"You're ridiculous."
"You love it."
I do, and he knows I do. “You’re really earning that CEO title, Hendrix.”
“Yeah, baby. Don’t I know it.”
Sebastian comes through the kitchen doorway, his hands shoved in his jacket pockets, his dark hair ruffled, leaving him looking windswept.
Behind him is Wylder. He’s got his landscaping jacket on and is looking… well, hunky hot.
"Hey," I lean against the counter, "what brings you guys to the Life and Death Brigade headquarters at this hour?"
Wylder strides over and kisses my cheek. That’s new and, yeah, I could get used to it. “Asher texted me about your mom, and I came as soon as I finished work.”
My first thought is that my bestie is super sweet and playing matchmaker. My second thought is… “You keep odd hours for a landscaper. It’s almost eleven.”
He winks. “It’s amazing how much more work I get done at night when no one is around to watch. Almost… magical.”
I chuckle. “Ah, nice. Okay, so you didn’t come together?”
“Nope, just met up on the driveway.”
I turn to Sebastian next. “Okay, so what brings you by?”
Sebastian pulls his hands free of his pockets, and there's an energy about him—restless, eager. "I have an idea I want to bounce off you."
I peg him with a look. "A good idea or a 'we're all going to die' idea?"
He considers that for longer than I like. "Good. I think. I’ve got an idea on how to modify our large-scale ritual. One that I think could free the sigil-targeted souls in Emberwood without the whole demon backlash fiasco.”
Wylder chuckles. “Yeah, let’s avoid that if we can.”
“Agreed.” I take both of their coats and hang them on the back of the kitchen chairs. “Your ley line friend helped you come up with a new plan?”
"She did.”
Excitement bubbles up in my chest. "That’s awesome, let’s hear it.”
Asher walks back in, phone in hand. "Order's in. Twenty minutes. Orion is on his way, too.”
I round the table and claim my seat. “Awesome. Sebastian has a revised plan on how to break the sigils.”
Footsteps on the stairs signal Rowan's arrival. She appears in the kitchen doorway, hair pulled into a messy bun, wearing an oversized Thornhill Coven hoodie.
"Did I hear something about a new plan to break the sigils?" She slides onto one of the bar stools. "Because I'm in."
Sebastian exhales and pegs me with a look. “It’s exhausting to be here some days, you know that?”
I wave away his comment. “Nah, it’s awesome. Live and let live. Embrace the chaos.”
“Be the spoon,” Asher adds.
Sebastian pulls a folded piece of paper from his jacket. He spreads it on the counter and flattens a hand across the diagram with notes scrawled in tight, precise handwriting.
“So, here's the plan," he begins.
We all lean in.
