Chapter 24

24

I leaned back in my authority like a racoon who’d just gorged themselves on food to the point of immobility. Wild and I managed to make dinner, and I’d had some catching up to do in the eating department.

“I meant to speak with you all this morning, obviously,” I said to the advisors. “What’s been happening?”

“Frond was hard at work while you were recovering from the demon attack,” Winona said. “But I don’t foresee that he’s a big problem now.”

Time would tell. “I don’t think he’s done. He’ll try a new approach once the original coven gives him direction. Any luck finding evidence of his betrayal?”

Everyone shook their heads.

Frond had to be taken in hand while we had the good will of the coven, yet there was no way to achieve that yet. Sven would need to continue his work in the meantime.

“The Vissimo and Luthers agreed to the changes we put forward,” Barrow said, summoning a contract to land in front of me. “They’ve already signed. Varden and I have checked the contents and ensured all changes were satisfactory and no other changes were entered.”

I summoned a pen and planted my initials and signature beside those of Kyros’s father, King Julius, and those of Andie.

There were a lot of pages.

I sat back in my authority after, reflecting that I’d formed the first alliance between magus and other supernaturals ever—to my knowledge at least. Would it be a mistake? “I feel only good will come from this.”

Opal gathered the contract and slipped it into a large document bag. “I wasn’t behind the move at first, High Esteemed, but I can see the wisdom behind the alliance even if I don’t yet share your hope that it will work.”

That did mean something. Long-held grudges were hard to change. Opal had been the most vocal in her disapproval.

The wall opposite me glowed, and I focused on the flashing symbol at the bottom-left corner.

Barrow rushed to answer, touching his fingers to the symbol. “You’re speaking with an esteemed advisor of High Esteemed Corentine.”

A monotone voice replied, “Please be advised that High Esteemed Mydnigh has reevaluated our position with regard to the threat facing the Buried Knolls coven. Correspondence to follow.”

Barrow glanced over his shoulder at me. “I shall alert our leader to expect it.”

No sooner had the connection severed than another symbol glowed close to the large symbol in the center.

A conversation in the same stream followed, and by the time Barrow finished speaking with the second coven, Wild’s suspicion had sparked mine.

“Who told the other covens about our mating ritual?” Wild asked the occupants.

Opal and Barrow exchanged a guilty look.

Barrow drew himself tall. “You tasked us with a job, High Esteemed. This was a powerful bargaining chip to negotiate support from the other covens. We have the first mated magus here, and they are under threat. They must be protected.” He drew out a stack of letters. “We’ve already received more offers of support since.”

“How many?” I asked.

“Ten so far.”

Ten was more than we’d ever had. Seven more since most of our supporters ditched after hearing of the alliance with other supernaturals. I sighed. I didn’t like that the other covens knew something so personal about me. I also knew that sometimes being close to a solution made it impossible to see. “If this works out, then I’ll thank you for it,” I told them. “If it causes a headache or heartache for me and Wild, then I’ll make sure you both feel our pain in equal measure because that was the risk you took when you made the details of our lives general knowledge without consulting us first.”

They looked grim at that.

“Apologies, High Esteemed,” Opal murmured, inclining her head.

Barrow echoed the same.

Wild said, “For what it’s worth, High Esteemed, Frond would’ve told the original coven by now. By making the announcement ourselves, we’ve stolen their thunder. I wonder if we could use an important announcement in the future to catch Frond in the act of conveying information to my parents.”

“I like it,” Huxley said.

Ruby nodded. “Smart. A trap.”

I did rather like a trap.

“I like it. Let’s keep it in mind. So we have a stack of coven letters to get through, and the coven seems to be in a better place,” I said. “What of the demon gates? Any change there?”

“High Esteemed Nightlock’s magus are due in two days for training,” Winona answered. “We believed a celebration of our alliance was in order, and their arrival coincides with esbat and our first group healing. The coven will want to show the visiting magus their best face, so Frond’s group is more likely to partake in the group healing without any displays.”

Also smart. I’d picked the right people to be in this room.

“I’m organizing that,” Ruby spoke. “Perhaps we should take the opportunity to invite magus from other covens who have just offered support. The more unity and harmony from our end, the less food for the demons, right?”

I nodded. “Good idea. In saying that, we’ll need to share our suspicions on any adverse effects from demon magic with visiting magus. They should know what they’re getting into.”

My gaze swept to Varden.

His expression was smooth. “We’ve collected enough ingredients for Miss Rooke’s antidote that she feels confident we’ll achieve a steady stream at two of the demon gates.”

“I’ll rotate my sentries on and off those gates,” Wild put in. “Some, particularly males, are showing increased anger and aggression without clear cause. They could do with a regular break from the influence of demon magic. I’ll monitor it.”

Delta was twirling her dagger. “While you were out, the sentries picked up on something unusual happening at the demon gates. It’s like their magic is eating at one of the charms.”

“Which one?” I asked her.

