Reaching Answers (Artemis University #8) - Erin R Flynn Page 0,88

them.

Well, I got my wish as the rest of the elders came out with probably every single council guard they had.

“You are in such deep shit for poking them, Tams,” Izzy grumbled.

She wasn’t wrong, but I was pretty sure this was going to happen whether I had or not.

She cursed when more and more kept coming. She gave me a look like she was going to strangle me when I glanced at her in confusion. “Those aren’t warlocks. They brought shifter help.”

“Ooooh, fun,” I chuckled, rubbing my hands together. “I didn’t have my normal workout this morning. I could use the exercise.”

“Come with us quietly and we will leave Ms. Kincaid alone,” that councilman offered. “We won’t remove the magical tattoo and will even cancel the summons for questioning.”

I snorted. “No.”

He clucked his tongue and shook his head at me in such a condescending way, it was overly dramatic. “And here you give such lectures about loyalty and whatnot. I thought—”

“I’m not coming quietly and you’re not getting Izzy, asshole,” I drawled, rolling my eyes to be just as overly dramatic. “I’m up to tier eight crystals now and her barrier is powered with that. It means it’s going be a while until you can get it down and if I wanted, I could throw up one around me. Of course, I called for help. So you’re not getting us, and I’m going to have fun until you guys run like normal.”

Rage flashed in his eyes. “Your continued disrespect grates on my nerves, Ms. Vale.”

“I have no respect for any of you and you’re all trash that should be in prison, probably put to death for your crimes once we get the full list.” I smiled evilly at them. “And one day, I will be there for when it happens. There will come a day when you are all brought to justice, and I will sit front and center to bear witness to what you have done.” I looked at the Kincaids. “As well as you.”

That seemed to be the line, the first group of council guards rushing me.

And they were no joke. They weren’t like squaring off with idiots at the Power Playoffs, but more like how I saw our magical football team play. This was a squad that trained together or something. Three were the physical fighters that came in for that, while two others were trying to hit me with the right runes, and the last of the six was quickly healing them.

Cool.

A real challenge.

I had fun sparring with the three that were good, much better than most warlocks—definitely at school—but not even close to the Rothchilds. One was the level of the human MMA fighter’s I’d gone up against before, but I was way over that level now. It was much more difficult with two guys tossing runes and spells at me and three on one in a fight was never easy.

Plus, that jerk insta-healing them was kind of annoying. But the challenge and experience of it was great. Exciting and invigorating for sure.

Fine, I was demented and would absolutely get in trouble later. It was still cool.

“Magnificent. She’s a magnificent creature,” one of the councilmen praised.

Gross. I launched a bolt of electricity at him with a sneer. “I’m not a fucking mare, you sick fuck.” I laughed when he easily deflected it, but it had made them all jump as if they remembered this was like a real fight they were near, not watching video later. They really were creepy fuckers.

“We cannot leave you alone ever without you finding trouble,” Zack bitched from behind me, letting me know the adults and backup had arrived.

“Trouble?” I called over my shoulder. “This is my idea of fun, mate.” Just to make my point, I changed my attack to combine my electricity rune—visualizing those whips I’d used before—and inverting a channeling rune. It was meant to focus power like when I’d pushed power from my reservoirs out into Faerie, but in a rune, and combining magic.

Inverting didn’t always work but in this case, it was the rune for weakening and used to keep prisoners chill in cells. I had a different intent, wrapping my electric whip around the arm of the healer and focusing on his magic. I smirked at him when I felt a rush of power.

His power.

“See, fun,” I mocked as the guy dropped like a rock, passed out and wiped. I quickly did it to the five others while they were shocked and then turned