Page 64 of Rites of Passage

Ryu paled at the L-word. “Excuse me.”

She shot out of her chair and vanished in the direction of the closest restroom.

Yoo-Mi stared after her critically. “Well, there goes our plans for the morning.” She cut her eyes to Mae. “Are you wearing that to the meeting?”

Mae paused, the fried eggs she’d spooned out of the serving dish slipping onto her plate with a faint splat. “Yeah.” She looked down at her outfit. “Why, is it too casual?”

“I think you should wear the velour pantsuit,” Vlad said.

Mae narrowed her eyes. “Which one? You bought so many.”

Vlad’s gaze grew heated. “Should I help you choose?”

Heat flooded Mae’s cheeks. “No, thanks.”

Ye-Seul sniggered into her porridge. Yoo-Mi flashed her a disapproving glance. Mae looked at Nikolai, half expecting him to berate the incubus.

The sorcerer was eating his toast with a distracted expression, oblivious to their conversation. Mae stared before leaning across the table.

“What’s wrong with him?” she hissed out the corner of her mouth.

“I don’t know.” Vlad shrugged. “He’s been that way all morning. Maybe it’s his time of the month.”

He lobbed a steak at Tarang. The tiger caught it and swallowed it whole.

Mae wrinkled her nose. “Period jokes? Really?”

Vlad smiled thinly. “I’d do cartwheels if it’d help lighten your mood, Princess. Your shoulders look so tight they’re almost touching your ears.”

Mae bit back a sigh. The incubus had a point.

The way Bryony was surreptitiously studying Nikolai told Mae the High Priestess likely knew what had the sorcerer preoccupied. Ryu returned and managed some dry bread. They finished breakfast just as Noah turned up with his team.

“Have a nice day,” Mae told her family as they got up to leave. Her smile slipped from her face after they exited the room. “Noah knows not to bring them back until we give him the signal, right?”

“Yes,” Bryony replied. “He’s taking them outside the city.”

“Good. I’ll go change and meet you at the elevator.”

Vlad grinned when he saw her minutes later. “You went for the black one.”

Mae rolled her eyes. She wasn’t going to admit how nice the clothes he’d bought felt against her skin. Her stomach fluttered as they made their way to the sixth floor.

I hope this works.

Brimstone huffed.If it doesn’t, Hellreaver and I can always kill them.

Mae frowned.Killing the High Council won’t solve our immediate problems. We still need to figure out what this key is for and why the Dark Council wants it.

I know, the fox countered.But ending those rude assholes’ existence would make us feel better.

Hellreaver vibrated in agreement.

Though Raven had been shaken by the contents of Linus Jarrett’s note, the L.A. coven High Priestess had rallied around and promised to help them. Mae chewed her lip.

Her assistance was going to be invaluable to their scheme.

They exited the elevator and proceeded to the conference room Armand had given them directions to. The secretary was standing outside when they got there. One look at his face and Mae knew things were not going well. Voices reached them through the door.

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