Page 52 of Last Gift: Supernatural Battle

None of the other leaders seemed to think much of the comment, but who the hell else just heard? There were definitely magus ears on our conversation.

The Luthers were done inhaling food, and Wild had me on edge. We needed to go. “How about we take this to a more private location?”

“As long as there’s alcohol” was Basilia’s reply.

I smirked. “I can do one better than that.”

“I don’t do drugs that much.”

That much. I grinned. “Not drugs, no. Rooke,” I called.

My cousin looked my way.

“Could we borrow your magic in my quarters soon?”

She dipped her head.

“This way,” I said, and led them from the eating chamber. I was glad to be out of there, if truth be told. Though that went as smoothly as possible from a coven perspective.

I released a breath.

Wild walked beside me, and I cast him a searching look. His contrition floated to me through our bond, and I sent him a reassuring warmth. He was being overtaken in his own body. I knew this wasn’t “him” as much as an uncontrollable response to the threat of the other males. Not that it hadn’t complicated matters today.

We entered my quarters not long after, and Basilia turned in slow circles as she followed me in. “Now this is a better size. Only three levels, though.”

Kyros circled the room in a different way—as a tiger might—then returned partway along the far wall. He cocked his head. “What is here?”

Sascha approached it, too, and sniffed. “There’s something.”

“You can sense the demon gate?” I quickly joined the two males. Wild stuck close by.

Kyros answered, “There is a hum. An ugly pulse.”

“And an ugly smell. Pain and decay,” Sascha added quietly. “There’s a gate in your quarters?”

“The only gate in our caves.”

“And there’s no one else to guard it?” Sascha watched me closely.

“There is. And I won’t put another at risk when I’m the best equipped for such a job.”

“Why are you best equipped?” Andie said next.

“Because she is the most powerful,” Wild answered. “And the only magus here to possess four affinities, one of just a few in the world. Barriers woven of four affinities proved effective against the demons during our recent battle with them.”

Andie hummed. “Barrier?”

I let magic float from my hands toward the demon gate where I formed a shining barrier of four affinities. “There are many jobs a barrier can fulfill. This one is a physical barrier and also a silence barrier. We usually have a physical barrier around our coven territory, for instance, to protect us from attack.”

Kyros was inspecting my magic.

“For some reason, I didn’t think I’d be able to see your magic,” Basilia mused.

“Humans can’t,” I replied. “Supernaturals can. Unless I decide to use a concealing charm.”

Rooke entered as I took an armchair by the fire, then summoned more for my guests.

“So you can make anything you want appear out of thin air?” the princess demanded of me.

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