You’re here to make everyone else feel good about their status. Including the Jane.”
Anger crossed Burke’s face, but it was insanely hard to feel bad for him. It was a bummer that he was the only mage physically present. He was the kind of blowhard you’d decline an invite to a really great-sounding party just to avoid.
“So you expect us to sign on to be your ally,” Maverick said, pushing his own invisible plate away, “without telling us any more about it?”
“Yes. You have it exactly right.” Elliot dropped his hands.
“What sort of assurances do we get?” Maverick asked.
Elliot pursed his lips. “I’ll discuss all of that with the person I choose to partner with.”
“And…” Maverick crossed his arms over his chest. “How do you plan to choose?”
A grin spread across Elliot’s face. “Easy. A good old-fashioned gladiator arena where you will compete against each other to sit in a room with me and hash out the plans. It is the only way you will get to see me in person. I did not hide all this time to stick my neck out the first time I have visitors. If you want your chance with me, you will have to prove your worth first.”
My stomach sank into my shoes as I looked around at the other, much more experienced mages sitting at the table. I might have more power, but that didn’t mean squat in a face-off-type battle, not without Ivy House at my back. My team was newly formed, and I was a novice. Our chances of winning were next to nothing.
“I’ll play your little game,” Rufus said slowly, leaning back and crossing his arms over his chest like Maverick had. “It does not mean I consent to work with you, but I will hear you out.”
“You will attempt to claim his audience, you mean,” Maverick said. “I, too, will play this game. I see the value in a partnership and have some ideas about how we can work around Momar to achieve our goals. With some…restrictions, of course.”
“I’ll play.” Noah threw an invisible napkin onto his plate. Maverick and Rufus gave him condescending looks. “There is more to winning than the head mage’s power. My team is infinitely superior to yours. I’ve spent years building it. I’ll clean up, no problem.”
“That’s the spirit,” Elliot said.
“I’m out.” Burke sucked down the rest of his wine. “To hell with this.” He stood from the table. “Been nice knowin’ ya, Elliot. Momar is going to make an example of you, and that’s if the Mages’ Guild doesn’t get you first.”
“Hmm,” Elliot said as Burke stormed out of the room, his poison-control person hustling behind him. “Anyone else want to acknowledge their lesser magical stature?”
“I’ll acknowledge my sanity, how’s that?” Rubber Band Face rose. “I’m not going to stand against Momar. I don’t want that kind of heat.”
“And that is why you have never risen above your paltry station.” Elliot was taunting him, no doubt trying to get him to change his mind, or apply pressure to the mages who hadn’t spoken up yet.
It worked on Chambers. “I’m in. Screw it.”
“Mhm.” Elliot nodded. “You would certainly work.”
The table was quiet, just the chubby man and me left.
Cyra, who’d eaten about half my roast beef, dropped my plate back and pouted when she saw that Austin’s had been cleaned. She nudged me to get me to answer.
“Nah,” the chubby man said, standing, and I wondered why these people went through the action of walking out when they could surely just blink away like Elliot had earlier. “No disrespect, Mr. Graves. I would love to work with you. I think you are heads and tails smarter than Momar, and twice as cunning. But I can’t compete with these guys at the table. There wouldn’t be a point in trying.”
“I completely understand.” Elliot nodded as the man left. His gaze settled on me.
“Did you bring her here for lion food or something?” Noah asked.
Elliot barked out a laugh. “How could I, when it is she who brought the lions? Or whatever animals her shifters turn into.”
“Yes, but way back when they brought lions into the—”
“We knew what you meant, Noah,” Elliot said. “It is our patience that is lacking, not our intelligence.”
“Speaking of patience, this is no place for a Jane,” Chambers said, “and even less of a place for her circus animals.”
I stared into Elliot’s hologram eyes. I felt Austin’s steady encouragement and the confident impatience of Cyra. The only way we were going