“Along with the charms that limit the demon king’s ability to hear, see, smell, and feel anything we do on this side, you asked for a charm that would prevent him sensing anything about our magic. That’s the charm that’s degrading.”

“Or being eaten,” I repeated her earlier words. Interesting.

Huxley looked at Wild. “Light and dark magic eroding one another?”

“Or the demon king has revealed his motive,” Winona stated.

I had to agree with her summation. “The demon king wants to know as much about us as possible. Which means we could be as much a mystery to him as demons are to us. He’s just had longer to roll out scouting missions and gather information, but if he’s doing this, he may still not feel like there’s enough to launch a full attack. We need to keep that charm strong at all the gates. Winona, could you handle a team for that, please?”

I’d met the demon king in my memories. He’d nearly killed me at sixteen before I had any idea who or what he was. The supernatural was powerful. Terrifyingly so. Even if he’d discovered my demon’s absence from his realm, he couldn’t be worried about who would win a fight between us. I wouldn’t help him seize our territory and lives whatsoever. “Give Rooke the go-ahead with the antidote at the two closest gates. Ask the new covens joining us for the same ingredients too. Ideally, we get enough to cover all five gates. Delta and Winona, what are the updates from your teams?”

I listened to both women as they detailed progress being made.

“I think it best to start with trainings between two affinities and work up to trainings with all four affinities over a couple of weeks,” Delta said once Winona was finished.

We were under a time crunch. “We’ve had a lot of demon activity already. I see your point. I also hope we have a month of training time. We need to act as though that won’t happen.”

We went back and forth on details, the other advisors chiming in until a plan was formed. The other coven members would be working hard to get us in a good position to fight for our homes and lives.

“You need to attend too,” Delta said. “You won’t have a team like the others, but it’s clear you and Wild are powerful together. We’ll need to work with you as a pair.”

Wild’s gaze met mine.

“We’ll schedule it in,” I replied to her. “Varden, what about your unity incentives?”

“Going as per our plan. Not having the effect I would like to see, nor in the timeframe I would like, but the incentives are being put in place.”

I wasn’t the only one who heard the sadness in his voice.

Varden was taking the state of the coven really hard. Or more that the end of Caves hadn’t seen us band together in an instant. I’d need to speak with him one-on-one. He couldn’t put so much pressure on things. I mean, I’d love if the coven was one big happy family already. Also, if someone asked me five days ago how the coven was doing, I might’ve burst into tears. Things could change overnight. We were dealing with people with a range of beliefs and opinions and priorities and ideas, after all.

Returning to a unified coven would take time, and there would be ebbs and flows on the way.

Opal slid the document case with the alliance contract across the stone table toward me. “You have a lot to do, High Esteemed, but the Vissimo and Luthers asked that you deliver the signed contract to them in person in Bluff City. They’ve provided an address. The king would like to meet you.”

King Julius.

I’d only met the son of the ancient Vissimo. Kyros was powerful and scary enough to make me wonder what his parents were like. “Then that’s where I’ll start.” I glanced to where Wild was warring with himself not to make demands about coming.

I sent him an image of us both stepping into a portal. I sent the image gently, so I wouldn’t knock him flat on his back. We’d been practicing since discovering the new development in our bond.

“Wild, how long until your next shift?” I asked.

His relief floated to me, and gratefulness. I was leader, and while I didn’t see our relationship that way, he didn’t want to make demands of me as the high esteemed. As far as I was concerned, where I went, he went, and vice versa.

“I’ve got time,” he replied.

I stood, the contract in hand. “Huxley, tell Spyne he’s needed and please gather everything we have on the subject of demons. The contract allows us access to their information on demons and their access to what we have. Delta, you’re in charge of alerting me if the demon alarms go off. I want to know immediately.”

Barrow shifted on his seat. “High Esteemed, shouldn’t we send you with more protection?”

Wild stiffened. Yikes, Barrow was stepping on his protector toes.

“Why do you say that?” I asked the advisor.

“You and Wild are the first mated magus. You must be cared for.”

Cared for.I struggled not to shudder. “Let’s be clear, Barrow. Nothing will change now you’re all aware of the mating ritual. I wouldn’t have taken extra magus last week, and I won’t today. I’m certain that the Vissimo king could kill me and anyone else I took if he so chose, and I’m better to take fewer magus in an attempt to invoke trust in the new relationship than take an army with me. Thank you for your concern, though.”

A symbol on the wall glowed, then another and another, and he was a step behind Opal and Winona in answering the next round of calls.

I wrinkled my nose. The other covens hadn’t wanted anything to do with us until now—not when this coven had looked down the gun barrel at the demon king and his army. They’d just obeyed the original coven until the mating ritual was on the table to dissect and discuss.

I’d remember who my original supporters were.

“We better get going,” I muttered to Wild and Huxley. “I have a lot to catch up on.”

And I looked forward to doing that. When the coven seemed one rumor away from turning on me, I’d held out for a pinprick of light at the end of the tunnel. I’d spotted that pinprick now.

Maybe. Maybe things were about to start working with me instead of against me.