Xander sat directly beside Riley, his attention too intense as she looked anywhere but him. Alice paced behind her, muttering profanities beneath her breath as she listened to Kyra recall the Daemon summoning in detail, twice, and then the meeting with Frederick and Dirk. But only after they agreed to look out for Eva.
“I knew The Magicka was always looking to innovate and learn,” Alice snapped, her chi electric as it expanded. “But I didn’t think Frederick would be so fucking stupid to partner with a Daemon!”
Riley sat with his face cool and composed, but his eyes brightened at his soulmate.
Alice stopped beside Kyra, blue and green flames burning up to her elbows. She frowned, and the magic disappeared into her palms. “He’s already dangerous, and if he figured out a way to use Daemonic magic too…” She let her concern trail off.
“What Councillor Gallagher does has nothing to do with us,” one of the men on the left said, his black hair a beautiful contrast to his warm caramel eyes.
“That was before he partnered with Daemons,” the red-head opposite him grunted, Kace if she remembered correctly.
“Shouldn’t The Council deal with this?” Axel added. He smiled at Kyra when she looked over, his eyes a little unfocused.
“You think The Council will do anything?” Alice snorted, placing her palms flat against the table.
“That’s enough,” Riley said when everyone began to bicker. “Kyra, can Frederick summon any more Daemons without your assistance?”
Kyra hesitated when everyone’s attention settled back on her. “It’s possible with the help of the coven.”
“What are the risks if you went back and pretended nothing happened?”
Alice slammed her hand on the table. “She was attacked by a fucking hellhound!”
Riley ignored her outburst, his brow raised as he waited.
“I’m not going back,” she said with a quiet intensity. “I knew the risks in coming here, but I can’t stand by while he sacrifices innocents for power.”
“Daemon and witch magic are very different,” Xander finally said, his voice flat. “His chi alone wouldn’t be able to manipulate it without risking a great deal of damage to himself.” His face was smoothed into an emotionless mask, cold and uninterested as he discussed everything like it was simply the weather.
Kyra licked her dry lips, her hands continuing to twist and turn in her lap. “I would be able to do it.”
“Of course you couldn’t,” one of the men said, she wasn’t sure which one. “That type of magic would kill you without glyphs.”
Kyra scanned across them until she found the owner of the voice. “I would be able to do it,” she simply repeated to Kace.
“Frederick has broken numerous laws by summoning a Daemon,” Alice continued, “laws he helped write. Why didn’t you go straight to The Magicka?”
“Because Frederick controls it all. I couldn’t risk it.”
“What do you suggest?” the male beside Xander asked. “He’s a councilmember and we have no evidence that he did anything that’s being described other than what Kyra has said. And who would trust the word of a black witch?”
Xander growled, the sound vibrating across the table.
“What?” the man snarled back. “It’s the truth. You don’t go against a councilmember without a death wish.” He settled further back in his chair, face creased into a scowl. He pushed back his hair, dyed if she went by his much darker roots. It revealed his eyes, and an old but angry red scar that sliced down his face.
“Then we get evidence, don’t we Jax?” Alice snapped back.
“Jax is right,” Riley said calmly. “We need evidence, but not at the risk to Kyra.” His next words were directed at her. “You need to go under the radar for now until we figure out what he's up to. You don’t chance that type of power without a plan.”
Kyra felt Alice’s chi stretch, a gentle brush of comfort. It was powerful, like little bursts of lightning across her aura. She wondered what hers felt in comparison? Was it as reassuring? Or was it painful? Contaminated.
“You’re having a party and didn’t invite me?” a deep voice purred from behind her. Lucifer strolled into the room, his broad shoulders covered in a black t-shirt strategically ripped to show his skin beneath. “How rude!”
He braced himself on Kyra’s chair, his hands gripping the back as she scooted forward.
“Oh finally an orgy! Tell me, who’s top and who’s bottom in this room full of testosterone?” Kyra turned her head slightly, and Lucy winked. With a dramatic groan he moved to the spare seat beside her. His smile was crooked, his black hair slicked back using pink clips with little kittens on. It should have looked ridiculous on any of the powerful men, but he seemed to make it his own style.
“Guardian business,” Kace grunted. “And you’re not a Guardian.”
