Page 94 of Midnight Witch

Karin’s voice brought her attention back to the current discussion.

“Just the five of you, against the entire Dark Council?” the witch said harshly. “That’s madness!”

“No,” Derrick observed with a brooding look. “It might just work. A small team will be inconspicuous.”

Raven frowned. “I still think they need some help.”

They talked for a while longer before ending the meeting.

Mae parted ways with Violet and Miles outside the coven headquarters and headed to her family’s home in Flushing. She’d promised them she’d come over for dinner tonight. With Nikolai gone, her apartment felt empty. It also held too many painful memories for Mae, even though they’d only lived together since summer.

Vlad had suggested she move in with him.

Mae hadn’t been sure what to make of the incubus’s proposal and had asked for some time to think it over. To her surprise, neither Brimstone nor Hellreaver had teased her on the subject. She got the feeling they quite liked having Vlad and Tarang around.

Mae turned her Vespa into her street and slowed. There were two SUVs parked outside her house. A familiar magic brushed across her skin as she drew level with them.

I can smell Popo, Brimstone said from the basket.

Mae spotted Noah Tegner’s men watching the Medellin coven sorcerers guardedly while they patrolled the area around the property. A different magic flittered against her core and made her frown. She rolled her scooter onto the driveway and headed inside, curious as to why her other visitors were here.

Ye-Seul was taking a plate of sweet rice cakes out of the refrigerator when Mae strolled into the kitchen. Yoo-Mi was washing a cabbage at the sink.

Anya Mendes and her father put down their cups of tea hastily and rose.

“Hello,” Anya greeted her solemnly.

Mendes bowed stiffly. “Witch Queen.”

“Er, hi.” Mae studied Anya closely. It was her first time seeing the witch since she and Cortes had dropped by Vlad’s apartment in the days following their return to New York. “Your wounds look better.”

A sad smile curved the witch’s mouth. “Valentina Flores left a healer with us before she returned to Caracas.”

Ye-Seul paused in the act of serving their guests rice cake. “I smell pastrami and mustard.”

Mae rolled her eyes. “I had lunch at the coven.” She pulled out a chair. “Where’s Ryu?”

“Out shopping with Noah.”

Mendes squared his shoulders. “We’ve come to offer our official apology, Witch Queen. Our coven will pay the city reparations for the damages incurred at the hotel where the reception was held. We—”

He faltered and stopped. His hare made a soft sound at his feet.

Anya clasped Mendes’s hand.

He looked gratefully at his daughter and fixed Mae with a determined stare. “We hope to continue to serve you to our best capacity.”

Mae wrinkled her nose. “How about you stay for dinner?”

“I already asked,” Yoo-Mi said briskly. “We’re havingbibimbapandbulgogi.”She glanced at Brimstone and Hellreaver. “I take it the meat eaters want steak?”

Brimstone’s ears perked up. Hellreaver hummed.

“They had steak for lunch.” Mae ignored the fox and the weapon’s protests. “They’ll have what we’re having.”

The pair drooped.

Mae cut her eyes to the parrot perched next to the harpy eagle on the kitchen counter. “Where’s your lord and master?”

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