Page 109 of Bright Soul

“That was different,” she interrupted. “I didn’t actually want to fight you.”

“Uh huh.” He turned down a cup of wine. “You can have mine, Big P. You seem bougie enough to like wine.” When Phaeron’s brow furrowed, Ben added, “He doesn’t understand slang, you guys. His translation spell is a bit literal.”

The dimensional’s eyes narrowed. “It translates intention well enough.”

“Mating circle life, yuck,” Bianca said lightly.

“Fuck off,” he answered her in the same tone.

“I’m going to, actually.” She glanced away, fidgeting with her fingers for a moment. “I guess this is your official notice that Iaccepted a position with the Furies as their third member. I’m going to hunt unnaturals professionally with Grace and Tish.” The mountain lion shifter nodded stoically, while Tish beamed.

Ben blinked in surprise. “No shit?”

“None. I can’t stand the idea of going back to school, and that’s where most of you guys are going.” She wrinkled her nose in distaste. “So I’m going to go do what I’m good at, killing monsters.”

I nodded, realizing she’d been spending a lot of time with those two women. It only made sense that she’d join them. “Good luck,” I said.

“Thanks. And good luck replacing me, of course. Now that Wren’s made our coven famous, there’ll be tons of witches that will want to take my place,” she said with a flip of her hand.

“Hey, she mentioned you by name, Wren. What’s next for you?” I asked.

The blonde sighed into her cup. “Well, apply for college loans, first off.” She laughed alone, a nervous chuckle. “I’m going to reinvent myself, maybe go off on my own like it’s the old times to seek out a new experience to name myself after. I’ll have to continue streaming something too, with all the followers I’ve built up.”

“You don’t have to be alone,” Roe said.

Tish glanced down at her computer, clicking around. “And I’ll help you with your stream. I’m having a blast being a mod. Your fan group is popping off right now!”

My brows rose. “You have a fan group?”

“Yeah, but they’re going to get bored of me once Myuna’s dead and such.”

“Nonsense!” Tish chirped, to an echo of agreement around the room.

Wren loosened her shoulders from a rather un-Wren-like hunch. “You’re right. It’ll be fine…great, even. What about you…Roe?”

Now it was the redhead’s turn to look nervous. “Well, I hate keeping secrets,” she blurted out. “I made a deal with a fae a few months ago and I, uh, I’m gonna have to take off for a while to back up my end of things.”

Áine’s deerlike ears pinned back. “I immediately do not like this. Who was the fae? What was the deal?” she demanded.

It looked like Roe was going to hold her breath until she exploded. Her gaze tracked across the crowded room to Grant, who opened and closed his mouth a few times before scuffing his foot on the floor. “If I show you my true form, Áine, do you promise not to get too mad?” he asked.

She whipped her head around, nostrils flared. No one smelled a fae deal like one of the fair folk. “I agree,” she stated slowly and watched as Grant melted away, replaced by his changeling form. Her mouth fell open and she glanced around the room…but it seemed the only ones surprised were her and the Furies, including Bianca.

Áine hopped to her hooves, pointing at him. “Changeling!” she barked. “And to think Itrustedyou!”

“I can explain—”

She spoke over him, panning the room in disbelief. “Did you all know about this? Every time he disappeared…”

“He was spying for us. Áine, please. I’m sorry you’re learning like this.” Roe got up and hugged the faun, who stood there trembling and not returning the affection.

“You made a deal with him?” she asked in a low voice. “An Autumn Courtchangeling, one of theenemy. Roe, how could you?”

“I can explain,” she said, echoing Grant.

Áine pulled away, crossing her arms and taking her seat at an angle. “By all means,” she said with gritted teeth.

“Well, we needed his help around Samhain, when Garroway and the Hungering Darkness went to ground,” Roe began slowly, her voice shaking as she spoke to the faun’s turned back. “He revealed himself first to a small group, because he was tired of pretending to be boring as toast Grant Norwood.”

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