Page 25 of Last Gift: Supernatural Battle

My last encounter with Bedwyr was of fighting by his side in the last game against Fertim. We had history, but things weren’t usually this awkward. “Something’s on your mind, Bedwyr. I can almost hear it.”

His fearful expression made me laugh.

“Not really,” I told him. “It’s just an expression.”

His expression cleared, and he smiled. “Right. Sorry, we’re all on edge.”

“It’s to be expected. The place we believed ourselves safe was proved unsafe. That’s not a thought that inspires deep, healing sleep.”

“No,” he agreed. “It’s not. You feel that too? You seem so… unsurprised.”

“Knowledge is some consolation. Which is why I’ll share what I’ve put together with the help of others at tomorrow’s coven gathering. You also know that I grew up outside of the coven.”

His brow cleared. “Yeah, I guess it’s really different out there. Why did your mother and grandmother leave the coven? Why did half of your family stay here?”

Pointed questions. Either a result of the coven’s talk or Frond’s whispers.

It involved a demon king, an unheard-of love affair, and an impossible pregnancy. I could only imagine his face if I’d had the vagina to say that aloud. “I can’t say why they left, Bedwyr, and that ignorance made me angry for a long, long time. It felt like a betrayal that I didn’t know such important things about my family’s past. Yet since then, I have realized that there are things parents and older magus don’t believe a young woman should be told. Perhaps they hope to keep her a child for longer, or maybe they don’t know how to voice hard things. Or maybe, they’d planned to tell me everything the week after they were stolen. I can’t be angry at those sentiments, but I do wish I could tell you.”

“I’m sorry you lost your family.”

“So am I.” Their deaths had come up a couple of times today, and I felt a familiar sadness crush my chest. My twin. My mother. My grandmother. How life would be different. My grandfather, my uncle, Rooke’s mother. Our family had lost a lot because of the love my mother had shared with the previous demon king. She’d died before my grandfather and uncle, but I had to wonder if guilt might not have crushed her if she’d lived. I was glad she hadn’t been witness to my life since losing her. I was glad she only saw the happiest and most content of me. I’d get to that happiness and contentedness again with Wild, I could tell, but there were years in the middle I wanted to forget. That I didn’t want anyone to see.

I left Bedwyr at the entrance as I beelined for the food tables, then after, took my loaded tray to my usual table. Maybe I should sit at a special table now, but I couldn’t be bothered. I wanted to eat like a normal person, not a spectacle.

“What did you say to him?” Sven leaned closer to ask.

I glanced at Bedwyr, who had turned from Frond’s table and the closely watching Josie to join a table of his friends. “Nothing much. Answered his questions.”

“It did good. Try it with the others.”

“Only if Rooke knows antidotes to every poison in the world,” I said, thinking of Josie and her hateful look that morning.

Sven didn’t laugh. He really was concerned about Frond’s group.

“You doing okay?”

“It’s a lot,” he said. “I could use a drink.”

“Did someone say drink?” Rooke sat next to Sven, kissing him on the cheek. Playfulness returned to his eyes.

She looked at him, and her voice gained a hypnotic quality. “Whiskey. On the rocks. Smokey.”

I shoved a zucchini and eggplant fritter into my mouth, along with crispy bacon and salsa dressing. Mmm. Chewing and swallowing first, I then said, “You’re in luck then.”

“Dare I ask why?” my cousin replied.

I swallowed another bite. “Because we need to go out tonight.”

“Can’t,” Corey said from across the table. “Circle.”

True. “The rest of us?—”

“Can’t,” Huxley said. “Spyne and I are meeting with our chosen grimoires.”

“Can’t,” Wild echoed, grimacing. “I’m on sentry duty.” He was torn. “I don’t want you to go by yourself.”

Sven laughed. “Do you realize who you’re talking to? She got hit by fucking lightning, and was like ‘Woo! That felt incredible. I’m so pumped!’. You have nothing to worry about.”

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