Page 52 of Castor
“Is it true though?” I got out of bed and started to get dressed too. “Do you not want me out of your sight?”
“Doesn’t matter.” Castor stepped into the small adjoining bathroom and splashed water on his face. When he came back out, he didn’t look at me as he headed toward the door. “We shouldn’t keep them waiting.”
I totally deserved the cold shoulder. It didn’t make it any easier to deal with though. More than anything, I hated the guarded look in his eyes as we walked down the hall and descended the stairs. It was so unlike his vibrant, funny self.
“I’m pretty fucking shattered right now.”
He looked it too.
“Everyone’s on the terrace,” Titan said once we reached the ground floor. He stood in the kitchen, wiping down the counters before stepping over to the sink and running water over a dirty skillet. The scent of pastries and coffee lingered in the air.
Had he cooked our breakfast? Surely not. He seemed like too much of a brute for that.
Castor walked outside, and I followed close behind him. The first day of September brought plenty of sun, clear skies, and warm air that wasn’t too muggy or hot. The weather on the island was perfect.
“Good morning,” Baxter said from the head of the table. His pink-and-black hair lay flat instead of the spiked-do he’d worn the previous night. It made him seem younger. Maybe even a little kinder. Not as hard around the edges. “Have a seat.”
Castor took the empty chair beside Raiden, and I sat on the other side of him next to Bellamy. The blond warrior smirked at me before popping a grape into his mouth.
A breakfast feast had been laid out for us. Olive bread, pastries, a platter of different kinds of cheese, fresh fruit, eggs, and yogurt. There was also a pot of coffee and a small pitcher of cream beside it.
“Don’t just stare at it,” Baxter said. “Titan got up early to prepare all of this. It’d be a shame to let it go to waste.”
“You don’t have to tell me twice,” Raiden said before dropping a handful of grapes on his plate, followed by slivers of meat, eggs, and four pastries. He tilted his head at the platter of pastries before grabbing a fifth. Such a glutton.
I poured myself a cup of coffee and added a dash of cream before taking a drink. The food looked great, but I wasn’t hungry. The conversation last night with Castor, as well as the awkwardness between us since he’d woken up, made it feel like lead had dropped into my gut. The thought of eating made me nauseous.
Castor’s appetite seemed to be affected too. He nibbled on a pastry and set it back down on his plate, barely touched.
“Interesting,” Baxter said, studying me. “I thought you were human, but you’re not, are you? You must’ve been wearing contacts last night to hide those orange reptilian eyes.”
Shit.Since all of our luggage was back at the hotel, I hadn’t been able to put my contacts back in that morning.
“No, I’m not human,” I answered, not bothering to specify.
“Dragon?”
“We’re not here to discuss Kyo,” Alastair interjected.
“I suppose you’re right.” Baxter leaned back in his seat, coffee in hand. “Let’s get to it, then. I spoke with my closest advisors last night. Opinions are divided. Some want to ally with you. Others aren’t so sure it’s the best decision.”
“Why not?” Alastair asked.
Baxter focused on him, eyes narrowing. “Can you blame them for being hesitant? With the son of Lucifer gaining power and leading an army of demons, your small force of Nephilim and asshole angels doesn’t seem very reassuring. Now me? I’d rather stay out of this whole damn ordeal. I want no part in the war. But if what you said is true, and Asawillcome asking for an alliance, we have no choice but to pick a side. I wonder if yours is the right one or not.”
“It is the right one,” Alastair said. “We won’t lose.”
“Says the avatar of Pride. I question whether you speak fact or simply can’t fathom a scenario where you lose due to your inflated ego.” Baxter’s scowl deepened. “I refuse to risk my people’s lives based on your words alone.”
Castor looked at Baxter. “If you only fight in wars you know you’ll win, what are you even fighting for?”
“Survival,” Baxter answered in a slightly softer tone. Definitely not as harsh as the one he’d used with Alastair. “Your speech last night about helping humans touched me. I won’t deny it. But I’m not a hero. I haven’t dedicated my life to fighting evil and saving mankind. My loyalty is to the people on this island. No one else.”
I sympathized with Baxter. He saw no reason to die for a cause he cared nothing for. It also made me think of Tatsuya. I now understood why he’d refused to join the conflict between angels and demons. Just because I cared about the group of brothers didn’t mean he needed to risk our entire clan’s well-being to fight on their side.
“So this breakfast is your way of softening the blow?” Alastair tossed down his napkin and scooted back from the table. “You could’ve just sent us on our way last night instead of wasting our time. You’re not the only Nephilim in this world. Perhaps the others will see the bigger picture and do the right thing.”
“The bigger picture?” Baxter tapped a finger on the arm of his chair. “And what might that be?”
