Chapter 39: A Little Rain Never—Fuck

An elder, who had ordered a girl to be seized forty minutes ago, was now shooing that girl back to her assigned spot like the whole thing had been one big misunderstanding.

Nova blinked at the elder. The elder blinked at Nova.

It was so dumb that it circled around to funny. The urge to laugh was right there, sitting on her tongue like a lit match, because the sheer volume of fucks she had left to give about the Lottery was zero. She was here because she wanted the women behind her to find their mates and for that reason alone.

The smartass comment was loaded, chambered, safety off, finger on the trigger. She kept it holstered and gave a single nod instead.

"She is going to be standing next to us, Elder. I hope that is alright." Maria did not wait for a response, already pulling Nova forward with Seraphina in lockstep on the other side.

The torches lit as they walked. Every bracket they passed roared white like a runway lighting sequence for the most reluctant arrival in Moonfire history. The wolves lining the path moved out of Nova’s way with the coordinated urgency of people avoiding something contagious. Bodies leaned. Shoulders turned. A gap opened that was wider than necessary and said everything their mouths were too afraid to.

Nobody wanted to be the wolf standing closest to the girl who was making torches change religions.

Maria gave Nova’s arm a squeeze.

Nova didn’t argue with the arrangement. Everyone was afraid of her. Standing between two princesses who weren’t afraid of catching the radiation was the most human option available. These two had decided that proximity to whatever Nova was broadcasting wasn’t a threat. It was a position. They were taking it publicly and they were taking it now.

"Is it bad that I’m enjoying this?" Maria asked, watching the wolves scatter.

"Yes," Seraphina said flatly.

"It’s like they’ve never seen a glowing girl before. Didn’t that one try to seize her thirty minutes ago?" Maria asked, entirely too loud.

"It’s a little funny," Seraphina admitted after a warrior twice Nova’s size flinched.

Maria shot Nova a sideways glance. "Say boo, Nova."

Nova did not say boo. But she did exhale slightly louder than usual, and the warrior flinched again, which caused Maria’s grin to widen so much, it could have powered a torch on its own.

"How about a cough? A small one. I just want to see what happens," Maria tried again.

"Maria," Seraphina warned.

"What?"

Somewhere in the crowd, a wolf snorted, thoroughly entertained. Nova could appreciate the humor.

As soon as they reached the front, Celeste stared at Nova like she’d been born holding a voodoo doll of this woman and finally got to twist the head off.

"Someone tell me this is a joke," she snapped.

"What do you mean?" Seraphina asked. She was either actually confused by what Celeste was trying to say or a fantastic actress.

"What do you mean ’what do I mean’? She’s lit up like a cheap casino," Celeste hissed. "We don’t know if it spreads by looking, breathing, or existing nearby. I am not catching the glow pox."

Maria looked at Seraphina. Seraphina looked at Maria. Both women looked down at their own arms. Looked at each other. Shrugged.

"There’s a spot open in the back. Five hundred something," Seraphina offered.

Two wolves nearby made eye contact, then looked away so quickly Nova almost, for a second, thought they found that entertaining. But it was too fast to know for sure.

They were standing with the other draftees, which would’ve been fine if every Alpha in the clearing wasn’t staring at Nova with the intensity of men who’d found a loaded gun and a reason. Both Thunderfangs were still glowing like the sun. She wondered if they were matching her as a kindness, or if theirs didn’t have an on-off switch either.

Her attention was snagged away from them immediately.

The Emberclaw Alpha, Maria’s brother, crossed the clearing like the crowd wasn’t there. No hesitation. No detour. A straight line through hundreds of wolves who parted for him the way they’d parted for Nova, except they moved for her out of fear and they moved for him because he was the size of a wall and walking with purpose.

"ALL ALPHAS MUST REMAIN WITH THEIR DESIGNATED PACKS," an elder announced from the panel, watching the Emberclaw Alpha cross the clearing like it was his living room.

The Emberclaw Alpha did not remain with his designated pack. He walked past the elder panel without glancing at it, actually.

"ALPHAS ARE REMINDED THAT MOVEMENT BETWEEN SECTIONS IS PROHIBITED DURING ACTIVE CEREMONY."

He was already halfway there. His stride hadn’t changed. His pace hadn’t adjusted. His eyes were locked on Nova with an intensity that said ’I dare you to look away.’ She didn’t.

"THIS IS A FORMAL REMINDER."

He stopped in front of her and held out a cold water bottle.

Her lips parted in surprise. She looked down at it. Looked back up at him. The gesture was so unexpected it almost broke her. Everyone in this clearing was afraid of her or furious at her or trying to figure out what she was, and this man had walked across consecrated ground to hand her water like she was a person who needed a drink.

"Thank you," she said as she took it.

The second she said it, a growl rolled across the clearing. Nova wasn’t sure what it was at first.

Lightning flashed and thunder followed overhead. The Emberclaw Alpha gave a single nod and walked back to his position as it started to pour.

Instant. No buildup. No drizzle. Just dry to drenched in three seconds. Nova blinked the rain out of her eyes. She was almost impressed. The weather tonight had the emotional stability of a toddler.

The crowd all around them looked like they’d just been told the open bar was now a time-share presentation. All fear of the radioactive woman had vanished.

"AGAIN?"

"Anyone else notice it started raining the exact second she took that water bottle?"

"We noticed. Real subtle."

"It’s definitely getting heavier. It was drizzling and now it’s aggressive."

"This is my life now."

An elder on the panel produced an umbrella from beneath his robes with the practiced speed of a man who had learned from previous ceremonies. The elder next to him stared at it. Stared at him. Received no apology and no offer to share.