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Of course, she wasn’t the only one so enamored with their phones—the corridor practically seethed with the distracted. I had no idea why there weren’t a ton more crashes, but maybe they’d grown so used to being glued to their devices they’d developed some sort of radar.
I zipped up my coat as we neared the exit and said, “The council’s still taking a big risk by not cancelling or delaying the trial.”
“The chamber’s defenses were strengthened overnight. It’ll be fine.” Saska glanced at me, amusement crinkling the corners of her black-ringed silver eyes. “Does this distrust of all things High Witch Council stem from your hatred of your father?”
“I don’t hate him.” I paused. “Well, I do, but I don’t want him dead.”
“Neither do we. That would mean Julius stepping into his shoes, and honestly? That would be a disaster for us all.”
I laughed. “Is that coming from personal experience or observation?”
“Both. He’s a very unpleasant man to deal with.”
“Well, he’ll be a very dead unpleasant man if he doesn’t heed the warnings.”
“Which he won’t. We do have a detail on him though, just to be safe.”
I hoped it would help. I feared it wouldn’t.
As we came out of the testing building and walked toward the parking area, the back of my neck prickled. I glanced around casually but couldn’t see anything out of place.
No one appeared to be taking undue interest in us, and there weren’t even any birds circling above us. But that didn’t mean my watcher couldn’t be a shifter of some kind. He could be some sort of rodent hiding in the nearby bushes or even one of the pigeons and starlings that currently lined the rooftops. While humanity seemed to have the impression that shifters were always majestic animals like wolves, lions, hawks or eagles, in truth most were simple, everyday animals that wouldn’t raise suspicions—dogs or cats, parrots or crows, even roos, though I’d imagine the latter would come with some inherent restrictions. As much as many on the other side of the world seemed to think roos were an everyday occurrence in suburbia, they generally only came in during times of drought or when development pushed them off their normal feeding grounds.
“Something wrong?” Saska asked.
I started, causing wild magic to stir briefly around my fingertips, as warm as the day was cold. Thankfully, I still had the gloves on. “I think we’re being watched.”
She glanced around, her expression intent. “I’m not sensing anything magical.”
“It’s not magical.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Then how are you... oh, psi.”
I nodded. “Unfortunately, these sorts of warnings are generally undefined. In this case, it’s not telling me who or where.”
She grunted and pulled her phone out. “I’ll call it in. They can send a flight up and see if there’s any indication of a tail.”
“Meaning you’ve shifters on the team?”
“Meaning a drone.” She smiled. “They’re far more efficient than a shifter, and you don’t have to pay them.”
I laughed. “You still have to pay the operators, so that cuts the benefits, doesn’t it?”
“Well, yeah, but a drone doesn’t get pissy if it’s out in the weather.”
Suggesting the shifters did. Belle came online, so I didn’t question Saska any further.
How’d the test go? Belle asked.
You weren’t following?
The room was psi shielded. I could have broken through with a little effort, of course, but Monty called.
Saska clicked her SUV open once we were near, and I climbed in while she made her call. I still wasn’t seeing anything or anyone paying undue attention to what we were doing, but the sensation of being watched grew. How’s things in the reservation?
It remains an unpleasant place for the O’Connor pack, apparently.
They’re still being targeted?
