Golden light flared as Felicity launched herself to her feet. Her daisy-chain magic grew thorns. “You three! Out!”
For a moment, Maya thought it would work. The triplets turned shocked faces on the smashed window and the glass littering the ground. Caedan tugged his tie straight. “Uh,” he began.
Then someone flung another whip of magic. She didn’t see who. Shadows boiled around the three of them even thicker than before, rushing across the room towards her.
“Get away from her!”
Midnight wings curved around her and Tomás. The triplets’ magic dissolved before it even touched the effervescent lightning at the edges of Corin’s power.
He was standing behind her, his face a mask of rage.
His cousins staggered upright. Aedan raised a fearful hand. “Hey, Cor—”
“Out.”
Glass crunched underfoot as the triplets vanished back through the door. Maya moved unsteadily, reaching out one hand. “Corin—”
He stared at her hand, his face white, and took a step back. “I’ll deal with them. Wait here.”
“But—”
“This is my problem to deal with, Miss Flores.Wait here.”
Maya snatched back her hand, stung.
Even when she was his assistant, Mr. Blackburn had never spoken to her that way.
She wasn’t going to let him start now.
She handed Tomás to Felicity. Then, head high, shoulders straight, heart only trembling slightly, she marched outside after her mate.
Corin was looming over his cousins like the angel of death giving judgement. His midnight wings seemed razor-edged in the failing sunlight. Aedan, Braedan, and Caedan cringed in front of him. All the fight had gone out of them.
Maya slowed as she approached them. It was hard to believe, looking at this tableau, that Corin was only a few years older than the others. They were hanging their heads like kids ready for a scolding—and Corin was in full grouchy headmaster mode. Except with his wings curled around them like that … She tipped her head to one side. It was kind of threatening. But it also reminded her of something else. What was it?
“What were you thinking? Don’t answer that. It’s pitifully clear none of you were thinking at all.”
“We—” Braedan croaked.
“I don’t want to hear it.” Corin’s lip peeled back with disgust. “The one time I leave the three of you to your own devices, and this is what happens? This isn’t one of our retreats! You can’t throw your magic around like that!”
“It was an accid—”
“We can’t afford accidents. You know that.” He ran one hand down his face. “Iknow that. I should have seen this coming.”
“Cor…” Aedan looked pained. “We didn’t mean to—”
“You never do.” Corin’s voice was sharp, but his shoulders slumped. His wings faded into the twilight and she finally realized what they had reminded her of. Not an angel of death looming over the condemned.
A mother hen, scooping her chicks under her wings to make sure they didn’t get into trouble.
Even though his wings were made from the same magic that had undone all the repairs done to Caro’s restaurant since Montfort attacked it. Strange. If his magic was naturally destructive, why was his instinct to use it protectively?
Either way, his wings were gone now, so he had no excuse to push her away.
She snuck up behind him and tucked one hand under his arm. He tensed. “Miss Flores—”
“Call me that again in public and there’ll be trouble,” she said in her sweetest voice.
