Page 83 of House of Mages and Raven

“It’s His Highness or Prince Cade to you!” Fred said. The mages were known to be the least disciplined in the realm, but they also adhered to hierarchy.

Cade turned and smiled. “When Barbie calls my first name, it’s a good sign. When she calls me ‘high sir’ or ‘high prince,’ that’s when the trouble starts.”

“You—we’ll all be fine,” I said. “Even monsters get a break, and we aren’t the true villains in the story.”

“How dare you!” Matt said but Cade waved him away, nodded at me, and strode away whistling the theme music fromSupernatural, an old American TV series.

I blinked. Cade actually looked a lot like a younger Dean.

“I have betterthings to do than babysit wicked Barbie,” Fred said.

“Me too,” Matt said.

They nodded at each other, bumped fists, then turned to trek down the hallway without sparing me a second glance. A moment later, the upstairs door slammed behind them.

I lost track of time after a while, but a day or two must’ve passed. I was even looking forward to visits from some assassins. It was either that or I’d die of boredom.

When I finally heard footfalls coming my way again, I rolled from my bed and perked up. Matt and Fred paused on the other side of the bars, eyeing me warily.

“Hello.” I smiled at them. “May I have coffee? At this point, I’ll even take a black one.” Ever since I’d heard that only serial killers drank black coffee, I mostly avoided drinking it like that.

They looked at the table, littered with empty plates and teacups, then back at me.

“You had tea yesterday,” Fred said. “The whole table of food should’ve lasted three days. Blame yourself for not rationing it.”

They had no idea that I had to consume a lot more food than other supernaturals to stop myself being a danger to others.

“You do know this is detention, not vacation, right?” Matt asked rhetorically.

Fred shook his head in disgust. “I’ve never met a prisoner who demanded three meals a day.”

“But I gotta eat!” I barked viciously.

“All right, all right.” Matt put up his hands. “We’ll bring food tomorrow night. That’s the best we can do.” He gestured at the table. “We didn’t expect you to eat it all, so we came empty-handed. We’re just doing a quick check to make sure you’re up and about.”

“I have enemies,” I said. “Don’t you worry they’ll come to assassinate me since you aren’t doing your job properly?’

“Only high mages can pass through the warded door that leads to this basement,” Matt said confidently. “Any intruder will leave a magical signature. No one is foolish enough to mess with our mages. Also, His Highness issued a no-visitors order.”

“And just your luck, Barbie,” Fred said. “His Highness has to delay his return. So instead of three days, you’ll have to stay here for a week.”

The mage aides rushed off.

“Wait!” I shouted. “Wait a fucking second!”

Matt turned, inserted his hand into his pocket, and took out a protein bar.

“Here,” he said, tossing it at me, and followed Fred out of my sight. A second later, the sound of a door clicking indicated their departure.

He was a bad aim. The protein bar had landed outside the cell, nearly beyond my reach.

We’ll eat them when they return,Sy offered.

“Maybe we should,” I said, and slumped into a chair as I glanced at the empty plates. I should’ve rationed the cakes.

But at least I still had a protein bar. I peeled off the wrapper and nibbled it, not even bothering to check the label to see if it’d expired. My thoughts drifted to Killian. I didn’t get why he hadn’t sided with Grace after the duel. Hadn’t he turned cold toward me as soon as she showed up?

I should not think about him; it only got my panties twisted. As I clenched my teeth to push him out of my mind, Grace’s malicious smirk surfaced, and her parting words echoed sharply in my mind.“You’ll wish you never stayed. The second trial of the Brides Selection is coming.”

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