Page 9 of Two Who Live On

I sat up, annoying Charlie who leapt off me and walked out of the living room, leaving orange hairs across my dark shirt. Milo made this guild event out to be no biggie!

I scoffed, completely tuning out the reporter asB-roll footage played during her brief explanation to the importance of the Global Rankings. The Global Ranking’s Ceremony was a yearly event acknowledging the most elite enchanters based on missions, accomplishments, and a thousand other thinly veiled selective factors that all boiled down to who-knew-who and how well they played the game. As if that in itself wasn’t annoying enough, they painted the ceremony like it actually acknowledged witches across the globewhen the worldwide rankings were only based on U.S. enchanters. Still, for a list that considered millions but only selected a few hundred, this was a triumphant accomplishment.

“While I’m so honored to be considered, I feel like Cerberus is making a much bigger deal out of this than necessary,” Milo said. Correction, Enchanter Evergreen said, because he always picked his words so precisely.

But people in the city loved his accolades—even his showboating from time to time—so who was the audience he kept coy for? I doubted the panelist for the Global Rankings cared.

“This year’s most eligible enchanters will be announced soon, and with that fancy new ranking, I’d wager a lot of viewers are curious if you’ll be on that list again.”

Milo blushed. “There are so many other more eligible and amazing enchanters in the city. Honestly, I hope they’re considered before anyone from the Chicago Casting magazine calls me.”

“More eligible?” The reporter had a tartness in her voice, a lull like she’d caught him in wordplay, which she had because Milo and I hadn’t announced our relationship publicly.

It was a lot—letting him in, accepting I deserved happiness again—and I’d reluctantly expressed my fears of too many outside voices evaluating our relationship. I wanted us to work, but I knew what an emotionless prick I could be and didn’t want to shove Milo away for my own convenience.

Milo paused on her leading question. His anxiety swelled while he considered his response, worried his hesitation might feed into a result he didn’t want. I pressed my temples. Milo didn’t worry about that. He was on the other side of the city, well out of range to even my best telepathic pulls. I was anxious. I was worried. I dreaded what he’d say next because I couldn’t decide if him suddenly announcing our relationship was a move I wanted or if I’d be more upset if he continued with the ruse. A ruse I’d pressured him into.

My stomach sank with indecision. I was a fucking moron.

“Does that mean you’ve got someone special?” the reporter followed up. “Rumor has it sparks may’ve possibly rekindled between you and Enchanter Campbell since she took the guild master role?”

“I don’t think workplace romances are for me,” Milo said. “Besides, she’s far too enchanting for someone like myself. Have you met the woman? She’s a force unlike any other, piecing together the fallout those warlocks caused. Honestly, she should be attending the Global Ranking’s Ceremony.”

“Does this mean you’ll be supporting her bid for taking over as the executive guild master?”

The reporter prattled on, complimenting Milo. Somehow, I found myself pacing between the living room and kitchen, cleaning things I had no desire to tend to. I should have just turned off the news. Or maybe I should have checked in on Milo. It wasn’t like he’d reply to a message mid interview, but I could send something supportive for hissmallevent.

“There’s also been talk about you and Hellrazer working more together lately despite the fact Kraken Guild has taken a solitary approach since the fallout with Whitlock Industries. Any chance there are some rekindled embers to that romance?”

“You should know The Inevitable Future would never let a bit of business strife stand in the way of ensuring a brighter future for everyone.”

That’d been a concern of Milo’s since the fallout of Whitlock Industries. Sure, Tobias Whitlock remained strong, but he was reclusive since his implications on illegal contracts and government sanctioned human experiments. Every guild in Chicago clamored for independence, which meant those collaborative joint missions Enchanter Evergreen often relied on for the best outcomes became more difficult to acquire.

“Does that bright future involve you with the brightest flame this city has?”

I clenched my fist so tightly, I wove telekinesis and knocked an empty glass off the table. Thank God for carpets and for being too winded to accidentally fling it against a wall. I took a deep breath, composing myself. Milo and the obnoxious bad boy wannabe Hellrazer didn’t bother me. I wasn’t concerned about Milo straying, and I knew about his relationships when we weren’t together. He had charisma, he had needs, and he shouldn’t have had to isolate himself simply because that was what I’d done. So, no, I didn’t worry about his mountain of exes or how well he maintained platonic relationships with them or the flickers of memories he carried for each of them. They were a part of his life, like everyone he’d worked with, befriended, rescued, and so forth.

What made my hands clammy and throat dry was how the two exes that damn reporter mentioned both fit so neatly into Enchanter Evergreen’s world. The Inevitable Future might regret that I was no prize and incapable of openly accepting his profession or our relationship.

“Enchanter Ortiz is quite phenomenal, but unfortunately, his flame burns bright for another. Or will. Or could. Or should.” Milo laughed off her prodding questions, adding in some jokes and doing what the public loved so deeply about him: he talked candidly, like there were no cameras with thousands of eyes on him, but instead, he sat in a closed room chatting with his best friend.

Screw this.I went to my bedroom, rummaging through every cheap suit I owned. I was halfway out of my clothes and tossing on a button-up before it dawned on me what I was doing.

I was going to Enchanter Evergreen’s little celebration because I wanted Milo to know I supported his world, his role in it, and every accomplishment he’d earned.

Chapter Five

Chapter Five

I stood outside Cerberus Guild, teeth chattering from the frigid cold and the nerves of rushing across town. They’d closed off entry to the general public on account of the party inside. Even my best ‘storming in like I belonged here’ approach wouldn’t get me in tonight. Plus, I honestly only felt comfortable barging in when actually infuriated, which was usually because the suave Enchanter Evergreen had withheld something vital from me. This was also something he’d withheld, but I struggled to piece together whether it was to protect my feelings or his.

They’d practically rolled out the red carpet for this not-so-tiny event. Only this carpet was gold, which seemed like the perfect flourish on Enchanter Campbell’s design; her subtle jab of having everyone in attendance walk over Tobias Whitlock, given his branch magic of abjuration created golden shields. Maybe I was reading toodeeply into it—like everything in my life. But it wasn’t my initial thought, more a collective musing that crossed many of the guests’ minds as they stood in line for the event.

Lighting a smoke, I savored the inhale as my telepathy waned. Thanks to the actual obsessed fans lined against the steel crowd control fence, I didn’t look too creepy casually observing from across the street by the L train exit. What was clearly preferential to photographers had evolved into a curious free for all as folks clamored to meet some of the best enchanters in Chicago.

Small Cerberus event, my ass.

I took another drag and followed the envious thoughts to a more discreet side entrance. A line of guests not flashy enough for the front door was let inside after having their tickets scrutinized. Fuck. I could always fly to the roof, but it was probably locked or had security of its own. The parking garage was out since the valet was in and out of there.

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