Page 14 of Midwinter Night's Prince

She could see it all too easily.

Fuckity fucking hell!

What had she gotten herself into?

She had no idea.

One thing was crystal clear, however.

If she was right about this chilling theory, there was only one place on Earth where she could get answers.

8

A COLD DISH

Seth contemplated the witch in front of him, not certain where to set his eyes first. She was a sight, for sure. Her thin thighs were covered in black fishnet, artfully ripped in places. The red leather shorts she wore left nothing to the imagination. She'd paired them with a crop top and a long woolen cardigan. Her plump lips were painted a red so dark it appeared almost black.

She was attractive, Seth supposed. Not his type, though.

He ignored the part of him that told him he would have gladly sampled the wares on display a few months back.

"What's this?" he asked Gerald, confused.

The scout had brought the girl to their compound at the end of his shift. Seth wasn't about to judge the boy for finding a companion for the night, but he couldn't begin to comprehend why Gerald was bothering to bring her in front of him. Was she supposed to be a present? Because he'd pass.

"This is Axia Lewis. She'll be joining us."

"I think not."

The girl narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms under her chest. Her tits practically spilled out of her tiny top's neckline. No doubt she won plenty of arguments with that trick. "Listen, girl—"

"I'm twenty-four, hardly a girl. And you need me."

Seth could only laugh.

"Her Majesty insists," Gerald said, making Seth sigh.

Great.

"Why the hell would Aveka want someone who'll only slow us down?" Seth didn't mind dragging his feet, but he would have bet Aveka was against it.

"I won't slow you down," the girl attested. "And unlike you, I know Blair pretty well."

Her declaration got his attention. Seth regarded the girl with more interest this time, scanning beyond her haggard, tawdry appearance. She was a witch. He wouldn't have thought so at first glance because her magic was entirely inconsequential, weaker than butterfly wings against the wind.

"You're a friend of Blair's, then?" He couldn't quite comprehend what she was doing here in that case. Had Aveka turned her mind, too?

The girl huffed. "Hardly. She had me almost killed, and thrown out of the Institute."

Ah. An enemy. Seth didn't think Blair would have amassed many of those, save for the few she'd adopted out of loyalty, such as Aveka. She was too amiable, vivacious, and perfectly civil for anyone to personally dislike her.

Indeed, the weakling might know Blair better than any friend if she hated her.

Seth tilted his head. "Well, come on in, then. It's getting cold."

Because they were in Canada, just like Blair. Only on the opposite coast.

He escorted the newcomer to the sitting room occupied by the rest of the merry band of idiots. Now that Gerald was back, Vince had left to scour the city.

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