Page 29 of Castor
“Classy.”
He giggled. “If you’d seen the captain, you would’ve done the same.” He bounced over to the wall and touched a decorative sword on display before moving on to a figure of a medieval knight. “I took a lot of naps in his cabin, and he’d come in and wake me with a soft kiss. I miss him sometimes.”
That was the price of immortality… watching the humans around you change while you stayed the same.
“I’m surprised your brothers let you wander off and join the buccaneers on the high seas.”
“It was a rebellious phase,” Gray responded, crinkling his nose as he smiled. He was like a little ball of light. Always so happy. “Alastair kept close tabs on me but let me do what I wanted. It was fun. I’m so upset I can’t go with them tomorrow.”
“Go where?”
“To Greece.” Gray sighed and hopped onto the high-back Victorian chair beside the window. He brought his knees up on the cushion and wrapped his arms around them. “It’s supposed to be a secret, but I know I can trust you. Cas, Alastair, Raiden, and Bell are going, and I have to stay behind. It’s not fair.”
Castor was going to Greece? He failed to mention that when I saw him the night before. Then again, it wasn’t as though we had done much talking.
“Why can’t you go with them?”
“Al doesn’t think I can help.”
Galen entered the room holding a box of new inventory. “That’s not true, little one. You’re still healing from your attack.”
“Iamhealed though,” Gray said with a whine in his voice. He reminded me of a teenager trying to convince his parent to let him go to a big party. “I feel fine.”
“Are you going?” I asked Galen.
“No. Simon and I are staying here.”
“Why Greece?”
Galen added a few old books to the shelf, then placed a music box beside them. “They’re meeting with others of our kind in the hope of reaching an alliance in the war to come. Once Asa attacks, we’ll need all the allies we can find.”
“Maybe I can help too,” I told him. “I spoke with my brother about aligning with you. He said our father didn’t involve himself in the last war with Lucifer, so he felt no need to do so with this one. But I’ll speak with him again. See if I can’t get him to reconsider.”
“Having a force of dragons on our side would be great.”
“I’ll see what I can do.”
Tatsuya was set in his ways, but I hoped he would see reason. Staying neutral wasn’t an option. Not this time.
“A little help back here?” Simon called from the storage room.
Galen tossed the now empty box aside and rushed that way. I followed behind him, entering the room moments later to see Simon struggling to keep a stack of boxes from toppling over, his glasses skewed on his face. Galen grabbed two boxes off the top of the pile and placed them on the floor.
“Thanks.” Simon swept a hand over the front of his shirt to wipe off some dust. Galen fixed his crooked glasses, and he rewarded the larger male with a soft smile. “What would I do without you?”
“Fall a lot, probably.”
Simon swatted at his chest, and Galen snatched hold of his hand before lifting it to his lips. Love radiated off them. It was a bit overwhelming to be around sometimes.
“I’m going to make some coffee,” I said and headed toward the break room across the hall.
At Galen’s insistence, the outdated microwave, coffee machine, and refrigerator had been replaced with brand-new ones. He’d even bought lounge chairs, a new table set, and a flat-screen TV, turning the once drab break room into one that screamed comfort and low-key luxury.
Simon was as far from materialistic as a guy could be, but Galen refused to “let him live in squalor.” The sour look on Simon’s face when Galen said that had been fucking priceless.
After adding water and coffee grounds to the machine, I turned from the counter to see Gray waddling into the room. He shuffled to one of the chairs and cuddled up into it, closing his eyes. The Victorian chair must not have been to his liking. Not that I could blame him. The thing hadn’t been built for comfort.
Once the coffee finished brewing, I poured a cup for Simon, then one for myself. He came into the room, his brow damp with sweat. He’d been working his butt off all morning sorting through inventory. I had offered to do it for him, but he liked to be the one to do it. A total control freak.
