Page 53 of How To Woo A Warrior Orc

“Shit,” Wren agrees.

“Fuck,” Ruby adds.

Violet and Nerissa just stare at the gold cloud where Hash was standing.

“We have some research to do. There has to be a way to break the summoning,” I say.

“No.” Ruby shakes her head. “The damned duchess already accepted their invitation.”

“An invitation accepted is a spell performed,” the rest of us say as one.

It’s one of the first lessons you learn as a witch. An invitation accepted is as good as a binding contract in spellwork.

“Shit,” I repeat.

“You could draw straws,” Caelan suggests.

“Not right now, Caelan,” Wren snaps.

“I could go,” Willow says, and we all whip our heads towards her.

“Absolutely not,” Kieran spits out. “I will not allow it.”

“Why not?” Willow asks. “You don’t think they would be satisfied with me as a bride? Is that it, Kieran? Not good enough?”

He looks shocked for a moment, like she’s slapped him, but it turns into a sneer quick enough. “If you say so.”

I gasp.

Tears well in Willow’s eyes, and she turns, pushing past the few revelers left and running from the tent.

“That was rude,” Caelan tells him. “Now she’s just as like to offer herself up to spite you.”

Kieran blinks, his lavender skin paling at the words, and then he’s running after Willow’s red curls, disappearing into the night.

“Okay, then,” I say on an exhalation. “We have research to do.”

“I can send word to the coven oversight committee?—”

“No,” Wren yells out, and we all startle. “No,” she repeats. “Getting them involved is a bad idea. You have no idea how corrupt they are.”

“I agree.” Rosalina, the animal witch who cares for our familiars… and who has never once expressed any interest in anything we’ve done in town, stands at the edge of our fraught little circle. She tucks her hands into the pockets of her trousers. “The coven oversight committee is a bad idea. I can help.” She raises her chin.

“Oh, now you can help?” I say. “How convenient for you.”

“Some things are set in motion that we have no control over,” Rosalina says, and her brown eyes are so sad that I almost find myself agreeing with her. “This is one of those things. I couldn’t say anything.”

“He cursed you into silence,” Caelan chimes in. “That wily bastard. You struck a deal with him, didn’t you?”

She nods, and there’s no mistaking the sorrow etching lines into her forehead.

“I can help you navigate what’s to come, but I might not be able to answer all your questions.”

“That’s something, at least,” Nerissa says, somewhat recovered. “What do we do now?”

“Tonight? Tonight, I think, you enjoy each other’s company. Enjoy the hard work that went into this beautiful event, and sleep well. Rest, and tomorrow morning, we will prepare for the storm that’s brewing.” She takes her time, meeting each of our eyes in turn. “Make no mistake about it, we’ll each have a role to play.”

Her gaze lingers on Violet for a fraction too long before she breaks into a small smile.

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