HORNS (BoyXBoy)

Chapter 181

Chapter One Hundred and Eighty-One

The following four days after my visit to the dream pool were nondescript, repetitive, and kinda boring since I didn't really go anywhere. The only form of entertainment came from the random visits other people decided to pay me, the talks I occasionally had with Wokka about Rahn's scientific theories, and the way I was forcefully bathed and dressed by him each morning.

I did get to speak with Sasha and Ulfric at length, and to my surprise the buff blonde buck had seemed genuinely contrite when he'd apologized. He'd even held out his hand for me to shake. I hadn't seen Bash or really anybody else, though, aside from Luka, who swung by for a few minutes on the third day not long after Ulfric's apology to ask me if I'd be okay with the old goat coming back with us to America when we left. I, of course, had immediately agreed.

I mean, really, who the hell was I to say no?

Ulfric had apologized and Sasha deserved to have her family around.

I'd received a few texts from the guys back home, as well as a few from Katrina and Kip, but aside from a weird text Erika had sent me asking if I knew where Nikki was, nobody had bothered checking in on me. I was sure they had their reasons, though I had called Erika up out of concern and learned that Nikki apparently hadn't been answering anybody's calls.

She'd talked to Aerin, too, and Cassidy had apparently offered to go look for her. I'd also tried my luck calling her, too, but all I'd gotten was her answering machine. Unfortunately, being on the other side of the world meant that I couldn't do anything to help, so I'd decided to let the others back home look into it. After all, I had my own share of problems to deal with, and on the evening of the fifth day, I was forced to face them and pretend like I was happy with it.

Not exactly my idea of good time, but hey, it was what it was.

"Ouch!" I hissed for the hundredth time, wincing as the hair on my upper arms was pinched yet again by the platinum clasps Wok was trying to fasten. "OW! Dude, these clasps are too small!"

"No, you're just obscenely hairy," the imp droned, squeezing the cuff into place with a click. "There. It would be so much easier if you would just allow me to shave your arms and those unsightly underarms, you know."

"No! I like my armpit hair! It's soft and fluffy and it smells awesome! Leave it alone," I growled, baring my teeth at him with my ears drawn back. "I already have to deal with you dunking me like a donut every day! You're not touching my body hair, too!"

"As you say," he flippantly sighed, mopping the sweat off his brow. He was in his human-sized form, but he was clearly exhausted from maintaining the shapeshift for so long. He'd spent hours and hours just getting me ready for the weird dinner I was going to be attending.

It didn't feel real to me, yet.

Even after so many days, it didn't feel real... but honestly? I just wanted this whole ordeal to be over. I wanted to go home.

Wok must have been reading my mind since his elfish ears flicked higher and he paused, turning to look at me with calculating red eyes. "The trial will begin tomorrow morning. I will be waking you earlier than I have thus far to prepare you for it."

My heart lurched and I swiveled my head; the jewelry dangling from my horns jingled and rattled as I looked at him, face drawing tight. "How do you know?"

"This dinner is... more than a dinner," he said slowly, carefully; he took a deep breath in and then let it out in a heavy sigh. "You weren't told... and I have been instructed by several Seelie Court members not to tell you, but the truth is... tonight, you alone have been invited to sup with some of the four courts' royals, your representative, and the fae representing the twenty-five accused."