"A speeding ticket?" Kai asked, looking amused. "On your broom?"
"No! A 'Reckless Endangerment of Airspace' ticket!" She reached into her boot and pulled out a crumpled, neon-yellow slip of paper, waving it like a declaration of war. "Apparently, flying inverted under the Bridge of Tears is 'illegal' now. Since when? Since the Fun Police arrived in town."
"Who gave you the ticket?" Rhett asked, taking the slip from her. "Campus security? Those guys usually just ask for an autograph."
"Not security," Ivy hissed. "Actual police. Or... Wolf Police. Enforcers. Whatever you call them. Specifically,Officer Stone."
She said the name like a curse word, spitting the consonants. But I noticed the way her cheeks flushed a distinct, tell-tale pink.
“Jason Stone?" Lucien frowned, his brow furrowing. "I know that name. He’s... intense. He transferred from the City Guard last month. Rumor has it he requested the demotion."
"He’s a nightmare!" Ivy threw her hands up, pacing the kitchen island. "He’s six-foot-four of grumpy, stick-in-the-mud,rule-book-thumping buzzkill! He pulled me over mid-loop-de-loop! He used a magical net! Anet, Lina! Like I’m a butterfly!"
"A butterfly breaking the law," Rhett pointed out, reading the ticket. "Ivy, this says you were flying 60 in a 25 zone. And you... 'threw a glitter bomb at the officer'?"
"It wasn't a glitter bomb!" Ivy defended, climbing onto a stool and spinning around. "It was aDazzle Hex. To facilitate my tactical retreat! Standard evasive maneuvers!"
"And?" Kai prompted, grinning. "How did the tactical retreat go?"
"He caught it," Ivy whispered, looking horrified. "He just... lifted his hand and caught the hex. Didn't even flinch. And then he looked at me with these cold, dead, judgmental amber eyes and said, 'Ma'am, step away from the broom.'"
"Ma'am?" Kai choked on a laugh.
"Exactly!" Ivy pointed a finger at him. "He ‘Ma’amed’ me! I’m twenty! I’m vibrant! I’m the pulse of this campus! I’m not a ‘Ma’am’!"
"He seized my broom," she practically wailed, slumping onto the counter. "He impoundedNimbus 3000. My baby. He put a magical boot on it. He said I can get it back when I pay the fine and attend a 'Flight Safety Seminar' on Saturday morning."
"We’ll pay the fine," I said soothingly, rubbing her back. "It’s okay."
"It’s not the money!" Ivy groaned, burying her face in her hands. "It’s the principle! He enjoyed it. I saw it. He had this little twitch in his jaw. He liked seeing me grounded. He looked at my boots and sneered. He hates joy."
"Sounds like you met your match," Lucien observed, a hint of amusement in his voice. “Jason is known for being incorruptible. And very... stiff."
"Stiff is an understatement," Ivy muttered into her hands. "The man has the personality of a concrete block. A sexy, broad-shouldered, surprisingly muscular concrete block with a jawline that could cut glass."
The kitchen went silent. We all stared at her.
Ivy lifted her head, blinking. "What?"
"You think he's sexy," I said, a smile tugging at my lips.
"I do not!" She flushed a deeper shade of red. "I observe objective reality! Just because he’s a fascist oppressor doesn’t mean he doesn’t fill out a uniform. It’s annoying. It makes me want to set things on fire."
"Please don't," Rhett said dryly. "We just got our security deposit back."
Ivy sighed, stealing a piece of bacon from Rhett’s plate. "Whatever. The point is, the new regime isn't joking. This Stone guy said he’s part of Dean Marrow’s new 'Safety Task Force'. They’re cracking down on everything. Flying. Potions. Late-night library access. Public displays of magic."
The mood in the kitchen shifted instantly. The coziness evaporated, replaced by a cold tension. The sunlight suddenly felt a little less warm.
"Public displays of magic," Lucien repeated quietly. "Did he say anything about bonds?"
Ivy hesitated. She stopped chewing, the bacon forgotten. She looked at me, then at the guys, her chaotic energy dimming.
"He asked about you," she admitted softly. "He asked if I knew 'The Triad'. He said the Dean is very interested in... 'irregular magical anomalies'."
My stomach dropped. The pancakes suddenly felt like lead.
"Irregular magical anomalies," I repeated. "That’s us."
