“Please. I’ve got bigger things to worry about than reciting some spiel. I was the one who talked to the Mage Council after the gargoyle incident, remember?”
Wade’s expression suddenly became more serious. “You’re not getting cold feet, are you?”
“I’m fine! I just wanted to take my time on the walk over. Stop making it sound like we’re about to get hitched or something.”
Wade’s eyebrows shot up, and my face heated as the words echoed down the hall. My throat constricted, making it hard to swallow. I had no idea whether the feelings were mine or his. He had this way of muddling me, churning my mind upside down until I couldn’t tell where the trail of his emotions ended and mine began.
“Come on. It’s rude to keep everyone waiting,” he urged, turning on his heel. His voice caught for a split second. “You look good, by the way. That shade of green suits you. Brings out the red in your hair.”
“You mean I look like a Christmas ornament?”
He flashed a grin over his shoulder. “No, you look good. I’d forgotten you had arms, since I’m so used to seeing you with that leather jacket slung over your shoulders.”
I shot him a look as I followed him down the hall. How I love our little tête-à-têtes.
My formal gown had been Tatyana and Santana’s suggestion, but I was deeply regretting letting them run wild with my wardrobe. And, presumably, Wade’s credit card. The emerald silk of the flowing skirt trailed behind me like liquid, while the structured bodice held me in like I was some medieval princess. Tiny embroidered flowers and vines curled across the waist and up to the bust, which showed a modest amount of flesh. After all, I wasn’t out to shock my new “family.” I knew I looked fierce, and it was a good feeling. Plus, no one could see my heavy-duty boots beneath the skirt, which seemed like another win to me.
“Hurry up. Everyone’s waiting for you,” Wade said, pausing for me to catch up. “Don’t make me carry you in there, Merlin, because I will. And you won’t like it.”
“Yeah, yeah. The sooner this is over, the sooner we can celebrate.”
The moment I stepped through the arched main doors, everyone fell silent. I could’ve heard a gnat fart. Already, the emotions of the gathered group were creeping toward me, threatening to overwhelm my senses. I focused on Wade standing by the door, letting everyone else and their cacophony of feelings fade into the background. He seemed proud and guarded, as though he knew what I was up to but didn’t have the heart to refuse me my security blanket.
I’d forgotten how massive the Hall was, with more of the coven’s scaly, bronzed mascots arching between the polished marble floor and the vertigo-inducing heights of the ceiling above me. The flickering lights of the chandeliers cast shards of radiance across the gathered audience.
My heart thundered in my chest as Wade offered me his arm and led me toward the wide, circular podium that stood nearby. I’d used the hidden back entrance, reserved for guests and, apparently, pledgers.
We made our way past the seven mirrors, their bronze edges reflecting the rusty glow of the torches along the wall. To take my mind off the swollen crowd before me, I wondered just how far these mirrors could reach and how fast one could get to a new destination through them. Could I get to Hawai’i if I leapt through one right this second, to avoid all of this entirely?
“Don’t even think about it,” Wade whispered, giving me a hard stare.
“What? I wasn’t thinking anything.”
All eyes were on me, and not for the first time. This place gave me an eerie sense of déjà vu. I hardly dared to look out at the sea of people, fearing it might unleash the floodgates of my Empath abilities. The last thing I needed was hundreds of feelings chipping away at my self-control, like my last big entrance here. Sure, I’d gotten a better handle on crowds, but that level of judgment, wariness, and suspicion was hard to ignore. Even so, the atmosphere was infinitely less hostile than before. There were even some smiles, if I looked hard enough.
Most of the coven seemed to be here, and they were all wearing uniforms like Wade’s. The Rag Team were on the sidelines, plus Garrett, with his former investigative squad lined up sheepishly beside him—minus Finch, of course. On the podium itself, Tobe, the Beast Master, stood at the farthest edge, while the preceptors took up the chairs that had been laid out for the occasion. All six were there: Jacintha Parks, Hiro Nomura, Sloane Bellmore, Oswald Redmont, Lasher Ickes, and Marianne Gracelyn. O’Halloran stood behind them with his arms folded, looking sharp in his black uniform, while Wolfgang Krieger had taken a seat to the side, closer to Alton. Krieger seemed oddly distracted, his chair slightly turned and his clinical blue gaze fixed on one of the mirrors, as though he were hypnotized. He snapped out of it as Alton nudged him and stood for my arrival.
One
Harley
Fear seized me like a boa constrictor, wrapping tight around my chest. I sank back against the wall of the coven’s elegant hallway and hoped nobody would see me. The shadow of a majestic dragon hid me from sight. To be honest, I’d never paid particularly close attention to them before, despite the statues being absolutely everywhere. Talk about theming. No one could ever be in any doubt about what the San Diego Coven’s mascot was.
I smirked. Wade would’ve killed me for calling them mascots.
“They’re emblems of our strength and fortitude,” he’d have said, no doubt flashing me a withering look for good measure.
Down the hallway, classical music rang out, and my stomach twisted in knots.