Project: Nighthall

4

RPOV

I was up much earlier than I usually was. I had turned into someone who got up at nine in the morning, and I hadn't been up before the sun a long time! Not even when Gabriel wanted me to run with him. But this morning, I was waiting for him.

He always felt best after a phase, and that meant prime workout time.

I heard his footsteps on the stairs, and I stood up straight, uncrossing my arms. Gabriel had his arm bent over his head in a stretch as he came into the kitchen, stretching with a yawn.

"I need to talk to you," I rushed, gripping his shirt and dragging him towards the back door.

"Why are you up?" he asked through the yawn, barely slipping his feet into his shoes. I shut the door quietly behind me and pulled him down the stairs.

"Slow down, will you? I'm going to break my ankles because my shoes aren't on. I heal fast, but I'd rather not feel that!" Gabriel complained as we made it to the beach. I huffed and ran my fingers through my hair before tying it up in a bun.

"Now, since I didn't even get a chance to have my morning coffee, what is the matter?"

"He is exactly like I remember him, and that is terrifying!"

Gabriel smiled and crossed his arms over his chest.

"He?"

"Shut it," I grumbled and kicked some sand.

"What happened last night that freaked you out?"

"I slept walked into my bed last night, and practically climbed on top of him! And he didn't even care! He just let it happen and told me that meeting me was the most important thing that's ever happened to him. And then! He kissed my head last night when he thought I was asleep!"

"That's because he's a big dummy who loves you," Ivan gloated behind me.

"SHUT UP, IVAN!" I shrieked, spinning to look at him, but he bolted before I could fully see him. I heard the ghost of his laugh and turned back to Gabriel, who had the dignity to try and cover his smirk.

"Don't laugh at me."

"Do you think that it's a possibility that you and him are the exact same? Because that man was willing to finish out this exercise without telling you that he is still in love with you, all while you are trying to hide the fact that you are in love with him too."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Let's just run," I scoffed, crossing my arms over my chest. I didn't want to admit he was right, but it was scary how well he knew me. He said it was because of being mates, but he was very in tune with everyone he met. It was also like he had another gift entirely.

As we ran I couldn't help but shake my head.

"Did Croft talk to you?" I asked.

"Yeah. He caught me and Martin and Sheila the day they arrived. He's hoping that we can keep any knowledge of Spirit to ourselves."

"I wonder what he knows to ask us to hide this information for him?" I mused quietly.

Gabriel cleared his throat. "He asked Emily a favour."

"What kind of favour?"

Gabriel came to a stop. We were far enough from the house that we wouldn't be overheard, we had been running for at least thirty minutes.

"He asked Emily to listen in on a conversation amongst the Royals," he said as he ran his hand through his hair, "Gave her the blueprints to the Palace and everything."