Spells on Shelves

Chapter 23 || Clay

One moment it was just Paxton and me, the next, Sebastian padded out of the trees ahead of us, stepping directly into our path.

Sneaking around must be part of the shifter job description. How someone their size moved so soundlessly was beyond me. At least this time I didn't jump. It was barely a flinch, really.

A low chuckle at my side told me Paxton had caught it. He'd been sticking close to my side since we set out. Wherever I turned, he was there—steady, quiet, and impossible to ignore. His presence sparked a constant prickle of awareness that tingled at the back of my neck.

Cameron found us shortly after. At least he didn't bother with stealth. A twig snapped under his boots now

I shifted my focus back to the connection I'd forged, catching the faint ripple of something odd, arcane or dark magic, somewhere ahead of our position. But the further we walked, the clearer it became. We were moving away from it.

"Um...are you sure this is the right way?" I asked hesitantly.

"We're following Nathanial's last patrol route," Cameron replied. "Why?"

I pointed toward the direction of the pull. "There's something odd north of us."

Paxton paused close to my side as he followed my gaze. "That's south, though."

It was? "Well, that way then," I replied, embarrassed. "I'm not a compass."may not have perfected his control.

Sebastian exhaled sharply, his shoulders still tense, though his tone shifted, taking on a veneer of civility. "I want to apologize for my brother's outburst. But I assure you, he takes his duties quite seriously. If he'd explored outside his patrol, he would have noted it down."

I hesitated, trying to think of the right words to diffuse the tension. "It's fine, really," I said finally. "But maybe he missed something... or forgot to write it down?"

Sebastian froze, his expression sharpening into something colder, more brittle.

Sebastian snarled softly. "My brother didn't deviate from the path."

"Maybe your little dog isn't as well-trained as you think."

They both took another step forward, and suddenly, I found myself wedged between them. Their shoulders nearly brushed mine as they squared off, the air between them crackling with tension.

Um...mayday.

I had the intense urge to grab my pendant but hold still at the same time. This felt like the car ride all over again, except worse.

Instinctively, I pressed closer to Paxton, my arm brushing his. He didn't seem to mind. If anything, his stance adjusted slightly, a subtle shift that pressed his arm more firmly against mine.

I tried not to think too hard about it. Probably just because I'd gotten used to him. That had to be it.

Sebastian's suit went taut across his tense shoulders. "With your senses, I don't expect you to understand, cat. If my brother had taken a detour, I would've picked up on it."

"Last time I checked," he said, his quiet tone edged with steel, "she's the magic expert. If she says it's worth checking out, we will. Just move along."

Sebastian leaned forward slightly, weight shifting onto the balls of his feet. "I think she has better odds staying with me."

Paxton didn't miss a beat. "I thought we'd finished that conversation earlier. Or do you need me to remind you again who's in charge here?"

That's what they were talking about?

"And how has that worked out for her so far?"

Paxton flexed his hands, the motion slow and deliberate. "Careful. Your bark's starting to sound desperate."