Page 46 of Last Gift: Supernatural Battle

“No,” he eventually forced out. “We can’t risk it yet. There’s too much that could go wrong if you’re harmed in any way on a journey. This coven needs you.” He added in a drier tone, “I can hold it together as long as needed.”

Could he though?

I had Vissimo and Luthers arriving in two days, and any number of other tasks to see through. “Not right now, no. But it’s an idea in case things get worse.”

“One that holds merit.” He held up the book on Ogham Staves. “In the meantime, how about we bring a memory to life in another way? Care to chat to the first diviner of the staves about how they came to be?”

My lips curved. “Call me a book dork, but the answer is yes.”

13

Dressed in Ryzika’s relics, with my six advisors cloaked in black surrounding me, I waited at the exit of our cave. The knolls were far busier than usual with magus pretending they weren’t here to catch a glimpse of fang or fur.

How would the Vissimo and Luthers arrive? Rhona’s description of Princess Basilia had me imagining her in high heels. High heels were more like high hells when walking in the forest.

“What was powering the barrier?” Varden asked me.

The barrier around the coven that I’d dropped twenty minutes ago? “The last of Corentin’s stored power. I don’t see any reason to keep using a barrier of the same grunt. Really, all we need and all that would be effective now is a deterrent against humans entering the knolls. The centering circles will provide enough residual energy to power that, so I believe we’ll link the barrier to this source.”

“Smart,” Varden answered.

I had my moments.

“You’re sure you want me in the room?” Huxley asked for the tenth time.

From my right side, Wild snorted.

“Huxley, you and Wild have the most knowledge of supernaturals out of the advisors. Yes, I’d like you there.” Winona would be there also. I’d felt it prudent not just to have my friends in the room, and Winona was ever-composed, regardless of her personal views.

I hadn’t wanted Opal in the room, and Ruby was new to concealing her emotions and needed more time. In the interest of keeping a presence of advisors in the caves, I’d left them Varden, and kept Barrow out of this first meeting. Varden because he looked so damn exhausted.

I exhaled. I was grossly underprepared for this meeting. Then again, could a person feel prepared for meeting this group of leaders?

A thumping beat overtook the sky, and my gaze shot upward, seeking out the source. Ah.

“Dark magic,” someone screamed from across the meadow, and I laughed.

“What is it?” Wild asked.

“A human flying contraption called a helicopter. Harmless.” Planes and helicopters never flew over the knolls due to the deterring charm woven into the barrier. When they hit it, the pilots suddenly decided to fly elsewhere.

Casting my magic out, I located the flattest piece of ground and scorched an X onto the grass.

The frightened magus fell quiet at my actions, and the cries of dark magic faded. We were about to open to the outside world for the first time in coven history. These magus were in for a shock if they thought this was dark magic.

The helicopter landed, and as the blades slowed in their rotation, I started forward, my six advisors a few steps behind.

The door was pushed open, and an enormous green-eyed Vissimo exited first. His eyes were cold, and he swept his focus over the surroundings with a practiced eye, taking in the gawking coven magus, the six advisors at my back, and then me.

“Is it muddy outside?” someone called from within.

He answered in a voice that chilled me on the spot. “No, my beauty. Soft grass, however.”

The woman sighed. “I guess that’s doable. A red carpet would’ve been nice.”

Dare I say it, but the expression of the green-eyed male softened in some semblance of a grin.

A drop-dead gorgeous woman exited the helicopter, shoving gently at the Vissimo’s back, who—apparently on purpose—was blocking her from leaving the vehicle.

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