Wardens was aware of her situation, but didn’t have the time or manpower to track her down and free her. Which, translated, means she wasn’t high on the list of their priorities.”

“Typical.” He snorted. “Well, I like her.”

“We don’t know her story. Don’t trust her too much.”

“I didn’t say I trusted her.” He hefted up the metal toolbox. “She’s got grit, though, and that’s what I like. Still, one of us needs to get her alone and ask some hard questions.”

“I’ll do it.” I finished typing a thank you to Clem, then pocketed my phone.

“Be nice about it. She’s dealing with a lot. For a long time after you’re freed, you feel fragile. I’m surprised she hasn’t cried yet.”

“She isn’t the type to break down in tears,” I disagreed.

“Yeah. She’s sure not like my little crybaby.”

He must have caught himself off guard. His shoulders tightened and his jaw clenched as he looked off into the distance.

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