Page 58 of First Ritual

“I didn’t think that was the case. I’m just not sure what can budge. Obviously not Caves, and I wouldn’t dream of interrupting coven routine. I guess the only thing would be the affinity test.”

His brow cleared. “I’m happy to discuss the possibility of pushing your affinity test out.”

I took a deep breath. “Could you? It would lighten the load so I could try to figure out how I feel about Caves. I am interested in the game, I just don’t know if I’m cut out for it, you know? I don’t want to make a hasty decision to transfer.”

His beady eyes glistened. “Absolutely. Let me see what I can do.”

Yes!

“Thank you, Barrow. I appreciate it. I’d also like to pick which council member does the test too.” I didn’t put a question mark on that request.

“We’d thought to give Wild some practice. Up and coming esteemed after all.”

Wild already believed himself to be esteemed. “I’d like to choose,” I injected a bit of my grandmother into my voice.

Barrow frowned again. “Whatever makes you comfortable.”

“Thank you, sir. It would. Are you heading to lunch?”

“Yes, I eat lunch with my grandchildren each day.”

I smiled. “You don’t say?”

15

A platter of food slammed down on the table beside me, spraying spaghetti bolognese across the surface. On my other side, Rooke jerked violently.

I’d been waiting for them.

“We waited for you,” Corentin snarled from behind Rooke.

Huxley, who’d slammed down the tray, picked up a bread roll and threw it at me. “I got you a fucking platter of food and you didn’t show.”

I batted aside the bread roll with a small burst of magic through my battle affinity.

I’d had children to meet at lunch, and Barrow had provided the perfect in. I’d done my meeting round with the coven kids without the quad present to dissect my every move. In my opinion, everything had worked out swimmingly aside from the fact that none of the children was my tether person. “I forgot.”

“You did not,” Huxley said hotly.

Sven watched his bespeckled friend, a wide grin on his face. Huxley didn’t often lose his shit if I had to guess.

Wild straddled the bench on my right. Too close. Tension vibrated through my body. What could I say? Predators could sense each other.

He rested an arm on the table, then glanced at Rooke. “Could we have a moment?”

I rested my hand on hers. “She stays. If you have something private to say to me, we can go elsewhere.”

“You’re sticking up for the drug dealer?” Sven teased.

Red flashed across my vision. I stretched up to grip the front of his button-up, then yanked him down to my level and held him there with my churning magic. “What the fuck did you just say about my cousin?”

His smile grew. “I called her a drug dealer.”

Cocky bastard.

Rooke rose. “It’s okay, Bronte. Doesn’t bother me.”

But it did. My chest squeezed at her smooth expression.