or their services. They weren’t people I spent time with otherwise.
“I don’t think we can save you the next time,” she said harshly. “You need to understand that we’re draining coven power right now to help contain this situation. The same way vampires are risking their own to keep the streets clear of supernaturals, and the werewolves helped recapture that nuisance of theirs. The fae are hunkered down, and their leaders are gone, so there’s no magical backup. We put you back together, but you are not fixed.”
“Monica—” I really didn’t need this woman pissed off at me.
“And I’m going to charge you a pretty penny for this next task with Nakul. The heal was free, but this will not be. I can’t just offer you and the Tribunal unlimited access. I have to draw a line in the sand somewhere.” She turned on her heel and started walking back out of the room, sparing me a glance. “We’ll be in the greenhouse to complete the potions, then we’ll meet you in the west wing auditorium, where we’ve put Nakul. He’s under heavy magical sedation, so he’s already prepared. You have thirty minutes.”
“The cost?” I asked, knowing I needed to have the money on hand, or she would ask for a different type of payment upon the spell’s completion.
“Three million, due upon the end of the spell. And…” She narrowed her eyes on me. “A drop of his venom.”
“No, and if I hear you’ve kept any, the threat stands.” I shot her down without a single moment of consideration. Under no circumstances would that ever be an acceptable price. “I’ll pay you four million, but you aren’t keeping anything that belongs to a naga. Not you, not one of your coven, not a witch you happen to see passing through. No one in this building or outside of it.”
I had to be protective. A hair, a nail clipping, a teardrop, a scale, a drop of venom—all could be used for spells. Some just added power to a spell. Some were used to direct a spell at the unfortunate donator. Some were the base ingredient for dangerous poisons that had no cure, though my venom didn’t need magic to help with that. She could do things with it I wasn’t comfortable with, though—like creating a single dose of anti-venom for one person to try to kill me with. I wouldn’t allow any naga’s safety to be violated by being the subject matter of a witch, Nakul included.
The answer would always be no.
“Four million, it is. You know where to send it.” She shrugged nonchalantly. “I just figured since he tried to kill you—”
“He’s a naga, and I’m one of their rulers. I don’t care what he’s done. I won’t willingly part with a piece of him to you or anyone else.”
“You really need to speak to Kartane,” she said ominously, then walked away, the door closing me in with Leith and Raphael.
“You know, the more I meet your…friends in the supernatural world, the more I think you need to find better friends,” Raphael said softly, leaning over my shoulder to say it in my ear. “Leith, Cassius, and Sorcha are nice. Paden is fine, but…” He looked pointedly at the door.
“Monica isn’t my friend,” I clarified softly. “She’s another power in the region, and we need to be friendly, but that doesn’t mean we’re more than occasional allies. Sometimes, I’m her client. Normally, I let the fae heal me for a price and come to her to get the scars cleaned up. That’s all.”
“Ah.”
Slowly, I felt a hand touch my lower back and wrap around. I looked up at my roommate, wondering what he was doing.
“I was worried about you,” he whispered, his warm chocolate eyes hooded as he stared at me.
My heart gave a hard thump. My fangs dropped and waited for me to use them.
I stepped back, letting out a slow breath.
“Thanks.” I turned away from him to find Leith casually flipping through a magazine.
“These witches have the most unusual interests,” he said blandly as he closed the magazine and put it down. When he looked up, he smiled. “It’s good to see you awake and moving, Lady Kaliya. Now, I need to return home. If either of you needs anything, please don’t hesitate to call or come by again.”
“Thank you, Leith. Tell Cassius I’m sorry about the blood.”
“It’s already handled,” he promised, touching my arm before strolling out of the room.
“I was convinced he was going to run,”