“If you say so, Prince Liam,” the dragon says, but I can tell he’s concerned. “That does not help you down here, though. One team will be short a being with technical gifts.”
“Won’t one of us be able to text, though?” the ginger shifter says as he hugs the tails tight to his form. “The caliphate members can use our group text to communicate between teams and if truly necessary, I can portal.”
“I don’t like over-using that,” Slash says from his seat. “But Zavida is correct, Jasper.”
“Great, let’s start divvying then,” the rainbow-haired demon says as he pulls out his phone. “There are fifteen. We can be in three groups that divide up evenly.”
Damon looks at the demon with a thoughtful expression. “So the groups can be formed around me, Zavida, and one group without a hacker, yes?”
“Excellent,” Zavida says as he nods at them both. “Anton, go ahead.”
“Who are the magic users in the room?” I raise my hand, as does Slade, Iggy, both demon twins, Xerxes, and the demon posing the question. “Okay, that’s two per team.”
I don’t interrupt because it’s clear the guy is running serious calculations in his head. We also don’t have one ofthose guysand I consider how that might hurt my family in the future. Perhaps I need to add classes to my schedule next semester to gain new skills to keep my mates safe. I’ll discuss it with Morgana later.
“Shifters and hybrid shifters without magic?” Anton says.
This time, Lucas, Archie, Jasper, Slash, Salem, and Oriel raise their hands.
“I’m sending the list to the rest of the caliphate so we have it available,” the demon says as he looks up at everyone. “It’s pretty good, I think, given that I only have guesstimates of abilities and weaknesses.”
A chorus of dings echoes in the room and I wait for one of the hosts to bring their device to me so I can see. Once the kitsune rushes over, I carefully study what his brother has done.
Group 1: Zavida, Angelo, Iggy, Prince Jasper, and Lucas
Group 2: Damon, Anton, Slade, Salem, and Kaspar
Group 3: Slash, Prince Liam, Xerxes, Archie, and Oriel
I don’t know everyone’s shit, either, but based on the general questions and appearances, I think he’s probably right.
“Does anyone have an issue with it?”
Jasper sighs heavily as he stares at his phone. “You had to put me with a Gemini, Annie?”
The demon in question snorts. “Your magic isn’t the same as a demon, and you know it, Eversore.”
Iggy shoots them both looks as he frowns. “Demon magic isn’t the same as mage magic, either. I don’t look formidable, but I assure you Briartons are well-known for our?—”
Oh, for fuck’s sake.
I stand, commanding the gazes of everyone, even the snarling heir to Hell’s throne. “I realize that with the amount of testosterone, alpha energy, beta energy, power, wealth, and fame in this room that it is difficult for us to work together. We are supernaturals of various ages, species, and the like who have found mates and centers who now expect us to figure out how to get along. That’s not simple, nor is it something that will just click in place like a seatbelt buckle. However, none of those women are going to speak to us if we can’t do what they asked, especially since it’s vital to our realms and our families.”
“Very diplomatic,” Jasper says as he, too, rises. “I will follow suit by saying that even if this is not my plan, I believe we have enough collected knowledge and power to actually fucking get somewhere, which we all need. Slash, which areas would be most strategic to deploy these groups in?”
The shark demon also stands, squinting at everyone like he’s memorizing who to punish if things go wrong. “I believe we can divide the campus in thirds by the following sections. Group three will take the student dorms, library,Triclinium, and staff housing. Group two can take the admin building, knowledge enclave, and the gym/health building. Group one will take the arena, the magic enclave, and the area before the Wastes.”
I arch a brow. Interesting that he put our group in the living areas—was it to make certain that I’m not in places where it could be dangerous? Injuring me could start atrueinter-realm war, so it’s not the worst idea in the world. I’m only familiar enough with demons to be good at bargaining with them and the lion from Bay City will be mostly useful in physical situations.
Jasper’s general is quite good at what he does, especially with the help of what I think is a math whiz.
“Don’t worry, Fae-man,” the rocker-looking demon says as he comes over to me. “I’m not magical, but I’m the thief in the joint. I’ll get us into anything and everything, Slash and the lion can smash things, and you can help X undo all the fucking hexes and curses people have on shit. Our territory will belousywith stupidly constructed stuff from lesser students and shithead staff.”
I frown, tilting my head as I reply, “You hate the staff here?”
“Fuck, yes, we do. Almost every damn one is some cockwomble picked by Darkstar,” the black and white haired demon in group one says. “Trust me,no onewho likes the profs is someone you want to continue talking to. They’re asskissing Lucian-lickers.”
“They weren’t great when we were here, either,” Damon says as he gives my growly bodyguard a side-eye. “But the school upthere we went to with Archie, Javi, Rebel, and Rogue wasn’t terrible.”
