Page 104 of Last Gift: Supernatural Battle

The question was what we were meant to do. Why had three mated couples in ruling positions been thrust together against all odds?

I could only think of one answer.

To kill the demon king.

26

“Surely there are quieter places to read,” I said to Spyne, who sat cross-legged on a tower of practice mats, one of the Vissimo books on demons balanced on his lap.

“Yes,” he agreed. The magus tucked his ink-black hair behind one ear. “I thought my presence may help Huxley after yesterday.”

“Yesterday when every supernatural in Bluff City flirted with you?”

“Three of them, but yes. Huxley has been irritated since but maintains that there’s nothing wrong.” Spyne sighed. “He often needs a cool-down period before he’s able to admit the truth. Maybe battle training will help, and then we can talk it out. Again.”

Again. That was the first weary word from Spyne when it came to Huxley’s moods. “How are you doing with it all?”

Not like Spyne asked to be super cool and make Huxley feel insecure.

His brows drew together. “I’ve seen that there’s an entire world beyond the confines of the coven. Multiple worlds, really. I find myself wondering if I’m meant to spend my whole life on coven lands.” He watched as Huxley blurred at Wild.

I’d already had my turn with that drill.

“Like Endex?” I asked him. “You feel drawn to study the outside too.”

“Perhaps. Or is it that I feel… discontented? I had an idea that Hux and I would’ve found our rhythm by now. We still fight most days, and the pattern is repetitive. For all Huxley’s intelligence, he cannot see it.”

Oh shit. Spyne was having big doubts. Could I blame him? How many times had Huxley snapped about Spyne being unreasonable? Huxley was kind of incredible, and he’d had a tough time of things. He could also be a complete ass.

“He doesn’t feel worthy of you,” I said after a beat.

“I’m starting to understand that only he can convince himself otherwise. I haven’t been able to. There’s his past in the coven, and then what happened with the demon attack embarrassed him a great deal…. He has things to work through, and I’ve begun to wonder if the time isn’t right for us. If I push this relationship to be what I want now, will things go too far and erase the possibility of a second chance later? If we take a break and walk our own paths for a time, maybe we could find that real connection in years to come.”

Spyne wanted to be with Huxley. He didn’t feel Huxley was ready.

Huxley was going to lose the guy he absolutely fucking adored. “That’s heavy stuff, Spyne, and it’s worth discussing everything with Huxley. That could be what he needs to sort his shit out.”

“I don’t want him to do it for me. I want him to do it for him.”

“Yeah, I get that too.” I leaned forward and hugged the grimoire, who patted me awkwardly after a time.

“If you’re done,” Huxley called our way. “We’re here to help you train, not the other way around.”

I winked at Spyne, then replied over my shoulder, “I’m your high esteemed. You’ll do what you’re told.”

Huxley glared and opened his mouth.

Corey and Sven took positions either side of him, and Sven spoke over Huxley. “Most of this is a waste of time for you two. You’re both incredible battle magus. Your advantages are what the mating ritual has given you. Let’s focus on those. Name one.”

Wild shot me a look. “We’re catalysts for each other’s magic.”

When Wild opened his magic to me, and then I used my magic, it was the difference between speaking normally and speaking through a megaphone. Every charm or attack or defensive move was so much easier. “We should explore the limits of that.”

“And how it may have changed with the latest step in the ritual,” Wild added.

Our magic was one now. We each had a magical identity still, but I could see Wild’s power as I could see mine—how much he had left, and whether he was centered and healthy.

Sven circled to stand behind Wild. “How about you both go through your affinities one at a time and launch some of your usual moves to gauge the difference?”

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