Page 92 of The Tree of Spirits
Conner laughed. “Don’t let the General hear you say that.”
“I’m serious, Conner. You need to take better care of Savannah. It was dangerous pushing her like that yesterday. You could have put her in a coma. There’s a reason we don’t push Apprentices too hard, too fast. They need time for the spirits’ magic to settle.”
“Yeah, but she isn’t like other Apprentices, now is she?”
Kato slid me a glance. “He knows?”
“If you’re asking if I know that she had magic before the Blending, then yep, way ahead of you, bro. I met her before the Blending. In fact, I saw the Blending happen.”
“And you didn’t tell me?” Kato looked at me like I’d hurt his feelings.
And that hurt mine.
Conner rolled his eyes. “Don’t be so dramatic, Kato. I asked her not to tell anyone about me. I figured that as soon as you knew I’d gone anywhere near her, you’d rush in to save her, just like the perfect Prince Charming that you are.”
“Stop calling me that. I am not perfect.” Kato flopped four small pancakes onto my plate.
“Of course you are. You’re the perfect Knight.” Conner looked at the pancakes. “Just like these are the perfect pancakes.”
“He’s not wrong about that,” I said after taking a bite. “These pancakes are amazing. In fact, they’re the best pancakes I’ve ever had in my life.”
Kato gave me a smile that was even better than his pancakes.
“Careful, Red,” Conner warned me, snatching a pancake out of the second frying pan. “Don’t feed his ego.” He took a bite.
“Well?” Kato asked, brows lifted.
“They’re ok, I guess.” Conner piled the rest of the pancakes onto his plate.
“Apparently, you find them more than just ‘ok’,” Kato observed coolly.
Conner shrugged. “I still think they’d be better with more sugar.”
Kato passed him the bowl of powdered sugar.
Conner’s eyes went wide. “I take back all the mean things I’ve said about you.” He sprinkled the powdered sugar over his pancakes. “Well, for the last five minutes, anyway.”
Kato’s pancakes were so good that none of us spoke for the rest of breakfast. We were too busy eating. And I ate longer and more than the both of them. I was happy to let them plan our Quest while I planned my pancake conquest.
“Wait, what were you doing in her closet?” Kato interrupted Conner.
“Hmm, maybe I should have started that story from the beginning.”
“You think?”
“So, I was in her closet looking for the celestial globe that one of the Templars dropped.”
Kato frowned. “And she neededyouto get it out ofhercloset?”
“Na, I looked for it because I was bored after she shoved me into the closet. She can be pretty pushy when she wants to be.”
“Yes, but why?”
“I don’t know.” Conner gave him a cherubic smile. “Maybe she learned it from you.”
“No,” Kato said with strained patience. “I meant, why did she shove you into her closet?”
The corner of Conner’s mouth twitched. “Oh, well, she didn’t want her brother to see me in her house. I can’t imagine why. I’m a charming fellow.” He licked powdered sugar off his fingers.
