Page 59 of First Ritual
She paused beside Sven, who was still stooped in my hold. I released him, and he faced Rooke, who then had to crane to look up at him.
“St. John’s wort. High dose,” she murmured.
He narrowed his gaze. “What about it?”
“Might make you less of a douchebag.”
I laughed. That’d make anyone less of a douchebag. Maybe even Wild.
Rooke caught my eye and winked. “See you at dinner, cousin?”
“Will do,” I replied, feeling my gut swoop. Still wasn’t used to having a family member. I had a feeling, with Rooke, I’d get used to it.
Sven’s focus trailed after her, the teasing curve to his mouth gone. If anything, the new interest there was of far greater concern.
“New condition of our arrangement,” I announced. “You don’t hurt my cousin, including her feelings. Sven, I’m looking at you.”
Huxley sat in a huff and grabbed another bread roll, squeezing the life out of it as he glared murder at me.
I felt my throat in case he was working some vodou shit.
Wild’s whisper tickled my ear. “Are you playing games, Tempest?”
Leaning away as I rubbed my ear, I answered, “I don’t operate based on your schedule, Astar. I had something to do.”
“What?”
I didn’t reply.
His hand whipped out to curl in the front of my light sweater, much like my hand just curled in Sven’s button-up. I was turned bodily to face Wild.
Hell no. I grabbed his pendants and yanked him closer. “You have one second to let go of me.”
Wild paused to let far more than one second pass. To show the emptiness of my threat, perhaps? He spoke low, “This isn’t a game to me. If it is a game to you, I need to know.”
So I can force you to help, his words seemed to imply.
“It’s not a game to me,” I said sweetly, sending out my magic to probe his pendants. The long, ruby one contained the most magic. The pendant’s edges were smoothest from regular touching. I wrapped my magic tight around it. “Now unless you’d like me to rip this pretty ruby pendant off your neck, I suggest you back the fuck up.”
Wild waited a beat, then did just that.
I straightened my sweater and stood. “Try that shit again and our deal is over.”
The deal would be over soon anyway. I’d met the children without so much as a twitch from my tether. It was time to apply for that transfer.
Until then…
I walked a few steps from the table before glancing back. The quad were watching, and I was magus enough to admit that being the object of their combined attention was super unsettling and not a great feeling. They provided far, far more attention than I was after. Alas. Such was life. “Are you coming? We still have an hour before the next meetings to figure shit out. This isn’t the time to dilly-dally, boys.”
Pivoting, I strode from the chamber, not waiting to see if they followed.
I stopped not long after, beaming, outside of apothecary.
Sven and Wild joined me, one on each side.
“I found it first try,” I announced.
Wild stalked into the learning center.