Page 3 of Midnight Witch

It was from the knowledge she’d passed on in her journal that Roman had learned how to wield his Fire Magic in secret. Unbeknownst to him, his abilities had ended up placing him in the line of sight of Oscar Beneventi and the Dark Council.

Nikolai Stanisic’s trip to Prague toward the end of summer had been cut short when he, Mae, and Vlad had been forced to face the Dark Council alongside their allies. It had been a deadly confrontation that had seen the white magic sorcerer gain new powers and Roman freed from Oscar and Barquiel’s grasp before they could use the young man for their nefarious scheme.

The Dark Council had never suspected the secret Roman had been keeping from everyone. Like Nikolai, he too could access ley lines, making them the only two sorcerers in the world with that gift. But it left him and his chameleon familiar Filomena with the same debilitating side effects that Nikolai suffered from.

Just as Nikolai and his familiar Alastair had gone to Prague to train with the Council of the Moon to learn how to overcome this weakness, so too had Roman and Filomena. Since the closest thing to his Fire Magic was Sun Magic, they had traveled to Egypt to train with Nadia Hadid and the Council of the Sun after his school term finished in Prague.

It was the agreement Bryony Cross, Ludmila Vissarion, and Budimir Volkov had collectively come to a few weeks ago.

Mae smiled wryly. It hadn’t been difficult to convince Nadia to take on the task. She and her council had as much to gain from training Roman as he had from working with them.

CHAPTER2

Mae messaged Roman back.

It can’t be that bad.

His reply had her smiling.

Filo and I are planning on running away. We’re thinking of bribing a camel rider.

Mae raised an eyebrow as she tapped out a response.

A camel rider? Where the heck are you? I thought you were training in Cairo!

We’re in a fortress in the desert. There are enough guards in this place to rival Fort Knox.

Mae grimaced. Considering what had happened to the headquarters of the Council of the Moon during their last battle with the Dark Council, she could hardly blame Nadia and her coven for taking extra precautions. Marlena Kosek, Nikolai’s aunt and the High Priestess of the Prague coven, had only just found a new location to replace the one that had been destroyed at the end of summer.

I have to go. My jailor calls.

Mae chuckled.

Say hi to Nadia for me.

Will do. See you soon.

Mae had promised Roman he and Filomena could visit her in New York for a short vacation once they’d finished their training in Egypt. She still hadn’t told Nikolai and Vlad about this.

She chewed her lip.No doubt they’ll have something to say about that.

Brimstone finished wolfing down his second meatball sub and gave her a side-eyed look.You know you’re only giving that boy false hope by letting him think he has a chance of becoming your consort.

Mae met the fox’s shrewd gaze. “I know. But I want to support him.”

Roman had expressed his wish to be considered for the role of her future partner when he’d come to New York with Budimir and Ludmila a few weeks back.

She sighed. “I mean, why do I even need a consort in the first place?”

In your case, it would be best if you had one. Brimstone grunted.Or several, in fact. That sorcerer is lucky you haven’t jumped him yet.

Mae couldn’t deny this. Living under the same roof as Nikolai was becoming a dangerous exercise in self-control, never mind what Vlad did to her libido whenever he was around.

I don’t see what the problem is with taking them all as your consorts, my witch,Hellreaver stated.Orgies are not to be underestimated.

Mae’s cell started ringing before she could come up with a suitable riposte. It was Bryony Cross this time.

“Hi, Bryony. What’s up?”

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