Page 33 of Wanted: A Roommate Who Isn't Evil

“You’d better run, then.” Luc shoved him toward the trees.

Dranian skittered backward a few steps, caught his balance, and glared at Luc. He couldn’t seem to come up with words though. He glanced toward where Dog-Shayne had disappeared, over at the Shadow Army rushing into view with lightpops, then back at Luc. He reached across himself, lightly touching his scarred shoulder, and he set his jaw as his glare fell away. He reluctantly jogged into the trees after his dog.

Luc waited there as the popping sounds increased, and a great, terrible army division filled the street in front and behind him. Their faces were haunted with malice, reflecting the dark shadows curling around their bones. Luc could feel their power, but it was nothing in comparison to the last fairy that appeared. The one who commanded them.

The renowned nine tailed fox himself. The mountain god of legend. Heir to the Dark throne.

His father.

Reval Zelsor appeared before Luc like a ghost, his long scarlet hair fluttering in the wind, his mouth tipped down, his dark eyesblazing with piercing silver. An oversized fairsaber was strapped to his back over iridescent black plates of armour carefully carved with fearsome words and disturbing artwork of fairies being slain.

He said exactly eight words to Luc. The son who had left him.

“Luc Zelsor. You have three days to live.”

13

Dranian Evelry and the Park Incident

Dog-Shayne had run off. Dranian searched the whole park, sneezing and wheezing at the overwhelming scent of Shadow Fairies. They’d smeared their odour across the air with little concern for his sensitive fairy nostrils. Those fools likely had no idea Dranian was even in the vicinity, and even if they did, he would be of no concern to them due to Shayne’s bargain. But Dog-Shayne… Dog-Shayne had no such bargain with the Shadows and therefore was just as vulnerable as any creature that may have accidentally found itself in the Shadow Army’s path.

Dranian checked the bushes, under the benches, behind the childling slides. He whistled. Still, the animal did not return to itsmaster. “Queensbane,” he muttered, spinning around for the hundredth time.

He released a heavy sigh and rubbed his temples. Then he glanced back toward the cluster of bushes and trees, behind which he’d left Luc to face his own problems. He wondered what had become of the fox—if the Shadow Army had taken him and were presently forcing him back through the gate into the Ever Corners. It would be a relief. Dranian would win his apartment back. Luc would be the one to have broken the contract after all these days of feuding. Dranian absolutely, without a doubt, one hundred percent, did not care.

He rubbed a hand over his chest where his heart felt a little tingly. His mind raised uninvited inquiries such as:“Is it strange that I’m a little curious if Luc is still alive?”and,“What if they’re trying to kill him over there?”and“Is the reason he dragged me out on this tiring walk today because some part of his pathological, murderous brain was a teensy tiny bit concerned for my well being?”

It didn’t matter. Dranian didn’t care.

Yet… His wretched eyes couldn’t stop staring at those bushes. He tilted a pointed ear toward them just a fraction, trying to pick up any sounds or stories in the air of a nine tailed fox struggling or fighting or bleeding.

Dranian jumped in surprise when a red-haired being burst from the shrubs followed closely by a panting dog with its tongue hanging out. Luc was swaying his arms in all directions like a maniac.

“Run!” the foxyelled, and Dranian was sure he’d never seen the fool’s silver-brown eyes so wide and desperate. “Run, you idiotic, ever-scowling, useless North Fairy!” He and Dog-Shayne raced right by Dranian standing there. Dranian blinked, and then he chased after them.

Two fairies and one dog sprinted over the grass, through an alley, and leapt into a busy street at full speed. Dranian knocked a childling’s ice cream off its cone as he twisted to try and keep himself from pummelling humans. Luc almost tripped over a stroller being pushed by a young female. Dog-Shayne stopped running and started licking the glob of ice cream on the sidewalk as the childling began to wail. Luc whistled, and the dog started running again.

They wove around couples and crowds of youth in uniforms. Dranian realized Dog-Shayne had patches of red on his fur that looked suspiciously like blood.

“Take my hand!” Luc shouted at Dranian.

“Absolutely not! Are you mad?!” Dranian returned in disgust.

Luc gritted his teeth and tried to snatch Dranian’s hand as they ran. Dranian did everything he could to avoid it. There was smacking and pulling of sleeves and shoving. But in the end, Luc got a grip on Dranian’s pinky finger. He held on tight and reached for Dog-Shayne.

The triad was sucked into the wind, and Dranian’s faeborn heart doubled over. He kept his eyes wide open as they spedthrough streets and buildings and even a few unsuspecting humans.

They landed on wobbly feet a few blocks from where they’d been.

Dog-Shayne barfed up his ice cream.

Dranian whirled on Luc. “What happened?!” he asked, spotting a bead of sweat upon Luc’s temple.

Luc leaned forward with his palms on his knees, catching his breath. He looked up to meet Dranian’s gaze this time, revealing bloodshot eyes, dirt, and more sweat. “Oh dear. It’s a long, uninteresting story,” he admitted.

“Well, you’re going to tell it to me,” Dranian demanded. “And why is my dog covered in blood?!”

Luc made a face and stood. “It’s nothisblood—”

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