Page 27 of Novice Girlfriend

“What can you tell me?” he whispered, seeming like he was trying to process too much with missing pieces.

I shared a look with Wyatt, and he looked as frustrated as I was, but then he nodded, which I took as the signal to trust myself. “I don’t have an answer, only an impression and sort of an idea of what I think I’m piecing together.” I waited until he nodded, squatting down so I was eye level with him. “It’s a reward and a test.” I studied him. “What have you been wanting, Taylor?”

He closed his eyes and plopped down on his butt, shocking all of us. Then the normally completely composed man lowered his head and scrubbed his hair so hard Tracey moved closer. “The overhead is getting rough. Recruiting and getting people trained takes time. Building safe housing. Paying them so they can help their families.

“We’re fighting a war now, and that comes with targets. I don’t want my people to become the Roses.” He winced and shot me an apologetic look, but then something more filled his eyes. “I looked into what Winter told me and it’s bad. Really bad.” He swallowed loudly. “To go into that battle, I don’t have the money to hire them and…”

“And I bet you know a guy who can quietly sell all of that, but the test is what you’ll do with that money and if you’ll really help the people,” Wyatt muttered. He shrugged when we looked at him. “He’s been helping people all over the place. Literally. Protects them.” He gestured to all the sacks. “His reward. He’s not hurting his bank accounts anymore.”

“The test is if he keeps doing it,” Tracey agreed before looking at me. “Just like you. You keep getting more powerful and more help and more money because of all you’re doing.” She looked at the other sack. “Who is that for?”

“Nina.”

“I’m so fucking curious,” she whispered, waving me off when I opened my mouth. “I know, I know, I would never.” She rubbed Taylor’s back. “What are you going to do?”

“Lots,” he admitted, letting out a shaky breath. “If you are sure this is the direction you both want and you seriously won’t cancel the contract on me, then I can hire all the orphans Winter was talking about and get more housing in place without just asking my parents to foot the bill.”

“I can make more money,” I mumbled.

“You have enough going on,” Tracey reminded me.

“Yeah, well, charge the council more instead of giving Taylor an ulcer for giving us discounts,” I countered.

“I think he’s more in shock that the gods answered his prayers,” Wyatt muttered under his breath.

It was hard not to laugh when Taylor pointed at him like he had hit the nail on the head.

Okay then, glad Taylor wasn’t like broke because he’d taken a contract with us at least. And now he could hire more people and help keep witches and warlocks from being trapped by top-tier families.

So even if it was confusing and frustrating, I was still counting it as a win… Right?

7

Bevin

They were so focused on the gems that they never even asked about the apples, and Wyatt seemed to forget about them as well, simply asking if I wanted him to go with me to talk to Nina quickly because he had plans soon. I wasn’t worried about Nina of all people.

But apparently, I should have been.

I texted her that I needed to discuss something private with her—even from Sergey—and where I was, so if she could please circle to me and bring me back to her house… If she wasn’t busy of course. Or when could she meet?

Yes, my social skills were that lacking. At least most people found it amusing or at least somewhat endearing.

She arrived at the perfect time to get me out of talking more with everyone else about their familiars and what had happened. I didn’t have answers for them, and while I appreciated their worry, it stressed me out and sort of undid the calm of handling that.

Well, that, and everything dealing with the spirit realm and guide.

Nina was polite with everyone but, like always, was perceptive that I wanted to go, making it clear that we needed to handle some things, mumbling about the brushes. She had a lot of questions in her eyes when we arrived at her house, so I quickly explained about everyone and their familiars.

She was normal Nina who chuckled it off as something impressive for me to do and to be proud of myself for being so inventive. Reminding me that people would get over their shock and not to let idiots upset me because their reactions weren’t my problem.

Normal, supportive, wonderful Nina.

Everything changed the moment she saw what was in the sack.

“Where did you get this?” she whispered as she pulled out the small lockbox.

“I can’t tell—” I started to remind her, having said the exact same thing to her as I had to Taylor.