Gift of the Gods (Magic Blessed Academy 1)

“It’s crazy, right?” he murmured.

I stood up, shoving the last bite of food into my mouth. I always ate my rations too fast, too hungry and impatient to savor them. Besides, they tasted like year-old granola bars. Not a lot to savor.

“Which part?”

Merrick chuckled, and for the first time since we’d arrive in the godly realm, I saw no disdain or malice in his expression. I carefully hid my shock—I was sure if he realized he’d forgotten to speak without a sneer, he’d throw the walls back up real quick.

“The whole thing.” He shrugged, the movement languid and elegant. “One minute, I’m sitting in my penthouse condo getting ready for a business meeting, and the next minute I’m out in the woods, taking a break from the magical academy I’m attending to try to win a competition. Not to mention the fact that I ended up here with you.”

I smiled, glancing up at him for a second. “It hasn’t been so bad. I mean, if you take out those giant eight-foot monsters, the spiders, and that plant that almost ate you alive two days ago, I’d argue that being around me hasn’t been too terrible.”

He just stared at me for a moment, his almost white hair shaggy and slightly overgrown from the amount of time we had been out there. I had never seen him with a beard, but he actually looked pretty good with a scruff. For the short time I’d known him back in Boston, he had always been super clean shaven and perfectly put together. “What did you do back at home anyway?”

He blinked at me, the hardness returning to his eyes. “You don’t remember?”

Shit.

“Oh, wait, I know what it is,” I said, frantically searching my memory banks. I mean, I knew he was a sort of corporate prodigy, but the details had always sort of turned into mush in my brain. “You took over your father’s business in mergers and acquisitions, and you also work with some high profile political people. You graduated from college when you were eighteen and took over your dad’s business when he died.”

See? I remember stuff.

He gave a short nod and looked away from me. “Yeah. Though I have to admit, the events of the past week make my job sound pretty boring.”

I smiled, not wanting to push too hard. It was a strange silence between us. It wasn’t awkward, but it wasn’t quite comfortable yet either.

Luckily, Lachlan chose that moment to burst into the space between us, crouching down and putting his hands out toward the fire.

“I think it’s goin’ to be a cold night.” He glanced up at me and winked. “Good thing we’re in the same tent. You know I’m always up for cuddlin’, Snow.”

Ugh. The damn nickname Snow White had stuck like glue. Stupid Trace.

I was still brainstorming a suitably idiotic nickname to call him in revenge.

“Good thing you’re on first watch then.” I pursed my lips as I nudged Lachlan with my foot, shoving down the flare of heat that tried to rise in my body. Despite his constant offers, I’d refused to huddle together for warmth again since that first night in the cave.

Not because I didn’t want to.

But because I really, really did.

Sleepy, horny Aria was an untrustworthy Aria—I couldn’t allow that bitch anywhere near these guys, or she’d do her damndest to do something wide-awake Aria would regret.

He groaned and rolled his eyes. “I forgot about that. We’ve been travelin’ and fightin’ off these godsdamned monsters so much that I’ve lost track of what fuckin’ day it is. Things were much simpler back home, I can tell you that right now. Ridin’ with my boys, drinkin’ and fuckin’. Havin’ a good old time, no damn schedule to keep. Now I’m out here with you morons, tryin’ to survive and find some strange prize at the end of the water and fire rainbow.”

I chuckled.

Lachlan loved to piss and moan about shit, but he was actually one of the hardest working guys I’d ever met. Protective too. He was always the last to sleep and the first awake, and although he might pretend to have forgotten it, he was the one who’d volunteered for the longest shift at watch.

He just liked to make sure we all knew he wasn’t a softie.

My lips curved up in a fond smile as I gazed down at the burly redhead, letting my attention drift over the broad muscles of his back.

Then I froze.

Holy shit. Am I actually starting to… like these guys?

The answer to that question was obvious, but I avoided letting myself even think it. I wasn’t ready to admit the truth.

But as I pulled my gaze away from Lachlan, I found Merrick watching me carefully. I couldn’t read the expression on his face, but it made my stomach twist anxiously.