Azure Dragons (Supernatural Shifter Academy #2) - G. Bailey Page 0,31

corners of their eyes as we head back down the stairs and make our way towards the entrance.

“Are you all right?” Silas asks, putting a hand on my shoulder as soon as we get outside and into the blessed fresh air. “You look a little shaken up.”

“It’s just… everything they were talking about,” I reply, lying through my teeth. “It’s unnerving, listening to them discussing our futures like we’re just pawns in some game.”

“Is that not what we are to them?” The dragon shifter asks, crossing his arms. “To the humans, at least?”

“Maybe you should have more faith in them,” Hunter speaks up, putting his hands in his pockets. “It’s only the first day of the conference. They’ve got more time to figure out a solution.”

“For all the good that will do,” Silas says, shaking his head. “I’ll be curious just how much of a say they give the shifters, at the end of the day.”

“What do you mean?” I ask him, brow furrowing.

“Do you really think the humans care about resolving this peacefully?” he asks. “I’ve seen how they operate. They made my parents disappear because they were talking about changing the status quo. I don’t expect this to be any different—the only question is how many people they’ll end up throwing under the bus just to make this all go away.”

Hunter looks like he’s about to reply, but we’re interrupted by the sounds of familiar voices approaching us from the left. I look up to see Hazel and the twins walking over to us. She’s laughing at something Xander said, and judging by the way they’re looking at one another, I’d say that their first foray into exploring the conference was a success - more of a success than mine, at any rate.

“Hey,” Ruby says as they come to a stop next to us.

“Hey,” I echo. “Where did you guys end up going?”

“This breakout session about integrating with human society,” Xander replies, “although it was all bullshit. Just a bunch of pro-human propaganda.”

Silas shakes his head. “I’m not surprised.”

“How are the talks going?” Ruby asks.

“About as well as you’d expect,” Hunter admits. “They’re deadlocked. Nobody can agree on anything.”

“Figures,” Hazel says, frowning. “I’m just surprised they’ve even been able to keep a lid on things as long as they have. I’m starting to see now why there’s so much tension between the two groups.”

“Which is exactly why this whole thing is pointless,” comes a new voice, and I turn around to see Shade coming to a stop on our other side, Landon following him. “I’m telling you, we’d be better off just fucking around for the next few days.”

“Easy for you to say,” Hunter mutters, looking at the ground.

For his part, Landon just turns to the blond boy. “What did you have in mind, Shade? I’ve already had about enough of this place.”

A sly smile appears on the wolf shifter’s face, and he leans back with mock thoughtfulness. “The seaport is just over there,” he says, nodding over his shoulder in the direction of the highway. “I say we go make some memories of this trip that don’t involve listening to politicians drone on.”

“But the witches-” begins Hazel.

Shade waves her off. “It’s less than half a mile from here. It’s practically in the backyard of the convention center. You think they’re going to notice us if we’re that close?”

I purse my lips. “You may have a point, there.”

“I knew there was a reason I liked you, Boots,” Shade says, giving me a grin that can only be described as… well, wolfish. I feel my ears heat up a little.

Silas clears his throat. “I could stand some time away from the politics, myself.”

“So it’s settled, then,” Shade says, crossing his arms and looking from each of us to the next. “We’re gonna go have some real fun. What about you two?” he adds, turning to the Murakami siblings. “You in?”

Ruby and Xander exchange a look. “I could be convinced,” he says, winking at Hazel, who bursts out laughing.

“Better than waiting for someone else to tell us how kowtowing to the humans is our only hope of surviving,” Ruby adds.

“Right on.” Shade nods. “So what are we waiting for?”

Shade is right; the seaport is within walking distance, just on the other side of an underpass flanking the convention center. We probably look weird: a group of young adults in brightly coloured uniforms, a tour group that got separated from their bus, maybe. But it doesn’t matter; Shade’s instincts were right