Reaching Answers (Artemis University #8) - Erin R Flynn Page 0,89

to see who all had come.

Everyone. Just about everyone, and people were still coming. All the normal everyone who rushed into the fray. From the look on Zack, Ray, White, Craftsman, Edelman’s, and several other faces, they had been there a bit too.

Oh boy. I was in trouble this time.

“Stay out of this, wolf, or we will contact your elders,” one of my least favorite of the warlock elders, Councilman Harjo warned. “They are both witches and ours.”

“Tamsin Vale is undeclared and has repeatedly said she does not recognize your authority,” Hudson declared loudly.

Oh shit.

“And both women are not yours or anyone’s,” he continued. “Isabella Kincaid might be a witch and once under your jurisdiction, but your corrupt ways and mistreatment of half of the population you are sworn to protect incited my family give her protection. You risk war with our family with this madness.”

“No, you do, and you are but a prince who will rule one day,” Harjo snapped. “Your father is wise and would never stand up to us over two women. It’s why he has not made a move yet or—”

“I haven’t needed to,” Mr. Vogel said from behind me. “Ms. Vale has always spanked you and yours by the time we get to show up to whatever insanity you pull each time. I think her labeling you all Wile E. Coyote was rather fitting.”

“You did laugh, and for a while,” Mrs. Vogel chuckled. “They have our protection. I tire of having to repeat that and so does my mate and our friends.”

“They are witches and our concern,” a different councilman snapped. “It is insanity you would risk so much over them.”

“And yet you keep trying for her, so you understand her value,” Mr. Vogel threw right back. “You think you do. We actually do, and what she stands for is more important than one woman so yes, we will risk war to keep her out of your hands. You keep saying that we won’t honor our word or it’s all rhetoric, but hear it from my lips that we will keep our oath and protect her.”

“It’s insanity,” he whispered, several echoing him.

“As is what you are trying to do to her who you fully believe is a witch you are supposed to protect,” Hudson shouted, sounding seconds from losing it.

No one seemed to know what to do or say next and I sighed, turning so I could face them all. “So you’re not going to let me keep beating them all up, right?”

The looks I got promised several were going to strangle me.

“I believe you had other plans for your energy today,” White reminded me, taking the rest of the fun out of the idea.

I was about to agree when I remembered the Kincaids. “Fine, the council and their idiots can all leave, but not the others.”

“You don’t tell us—” Harjo started.

But I ignored him, pointing at the Kincaids. “They abducted Izzy off campus and were going to hand her over to have her mind melted. They don’t just get to walk away from that.”

“Yeah, except they’re the ones that would punish them, Tams,” Izzy reminded me.

I frowned at her even as relief filled me when I saw Geiger, Edelman, and several others standing by her and the barrier down to signal the danger was over and she was protected. “That’s not fair.”

“No, but there’s nothing you can do about it,” one of the council guards taunted me. “This is the place of witches and soon it will be yours. The council will get you one day and then you will know your place and know it well.”

Oh, wrong thing to say, buddy.

Wrong. Fucking. Thing.

I heard people shout my name and felt a few try to reach me, but they were too late. I wrote something on my arm for show, but then launched the magic at the four Kincaids.

“What did you do?” Harjo demanded.

“Karma. I gave them a bit, a sliver of karma, and a down payment on the justice they will get one day for treating their own family as they have,” I answered with a smile.

“You attacked—” he started, but I laughed.

“Yeah, and?” I mocked. “There’s nothing you can do about it, right? You going to start this fight?” I chuckled when the elders shared a look. “I’ll tell you the same I told Ainsworth. Please do. Please do come at me. Head on. Launch it. Launch it all. I didn’t need the backup. Did you see me wait for them? Why