In matters of war, Mysticals were only Mysticals. We protected each other.
Survival in its most basic form.
My gaze stalled on a table a few over. It was mixed like ours.
It was also the air Elemental and Shifter I had seen this morning with Antonio, Cahal, and the Kings. Peering at the air Elemental, I saw that his bright yellow hair was a direct contrast against his deep ebony skin. He was striking, with delicate features, his body built on the slimmer side, like a swimmer, and he appeared to be near thirty years old by Com standards, which meant he was probably around eighty years old. The Shifter next to him looked to be approximately the same age, but that was where the similarities ended. He was enormous everywhere the air Elemental was slim, even his facial features more bold and fierce. His spiral-curled black hair complemented his olive-colored complexion, making his blue eyes appear navy.
They were watching us, but their gazes were much more penetrating, not ogling like the others.
I opened my mouth to ask Ezra if he knew who they were, but my question stalled in my throat as I sniffed the air and blinked in confusion. I smelled smoke. Cigarette smoke, in particular. Unfreezing, my gaze snapped to Ezra. He was lounging on his chair, boots still on the table, with his coffee in one hand and a lit cigarette in the other, as he inhaled a prolonged drag. My jaw dropped, and I sputtered, “What are you doing?”
His lips twitched, and he lowered his cigarette and dropped his head back to blow the smoke to the ceiling. “I’m smoking.”
Complete shock. “I can see that.” His lips quirked in a resulting grin as he watched me, his head tilted, obviously enjoying my stunned reaction. “When did you start doing that?”
He ashed on the cave floor and shrugged. “I only smoke every so often now, but I used to smoke these…and other things…on a normal basis before coming to King Hall.” Another shrug as he lifted the cigarette to his curling lips. “This past week, I took it back up.”
My gaze narrowed as I waved a hand in front of my face. “Just those, or other things?”
He grunted, taking another drag. “Just these.”
Eyeing him a moment longer, I hummed in my throat and reclined on my chair, trying to ignore the fact that when his lips curled around the cigarette it looked sexy as hell. Not moving my lips, I barely breathed, “You do realize you smoking right now is a little cliché?”
His deep chortle reverberated. “Maybe, but it’s no less enjoyable.” He tilted his head toward me, whispering, “You do know Mysticals don’t grow addicted or get lung cancer, right?”
I snorted. “I’m not a complete idiot.” My eyes met his. “But I could use your,” my words were drier than dirt, “supreme knowledge on another issue.” One of his eyebrows quirked in silent question, so I slanted my head toward the left. “Five tables over. Do you know who the air Elemental and Shifter are?”
Lifting the cigarette and taking another drag, his head cocked and his eyes searched where I had indicated. He stilled after a moment, then slowly ashed his cigarette, his eyes lingering on them. Blowing the smoke out of the corner of his mouth — away from me — he murmured, “I’ve seen their pictures before.” His gaze held in their direction, and I glanced that way, seeing both of them watching Ezra. The Shifter’s lips were even curled a bit. Eyes back on Ezra, I saw he was returning the gesture, until he turned his attention to me. “The air Elemental is Elder Jacobs, the Shifter’s Elder Merrick.” When I stilled, he chuckled, relaxing further into his chair, and took another drag. “Yeah, they’re the other half of my dad and Antonio’s posse.”
My regard snapped around, scrutinizing them in a different light. No wonder they seemed…more. They were. They had fought alongside Antonio and Cahal. Not only had they experienced war firsthand, they had led the entirety of the Mystical population through it.
The Shifter, Elder Merrick, took that moment to wink at me, lazily sitting back on his chair. I blinked, a bit confused. What was that about? It took a slow smile from him for me to realize he was hitting on me from tables away.
I stilled, quickly peering away. Clearing my throat, I grabbed a fry, feeling strange at someone flirting with me while Ezra sat right next to me. After we had just had mind-blowing sex. Glancing at him, his eyes met mine.
He took a slow sip of his coffee. “I believe someone’s taken an interest in you.”
I tossed the fry into my mouth, sitting back, not really knowing what to say.
Ezra set his coffee cup on the table and lit another cigarette, after smashing the other one out on his plate, saying quietly, “This doesn’t have to be awkward between us.” He inhaled a drag. “The situation is no different than either of us taking another…” He shrugged, not ignorant enough to say ‘lover’ aloud.
After a tick, I nodded and relaxed, letting my head fall back against my chair. “Good.”
We sat in pleasant silence for a few minutes, both of us enjoying the peace.
Up until Ezra muttered, “Shit.”
“Do I want to know?” My eyes were closed, head still back on my chair.
“Well…,” Ezra drawled. “What could ruin our good moods right now?”
I snorted. “The Kings.”
He chuckled, even as I heard him light another cigarette. “And the winner receives a half-hour of listening to the Kings bitch.”
“You’re a chain-smoker. You know that, right?”
“Only when the situation suits,” he purred softly.
I snorted, rubbing my eyes before lowering my head to peer at the crowd. Only to see King Kincaid and King Venclaire heading our way, weaving through the tables. Their expressions were guarded, carefully examining us as if we were bugs under microscopes. “Does this place have a back exit?”
“I didn’t see one.” Of course he would have already looked.
“They were talking about me earlier,” I whispered quietly. “Trouble’s brewing.”
Ezra sipped his coffee again, saying on a mere breath, “They’re looking at me the same way as they are you, so it appears we’re both in trouble.”
“When are we not?”
Ezra snickered quietly and tilted his head as they approached, his position mirroring mine.
The Kings stood in front of our table, both watching us warily.
King Venclaire gestured to the chairs in front of them. “Are these seats taken?”
Ezra and I shook our heads, staying mute. The less we talked meant the faster they left.