Page 60 of Wanted: A Roommate Who Isn't Evil

“You still haven’t explained why there’s a fox in my café,” Cress said, “or why you charged into a fox fight in the first place and started burning everything alive.”

Dranian let out a long breath. It was time to come clean—about one thing, at least. “Well, Luc Zelsor and I have become dog-owning allies. F…F…” Why could he not spit out the word? “FRIENDS, even…” It was a strange shout, and he wondered if he was making the situation worse. But Luc lifted from the table and sauntered to his side.

“Thebestof friends, actually,” he said, reaching for a basketof cookies on the counter. Dranian looked over at the fox in surprise. Luc’s dark gaze flickered up to Mor as he took a cookie. The two locked their brown and silver eyes. “Does that bother you, Mor?” Luc asked. He took a bite of cookie and waited.

Dranian dragged a hand down the side of his face and butted in. “Anyway, now that you know I’m going on avacation,” he articulated, “you don’t have to worry about me or wonder if I’ve gone missing.”

Luc dragged his gaze over, casting Dranian a doubtful look that made it clear he wasn’t fooling anyone with his stuttering lie.

Dranian cleared his throat. “I’ll be going to pack now,” he stated. He turned and exhaled the breath he was holding as soon as his back was to everyone. Then he headed out, relieved that apart from Shayne’s one secret, he no longer had to keep any more secrets, whatsoever.

His phone buzzed in his pocket, and he drew it out as he headed to the door. It was a word message from Lily:

Dranian, don’t tell anyone about my team showing up to face off with those fairies. The others don’t know about my fairy-hunting taskforce. Please, keep this a secret. I only told the others that I happened to witness the fight, not that I was a part of it.

Please, please, please,PLEASE.

The message ended with a teensy-tiny yellow smiley face containing large, innocent eyes. Dranian pursed his lips, his grip tightening on his phone and a low growl rumbling in his throat.

Not. Again.

He realized Luc was beside him when the fox sighed. “You café fools are all the same,” he said with his snoopy eyes on the message. “I’ve lost track of all the things you don’t tell each other.” But he couldn’t seem to stop the broad smile from taking over his face. “It’s hilarious.”

Dranian shoved his phone away. “I paid for your bus ride last time. So, you can pay for mine this time,” he grumbled.

“If I must.” Luc grabbed his arm, and Dranian was lurched forward.

His surroundings disappeared and reappeared as a quaint apartment, his feet hitting the floor with a thud. He put a hand on his stomach so he wouldn’t be sick at the unexpectedness of it. Dog-Shayne padded over and sat at his feet, panting.

“Why did you have to push Mor’s buttons?” Dranian muttered at Luc.

Luc headed to the door and kicked off his shoes. “This might come as a surprise, but I’ve been pushing Mor’s buttons since the day I met him. He would think something was suspicious if I suddenly stopped.” He stretched and yawned like he was ready for a nap.

Dranian folded his arms and tapped a finger in thought. “What happens if the Shadow Army division doesn’t return to the DarkCorner? Will the Dark Queene send hunters to find them? Will the human realm be flooded with spies?”

Luc lifted his arm into a shrug. “I’m not sure what my diabolical grandmother will do,” he said, “but it doesn’t matter to me. I won’t be here.”

Dranian unfolded his arms, dropping them. “You’re leaving?” He hadn’t even told Luc his plan yet.

“I have something to do in the Ever Corners. It’s…” Luc’s lips twisted in annoyance. “…a long story.”

“Wait…I’mgoing to the Ever Corners,” Dranian stated. “I was hoping to drag you along as payment for saving your life.”

Luc grunted. “We’re even now, North Fairy. I saved your life, you saved mine. I owe you nothing.” He bristled. “And I don’t have time to help you on whatever little scheme you’re plotting. My problem is bigger, I guarantee it. If I don’t hurry, someone will starve to death.” His gaze dropped and he nudged the edge of the living space rug with his toe. “In fact, she probably already has. I’m likely walking into a trap.”

Dranian considered that and sighed. “I suppose you can’t come with me to save Shayne, then.”

Luc blinked. Then he burst out laughing. “That fool who shot me through the heart? I’d rather die.”

There was a loud knock on the door. Luc hopped over to open it, but he didn’t open it wide enough for Dranian to see who was on the other side. Luc smiled, seeming to debate whether he was going to let theperson past him.

The door was kicked open when he didn’t offer an invitation, and Lily walked in. She still wore her uniform, she still smelled of smoke. Her light hair was tousled and falling out at all sides, her blue eyes blazing like an angry crossbeast.

“You want to know how I found you, Dranian?” she asked before he had a chance to greet her. “Myflame shooterwent missing.” Her tone gave off a different feeling than the cute smiley face in her word message had. “Did you seriously think I was dumb enough to make weapons like that without putting trackers in them?” she asked.

Dranian realized she wanted him to answer that question. But the problem was that he didn’t know what a tracker was, or what she was even talking about really. “No?” he guessed.

“Unreal! I can’t believe you stole my weapon, went to face off with a bunch of thug fairies, and just burned the life out of a historic building!” she stressed. “I don’t have a way to explain all that to the press! I finally got my department to take this fairy stuff seriously and partner with Desmount Tech, and now the whole project might get shut down because of what you did.”

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