People Are Strange

Z av knows my nature makes it easy to slink around unnoticed and tuck away trinkets that strike my fancy as I please. Of course, every single one of us could send for what we need—we’re from the reigning families. Money nor power is an issue, so replacing Kit’s tech would be little more than a blip on our radar. However, he knows Jasper would want him to have me deal with this, so if we decide Kit is a problem, there’s an easy way out. Normally, I don’t give a shit about following Jas’ wishes because we have to do these things to protect our caliphate from spies and toadies.

But this feels wrong, and that’s an emotion I’m unused to.

Jasper Eversore is my prince, but he’s not my keeper. His will isn’t mine and though Zav never questions him, I’m confident enough in my power to make my own decisions. I pause before I enter the bookstore, mulling over my decision before I enter. No, I won’t set this kid up; he’s obviously had nothing but a bad hand his whole life. Nodding to myself, I walk into the shop, feeling better than I did the entire trip here.

Heading to the counter, I give them the order for what Kit needs—a laptop, a phone, a tablet, and a couple other accessories to make his life less annoying. It occurs to me he’s living with Salem and I toss a pair of wireless headphones in as well. The dude is slow, but he’ll talk your ears off when he gets going. When they bring the shopping bags to the counter, I slide my card to the work-study student without remark. Jasper can be pissed all he wants, but I can spend my shiny dollars how I please.

Something in the avian part of my brain says this is the right thing to do and I always listen to the crow.

I take the bag from the cheerful guy, realizing I haven’t responded to a thing he said outside of the question about what I needed. It’s too late now, so I walk out secure knowing that I lived up to my reputation for being a rude motherfucker who thinks he’s better than everyone else. That’s not true, of course. I get lost in thoughts and often miss what’s going on around me unless it piques the interest of my bird. Slinking around in the shadows helps me stay off people’s radar, so I don’t try to be different.

But I’ve been assigned to take this shit to Zav, which means I’ll have to deal with Salem and the new kid as well. Salem is used to me drifting off, and Zav has his own issues. I’m worried I’ll space out and make Kit think I hate him, too. Why do I care? I don’t have an answer to that question, but it’s rolling around in my brain like a pinball. There’s an unexplainable interest in the one person Jasper seems determined to annihilate for being unlucky enough to get placed in our lair, and I can’t figure out what the hell is making my mind focus on him.

My phone rings and I roll my eyes. This is the nervous Kitsuné. He’s so hyper when Jas gives him an assignment and I know it’s because he craves praise like he does air. His family has never given him so much as a pat on the head since we were kids because they were encouraging him to embrace his family heritage. The envy courses through his veins like fire whenever anyone gets so much as a thumbs up, so I guess they did a good job.

“What?”

“Oriel, that is not how you should answer a phone call.”

I snort, heaving a calming sigh. “Zav, it’s not the 90s. There’s a fucking cornucopia of options that didn’t involve a phone call.”

“Fine. Did you get the equipment? Are you on your way back, or did you get distracted?” His voice is full of anxiety and it takes everything in me not to get curt with him.

“Yes. I’m on my way.” I swipe the screen to hang up before he can get out a litany of questions that will be answered the minute I step foot in Salem’s room. I’m almost there, so it’s completely unnecessary to talk my ear off.

But that’s Zavida for you. I’m sure Kit has endured his constant blather the entire time.

Pausing at the door to our dorms, I fire a brief text to the Prince so he stays ensconced in his room with Slash rather than coming to investigate. The two of them do best when they can hole up and plan the takeover of Hell without dealing with the rest of the universe. It’s the only thing they think about when we’re not in school or working on new schemes—at least, since the prophecies came true a few years ago.

Unlike my brothers, I’m unconcerned by a few coincidental events. Chaos being what it is and magic having its own effect means the vague ramblings of a bunch of crones in a cave on the surface aren’t as relevant as they believe. I don’t think the current king is on borrowed time and I definitely don’t believe there’s some powerful force gathering. Keeping that shit secret in the tech age would be impossible, and they’re all overreacting.

I shake my head as I exit the elevator, realizing I’ve done it again. I was so lost in my derision that I went inside, got on the lift, and headed for my destination without consciously thinking about any of it. This shit is why I stay off on my own; I’m not made for large crowds. Perching on the edges is much better. Walking up to Salem’s dorm, I knock on the wood quickly, hoping the sound doesn’t pull any of my caliphate from their rooms. Jasper might not follow up on the little details of my assignment, but one of the others might.

“Come in!”

Salem’s sleepy tone echoes through the door, and I sigh.

Time to see if I can maneuver around Zav’s rigid allegiance to Jasper well enough to help Kit get a tiny edge.

“This is perfect, Oriel. Kit will transfer all his stuff to the new equipment once I finish the set up and I’ll let Jasper know I have added him to our chat.”

I shoot Kit a look that I hope he can read as caution. My instincts tell me there are things Zav is installing that will let our Prince monitor him and putting all his personal details on these devices isn’t a good idea. Deep in my gut, my crow senses he’s hiding shit and for the first time, I’m not sure I’m on board with sacrificing someone to the plans of our leadership.

