“This is bullshit and you know it.”
“The red tape frustrates me as much as it does you, but we can’t override protocol every time we need—”
“Fuck your protocols, Anna. Peoples lives are at stake here.” I turn my back on her, leaning against the mantle. “Some of our students are minors.”
Anna has no response for that, and it’s a long moment before she speaks again.
“Starla Milan?” she asks, feigning nonchalance. “I trust she’s safe?”
The mention of Stevie’s safety sends a bolt of worry to my gut that burns worst than the alcohol. I close my eyes, willing myself to calm down before I finally turn back to Anna.
“Kirin and I, along with a few other students she’s gotten close with, are doing our best to protect her. That’s not the issue.”
“The prophecy work must continue, Cassius. At all costs.”
“Do you hear yourself? For fuck’s sake, Anna, if you’d cared half this much about the prophecies twenty-odd years ago, we wouldn’t be in this mess right now.”
“That doesn’t invalidate my present concerns. Not unless you want to have this same conversation again in another twenty years.”
I turn my back on her again, certain that if I don’t, I’ll say something I regret—something that goes beyond a few crass curse words.
Dispensing entirely with the pretense of sobriety, I grab my unfinished drink from the mantle and down another swig.
“Cassius,” she says, her tone shifting to one of condescending concern. “Starla isn’t Elizabeth. Tormenting yourself won’t—”
“Don’t.” I grip my glass so tight, my knuckles turn white. “Don’t say another word about it.”
“But she’s—”
“I saiddon’t.”
“I just meant that—”
In a blur, I whip my glass into the fireplace, shattering it.
Anna doesn’t flinch. Tough old bitch.
“Are you finished?” she asks calmly, and I nod. We’ve been here before, Anna and I. I’m sure we’ll be here again.
“You’ve got a spine of steel, Anna,” I say, reclaiming my chair. “I’ve always admired that about you. I just wish you’d remember that steel in front of the fucking board.”
She straightens her back and clears her throat, but doesn’t bother addressing my comment.
“The senior magickal staff and I will continue to do our best with protection spells throughout campus,” she says, “but I agree with you—we do need more funding for equipment. As powerful as our senior members are, there simply aren’t enough of us to maintain total protection. We need that energy focused on the portals. Safeguarding against outsiders is the most important thing.”
“Phaines wasn’t an outsider.”
“And I’ll live with that for the rest of my life.” Anna sighs, finally showing a chink in her armor. “I’m doing what I can, Cassius. I care about the students. I care about the faculty. I care about every single witch and mage on this campus. But like I said, my hands are tied.”
I steeple my hands in my lap. “Is this the same speech you gave the Milans when you drove them out?”
Ignoring the mention of Stevie’s parents, Anna rises from her chair and heads for the door.
But the conversation isn’t the only thing that’s over.
Something has broken between us, some irreparable rift destroying any professional respect I once had for her. Anna senses it, too. I can see it in the bend of her neck, the invisible weight pressing down on her shoulders.
And this time, I know it’s not an act.
