Page 89 of Last Gift: Supernatural Battle

My nerves mounted as I drew closer to the coven.

Ugh, where should Wild and I start with this mess? After making the mistake of putting off an explanation, I knew we had to fill them in immediately. I may not want to be leader, but I refused to let the original coven place their leader of choice on the authority, especially when that person was Frond. If the coven decided I wasn’t good enough, then they should get to decide who replaced me.

There was no way the coven would elect Frond as their leader. Surely. They’d be more likely to start up Caves again. I’d been awake less than thirty minutes, and despite the rightness flowing through me, I also felt the returning clamor of my responsibilities. What had happened in the last three days? There was so much to catch up on.

Focus, Tempest.

I had to narrow things down. One step at a time. Breakfast first. Then maybe Wild could deliver that speech about our mating ritual. And then?

I’d think about the rest of the long, long list later.

Outside the eating chamber, I paused to take a much-needed breath. I exhaled, hearing the shake as I did so. Wild sent me a reassuring pulse that brought tears to my eyes. Despite all of this, I was so fucking grateful his agony was gone, his feelings of uselessness and worthlessness gone with it. Guilt remained in him over how he’d acted and the effect of those actions on my position, but I couldn’t harbor any grudges over that. He really hadn’t been himself.

Something was going right for us. That was worth so much.

I straightened, tilted my chin, and channeled the energies of my grandmother, mother, and twin as I walked into the chamber.

The volume briefly surged as magus elbowed and nudged each other to pass news of my arrival. And then the volume died down.

Down.

Down.

Silence.

I cast my eyes over the magus, reading relief, a lot of suspicion, and some outright distrust. There was much to be fixed. The demons were only to blame for some of what I could see. Though looking back, the feeling in the coven took a massive dive after the demon gates opened. We had to get Rooke’s antidote launched at the gates, if she hadn’t already.

Most of the advisors sat at their usual table, and I turned to join them when I spotted Varden. I’d forgotten about him with everything else.

“Are you well, sir?” I asked. “I was told you collapsed three nights ago.”

He rested a hand over mine. Did he seem older? There was a sadness in his gaze that could be giving the illusion of it. “I am well, High Esteemed. I was sorry to cause such a fuss.”

“Serene has checked you over?”

His gaze shifted to the apothecary mentor. “Yes, she has. She has done what she can for me.”

“I’m glad. If your duties are too much for your recovery, please let me know. The rest of us can help until you are well again.”

“I’ll be sure to let you know. And how are you faring after fighting off four demons?” he asked.

Four, huh? I would’ve gone with seven, but whatever. “I’m alive and recovered.”

Varden glanced at my upper arm, no doubt at the two runes there that I’d gained over three steps in the mating ritual. “Good. You have been missed.”

By Frond the most, I’d wager a guess. “Thank you, sir.” To the entire table, I said, “There will be a meeting this morning to bring me up to speed.”

Now I’d walked into the eating chamber, I could feel that this was the moment to speak some hard words. I had to address the coven after breakfast.

I didn’t want to. I feared having the truth out there. Hard questions could come from it—how a mating ritual existed between me and Wild being one of them. My fear of this coven, however, was less than my fear of what may happen to the coven if we continued down this divisive path.

Here goes.

I sent battle magic to my throat. “Good morning, everyone. I’m happy to see you again. As you might expect, I’m rather hungry after three days in bed, but there will be a coven gathering afterward.”

Their focus prickled. They didn’t know what to make of my display. If I had something to hide, then wouldn’t I? To show them had been to make them pause and wonder if they’d been too quick to assume dark magic.

Sven, you’re a genius.

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