Reset: Part 1 (The Awakening Book 4) by Keri Armstrong

Author:Keri Armstrong [Armstrong, Keri]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Highland Publishing, LLC
Published: 2019-03-31T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

PHOEBE

December 15

Chicago

After my display with Luke, Nia’s words came back to haunt me. I needed to get my emotions under control if I was going to be of any use. For the past two weeks I’d been practicing breath control and meditation, along with magical defense with Nia. In the evenings, I blew off any leftover steam with Luke. So I was pretty Zen when Caleb and Sara showed up to help some of the Mutts and me pick out a Christmas tree.

Or Yule tree. Or Hanukkah bush, depending on which Mutt was talking.

“All-purpose winter celebration tree,” Julie suggested and the harpies concurred, though they still didn’t like the idea of taking it inside.

“Super-fly cat-scratching post,” Alex said, grinning at Weston. “You’re not going to knock all the ornaments off, are you?”

“No, but I’m going to knock that stupid hat off your head.” Weston laughed and gathered a handful of snow to lob at Alex’s reindeer toboggan.

And so it began.

Snowballs and insults were hurled with equal measure, from fastballs accompanied by, “Don’t pee on it, pup!” to light dustings with “No nests allowed!”

I took one to the face from Sara, and Caleb melted my retaliatory missile before it got to her. She laughed and blew him a kiss, and just like that, my good mood dissolved. I turned as if ready to attack Sunjoo who was defending Marti by melting everything that came near her—up to and nearly including her boyfriend, Toshio.

Caleb and Sara weren’t expecting the magical barrage I sent their way. I pelted them with a storm of snow and ice until Cassandra shifted and knocked me over. She was still snarling in my face when Sara walked up.

“What the heck, Phoebe?” She managed to move Cassandra away. Caleb appeared by her side, his face tight with anger, and silence fell over the field. I looked past them to see everyone watching us.

“Sorry, guys,” I called out to them. “Got a little carried away there.”

Sara, Caleb, and Cass backed up to let me stand. Guilt soured my stomach when Cassandra huffed and ran toward the barn. She’d have to find clothes if she wanted to shift back and rejoin the gang.

We stood awkwardly while Julie and Marti vainly attempted to revive the mood. “The perfect tree isn’t going to pick itself!” Julie clapped her pink mittens. “Let’s focus, people!”

“Sorry,” I mumbled again and turned toward the compound. Caleb’s hand on my arm stopped me.

“Not so fast. You need to explain what’s going on.”

My lips tightened and a fiery wave a magic leapt in my veins. I felt the corresponding heat in Caleb and Sara’s eyes widened. “Guys, whatever you’re doing, stop it now,” she said.

I took a deep breath, as did he. “Fine.” I closed my eyes, knowing I couldn’t avoid the confrontation any longer. Nia was right. I was no use to anyone with my emotions flying all over the place, disrupting my magic and the peace of the Mutts.

At least, some of the Mutts. I opened my eyes again to the two principals involved and held up a hand.

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