Page 127 of Last Gift: Supernatural Battle

Wild ran a hand through his hair. “Tempest, I’m so sorry.”

As though their actions were his fault. “They don’t want to appoint you as regent because they need you to rule their coven,” I said drily.

“And they hope to break you into the mold of a proper wife in the meantime,” he said.

Opal and Barrow shot him a look but didn’t comment.

I lifted a shoulder. “They would be unpleasantly surprised in that regard.”

I didn’t just refer to what my general reaction to that would be. The Astars had invited a magus-demon to stand by their heir’s side one day and rule their coven. I almost wanted to take them up on the offer only to whisper the truth to them on their death beds. “Don’t beat yourself up about the decisions of your parents. Being so perfect yourself was always going to mean your family were egomaniacal rulers. Life doesn’t come without downsides.”

His mouth quirked up in a wry smile.

My words appeared to have melted Ruby and Opal’s hearts.

“Please tell me you aren’t considering this,” Winona said. “Their offer is misplaced to the extreme, and this coven won’t accept their high-handed decision of who should rule us, nor their written attack on your self-esteem.”

She was pissed. I wanted her to swear again. “I’m not considering it. I’ve expected the letter since admitting the quipu attack hurt me. Frond’s expression as I spoke those words was akin to the joy a mother experiences welcoming her baby into the world.”

Winona’s eyes narrowed. “Frond.”

There was a general grumble from the other advisors. Pure murder shined from Wild’s dark gaze. I was feeling quite partial to Frond on the other hand. He’d made my damn day by triggering this message. “Frond indeed. Wild, you mentioned setting a trap for our favorite coven member. I would imagine Frond is very eager to know my response to this letter. I also know that his group takes turns watching me.”

“They spy on you?” Ruby said in outrage.

“They do.”

Opal snorted. “You’re suggesting a ploy?”

Like in Caves… I hadn’t thought of it that way. “A ploy, yes. The tricky part would be figuring out how to witness anything he conveys to the original coven.”

A calculating gleam had entered Wild’s eyes. “Leave it with me, High Esteemed.”

I would. “Then we’ll delay my response for now. However, a symbolic response is needed for those in this chamber.”

I summoned a stone bowl, then some tinder. Next, sticks and a bag of fluffy, cloudlike candies.

“What are these?” Huxley picked up the bag. “What’s this slippery material over the top?”

“That’s plastic. You’re better off without it. Inside is a human treat called marshmallows.”

I set the Astars’ letter alight with my magic, lowering the flaming letter into the stone bowl to set the tinder on fire. I opened the bag of marshmallows, then picked up a stick and slid the soft candy onto the end.

I gestured to the bag and other sticks as I hovered the marshmallow over the dancing flames. “Go for it. You’ll only be missing out. Toasted marshmallows are a human custom we definitely need to acquire here.”

And marshmallows toasted over the burning remains of the Astars’ cold-blooded excuse of an offer would be tastier still.

32

Wild entered our temporary room that wasn’t seeming so temporary.

“What are you doing?” He shrugged out of his heavy cloak.

I cracked open an eyelid. “Following the threads in my mind.”

“Nice.”

I closed the eyelid, then opened it again. “You don’t think that sounds crazy?”

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