Page 57 of The Lost Elemental

“What the hell, man?” Kai grumbled.

Atlas prodded his T-shirt. “Sick, man. You drooled on me.”

“I’m not in control of my mouth when I sleep. Can’t help it.”

“Like you can’t help getting naked at any given hour of the day?” Atlas shot back.

Kai shrugged. “My body likes to be free.”

“What are you guys doing here?” I asked softly.

Atlas climbed to his feet, crossing to me and pulling me into a hug. “We weren’t going to leave you unprotected. Not when you have someone who clearly has it out for you.”

My heart cracked a little more. “You didn’t have to sleep here. Nothing would’ve happened in the dorm.”

Phoenix’s eyes narrowed on me. “We weren’t taking that chance.”

“Damn straight. No one fucks with our Pip,” Kai said, standing.

My nose stung. “This is a bad idea.”

“Why?” Atlas asked, genuinely confused.

I worried a spot on the inside of my cheek, trying to find the right words. Ones that were honest but not too honest. “So many reasons.”

“Like?” Phoenix pushed.

“I’m making you fight.”

Kai scoffed. “We always fight. Do you know how many times I’ve beaten Riven’s ass?”

“Or I’ve almost squashed you like a bug?” Atlas added.

“Yeah, yeah,” he grumbled. “The point is that it has nothing to do with Aura.”

“The more time I spend with you, the more people will be out for me. Riven’s right about that.”

Phoenix glared at me, those dark eyes growing impossibly more shadowed. “We’ll end anyone that tries to mess with you.”

I groaned. “I’m not sure that’s the solution.”

Atlas studied me for a long moment. “That’s not what this is really about.”

I bit back a curse. Him and his damned lie detector intuition.

“Tell us.” Phoenix’s words were a demand not a request.

“You’ll bail on me.”

“What?” Kai whispered, shock lacing his tone.

I toyed with the hem of my T-shirt. “I know this friendship can’t be forever. You’re all going off to rule kingdoms. I’ll probably end up back in the human world. It’s not like I’m going to be a part of your royal courts.”

Phoenix moved first, wrapping his arms around me. “Aura, we’re not going anywhere.”

Atlas moved in behind me, his heat seeping into my skin. “No one gets to say who we have in our lives.”

Kai jostled his way into the circle at my side, nuzzling my hair. “I never follow the rules anyway. And I’ve decided I’m partial to spitfire half-humans.”