Page 17 of The Darkest Night

Their job here was done for now. He doubted the Dark Council would attack the Witch Queen again tonight. Not with the eyes of every coven in the world and the U.S. government Special Affairs Bureau locked on New York.

He turned to walk away, felt a presence at his back, and spun around, his watch transforming into the spear once more.

“Steady there.” A young woman with purple hair and blue eyes landed on the rooftop. “If we’d wanted to attack you, we would have done so back on that high-rise.”

She observed him with a probing stare as the arming sword in her hand retracted to a silver ring on her right middle finger. The white rabbit on her shoulder twitched her nose, pink eyes gleaming with intelligence.

A guy with brown hair and eyes who looked a few years older alighted next to the woman, a frown on his face and his saber shrinking to a bracelet on his left wrist.

“Man, you dropped us like we were horse shit back there,” he muttered.

The boa constrictor around his chest tasted the air curiously with her tongue.

Nikolai watched them stiffly. It was the witch and the sorcerer who had helped him fight off Oscar and the Dark Council. They looked remarkably unscathed considering whom they’d been facing, the only signs of the battle they had engaged in the singe marks on their clothes.

They’re strong.

Alastair’s head darted forward as he focused on the rabbit and the snake. Nikolai sensed only interest from the crow. The bird evidently didn’t consider the other familiars his foe.

“I’m sorry about that,” he said gruffly, relaxing slightly. “I needed to get away from there.”

The witch’s gaze shifted past him. She arched an eyebrow.

“Is that her?”

Nikolai found himself standing protectively in front of the still figure on the ground. He blinked rapidly.

His body had moved of its own volition.

He turned and narrowed his eyes at the pentagram pendant around the Witch Queen’s neck.

Wait. Did that thing just manipulate me into protecting its mistress?!

The weapon projected an air of blissful innocence where it lay against the woman’s chest.

Alastair cocked his head at Nikolai, puzzled.

“Hey, Vi,” boa constrictor guy hissed out the corner of his mouth. “You sure that’s the Witch Queen? She kinda looks, I don’t know—weak.”

Nikolai’s hand clenched on his spear. “How did you know?”

The purple-haired witch heaved a heavy sigh. “You’d have to be a moron not to sense her magic.”

“Yeah.” Boa constrictor guy nodded briskly. He stopped and glared at the witch. “Wait. Did you just call me a moron?!”

She ignored him. “Why is the second son of the Sorcerer King helping the Witch Queen, his sworn enemy?”

Nikolai kept his expression neutral as he met her piercing gaze.

These guys know a lot.

“Hey, should we really be having a chat with him?” Boa constrictor guy pursed his lips. “Aunt Barb and Bryony will read us the Riot Act if they learn we’ve been fraternizing with the enemy.”

Nikolai stiffened. “Bryony? As in Bryony Cross, the High Priestess of the New York coven?”

“Way to go, dumbass,” the witch told her companion scathingly.

Relief shot through Nikolai.

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