Page 7 of God Touched

"No. Don't wake them. I'm going to go to bed. I just need something to munch on." Imogen waved him off and wandered towards the kitchens.

She had been to the castle a few times since Killian had mated Bron. She liked Bayn and Freya, and sometimes it was nice to get away from Ireland and the Ironwoods.

After she had mated Bayn, Freya had made sure that the kitchen in the castle was functional. They didn't have as many staff members as Kian, and Freya liked to cook when the mood took her. That required a modern kitchen she could work in.

Imogen pulled open the fridge door and grabbed a beer. "Thank the gods." She opened it and downed half in one long swig.

"Rough day,lillesøster?" a woman asked, making Imogen choke on her beer. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."

"What the fuck are you doing awake, Freya?" Imogen replied. Freya looked like a tousled Viking goddess with her tattooed arms and messy blonde hair.

"I heard the bike and wondered what had happened. I need something with bacon. Are you hungry? I'm thinking French Toast?" Freya said, moving Imogen away and reaching into the fridge.

"I'm starving, and I'd love you forever if you made me French Toast. I'd hug you right now, but I'm covered in crud." Imogen slumped onto a bar stool. "It has been a fucking day."

"You look like hell. What happened? I didn't expect you for days."

Imogen drained her beer, and Freya passed her another. "Promise you won't get mad?"

Freya's one blue eye, and the other brown twinkled with magic and mischief. "Me? Why would I get mad at you?"

"Well, I kind of fucked up."

"I can't wait to fucking hear this," a deep voice said, and the kitchen door opened. Bayn was suddenly there, dressed in loose gunmetal pajama pants and his tattooed torso on full display.

It was a sight that always made Imogen feel better about life. She had a type, which was black-haired, tattooed, and pierced. She wouldn't apologize for it either.

"Why do you smell so bad?" Bayn asked, screwing up his sensitive nose. He paused and sniffed again. "Why do you smell like dragon's blood, and… What is that—cedar? And…"

"It's death, okay? I smell like death!" Imogen exploded. The day's stress was suddenly overwhelming her, and she reached for her drink. There was going to be no way to hide it from them. Damn Bayn's nose. Freya glared at Bayn, and he grabbed himself a beer.

"Okay, Imogen. Start talking, or I'm calling Kenna," Bayn said, sitting beside her.

Imogen's scowl had no effect on him. He only waited, watching as Freya started to mix batter.

Imogen sighed, knowing that Bayn and Freya would be easier on her than her mother. "I want to start by saying none of this was my fault."

4

It took Imogen an hour and four French toast pieces with bacon to get through her entire day. Bayn and Freya were frowning at her, and Imogen did her best not to hunch her shoulders.

"You know this sounds fucking crazy," Bayn said, leaning back in his chair. "Why would Arawan be back and hanging out in the human world? He never did that."

"Maybe he figured out Hafgan had been released?" Imogen said, shifting uncomfortably. She wasn't about to tell them about the recent near-death experiences. Especially killing herself to get Arawan a message.

"Maybe. Time will tell if it's a good thing."

Freya gnawed on her bottom lip. "Why did he take you only for information and immediately let you go again? Why not ask at the beach?"

"Right? That's what I wanted to know. It was weird. He's a great big weirdo."

Bayn's dark brow raised. "Anything you not saying?"

"Nothing important? Look, I don't know what he wants. He's here, though, and that might be a good thing. He's a badass and is invested in finding Hafgan. This fight might not be ours after all," Imogen argued. She yawned, her jaw cracking.

"I need to talk to my brothers about this. Especially Kian. He was worried that Arawan had talked to you the night of Morrigan's attack, and he'll want to know," Bayn said, running a hand through his hair.

"Cool. Let me know how that goes in, oh, eight to ten hours." Imogen got up and kissed the air at both of them. "Thanks for the food, guys. I'm crashing, and I still need to soak my bruised ass."

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