Page 68 of Lost and Bound

He lifts his eyes, and I can see some kind of decision in them, which is worrying. “Mute your mic and accept my invite so we can talk without the slops and sluts eavesdropping.”

“Slops and sluts?” I choke out while moving my mouse and accepting his request for no other reason but to block everyone else from having to listen to Emrys.

“Completely derogatory but entirely accurate,” he reiterates unashamedly. “Women in our world want two things—powerful alignments and an invitation to the next social event. They’ll bed or screw over any and every being they meet to get what they want, including their own family. Seriously, there’s no boundary they won’t cross to obtain their end goal. So, yeah, the name fits. Similarly, slops work for the males, particularly those at Thales, because comparatively, they’re piss weak and have no drive. They live without questioning authority and are distracted by the lure of pussy. Neither will ever find the fortitude to break free because they are locked on the chase, missing what’s going on around them.”

I can’t help but sputter a boisterous laugh at how cocky and condescending he is without trying.

“Oh my god, Emrys, how offensive can you be?”

“On a scale of one to ten?” He grins at me as his witty comeback causes me to smile.

It is amusing, but I cut him off, continuing with what I wanted to say. “I know how offensive you can be. And look, I agree there’s an awful lot of self-opinionated, egotistical assholes at Thales, but there’s always good people in any community.”

“We’re not people, though. We’re other. You need to stop thinking like a human, because you’re not one of them anymore. Assimilate and quickly, new girl, or you’ll be another statistic.”

“I disagree. The way I think and feel is always going to reflect my humanity. Before you tell me it’s a weakness, it’s not. Even if I lean into the inhospitable nature of a lot of the beings I’ve had the pleasure of meeting here, I’ll always see things differently, which is going to give me the edge.”

He looks unconvinced.

“Besides, there’s nothing wrong with being a kind and considerate being.”

“I’m never going to agree with you. Goodness isn’t a quality that will get you far in our world. In fact, I don’t know any beings who I could say are good-natured.”

“Ha!” I grin triumphantly. “Rodderick is a good guy. So is Orion.”

Emrys recoils as dark emotion washes through his pretty-colored eyes. “Who is Orion?”

I turn slightly so he doesn’t notice my eye roll. “My friend.”

Emrys leans across the desk we’re working on, catching my face in his hand and pulling me around until we’re eye to eye. “I’m sorry, what?” he hisses.

I slap his hand away, talking at the same time he does. “What are you doing? Let me go.”

“Did you not hear a single thing I’ve said, Maya? You shouldn’t trust anyone here. I guarantee he is not your friend.”

I twist out of his hold before pushing my seat back so he can’t reach me again. “And I guarantee you’re wrong.”

His eyes harden, and tension radiates from him. “Don’t come crying to me when he sells you out. Because he will.”

“Trust me, I won’t, because he won’t.”

Emrys’ purple energy is all over the place, exactly like his emotions. And mine. My argument dries on my lips when I realize I’m as bad as he is at talking calmly when I’m with him.

“Why are we so volatile together? It’s exhausting, Emrys. It really is.”

He doesn’t answer right away, though I know he heard me because his aura ribbons through the air, like he’s offering me a hug and an unspoken apology. Which annoys me no end.

“You know you can simply apologize,” I bite, showing my teeth, which is probably more a sign of my own frustration. “I mean, I know you’re sorry, your aura radiates it.”

Emrys swings back around without trying to hide his patronization or skepticism. “I’m sorry, what?”

Of course I take offense, and it happens as quickly as he flips his mood. “You’re seriously going to start up again, as opposed to saying sorry?”

He holds out his hand, signaling for me to stop talking, which is rude. But I do because I want him to get on with whatever he has to say, so I can move on with my day.

“What do you mean my aura radiates it?” he asks abruptly. His question has an edge to it.

I take a slow inhale to control myself before answering. “Can’t everyone see auras?”