Maddie waved a hand at him. “Not that part. The part where you said I have magic, and it calls toyou.” She put her hands on her hips and glared at the perpetually,pissed-off shaman. “I find that highly unlikely considering you’re a butthead. And if I had magic in me, it definitely wouldn’t be calling your name.” She motioned to Nico, who had a stupid, big grin on his face. “Punky over there has a better chance of having the attention of my magic. No offense,” she quickly added to Nico.
“None taken.” Nico nonchalantly slipped his hands into the pockets of his ripped jeans. “I’m just enjoying the show. And you’re doing one hell of a job on handing Roan his ass. Carry on.”
Maddie rolled her eyes. Then she looked at Taras and Lyra. “Good grief, are all shaman like these two?” She motioned to Nico and Roan. “Because if they are, then I’m going to take a pass on this whole Nuwesh, Noshew— Crap, I can’t even say the word. How could I possibly be one? And if I am a wizard-shaman thing, where’s my letter?”
“What?” Roan asked, his muscular arms folded across his chest.
Don’t acknowledge his muscular arms, Maddie. Buuuut they’re really nice arms.Focus.She forced herself to pull her crap together.
“My letter, telling me I’m a wizard and whatnot.” Maddie heard Lola groan, but she didn’t take her eyes off of Roan.
“You’re not a wizard, and neither am I.” His voice was surprisingly calm, considering he looked like he wanted to throttle her.
Maddie tapped her foot as she attempted to work through her feelings about this new bomb they’d just dropped in her lap. Her eyes shifted to Lyra, who gave her a very subtle nod. Then Maddie looked at Lola, imploring her with her eyes to fix this. But in her gut, she knew there was nothing her best friend could do. Finally, she looked back at Roan. “So you’re my only option?” Coughs that sounded suspiciously like laughter surrounded her. Maddie didn’t know what was funny. She was serious.
Roan rocked back on his heels as he gazed at her with those swirling, silver eyes. “You will have the chance to meet the other shaman to see if there’s a stronger bond than the one between us.”
“And what happens if there is?”
“Then you and that shaman can train together.” His answer sounded a little too sparse, as if he were trying to avoid saying something.
“So, I can choose who I want to train me to be a wizard?”
“Yes,” Lyra answered, probably because Roan’s jaw was clenched so tightly that Maddie could see the movement of the bone underneath his skin. “There’s more you need to know,” the Prima continued. “You are a good excuse for Roan to visit other kingdoms.”
Maddie perked up at that. “Oh, we’re going to be spies?”
“No.” “Yes.” Roan and Lyra said at the same time.
Maddie’s brow rose as she looked between the two. “Which is it? Wizard spies or not?”
“I think the best thing is for you to go with Roan,” Lyra said in that gentle but firm voice that seemed to have anyone, and everyone, ready to do her bidding. “He can explain things more in depth.” She glanced at Roan, and Maddie did not miss the warning in Lyra’s eyes.
“All right.” Taras’s booming voice filled the room. “We need to be on our way. Roan, please keep me updated on what you learn as you visit each kingdom.”
Roan nodded, but his eyes weren’t on the Prime. They were firmly fixed on Maddie. She refused to squirm under his scrutiny. It wasn’t her fault that some magical bond drew them together.
Chatter filled the room as the group followed Taras and Lyra out. Lola walked up to Maddie and gave her a tight hug, hermouth right beside her ear. “You be safe. And try being nice to Roan. You catch more flies with honey.”
“That’s a dumb saying. Who wants more flies?” Maddie huffed but hugged Lola back. “You be careful, too.”
As soon as the room was empty and it was just her and Roan, Maddie’s confidence wavered. But she tried not to show it. She stood up tall, pulled her shoulders back, and met his stare. “So now what?”
“Now we go visit kingdoms, while also using the opportunity to get to know each other better.”
“Why would we need to do that?” Maddie’s need to fidget grew stronger.
“Because you’re my—” He paused as if he couldn’t quite find the word, then seemed to settle on, “Responsibility,since I discovered you first.”
He didn’t sound particularly happy about that fact. More resigned than anything else, which just ticked Maddie off. It wasn’t her fault she was a nush-whatever. She hadn’t asked for Roan to show up in Lola’s bedroom and be the shaman todiscoverher.
Maddie’s heart beat hard in her chest. “But you said there could be a stronger pull, whatever the crap that means, between me and another shaman. So, I should get to know other shaman, too, right?” She nodded her head as if that would somehow make him agree with her.
Roan shrugged. “Eventually.”
For some reason, his tone made her feel likeeventuallyon his timeline was completely different from her own.
Lola settled into a plush seat aboard the sleek private jet, her mind still reeling. In the span of one breakfast, everything had changed. Not only were Callon and the others now joining their quest, but the revelation about her best friend had left Lola floored. Maddie was a shaman.