He tilts his head, giving me a tiny nod that I only see because I’m looking for acknowledgement. “I’ll load it all up once you’re done. Thank you for your help, both of you.”

What little I know of humans in his situation from their television didn’t steer me wrong—Kit is much more observant because of his background.

“I can make more food if we need it,” Salem yells from the kitchen.

Zavida laughs and shrugs. “He’s either asleep or cooking, Kit. You’ll have to get used to Salem trying to pad your energy stores through constant snacks.”

“I’m not used to that, so you may be right.”

Squinting, I take in his lithe form in the baggy emo clothes and decide he’s telling the truth. I doubt he was starving , but it doesn’t look like he’s had someone watching his health as a human, much less the enormous amount of calories he’ll need once his powers are free. It begs the question of what shifter side he’ll have and how that will affect his stature. Hopefully, something larger than his current size or the bullies will make mincemeat of him in physical classes.

“I have a question,” I say as I lean against the dresser. “Call it another ‘get to know you’ deal.”

Zav arches a brow, surprised by my continued presence and my voluntary conversation. “Not your normal style, O, but it won’t distract me. Go ahead.”

“The question isn’t for you, man,” I chuckle and look over at Kit, who seems to shrink into the background. “It’s for him.”

“Um, okay.”

“If you were an animal, what would you be?” I hear Zav sputter a little under his breath, but I ignore it. The curiosity is fucking killing me and since Kit doesn’t have a clue about our world, he can’t help me figure out what to expect when his latent traits manifest.

His brows furrow as he strokes his fingers over the small mammal on his shoulder. “I’ve never thought about it before. It probably seems weird, but the only thing I imagined was going to college and getting out of that stupid town.”

Not surprising. Living in survival mode prevents you from focusing on frivolous shit like day dreaming.

“Think about it while Zavida is working on your laptop. I bet somewhere in your gut, you have a word rumbling around, but you’re not sure if it’s right.” His expression tells me I’m right. I don’t push, though, because I don’t want to make him more uncomfortable. Everything he said in the meeting made me believe people haven’t allowed Kit to have any boundaries and since Jasper is intent on being a dick, maybe I can be the person who gives him space.

“Maybe,” he says with a small grin.

My stomach flips and I turn away, blinking in surprise. Is my reluctance to actively campaign against him actually attraction? I don’t have a damn thing to judge it against to know for certain; relationships aren’t really my vice. I collect things—avidly and ferociously—but never people. My brothers were always a foregone conclusion because of our families; I never had to put effort into belonging with my caliphate. Except for Zavida and Salem, the others have had more than their share of trysts and paramours.

I’m not sure how to process this and I have no idea who I can talk to without it getting back to the Prince.

“I think that’s an interesting question and very on point,” Zav mutters. “Of course, you’ll have to answer it, too.”

I narrow my eyes at him, knowing he’s paying zero attention to us, so it’s not shade. However, it puts me in a difficult position. I’ll have to answer truthfully, and that might color his opinion of me. Not everyone is a fan of clever, devious corvids, I’ve found. “Fine. I feel a great deal of kinship to crows.”

Kit studies me for a moment, then smiles. “I can see that. Not because of the whole ‘emo, goth’ look and the movie or anything. That’d be a lame answer. No, it’s more because you have this… curious and intelligent vibe. You know, like you’re watching for things most people don’t see.”

“Dude, that’s spooky. You nailed it in one try.” Zav turns back to us with a cunning smile, his eyes dancing. “Oriel is always watching and waiting.”

“You’re harder,” Kit continues, reaching up to give her familiar a piece of granola. “But I get fox—crafty, introverted, and a predator hiding behind a cute exterior.”

Satan in a sling. This guy is good.

“Does all that insight come from being in foster care? I mean, the media makes it seem…like you’d need to be very good at shit like reading people.” I ruffle my hair, feeling like I was insulting by mistake and I’m not sure how to reword it.

He shrugs and moves to perch on the corner of the bed. “Basically. I’ve had a lot of families over the years and being able to clock the situation quickly would have saved me a lot of grief. I had to train myself to do better as I got older.”

“Did you figure out your animal?” Zav asks as he hands him the new phone. “You’ll want to go down to the shop and get a case that suits you, by the way.”

Kit rolls his eyes, looking very human as he sighs. “Aw, I’m sad Oriel didn’t pick for me. But to answer your question, I’m torn between two things and I can’t seem to decide.”

That’s… odd. And now I have to go find a damn case because I feel bad.

“Which ones?” I ask as I cross my arms over my chest.

“This is going to sound weird, but I feel like part of me wants to say a unicorn and the other part wants to say a dragon.” Kit frowns and shakes his head. “Those things don’t match up at all. They’re completely different ends of the spectrum.”

My lips curve as I meet Zav’s eyes. They may not match up in his head, but his presence makes so much sense to me now. I know he’s remembering the story we were told as kids; none of us could forget the nightly fairy tale mothers of royal lines in Hell tell their children. “Actually, it makes more sense than you realize. People, even demons, contain multitudes.”

“Not me.”

Oh, I very much disagree, Kit Camponella.