Page 92 of Midnight Witch

The witch and the sorcerers paled.

“I’m not that reckless,” Mae protested.

“We both know that’s a lie.” Abraham’s expression softened at her frown. “Come, the others are waiting.”

He led the way to the conference chamber.

Mae frowned as she followed the sorcerer. One week later and the New York coven’s horror at their own betrayal had still not faded. She wasn’t sure if that scar would ever truly heal.

Yet another reason to pummel Vedran’s face when we finally find him.

Indeed, Brimstone huffed.

Bryony rose self-consciously when Mae entered her office. The rest of the High Council stilled where they sat and stood in their respective chambers on the video display on the wall.

“Hi, Mae,” Raven Quinn said in a strained voice.

The High Priestess of the L.A. coven was one of the few people who hadn’t fallen under the spell of Anya Mendes’s Illusion Sorcery, along with Derrick Adlington and Karin Everheart, the heads of the Baton Rouge and San Francisco covens. They’d been out of the country at the time.

“Hey,” Mae greeted her.

Brimstone and Hellreaver ignored everyone and shot across the room to a cart stacked with trays of steak.

She narrowed her eyes. “How about you two say thank you for the food?”

A sullenYeah, thanksrose from the familiar and the weapon as they stuffed their faces without looking at anyone.

Bryony pushed a tray of sandwiches across her desk as Mae took the seat opposite her. “There’s extra pastrami and mustard in those.”

Mae nodded. A fraught hush ensued.

She swallowed a sigh.God, I hate this tension between us.

She was debating how to break the awkward silence when a crunching sound came from behind her. She looked over her shoulder.

Miles froze when he became the focus of their stares, his mouth full of the BLT he’d just bitten into.

He chewed and swallowed nervously. “What? I skipped lunch.”

Mae’s stomach grumbled.

Everyone relaxed as she helped herself to a pastrami sandwich. She was halfway through it when she realized everyone was still staring at her.

Mae grimaced and licked her lips. “Have I got something on my face?”

Violet sighed. Miles stiffened guiltily where he was attempting to swipe another sandwich from the tray.

Ephra Erwin pinched the bridge of her nose. “We’re kind of waiting for you to tell us off.”

“Oh.” Mae exchanged a glance with Violet and Miles. They dipped their heads slightly. “So, yeah, how about we put all of that behind us?”

Bryony drew a sharp breath. Even Abraham looked stunned at her words.

Karen frowned. “We can’t just ignore what happened, Mae. The repercussions of the entire magic community betraying the Witch Queen is being felt not just in this country, but all over the world!”

“And that’s exactly what Vedran wants.”

Her words made them stiffen.

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