Page 189 of The Warlock's Trial

“Autumn,” Professor Warren said.

Of course. My reaper master was the only person who knew we were here.

“Well, send her away,” I bit. I didn’t want to talk to her, not after how our last meeting ended.

“She’s quite insistent,” Warren pressed. “She knows where we are. She’ll keep coming back.”

I scoffed. “I’d like to see her try to get through our wards.”

Warren sighed. “She wants to make things right with you. You might want to hear what she has to say.”

“You should go,” Nadine said from behind me.

I turned around, and it was the first time I realized that the laughter coming from the kitchen had died. Everyone had gathered to see what was going on.

“Autumn spent years protecting you,” Nadine said. “She made some bad choices along the way, but there’s a part of her that cares. You should hear her out.”

“What am I supposed to say, Nad?” I asked hopelessly. “You came back, so you’re forgiven?”

“You don’t have to say anything,” Nadine suggested. “If she’s come to apologize, then just listen. Extend an olive branch and invite her in for dinner. We owe her one. She kept an eye on us even after we blew her off last December. She was here the night the twins were born, and she killed the Executors so they couldn’t get to our babies. It’s the least we can do after she killed those Executors to protect us.”

I breathed a heavy sigh, but I was only doing this because Nadine wanted me to. “All right. I’ll give it a shot.”

Chloe conjured the Mentalist Wand. “I’m coming with you.”

“So am I,” Talia said as the Seer Wand appeared in her hand. “If Autumn has any ill intentions, she’s not getting past four Oaken Wands.”

We followed Warren outside, and he led us to the edge of our border. Grant and Miles stood there, their wands pointed at Autumn. She stood only feet away from them on the other side of the ward boundary. She wore a dark cloak and held her hands up in surrender.

“What do you want?” I asked, a bit too harshly.

Slowly, Autumn lowered her hands. “I came to make amends.”

“Why come after all this time?” I demanded. “It’s been months since we last spoke. You showed up the night our children were born, but you didn’t bother to stay long enough to accept a simple thank you.”

Autumn’s features paled. “I did not know your children had been delivered. It’s true I saw the Executors coming and killed them before they could get to you, but I assumed it was another group of scouts like the others.”

“You could’ve stayed and let us explain,” I growled. “Instead, you come only when it’s convenient for you to tear Executors to shreds. Is there a group closing in on the safe house now? Is that why you’re here?”

“No!” Autumn insisted. “I’ve not come to hurt anyone. Those months since we met that I spent in silence, I was trying to convince myself to come see you.”

I crossed my arms over my chest. “What stopped you?”

“I was afraid you wouldn’t want to see me,” she admitted.

“Then you were right,” I stated coldly.

“Please, Lucas,” Autumn begged. “I’m here because I want to apologize. I never meant to cause you any harm. I should have come to you years ago. I should’ve told you the truth. I can’t change what I did, but maybe I can do better in the future.”

I took a long stride forward, until Autumn and I were face to face, with nothing but an invisible magical ward between us. “You left me alone. All the times you claim to have been there for me were only when it was convenient for you. If there was ever a risk of you being exposed, you never showed up for me. Your one job was to hand down the Reaper Records, and you did that. Now you show up after all this time wanting to make amends? It’s too little too late. I didn’t need you then, and I don’t need you now.”

I whirled around to head back up to the house, but Autumn shouted after me. “The Reaper Order failed me, too!”

I stopped in my tracks and slowly turned back around. I was aware the others’ eyes were on me, but all I could focus on was Autumn. “The Order didn’t fail me, so don’t act like we have that in common. I passed the Warlock’s Trial.”

“You did?” Autumn appeared stunned.

I eyed her skeptically. “It’s strange, you know. You don’t speak to me for months, but just weeks after I join the Reaper Order and obtain the Mortana Wand, you want to come crawling back? Why are you really here?”

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