The Marriage Game

In Which Zora Buys Snacks

The drive to the airport was awkward, to say the least.

The air was tense with angry silence. Declan insisted on driving without music and Camila found herself squashed between Zora and Alex in the backseat of a black Toyota Camry. The drive was over an hour and the air conditioning had stopped working, so they sat, sweat collecting on their foreheads, caught up in their own thoughts.

She missed Spoon. She'd left the corgi with Eliana, a friend of Serena's who owned a veritable palace for pets, complete with organic food, new dog toys every week, and daily walks.

She hoped Eliana was trustworthy. Declan had assured her that the Vindicators would keep an eye on Spoon, to make sure the corgi didn't come to any harm and, she suspected, to make sure Eliana didn't give up their location to any third parties.

The airport was busy, filled with lines that inched forward every two minutes and screaming toddlers that always seemed to end up beside Camila. After a few whispered words from Zora, an officer waved them through security without checking their bags. They found their gate beside a bustling Starbucks and Camila pulled Alex aside.

"I need to talk to you," she whispered, risking a quick glance at Declan. He was staring blankly at the messy family two seats down, his eyes distant.

Alex nodded.

"Hey, Declan?" Camila said.

"No." Declan scowled.

"I just want to go buy some snacks. I'll bring back some popcorn?"

"I said no. I'm not going to change my mind because you asked nicely."

"We'll take Zora?" A drop of sweat trickled down the back of her neck. Camila wondered if she had permanently overheated from the sweltering car ride. She sat down across from him so Declan had no choice but to look her in the eye. "C'mon. It'll be safe, good for morale, and Zora can watch us."

Alex, wisely, stayed quiet.

Zora sighed. "Okay. Declan. She's going to be fine. I'm a badass witch warrior and I can handle any evildoers who want to bleed your mate dry. And I'll be there to awkwardly stand in the background to prevent any fondling or personal confessions. It'll be fun."

Declan clenched his jaw. "Fine. Camila?"

"If I do anything you don't like, the alliance is at risk? Yeah, I knew that already." She grabbed the backpack Zora had lent her as a carryon, already heading away. His words stopped her in her tracks.

"I was going to say-" Declan paused, running a hand through his hair.  "Just be careful." 

The family nearby had spilled a cup of tomato soup over the airport floor and he glared resolutely at the sloppy mess seeping into the carpet. 

Camila didn't know what to say. She nodded briefly and gave him a polite smile. Zora and Alex had reached a small café with a snack food section. They stood several feet apart from each other, not talking, as if each of them wasn't quite sure what to make of the other.

Camila jogged to catch up. "Hey," she breathed, "Do you think- Are we out of werewolf hearing range?"

Zora nodded. "We should be. Hey, trail mix or chocolate?"

"Chocolate, obviously. Actually-" Camila studied the candy section. "Maybe we should get both."

"Practical and efficient. I like it." Zora grabbed enough chocolate bars to feed an army and a single bag of trail mix. "So, are you going to tell him or should I?"

"Tell me what?" Alex asked, grabbing a bag of trail mix off the shelf.

Zora snatched it away from him.