Page 66 of Last Gift: Supernatural Battle

I gripped either side of his face. “If it makes you happy, then I accept.”

Wild selected another of his foundation pendants with care and placed it over my neck. A purr rumbled in his chest after, and I coughed to cover the sound.

“I like the way that looks on you,” he said, heat radiating in his dark eyes. “I’ll get a sentry pendant to you tomorrow morning.”

I arched a brow. “Thanks.”

I wasn’t sure he picked up on the sarcasm there.

Wild turned to convey orders to his team, and I grabbed Huxley, then portaled back to the cave entrance. Several of the novices startled at our arrival.

“You heard Wild’s report?” I asked Sage and Opal.

They nodded.

“I’m calling a meeting for advisors. Wild will remain at the gates with the sentries for now.” I clasped the advisor pendant and trickled magic into it. Delta, Winona, and Varden would feel it. I raised my voice for the benefit of the surrounding magus. “Please be ready to respond and return to this location if further alarms are raised. For now, you may return to the caves. Thank you for your fast reaction to the alarm tonight. I’ll update you once we’ve collected all information.”

I didn’t wait for their response, instead portaling to the safe zone.

“Varden, it’s me,” I called through the door. “All is well for now.”

The barriers on the door dropped, and the esteemed swung the entrance wide. I caught sight of the pale and frightened faces inside. High above us was a pinprick of light where Varden had formed an escape hatch to exit up onto the knolls. I sincerely hoped we never had to use it. If we did, it would be with the knowledge that our home now belonged to demons.

I strode inside. “All five demon gates are open,” I informed those within. “Nothing has come through, and our sentries will remain in force at the gates to ensure we are not without defenses and advanced warning if that changes. Please return to your quarters or evening activities. If you hear another alarm—or an alarm at any point in the future—then reconvene here without delay. The advisors will meet now, and an update will be provided in the morning. Rest may not come easy for you tonight, but be assured that we are taking every measure to ensure your protection.”

Varden joined me, and we walked toward the advisory chamber.

“What purpose can be achieved by opening the demon doors?” he asked, almost as if to himself.

“That’s what we need to figure out,” I said.

The others were in similar discussion when we joined them not long after.

I took my authority. “We can be proud of our response tonight. That was the first test since the demon battle, and we rose to the occasion. It served as a reminder of the real danger facing us.”

We couldn’t grow complacent. And was I relieved the demon gates interrupted Wild telling everyone about our mating ritual? Absolutely.

“Delta,” I said. “This seems a good time to begin demon training for our battle magus. Winona, I’d like you to form a new team and leave your current tasks to Barrow and Opal to continue. You will collaborate with Sage chiefly, and also the mentors of each learning center, Delta being one of them.” Ty, Serene, and a shriveled, old grimoire named Chistyr made up the other three. “Battles alone will not win this fight, and all affinities must develop and train in strategies that may benefit us against the demons. Once all affinities have some individual skills to enlist, we will unite the affinities to see what strategies we can create together.”

Winona replied, “I will see it done, High Esteemed.”

“Wild is doubling sentry duties while the gates remain open. His sentries are setting additional alarms in the ravines. A larger force will remain at all gates overnight. Our task is to make sense of what happened.” I scanned their pinched faces. “Any ideas?”

Varden’s voice held a hypnotic quality. Magus often gained it when deep in their main affinity. “The demon king’s choice must further his desire to expand his territory. Opening the gates is an attack in some way, shape, or form.”

Huxley nodded. “Is it to set us on edge? That negative energy will make them stronger.”

We’d been generating enough negativity without the tactic. If anything, the demon king opening the gates may have realigned the coven once more.

“Is something going in, or is something going out?” Opal posed the question.

Or is something going in more? “Do you suppose that the gates muted how much the demons could feed on us? Maybe the flow of our negative energy will increase?”

Varden’s gaze snapped to me. “Now that we’re aware of their presence, there’s no reason to remain hidden. The demon king might as well gain as much from us as possible—speed up the process to limit the time we have to defend ourselves.”

Ah, fuck. That made too much sense not to be a possibility.

“There’s also the matter of what comes out of the demon gates,” he said.

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