Page 11 of Last Gift: Supernatural Battle

I waved a hand. “Not important.”

She crossed the space to whack me. “No more jokes.”

Ouch. I rubbed the spot. Being a Corentine—though she went by her mother’s last name in the coven—Rooke would secretly enjoy inflicting pain now and again. And she was the nicest Corentine I’d met. Her usual medium was poisons and illicit substances and setting ghosts on people, though, not physical violence.

“No more jokes,” I promised. “Your talents in apothecary are wasted learning the properties of calendula. You should be in the Greenhouse of Fun, and now that I’m Queen Tempest, I can put you there.”

Her eyes gleamed in a concerning type of way. “What will people say?”

“Do you care?”

Rooke’s gaze flickered. “Yes.”

I didn’t downplay the insecurity. She really did struggle with what people said about her. “You’re developing weapons against the demons. Poisons. And also studying my blood.”

“That’s dark magic,” she hushed.

“My blood was able to permeate the scales of the powerful demons to kill them—and that will hold true with the weaker ones, I’m assuming. I want you working with Huxley to figure that out.”

“I won’t be doing any blood magic,” she clarified.

“I’d never ask that. I want to understand what properties within my blood could be replicated for use against the demons. Or combined with other weapons to make them more potent. Obviously I don’t trust anyone else with my blood except a person of my blood.”

Rooke’s eyes gleamed again. “I don’t know what’s possible, but I’m excited to try.”

“People may say that you’re only in there because you’re my cousin,” I warned her.

“I’m sure they will,” she said, blowing out a breath. “I’ll prove that I’m worthy.”

There she is. “Yes, you will. Wild’s in charge of demon-gate sentry measures. We’ll also have a lead strategist appointed soon. You’ll work with both of them directly on anything you and Huxley develop. I’ll need you to keep the blood aspect of what you’re doing under wraps. If you need another space to test that out, then you’re welcome to use the second floor of my quarters here.”

“Got it.” She glanced at the door.

I followed her focus. “You want to go to the Greenhouse of Fun now, don’t you?”

“Yes.”

I snorted and passed her a sealed letter. “To hand to Selene when she tries to bar your access.”

Rooke snatched the letter from my hand and boosted out the door. I should have been scared of what I’d unleashed. But I was a Corentine, too, so I laughed in a sinister kind of way instead.

What next?

I’d already spoken with Ruby, who’d been totally shocked by my request and stammered through her thanks and acceptance of the position of advisor. I’d passed her Sage’s old pendant and summoned black robes for her. I had a good feeling about her.

Huxley was next.

I opted to walk to his proven rooms, making sure to acknowledge any coven members I passed. I wasn’t meant to smile, according to Sven. And to be fair, smiling for the sake of it wasn’t really me. I settled for a slight dip of my head.

All I got in return were a few half bows and wide-eyed expressions.

Yikes.

I raised a hand to knock at Huxley’s door. Unlike him, I still had manners. The door was cracked open, and Spyne’s voice floated out, halting my movement.

“There’s something more going on,” Spyne was saying. “Why won’t you tell me?”

“There isn’t. How many times do I need to say it?” Huxley answered.

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