Page 183 of Blue Moon Mistress

“Not requests. We’re not negotiating. Firstly, Charity, Victoria, and Bethany Miller—” I’d made sure I knew their names before I fell asleep “—are not to be held accountable for anything Aphrodite did, or their involvement with her. The same goes for Anthony Wexxon. She was able to fool all of you, you do not get to punish them for their ignorance. Gullible or not, they were influenced by a bad witch’s blood magic.”

“Fine, but we will have to keep an eye on them.”

“How do you plan to do that?”

She meets my gaze, face blank, giving nothing away. “The coven will sort that out before we leave.”

The “without you” didn’t need to be said.

“What are your other requirements?”

“You’ll stop second guessing me at every turn. And,” I know this isn’t something she’ll grant, but I’m irritated enough, I’m willing to demand it. “I want a seat on the council.”

“Out of the question.”

“Is it?” I glance toward where both of the Lourdes women died. “It seems to me that you have an open seat.”

Her jaw is tight, my mother’s gaze is on the pine needles at her feet, but I see the twitch of a smile she’s trying to hide.

“We will discuss it.”

That was a hard no, but she’d offer me something else. It was only fair I waited to hear her out.

“My final requirement? You clean up your mess and leave me out of the rest of it.”

“That, we are happy to do.” She turns, sweeping away from me, cloak fluttering.

“She’ll never let you on the council. You know that, right?” My mother watches me as I watch Renée go.

“Of course.” Only one witch from any family was allowed at a time. “But if you want the improbable, it’s best to open negotiations with the impossible.”

“And what does improbable look like?”

“Full separation from the coven. If you’re going to leave me to deal with the likes of Aphrodite on my own, what good are you?”

Scowling, my mother takes a long breath. “I don’t like it.”

“Neither do I, but we have to deal with a lot of things we don’t like, don’t we?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I met grandma.”

The look my mother gives me is so sharp, I’m surprised I’m not bleeding. “That is information that needs to stay in the Carraway plot.”

“And it will.” I shiver in the cold. “There’s somewhere else I’d rather be.”

“Then by all means, go back to your wolves.”

I don’t wait for anyone else to come bother me.

I drive my still silent-running ATV up into the guy’s backyard and hop off as the engine dies.

“Thank the Goddess.”

I look over my shoulder and one of the younger members of the coven.

“Please tell me you know what to do.”

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