Chosen One (Forever Evermore #6)(49)
His eyes flew open wide, darting from me to Queen Ruckler.
I took my hand back waggling my fingers. “How you feeling?” My shoulders bounced. “I’m feeling fan-ta-a-stic.”
His lips curved drunkenly. “I’m good, Ms. Jules.” He chuckled quietly. “Damn good.”
“So,” I rolled a finger, and stood on wobbly legs, but couldn’t stop my smile, “who won?”
They all stared a bit.
I bounced happily on the balls of my feet. “Guess I did.” I pointed down to King Zeller. “Got your wallet and kicked your ass.” I chuckled merrily. “Criminal bitch take-down one.” My brows bounced as I peered back to the others. “Who’s next?”
Elder Farrar started snorting, and moving toward me. “Ms. Jules, I believe that was a tie, seeing as you knocked not only King Zeller out, but also yourself…with your own power.” He gripped my elbow lightly, guiding me through the Elders to the benches. “And I believe whatever you did made you a bit drunk or high. You should probably sit down until you’re thinking straight.”
“Ah, man!” I waved my free hand. “That was nothing.”
“Then I’d hate to see something,” Elder Jacobs muttered, taking my other elbow when I wobbled as I bounced on my feet. “I’m actually glad to say I won’t be facing off against you.”
“Thanks, mister Elder Jacobs,” I smiled grandly at him; sunshine flittering threw my veins like pure sunflowers blowing in the breeze, “cause, you know, you rock.”
Elder Jacobs started chuckling. “I do believe I could learn to like you as you are right now.”
“That is so sweet,” I murmured, jumping to kiss his cheek, watching his eyes widen in shock. “You are so cute. Did I ever tell you that?”
“Dear God, set her down and get the duct tape,” Queen Cooper muttered under her breath, grabbing one of the light jackets from the benches and draping it over my shoulders as they sat me down. My feet pattered on the ground, my eyebrows coming together as the scent on the enormous jacket engulfed me. I sniffed it a few times, plucking at the garment, telling King Collins easily, “Smells good. Like forests before a rainfall,” it was Elder Merrick’s scent, but my head cocked a bit, sniffing again, realizing he had changed colognes since the past, “and cologne, the expensive manly kind.” I grinned, somehow liking it even better, then glanced about as the few in front of me stood motionless. “Hey, can I get something to eat, maybe?”
“Whose jacket is that?” King Collins asked sharply, jerking around to the others, pointing at me, bouncing on his feet. “Please tell me that’s a Shifters coat!”
Elder Merrick tilted his head up, saying loudly from where he was helping King Zeller’s grinning ass up. “It’s mine.” His head cocked. “Why?”
King Collins blinked, and then jumped straight into the air, pumping a fist. “Yes, another spirit secret bites the dust.” My lips managed to pinch the barest bit as he waggled his finger at me, explaining, “She can scent not just the cologne, but,” his hands rubbed together greedily, ““a forest before a rainfall” scent.” He chuckled, brows bouncing. “An obviously abbreviated way to scent a Shifter, but spirit Elemental style.” He raised his hand to me. “Come on, Prodigy. Give me some.”
I high fived him, rolling my eyes. “I’m hungry.”
“And…I do believe she’s coming down,” Elder Farrar murmured, brushing a hair off my forehead that had fallen from my ponytail. “Did using that much—what had to be—inexperienced power make you need nourishment?”
I was coming down, blindingly fast, and I griped, “Dammit, I’m hungry.” My stomach growled. Loudly. “Hear that?” I pointed at my flat belly. “It’s saying, feed me now.”
King Zeller was placed directly next to me, and he threw an arm over my shoulder, knocking his head into mine, leaving it there. “This is good. Not as good as the protection. But, this is damn…joyful.”
“Glad to hear it.” I barely kept from falling over with his weight as everyone stared down at us. One hand bracing on the bench, I pointed a finger at my King. “I. Want. Food.” My finger swung to Elder Merrick, and I glared at him. “And I hate you.”
Elder Merrick sighed heavily, appearing relieved. “She’s back.” He tipped his head grandly, sneering, “And I hate you too.”
King Zeller chuckled quietly, and murmured, “Now, now…let’s all be friends, shall we? And besides, hate is such a relative term. So closely related to love.”
Queen Ruckler stood with her arms crossed. “If she does that shit to me while I face her, I’ll rip her damn head off.” She leaned forward, smacking King Zeller’s cheek lightly, her tone lightening. “Snap out of it.”
My stomach growled again. “Food.”
“She’s down to one worded comments,” Queen Cooper muttered, nudging King Collins. “You should probably feed her before she just starts gnawing on the closest arm.”
I growled a bit.
“Now, no words.” Another nudge. “Let’s get her some food before she goes savage.”
Munching down a protein bar someone had in their bag, I licked my fingers as I moved onto the mat, facing off with Elder Venclaire next. Again, I moved to the far end of the mat, eyeing him warily. He chuckled evilly, his eyes glowing a bit before he called loudly, “I’m going to taste that delicious blood of yours again, my friend.”