My bestie’s hair was matted with blood, and her eyes held dark circles. “Near death … and jittery.”
My head started to buzz, and my body twitched with a sudden need to move.
Nell chuckled. “Well, that’s accurate.”
Kaja opened her arms, and we all crowded in for a group hug. “I love you guys.”
The dark mage stared us down from the corner of the room. “All right, wolves,” she growled. “I’ve got another client, so it’s time to skedaddle.”
Would she have bled me dry had Nell not intervened? I pushed the thought from my mind. All I could do was bring someone with me next month who’d have my back.
Kaja was still weak, so we lowered her cross-legged into the wheelbarrow. Once she was settled, Nell pushed her toward the entrance of the tent with me trailing behind.
“See you next full moon, virgin!”
I faced the dark mage and gave her a brittle smile.
Next month, I’d tell her to keep the v-word on the down-low.
Geeze.
Maybe I wouldn’t even show…
“Just in case you’re wondering … if you don’t come, a curse will fall upon you and all of your future children.”
Great. I should’ve known. “What kind of curse?”
She grinned but didn’t answer. Of course not.
“See you next month,” I growled, and followed Nell out of the dark mage’s tent and back into the market.
“Kaja!” Rue screamed, throwing her arms around her sister. When she looked up at me, her gaze fell to the healing gash on my arm. “You did it?”
Nell’s eyes widened as she stared at Rue. “Is this where you snuck off to every full moon last year? You were paying a debt?”
Rue swallowed hard. “I don’t want to talk about it. Can we just … go home … please?”
I patted my pocket. “We need to get this healing life potion to the headmistress.”
“Life potion you say?” a man asked, his voice low and growly as he grabbed my arm. “I’ll take that off your hands.”
I jumped, and a group of five thugs converged from between the tents, knives at the ready.
I was way too depleted of energy to make a fireball; my arms felt like they were filled with lead. We were grossly outnumbered here, so my adrenaline needed to kick in—pronto.
Nell growled beside me as fur sprouted down her arms while Rue stepped in front of Kaja’s wheelbarrow.
Before either of them could shift, a dude jumped between us and the goons, bringing with him the scent of sandalwood.
I blinked, and all four Midnight princes appeared before us and then proceeded to kick the shit out of the thugs.
“Rage,” I screamed, my heart thundering to life at the sight of my sometimes frenemy.
He pounded the guy in the ribcage, pummeling with his fists until the dude dropped the knife. As the thugs ran off, Rage spun, and—chest heaving—he ran his gaze from my head to my toes.
“Why are you bleeding?” he demanded.
“What are you doing here?” Justice asked.
