Page 76 of Just a Beta (Betas in Waiting)

Dell blinked.“Mages?”

“Yup.The world built the light elves, the stars built the dark elves, the magic built the djinn on both sides, and the soul of the world made mages to keep things moving.”

Amble blinked.“So you are a mage?”

“Yup.With my very own focus.”

Echel’s shoulders were shaking.

Amble was wary.“What is your focus?”

“Art.So see you on my birthday.Wear something festive to build backing.I am going to kick your ass.”

Echel was snickering.“Send us the contracts; we will work up the bio for her.I have started a website of her work.”

He tapped his phone, and Amble got a ping.His eyes widened.He asked in a strangled tone, “How long have you been painting?”

“Full portraits and murals?”She paused.“Five weeks.”

Amble sighed.“I am going down.”

“Put up a good fight.Nobody likes to watch a woman kick a puppy.”

He straightened with a grin.“It’s on.”

“Good.Do I provide my own materials?”

Antonio frowned.“We will give you a stipend of five hundred dollars for paint and brushes and such.What are you drawing?”

She grinned and turned, showing bunny Dell with long floppy ears cuddled against the dire wolf, with Amble’s more human dire wolf holding one of her hands.

Dell’s jaw dropped.“You did that now?”

“Yup.This is how I see the world.Some say art is truth, but for me, the sight is what lets me do what I do.”

They got up, shook hands, and Amble asked, “Can I get a copy of that?”

“Sure.”She sent it to Echel, who sent it to Amble.“Consider it my opening volley.”She and Echel left the room.He held his uproarious laughter until they were in the car.

“You know he is going to use that as a base for a family painting.”

“Sure.I also know it isn’t as good as the one I am going to do.I am going to include their kids.”She grinned.

He snickered and drove her to the lunch meeting at one of the more exclusive restaurants in town.

Luna, Information, and Art were going to meet with Chaos and Beauty to discuss the new mages that had been detected in the area, and then they were going to have tea.If any beta could have a hidden connection to world-shaping energy, they needed to be on alert.Maybe dessert was called for.