Page 114 of Avalon Tower

“About what?” Raphael quirks an eyebrow.

So now he has my back? Dickhead.

Wrythe’s eyes narrow at Raphael. “Is there something going on between you two? Something that would get you kicked out of Avalon Tower?”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” I say sharply.

“As you may have heard me say,” Raphael adds in a glacial tone, “I don’t like her very much, and I find her personality irritating. But like it or not, her magical powers will be an asset to MI-13.”

I stare at him, anger still coursing through my veins.

“The girl has diametric powers,” says Wrythe. “Did you know? Did you cover that up?”

“Yes, I knew,” Raphael says quietly.

My heart sinks. Why is he telling them?

“And you didn’t think to share it with us?” says Wrythe. “With the Seneschal?”

He loves referring to himself in the third person.

“I shared it with the people who needed to know,” Raphael says. “You didn’t need to know.”

“I technically outrank you. You’ve brought a mongrel into Avalon Tower, one with diametric magic. Do I need to remind you about Mordred? You let her participate in critical missions, risking the other agents—”

“I’ll remind you that I was at each of those missions, Wrythe,” Raphael says. “If anyone’s life was at risk, it was mine.”

“And mine,” adds Viviane.

Raphael cuts her a sharp look. “And Nia’s powers and skills saved us. Several times.”

“Whatever Raphael should or should not have told us,” Viviane says, “I am clear on one thing. She passed the last trial. She’s now an agent. These are our rules. Our protocols and procedures.” On the last two words, I’m pretty sure she’s mimicking Wrythe’s plummy accent.

Wrythe shakes his head in disgust. “She clearly cheated her way through. A random person from off the streets?”

“I didn’t cheat,” I say.

“Quiet, girl. I don’t even know why you’re here,” Wrythe snaps at me. “Fine. We can use her as a Sentinel like you first suggested when she came here, Raphael. She can open the way for abler crews. She’s the transportation. If you all insist, I don’t even mind giving her a brass torc. But I’ll be damned if she—”

“I’m sorry, a brass torc?” Viviane says. “Didn’t we agree she passed the shadow trial with the highest score?”

“She passed the written trial with the highest score as well,” Amon says.

Raphael nods. “And during the combat trial, she beat Tarquin Pendragon, and if I’m not mistaken, he got a full score for that trial, so obviously she does as well.”

“And this trial…” Viviane raises her eyebrow. “Well…I don’t know what you’d call what she demonstrated here.”

“I can’t believe this.” Wrythe seethes. “Do you really want to give this wretch something above a brass?”

“A gold torc matches her results,” Viviane says.

I can only stare at them with my mouth ajar. A gold torc? Like Raphael’s? My heart flutters.

“No,” Amon says.

We all look at him.

“Finally, someone with some sense,” Wrythe blurts.