“Unfortunately,” Avi agreed. “Dark witches aren’t the only ones who need to be banned. Hell, you probably don’t remember Quinn and her pack at all, but they almost died simply for being fated mates of mixed species. She has an alpha witch, an alpha wolf, and an alpha vampire in the same harem.”
“Damn, girl.” I laughed. “That’s a hell of a mix. But then again, dragons know better than most that those who want power will stop at nothing.”
“So what happened after the board was thrown into prison. What now?” Kane asked.
“They change leadership, and life goes on. Simple as that. This isn’t the first scandal to hit the university, and it won’t be the last. They’ve been voting on a replacement Arch Mage for a bit. I’m sure the board’s first choice is at the bottom of that roster now. Hopefully, things change for the better.”
“I fucking hope so,” Kane said. “I can’t believe we’re not fugitives anymore.”
Avi laughed. “I didn’t even consider that, but you’re right. No more running.” He paused and frowned. “Does this feel exceptionally anticlimactic to anyone else?”
Niko laughed humorlessly. “Yes. It’s because our true enemy is still at large. We won’t have a true fresh start until the Arch Mage has been dealt with.”
We paused when Connie came over, Niko whispering something to knock the spell out of place while she handed out plates and refreshed our drinks. He kept it down as we ate and talked about lighter things. My heart wasn’t in it now though. I couldn’t shake the feeling of someone watching me. When I turned around for the fifteenth time, Avi finally put a hand on my arm.
“What is it?”
“Someone’s watching,” I hissed. “I can feel it. I’m not crazy. It hasn’t fucking stopped.”
“No one thinks that you’d lie,” he reassured me before letting his eyes scan the large windows beyond. “I see the mayor and an older man. I think he’s the town treasurer.”
“A whole crowd,” Levi muttered in frustration.
“The professor did tell me one thing,” Niko said hesitantly as he kicked the sigil back into effect. The guys all tensed at those words, but I urged him to go on. “He mentioned that getting close could be all it takes for the magic you still have to seize your old magic and reclaim it.”
“He’s still dying,” I said defiantly. “I don’t give a single fuck if I earn my magic back another way. He can’t live.”
“Fuck, that’s hot,” Kane said with a purr of satisfaction. Apparently, angry Farren turned him on. Then he became serious. “And I agree. He’s going to die. If possible, I think Farren should get to choose if it’s by her hand.”
“That’s a power move for a queen,” Levi said, “but ending a life isn’t something to be taken lightly. It takes a toll on you, and you’ll never forget it.”
“I’ll consider that,” I promised Levi. “I know it’s a big thing, but if it comes down to me having the perfect opportunity, I won’t hesitate. I’ve got mates and my babies to protect.”
“I think that’s the alphas’ line,” Avi teased, but I saw pride glimmering in his eyes. “Can we wrap this up? I’m anxious to see what Quinn says.”
“Sure!” I said with false enthusiasm. “Let’s go see the death witch.”
ChapterEleven
Farren
They promised I’d love Quinn, and I was relieved to find that they were right. She was a fun mix of strong and adorable. One of those people you knew had been through some shit and somehow held on to a bright disposition to cover up the bad they’d experienced and seen.
“Thanks for letting us stop by,” Niko said once a huge man answered the door. From the scent, I knew he was a wolf, which wasn’t alarming in itself, but his glower was enough to give me pause. And I didn’t cower easily, no matter how intimidating the alpha.
“Of course,” he said. It sounded downright pleasant compared to his appearance, so he must have been an all-bark-no-bite kind of wolf.
“This is Maxon.” Niko started introductions with the man who’d opened the door. “The blond man over there is Kylan. Next to him is Jude.” He pointed to a lean, dark-haired man who matched Quinn’s bubbliness. “Then we have Nolan, another wolf, and he’s the deputy here now. Finally, we have Draven, the vampire.”
“He obviously saved the best for last,” the dark-haired vampire said with a wink. He had that whole bad boy vibe going with a leather jacket, dark clothes, and a glimmer of fang. His almond eyes held an intensity that showed his true level of power.
“Nice to meet you. Probably again,” I said to break the tension. Quinn snorted out a laugh before the rest joined.
“We did meet before, but I’m happy to do it again,” she promised. She hurried over and shook my hand. The moment she touched my skin, I felt magic spark to life. Behind her, the guys were suddenly rigid, which had my brood rushing over. Her eyes were unfocused, and their natural color slowly gave way to stark white.
The wait was excruciating, and her grip on my arm was painful, but I didn’t dare move. From what they had told me, it was this exact thing that had given us past leads, so I wouldn't let something as trivial as a little discomfort rob us of another chance to get ahead.
“Holy shit,” she finally breathed out. It shattered the tense silence, and her eyes darkened back to their usual blue. “I need a shot of whiskey.”