Hair brushed and in a ponytail because it was much too messy to stay down, I made my way back downstairs to officially meet my saviors. My limbs shook with the memory of those rocks rushing up to meet me.
I’d been ten feet from death, something I hadn’t properly freaked out about yet. On Austin’s back, I’d closed my eyes and pushed all thoughts from my mind, comforted by the rhythm of his soft steps and the muscles bunching and releasing under my body. Relieved crying could happen later, in the privacy of my own darkened closet with a bottle of wine and brick of chocolate. Immediately afterward, I’d slide into frustrated crying, pissed that I couldn’t get my stupid wings to extend, or my magic to do anything even remotely useful except for calling for someone to save me. I was supposed to be a badass, and instead I kept ending up being the damsel in distress. It was driving me nuts.
Austin waited for me at the base of the steps, his thumbs hooked in the band of his tight white sweats, awkwardly showing off his prominent bulge, and his muscles flared under his wrinkled, too-tight sweatshirt. Mr. Tom had clearly gotten the sizing wrong.
He nodded at me in greeting when I neared. “They’re all waiting for you in the—”
“I know. I can feel them,” I said.
He nodded again. “I’m going to head out. I want to gather some information about those mages they took down before I do a perimeter check and then head back out to the battle site. I want to make sure no one escaped, number one, and get some idea of whether we should expect more trouble from this faction, number two.”
“Don’t you want to meet the others? Speak to them about what they know?”
“I was just in there. They told me what I needed to know.” He paused, then added, “I don’t belong here, Jess. This is your jam. I need to get back out to the town, make sure it’s secure. You can take it from here.”
“You have Ivy House magic and a seat in that Council Room if you want it. You belong here more than they do.”
He shook his head slowly. “I don’t want it, you know that. They do, though, and they all seem to have your best interests at heart. Whatever you did when you met Damarion—”
“Who?”
“Damarion. Their alpha. Your second-in-command, if you choose him.”
“Ah. The biggest one.”
“Yes.” A growl rode the word. “The biggest one.” His biceps and pecs popped, straining his sweatshirt. He rolled his neck, something bothering him. I had a feeling it was the memory of walking into my vicinity and thinking Damarion and his people were trying to kill or capture me. “Whatever you did set you up as their top badass.” A sparkle of pride glimmered in his eyes. “Their alpha might have carried you around like a damsel, but you proved yourself in their eyes.”
I hadn’t voiced my frustration, but somehow he’d picked up on it, figured out how to recast my weakness as strength, and made me feel amazing about myself, all in the same breath. How the hell did he do it? The guy had a gift.
I leaned toward him without thinking, closing my eyes and sighing when he wrapped his arms around me and hugged me close. Now more than ever, I needed a friend. I needed a solid rock in this storm of uncertainty. I had to know he’d be by my side the next time someone came for me, because I knew it would happen again.
“You okay?” he asked softly, rubbing my back.
“Sure.”
“They’ll follow you. As long as you keep the status quo, which is easier than getting status in the first place, you’re head dick. You can pick and choose who you want on your team. But listen…” He pulled me back, his face not far from mine, his breath smelling of spearmint and honey. “If you leave these grounds to train, you call me, okay? You shouldn’t have had mages waiting in the trees to take a shot at you. I’m your ground man. My job is to take out the problem before there is a problem. But you need to call me so I know what’s going on. If it weren’t for those gargoyles showing up in the final moment…”
“Ivy House sent them…somehow, but yeah, I hear you. We don’t even know how people knew where I’d be.”
A vein jumped in his jaw as he clenched his teeth. “That’s one of the questions I’ll be trying to answer.”
“How’d you know to come? You were on the way before I called you. How’d you know?”
The vein in his jaw jumped again and fire kindled in his eyes. “Ivy House knows the trick to get me moving. Or at least checking in…” He shook his head. “This damn house is too adaptable for its own good.”