Page 29 of Prey It Ain't So

“Nope,” I reply with a shake of my head. “I think we ignore humans too much. Think about how this will play on the bigger world stage. Previous big events have been covered up, but with magic involved? It could get hard to control quickly, I think. I mean, there’s only so much weird shit those gullible folks will buy.”

Aubrey looks thoughtful, then nods. “I agree. Times have changed since the last big war. Tech and science will make it a lot more difficult to convince them they did not see or record what they thought they did.”

“So let’s try to mingle and hear what they’re talking about.” Dolly crosses her arms over her chest, looking pleased. “Because that was a big ass mess at the Pred Games match, and there has to be some tin-foil hat people talking about itsomewhere. “

Renard rolls up to join us, his grin wide and mischievous. “I can get behind snooping with the meat puppets. Let’s do it.”

“You’ll have to watch Fitzgerald,” my dragon says as we head into the corridor. “He is a lot for preds, much lessthosebeings. And if he gets excited, he might forget himself.”

Scoffing, I knock on their door. “Fitz can behave when he needs to. I’ll stay with him, but I don’t think he’ll be a problem.”

The cabin door opens to reveal my crazy tiger, and he tugs me into his arms to squeeze me tightly. “Baby Girl! I’m so glad you’re here. Big bro is being a tight-ass and I’m raring to go explore before I burst into a thousand pieces from boredom.”

I laugh, taking his hand in mine. “Okay, crazy pants. Let’s go burn off some of that energy. We can get a snack, have a drink… do normal people stuff while we spy on the humans.”

“Spy on the humans?” Felix asks as he and Chess follow Fitz out of their room. “Did I miss something?”

“We decided that seeing what they are gossiping about might lead to other viewpoints on things like the Games debacle or who knows what else. Since we were focused on what was happening atl’Academie, it might give us insight into things we should be aware of on the rest of the continent.”

Chess nods at Aubrey, his eyes sparkling. “Very nice. I think it’s a great plan. Preds and prey rarely pay much attention to them, so we may glean some intel. It will have to be interpreted, but it’s a good bet we’ll hearsomethinguseful.”

“As long as I don’t have to sit with them,” Fitz mumbles. “The ones back home are so fuckingboring. I can’t imagine living your life completely out of the loop with reality because you’reso easily led. All that tech the Saucy Skink is talking about hasn’t gotten them thereal dealabout the world yet somehow, and that feels purposefully ignorant.”

My lips quirk as he and I lead the pack down the hall towards the connectors to the next car. “Fitz, there’s alotof people preventing that from happening—or so we’re told. It’s not entirely their fault as a species.”

Felix coughs, and I feel his eyes on my back. “Perhaps not, Princess, but theyaredangerously intolerant—which is saying something given how preds have treated prey and magicals, yet they do not trust humans.”

He’s probably right, but it just feels so wrong to write off entire swaths of people for the actions of a small percentage.

“Do bunnies have some weird, overdeveloped sense of justice?” I ask abruptly. “I know you’re preds and that’s not your area of expertise but… It reallybothersher that shit is so skewed and unfair. Every time we talk about stuff like this, or fucking rich people or… whatever, I get this burning need to fix things inside.”

“I don’t… think so?” Aubrey says after a moment. “I can text some of my colleagues, and perhaps Rennie can contact the crew to ask if they know. It might simply be that you are a good person, nibblet. I know we don’t meet a lot of them, but… empathy is supposed to be common.”

I frown, considering that before I reply. “I don’t think it’s just empathy, big guy. This is like… righteous fury or something. I want to go out and slay things to make it right. I feel like the drive has been getting stronger over time; I didn’t realize it until I was directly thinking about it, though.”

“The Fae are very concerned with truth and lies, right and wrong…” Rennie murmurs softly. “It’s one of their defining traits. They can lie, unlike the legends say, but only if their reasoning is just. Justice is quite important to their species—all of them.”

Well, that’s a slap in the face I didn’t need today—but it would explain a lot about why everyone is after me.

9 to 5

Fitz

Normally,I just don’t pay attention to the walking meat bags. It’s not that I dislike them—they’re simply not part of my life in any significant way. Felix and I have sheltered at Apex for so long that I almost forgot about them until Baby Girl, and they sure as fuck weren’t around on Bloodstone. The only time they mattered in my past was touring for Pred Games—and barely then. I only had to make sure I wasn’t on their turf doing shit that would end up in a tabloid or on the internet.

But today, I have to mingle with them purposefully while traveling and now to snoop.

“Bunch of Minotaur shit is what it is,” I mutter as we enter the lounge car. “They should separate these, too. Alcohol and secrets never mix, you know?”

Felix gives me a reproachful look. “Watch the booze until we’re done with our tasks, brother.”

“How am I supposed to pretend they’re interesting if I’m sober?” I whine, but he’s not listening. My twin is peeling off withChessie to follow his own orders like a good soldier. I turn to my mate and sigh. “It’s a valid question.”

“We’ve watched so many movies and shows, Fitzy. You know what they talk about—weather, the news, celebrities, fads. You just can’t mention pred stuff.” Dolly grins as she smooths my frown with her fingers. “And no scowling, growling, or snarling. It will make them wary and we need them open.”

“Good luck with getting the Airborne Ancients to comply with that edict,” I snicker. “The Caliente Chameleon practically communicates through those noises with people he doesn’t know. Emo boy is gonna have a real bad time.”

“Be nicer,” she says, smacking my arm playfully. “Rennie and Aubrey are letting us in and being vulnerable now. Just because it’s comfortable for you doesn’t mean it’s easy for others. Even Felix is slowly coming around. You just have to exercise the same patience with them as you have with me.”

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