Page 110 of The Satyr's Guilt
Clearing her throat, Skyler reverted to herrole as administrator. “Why are we here? Though it’s nice to haveus all together, what is the reason for this meeting, Alarik?”
“Nico called me about his recenttransformation. That’s when I suspected something was wrong with myoriginal supposition. Once I saw Lizette’s bloodwork results, I wascertain I had drawn an unscientific conclusion. Scath cannot be thecatalyst for the surge in your powers. It may be part of it, butwhatever is turning you into witches and warlocks is somethingelse. So, what is it? What do you have in common?”
Fourteen pairs of eyes pinballed around thetable.
“We can rule out gender,” said Skyler.
“Same with hair color.” Margo fluffed herred curls.
“Our cities are different,” said Nico.“Skyler and I are from Chicago, but Braelyn’s from Seattle andMargo from Cincinnati. Denim’s from the Big Easy. What about you,Lizette?”
“New York.”
“How about Alliance connections?” askedDenim. “Nico was an agent. So was I. Skyler is the chief legalofficer.”
“Radio psychologist,” said Lizette.
Braelyn raised a hand. “Paranormaljournalism hack. Of course, my father’s on the Alliance’s board ofdirectors.”
“Sculptor,” said Margo. “So that’s out.Besides, we changed after we got to Scath. For some, it happenedfaster than for others. Explain that.”
“Maybe we all metabolize something atdifferent rates,” said Braelyn. “Nico took a long time, but Lizettehasn’t changed yet.”
“I was on Scath with the berserker a longtime. Could it be something in our diets?”
“There’s the obvious.” Indigo stood, leaningforward, her fingers splayed on the table. Then she straightenedand flipped her black hair over her shoulder.
“What’s the obvious?” Alarik stared at hissister.
Indigo chuckled. “I can sum it up in threeletters. S-E-X. On Scath, of course.”
Lizette swallowed hard. “That can’t be it.”No one probed.
Indigo sighed. “I have another option. Thepurple-eyed mages are all doing a little dinky-tickling with aFirebrand.”
Skyler arched her brows while Kole swung anarm over her shoulders, drawing her to him. His smile morphed intoa full-on guffaw with his head thrown back and sound erupting fromdeep in his chest. “So true. Well, regularly, and with success, asyou can see.”
“Kole!” Skyler rapped his arm.
“Hard to deny, Frisca.”
Alarik glanced around the room. “Though myever-shy sister may have expressed it somewhat crudely, can anyonedeny it?”
“Of course, they can’t deny it. There’senough sex in this room to ignite a blazing bonfire at a nymphrutting party. No offense, Sabine.”
Sabine A-okayed Indigo.
Chay fisted the air. “We need T-shirts witha motto printed on them. ‘Fuck a Firebrand. Jumpstart Your InnerMage.’ This is so cool.”
Margo pinched his arm hard enough to makehim wince. “Really, ylve?”
“Oh. For heaven’s sake. Let’s just hang outall our laundry.” Skyler glowered at Kole. “Some of us turnedbefore we fully consummated the relationship.”
Even a dropping pin would have been toonoisy for the silence which hit the room after Skyler’suncharacteristic outburst.
Kole broke the quiet by releasing anotherhearty laugh. “That’s my Frisca.” He kissed her white-blonde hair.Even Skyler chuckled before she buried her face against her mate’schest.
Jarek stroked one of his warrior braids.“Lizette and I have not been intimate.” When he glanced at hiscompanion, she cast her eyes to the floor, but her lips curled atthe corners.
