CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Sam

Brian had three settings: Preset normal, kinda eccentric, twenty-something dude. Station two pompous, arrogant, aristocrat. And, station three, the one Zak and I had been enduring since we finished our meeting this morning, an ADD, jolly, college professor. A very chatty college professor. Across from me, Zak was glaring down at the book in front of him, forearms on the table, and was, quite literally, white knuckling it. To my left was Brian, who'd been helpful for about half an hour, until I gave him my phone because he wanted to google something, which took him to youtube where he'd fallen down a documentary rabbit hole. All attempts to get him re-focused on the books failed. So, for the past two and a half hours he'd been watching history documentaries and providing running commentary on all the historical inaccuracies.

"Oh, frog pie… Elizabethans were hilarious." Brian chuckled.

I side eyed him, "This is going nowhere." I grumbled and shoved a book away.

"Perhaps you're just not looking in the right place." Brian responded absently, still focused on his documentary.

Zak's knuckles got whiter and I could've sworn I heard him growl; he'd passed 'annoyed' an hour ago and was now hovering close to 'punch you in the face' pissed. Lucky for Brian, Zak had award worthy temper control and because he held some deep seeded, 'Druidic' fealty or respect or whatever, for him, I knew he wasn't gonna do anything. I, however, was past giving a shit.

"Well, you're not being very helpful." I snapped. That got his attention and he finally peeled his eyes off the phone to look at me.

"I've been helpful." He muttered, sounding offended.

I pursed my lips and canted my head, giving him the annoyed look I usually reserved for Dean. "Hey, you know what? Why don't you go and get us some food?"

"Hmm," he nodded, "good idea. We did skip lunch and 'hanger' is a real thing." He stated casually, and looked directly at Zak.

"Great." I smiled.

"Shit." He stood up and patted his jeans, "I don't have any cash…"

"Here's sixty bucks." I said, tossing the bills onto the table.

"Perfect." He smiled, shoving the cash into his pocket, then shuffled out behind my chair then paused, "Uh, you two have any allergies I should know about?" and shrugged on his jacket.

"Nope." I smiled, "Zak?" I leaned in to try and catch his eye, "Allergies?"

"No." he snarled, eyes not leaving the book.

"Alrightey then… I think we're all good." I nodded at Brian.

"Any requests?"

"Whatever you pick will be fine." I answered, giving him my best reassuring smile.

His eyes flitted between the two of us as he adjusted his collar and reached for the door handle, "Ok, be back soon."

As soon as the door clicked shut, Zak let out a slow exhale and slowly unclenched his fists, "Thank you." He sighed, leaned his head back and closed his eyes.

I shuffled some notes, "Yeah, well, I had to do something," I nodded at him and lifted my eyebrows, "because you've been lookin' murder-y ever since he finished that Chaucer documentary."

He gave a huffy laugh and smirked, "Good thinking."

A few minutes after Brian had left on his food mission, Clara popped her head in.

"Zak?"

"Yeah?" He answered, not looking up from his book.

"There's a druid downstairs who is asking to talk to you…"

"A druid?" He looked up in disbelief. "They used my name?"

"No, but he says he knows you."

Zak's eyes narrowed, darting back and forth, "Is he blonde?" He asked after a few seconds.

"Um, yeah… I mean, I think so." She frowned.

At that, he pushed his chair back and strode to the door.

"What's…"

"Keep reading." He ordered me, and pushed past Clara, who was still standing in the doorway.

What the hell?

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