I Am the Wild (The Night Firm #1)- Karpov Kinrade Page 0,34

process all that I've learned.

Moon is off exploring our suite, and the fire in my bedroom is dying down, leaving the room with a deep chill. I decide it's time to test the magical plumbing and take a bath.

I handle my morning business then stand before the large bathtub and draw the symbols into the air that Lily showed me. Immediately, hot steaming water begins to fill the tub. I test it with my hand and sigh at the warmth, then quickly strip and step in. It's a heady experience, playing with magic.

The heat fills me, penetrating a layer of chill I thought would never leave. I add scented oils to the bath and scrub my body with a soft sponge, then lay back with my eyes closed, enjoying the peace. My relaxation is brought to an end when I hear Moon hissing at something in the other room. I step out of the water that stayed hot the entire bath—much to my surprise—and wrap a thick robe around myself before making my way to my kitten to see what's upsetting him.

There's nothing obvious out of the ordinary, but the bed is made and the fire is stoked, bringing heat back into the space. This wouldn't seem that odd in and of itself, except that last night I locked the door to my suit from the inside, and it's still locked.

No one could have gotten in to do these things, and Moon is still hissing at something that I can't see.

I pick up the angry kitten and soothe him as I dress, then the two of us make our way to the dining room for breakfast.

Matilda, Lily, and the four Night brothers are already seated around the large table. The brothers each have a goblet of crimson liquid. Blood, presumably. I shiver at the thought and wonder where it came from. And though they don't eat real food, the center of the table is filled with platters of bacon, fruit, yogurt, granola, eggs, pancakes and biscuits, a pitcher of orange juice and a pot of freshly brewed tea.

"Are we the only people who live here?" I ask, marveling at the plethora of choices before me.

"Dracula's a temporary guest as well, but generally yes, why?" Lily asks.

"Were any of you in my room earlier?" I ask.

Everyone says no and continues with their conversations.

While Moon sleeps in the pocket of my cardigan, I get a cup of tea and dish up some fruit, yogurt and granola before taking a seat between Matilda and Elijah, my mind still on the mystery of my made bed and stoked fire.

Elijah smiles at me. "I saw you put the books I gave you back. Give up? They can be very dry."

I shake my head, swallowing a bite before answering. "No. I mean, yes, they're dry for sure. Dear god they're dry. But no, I finished them all and am ready for more."

His eyes widen. "What do you mean you finished them?"

"I mean finished them. You know, read them.”

“All of them?”

“Of course, all of them. Hopefully I put them back in the right places.” I shrug. “Anyway, I need more.” I'm saying all this in between bites because I realized with all the excitement last night, I never got dinner and I am starving.

"How's that possible?" he asks.

At this point, everyone else at the table is paying attention as well, so I explain about my speed-reading and my near photographic memory. "Didn't you wonder how I got so many degrees at such a young age?" I ask.

And I realize no one at the table even considered the fact that I actually am the age I look. I have not lived multiple lifetimes. Just the one.

"So in twenty-five years—and you started as an infant, yes?" Elijah asks, in all seriousness.

I laugh so hard I spit tea out and turn bright red as I clean it up. "Yes. Of course. You don't get around humans very often, do you?"

"It has been awhile," he says with a soft smile. "So, in that time, you had to grow to adulthood and you still got your degrees?" he asks, again, clarifying.

"Yes," I say, smiling at the strangeness of this conversation.

He gives me an appreciative appraisal. "You really are quite a find, Miss Eve Oliver. Quite a find. But I have a hard time believing you retained any of that knowledge. That would be—extraordinary."

"Try me," I say. This was my favorite game in college and grad school. My roommate and I would go