Anna clenches her teeth, shoulders nearly shaking with rage. “I willnothave you stand here and lecture me about privacy after barging unannounced intomyhome. YouknowI care deeply about our students and faculty. I’m still working on procuring the funds for the security upgrades—that’s not off the table. As I’ve told you before, these things take time.”
“All the same, I require off-campus housing at this time.”
“Do you have any idea how many strings I’d need to pull? How much I’d be risking?”
I smile, raising my hands in mock concession. “I assure you, Anna. I wouldn’t be asking if it wasn’t important. It’s just… Well, I can’t get into specifics, but this is a matter of urgency that affects us all. And when it comes to protecting the students and faculty you care so deeply about, I assumed you wouldn’t want me taking chances. Was my assumption incorrect?”
She doesn’t reply.
“Then it’s settled.” I glance at my phone. “You’ve got one hour. Shall I wait? Is there coffee? I’m quite exhausted after my night of—how did you put it? Cavorting with townies? I could use a pick-me-up.”
Anna huffs. “Apparently you missed this lesson, but civilized people do not march into homes and make demands. We arrange meetings, exchange discourse, make compromises, come to mutually beneficial agreements.”
“Right. And how many students have been attacked while you’ve been arranging, exchanging, and compromising to your mutual benefit? Wait… Does the exploding bar count as an attack, or was that just a mundane gas leak? I’m already losing track.”
Ignoring the digs, Anna storms off into the kitchen, leaving a few slammed cupboards and drawers in her wake, and I blow out a breath of relief. I’ve got her where I want her, even if it ends up costing my job.
One thing I’ll say about Anna—she knows when she’s lost the battle, even if she’s planning to win the war.
I take a seat on her couch, doing my best not to worry about Stevie and the others. She’s supposed to be recuperating with Baz and Kirin while Ani and the professors entertain ourlesssavory guests at Time Out of Mind. That’s a temporary solution, though. Professors Maddox and Broome—as smart and powerful as they may be—are not mentally prepared to do what needs to be done.
A basement in the middle of a popular student shopping center isn’t the right location, anyway. For this job, I need somewhere far off the beaten track.
A place where no one will be able to hear them scream.
Five minutes and several broken dishes later, Anna returns with a fresh cup of coffee.
“Is this your idea of a peace offering?” I ask.
Glowering, she hands over the mug, then settles into the armchair across from me. “These demands are a bit outlandish, Cassius. Even for you.”
“Yet here we are.” I sip the coffee, then offer a smile, my eyes never leaving hers. “Fifty-three minutes to go, Anna. Tick-tock.”
She crosses her arms over her chest. “And if I refuse?”
“Oh, I hope youdorefuse.” I lean forward on the couch, letting her see the unwavering seriousness in my eyes. For all the power games, all the theatrics, this a point I will absolutelynotnegotiate on. “Because if my request isn’t met within the specified time frame, I will take Starla Milan, along with her mother’s research, and we will disappear from this place forever.”
I hate using Stevie as a bargaining chip, but she’s the only one Anna truly cares about. Whatever Anna’s twisted reasons, that’s been clear from the start. And if my interrogation doesn’t go as planned—if we can’t get the answers we need from whoever’s camping out inside Casey and Janelle, or if the Dark Arcana track us down to campus and start their bitter war before we can retrieve the other objects—I willnotleave Stevie’s or my men’s lives to chance.
The Brotherhood may be charged with protecting magick, but in the end, we protect one another first and foremost.
Anna’s face turns milk-white. “You wouldn’tdare.”
“Oh, headmistress. After all these years, I really hoped you knew me better.” I drain my coffee, then pull out my phone, glancing at the time. “I suggest you make whatever calls you need to make to get those strings pulled. You’ve got forty-nine minutes now. Oh, and I’m going to need another coffee, if you don’t mind. And maybe a pastry?” I flash a grin as I pass her my empty mug. “I’ve got a long day ahead of me.”
Twenty-Three
STEVIE
Kirin and I try to hold a conversation, but I’m not sure either of us gets a full sentence out before collapsing on my bed and drifting into a soundless sleep. By the time I feel him stirring next to me, the sun has risen and set, night falling once again.
I grab my phone off the nightstand to check the time—nine-thirty p.m.—and catch up on the texts I missed. Doc letting us know things are being taken care of. Ani with some Baby Yoda GIFs that make me smile. Isla and Nat checking to see if we want anything from Smash. I reply to let everyone know we’re okay, then check the final text.
Baz, just five minutes ago.
Still dog tired. Gonna hang at home tonight, but I’ll check in again tomorrow. You 2 crazy kids have fun.
I hit the call button, but it goes straight to voicemail.
