He’s tough, Angel.
From what I hear, so is Galeran.
We’ll get him back.He ran a hand through his hair, creating tufts.
I have to track down that horn.
We can talk to Cara this morning.Matt slid out from beneath the covers, revealing an expanse of gorgeous male chest, and, as the sheet slid away, a few other things best not contemplated if we were going to get any dumplings.
I bent to pick up his sweatpants. “Put these on,” I told him. “There is only so much nudity a girl can take in the morning.”
He waggled his brows at me. “I thought you were pretty good at taking anything I can offer.”
His eyes glowed, and my shoulder gave a subtle throb in response that traveled straight through to my core. “Just get dressed,” I said through gritted teeth.
“Did I mention we were hungry?” Came from the other side of the door.
Matt reached for his cloak and yanked it on. It didn’t completely hide his wings if they twitched, but the students wouldn’t expect a Dire to have them.
I glanced back to check that Matt also had his pants on before I opened the door and was immediately greeted by my ecstatic dog.
“I’ll take her out and join you guys at the cafeteria,” I told Mari, heading down the hall.
Trix was selective about her spots this morning, and when I got back up to the fourth floor, Matt waved me straight to the table. He and Mari had put together a tray of all my favorites. His wings pushed the cloak up a bit from his back, but in their smaller state, no one noticed.
As usual, Talakai’s empty seat at our team table caused my heart to twist.
I should have asked the scaly bludger how he was.Matt’s mindvoice was contrite.I’m not much good at this multi-mate thing.
He probably wouldn’t have answered you anyway,I pointed out.And the wing thing is kind of important.
Can’t do special abilities class today,he confessed, sounding a bit panicked.
We’ll talk to Cody,I offered.I’m sure we can get something special set up for you. Dani is still teaching Zeke, but maybe she can help you too.
I think I can make the wings as big as I want them. But can I fly?He sounded almost hopeful.Do I just fling myself off a roof and flap?
Do NOT fling yourself off any roof!
Might work.
Or you might splatter.
“Hey,” Mari interrupted. “I know I’ve already mentioned this, but unless you’re talking about sex—and I realize with Matt, that would be the norm—you guys are stonking boring to eat with.”
“Sorry, Mari,” I apologized. “We are rather boring to be with.”
She tilted her broad head. “Boring toeatwith is very different from boring tobewith. If there is one thing I’ve learned, it is that nothing ever stays boring around you guys for long.”
“I’m not much into boring,” Matt admitted.
“I didn’t think life on a cattle farm would be that exciting,” Mari said.
Matt’s eyes lit up. “Life on the cattle station wasneverboring.” He went on to regale her with stories—involving lost calves, aggressive half-wild bulls, and rather large crocodiles residing in something called a billybong or billobong or billabung—damn his accent and vocabulary. Sometimes I empathized with Mari.
As we threw our trays on the pile near the door and headed out of the cafeteria, I told Mari, “We need to talk to Cara and Cody.”
She eyed me and sighed. “Okay. I’m off to shake loose some boulders.”
