Page 15 of Last Gift: Supernatural Battle

I’d negotiated their support against the demons and future threats while standing over Wild’s body. They’d apparently decided not to uphold that in good will. “It does uphold it at the bare minimum. It’s a message of what we can expect from them.”

He ran a hand through his brown hair. “Shouldn’t have expected any different.”

“No.” I sat up, folding my legs on the couch.

Wild sat next to me.

“Unfortunately,” I said, “what the original coven does is important to how other covens perceive us. I received a stack of letters. The original coven has whispered in the ears of other high esteemed already. There were several congratulatory notes that also conveyed the unfortunate inability of such-and-such coven to risk their members to our cause.”

Wild stilled. “How many?”

“The majority. A few have voiced their support and resources. Seven.”

“That’s something.”

Until they learned what I was.

“You know what you need to do then,” he said.

I nodded. “Yes. The coven won’t like it.”

“No, and I’ll be with you every step of the way.”

I rested my head on his shoulder.

We sat there for a time.

“Any luck speaking to your demon again?” he asked softly.

I shook my head. “I think speaking through me to the other demon and adding her magic to the barrier over the gate in Varden’s room wore her out. Her smoke is still in my divination affinity, but she’s tucked away inside and hasn’t come out.”

Wild didn’t say anything. He didn’t have to.

“That worries you,” I stated.

He forced a smile. “I like to worry about you. What’s she doing now?”

I closed my eyes and traveled up my divination affinity. There was a time when I only had to step into the affinity to find her mist of black smoke. Now, I drifted for a time until stopping before her nest. “Anyone home?”

The black smoke swirled lazily. No red eyes, no hissing. No demon smile that I was growing to like. “If you’re hurt, then I’d like to help. Just tell me how.”

Her absence hadn’t concerned me to this point, but a week had passed, and I felt a twinge in my gut. “I really hope you’re okay in there.”

I waited.

Nothing.

After another minute, I retreated from my magic and pulled a face at Wild. “She’s not answering. She’s been gone for a while…”

His expression was smooth. “She could be recovering, as you say. What other reason could there be?”

He was holding back on something. I went along with his questions for the moment. “That my magus side has become too strong for her to occupy a space within me.”

Wild nodded. “You were worried about that a while ago—when she retreated farther up your affinity.”

I had been. “I don’t feel different.” I broke off.

“What?”

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