Page 40 of Wings of Strife
Dina shrugs. “I don’t know. Seems like she was around Zeke a lot, so I wasn’t sure how you felt about that, given the vibes between you two.”
I laugh. “Nah, I don’t think it’s like that with them. Besides, she made it perfectly clear when we first met that she wasn’t looking to compete for their attention.”
“Theirattention, huh? Why am I not surprised?” She wiggles her eyebrows at me. “You can’t mask the sexual tension with anything, Hayles.”
“Oh, shut up.” I shove her playfully. “Let’s get going.”
As we walk to the beach, Dina spills the news that apparently Mira is bringing something for me today, and I can’t stop thinking about what it might be. It’s not like we’ve talked a whole lot. The only thing I can think of is that story she mentioned her grandmother reading to her. I definitely wouldn’t mind reading that.
We make it to the beach unseen, which is no easy feat on a campus this size, but I’m taking it as a win. Today is all about relaxing with trusted friends. I don’t need Seraphina, Cadriel, or any other pieces of shit ruining my high.
Clouds fill the sky, making the day seem darker than it really is, but I don’t mind. Hopefully, it’ll deter other students from heading to the beach. More sand for us.
Birds chirp, flying high in the sky, and I immediately feel the tension which built in my shoulders as we walked through campus fade away. The moment we step off the grass, I kick off my shoes, and despite the lack of sunlight, the sand is warm between my toes.
I share a look with Dina and that’s all it takes for us to drop our belongings, tear off our extra layers, and rush into the waterhand in hand. It’s a little cold, but I savor the bite against my heated flesh. I thought the hot flashes would go away now that I know what I am, but they’ve kept steady. Perhaps it’s just something I’ll have to deal with forever.
It doesn’t take long for the cool water to turn frigid and both of us to decide we need to warm up again, so we head back to our towels. I’m eager to find out what scrumptious snacks Dina packed for us.
Mira’s waiting when we get back to our things. She lies on her back on a towel, her head propped up by her bag, sunglasses perched on her nose and looking utterly chill. She’s clearly aware of the vibes we’re going for today.
There are a few more angels along the expanse of beach, but luckily none of them stray too close to us, leaving us in our own little semi-secluded spot.
“Mira! You made it,” Dina says, her teeth chattering a little as she grabs the thick towel she brought. Mine isn’t nearly as fluffy and cozy, but with whatever heat races through my veins now means it won’t take me long to overheat again.
“I did! But there was a crowd of angels headed this way while I flew over, so if we want to relax, we may want to move this party elsewhere.”
“Shit,” I say, considering our options. “They just can’t let us have one damn beach day, can they?”
Mira looks around and then her face lights up. “Grab your things, quickly. Follow me.”
She leads us to the boathouse, but I don’t waste any time telling her it’s always fucking locked.
“I’m not one to let a locked door keep me out,” she says with a wink, then she crouches and pulls out a little kit from her bag. It looks similar to the one Theo had when we followed the lead from Roderick. Where the hell is everyone getting these lockpicking kits from, and when can I learn?
She breaks in easily and we walk inside, quickly shutting the door behind us. I expect to find it musty and desperately in need of fresh air, but instead it’s bright and clean. The windows high on the walls let in tons of light, making it seem like we’re miles away from campus. Nothing will ruin our day in here.
Despite there being an open area with water access next to a garage style door, it’s empty. There are no boats or jet skis primed and ready to go, which is a little surprising. Why keep the door always locked if there’s nothing of insane value inside? Sure, a few kayaks hang on the wall and what I think is a canoe held by slots on the ceiling, but that’s it.
Tucked in the corner is a couch and a few plush chairs that look cozy as hell. Damn. We probably could have made this work for our secret meeting place instead of the cave. Not that I don’t like what we’ve created, but this would have taken half the work out of it. I suppose someone must use this space for it to be so clean. I wonder who it is.
My stomach growls loudly, which has both girls looking at me.
I shift my weight from side to side, staring down at my feet. “What? I’m hungry. The guys pulled me out of bed before the sun was up and other than coffee, I haven’t eaten anything.”
Dina and Mira share a look before they jump into action, motioning me to sit down while they pull out food. Dina’s expression tells me I’m not getting away with such little information.
She only lets me eat a few bites before she gives up on waiting. “Alright, alright. Talk and eat, woman.”
I swallow the piece of cheese I was chewing on and take a sip of the water Dina packed for us. “All three of them showed up in my room at four in the morning and scared the absolute crap out of me. Then we flew to some random island so I could work on my flight skills to prepare for the big Wingology final. It was incredible.”
Dina stares at me, mouth hung open. “Zeke was there too? With Raphael and Theo?”
“Yup.”
Mira, looking confused, asks, “Why is that so shocking?”
Dina tucks her legs under her on the couch, looking like she’s settling in to offer all the juicy details. “Our girl and Zeke hooked up at the start-of-term party and then he went all possessive, fragile ego on her when she started hanging out with Theo and Raph. Sounds like he’s working through his past issues though, and do you smell that?” She leans toward me, sniffing. I follow along, breathing in through my nose, but all I smell is beach.
