by Emma Dean
“Would you like some tea or cookies?” Audrey asked.
Lucifer eyed the cookies. “Snickerdoodles?”
Mika grinned when Audrey blushed. “Yes, they are.”
“I love snickerdoodles,” Lucifer admitted, taking two.
Audrey anxiously waited as he took a bite and Mika leaned into Corbin and Lucien. She smiled at Ethan and despite everything that had happened to bring them to this point in time; she wished it could stay like this forever.
“These are the best snickerdoodles I’ve ever had,” Lucifer told Audrey. “Thank you.”
And with that he grabbed the unconscious Mr. Williams and the prince of hell disappeared. Jess gave Mika a wink and then she too popped out of existence.
It was just Eisheth and the others now. Malachi was at the door to the balcony, staring at the spot where his father had been. Mika’s heart went out to him and she wished there was something she could do or say to make things better.
“How are you feeling?” Corbin asked, checking her skin once more.
The pink was slowly starting to fade to her natural color and Mika could hardly believe Corbin’s little trick had worked. “A blood spell?” she asked.
The raven glanced at the others in the room and nodded. “Anyone can do blood magic. And your body is built to take what it needs from it.”
Lucien and Ethan shared a quick look. “Anyone?” Lucien asked.
Corbin nodded again. “Anyone.”
Eisheth clapped his hands together when the silence in the room grew heavy. “Let’s get you all back to Morgana so when they come to check on you, you’re there.” Without waiting for anyone to agree he grabbed Malachi and disappeared.
Two seconds later he came back for Audrey who was still grinning about the fact that the prince of hell liked her snickerdoodles.
Then the rest of them, even Corbin.
When they were all back in Morgana’s forest, Mika could practically feel the relief from the trees and she smiled. At least one good thing had come out of that experiment. Mika had the trees at her back now.
Eisheth kissed her cheek. “I’ll come visit during the summer.”
Then the demon was gone with a flutter of his dressing gown.
Mika was exhausted and let Ethan take most of her weight.
“Let’s get you back home,” Ethan said, looking around at the dark forest, the silence after all the sounds of the city strange. “You want to look like you didn’t just fight an entire branch of an evil secret society when the dean comes knocking at your door after Lucifer shows up.”
Mika chuckled and let him lead her. She glanced over her shoulder at the others, and somehow it felt right to see Corbin among them all.
29
In the blink of an eye finals were over and Beltane was only a few days away. After they’d gotten back, the dean had been there moments later to fetch her and Corbin. Mika would never forget the faces of the two Council members that had flanked the dean. Per the blackthorn tree, one of them was a member of the Hellfire Society.
With an entire branch ripped to shreds thanks to Lucifer, Mika didn’t think they’d be trying anything new for a while. Per Jessica’s text message they were lying low. The demon witch would take care of anything outside Morgana.
The university…well, the hunter had asked her and the others very nicely to keep an eye on things and report anything to her, Lucifer, or Eisheth if they noticed anything strange.
To say Audrey was excited about having an open line of communication to the prince of hell was like saying goblins were only a little bit ugly.
After a quick interview with the Council they’d dismissed her.
The feeling of despair as she’d had to walk away from the raven was something Mika hadn’t been expecting. She had almost thrown caution to the wind and hugged him goodbye, but the Council could know nothing about their strange alliance – if they did they might look more closely into her life and Mika couldn’t afford that.
Walking away, never knowing if she’d see him again, had been one of the hardest things she’d ever done – not that she would ever admit that to anyone.
So she’d done the best she could on the dodgeball team considering everything going on, but Mika couldn’t say she wasn’t distracted. Malachi hadn’t benched her, but she’d been expecting him to.
It wasn’t really a surprise when Audrey made the Morgana Marauders, but Mika didn’t.
Honestly, she was almost relieved after everything that had happened over the spring semester. She could take another heavy course load in the fall, focusing on the hell realm as well as more hunting courses. It seemed smarter than a game, but if things had settled a bit she’d try out again next spring.
And then Mika had a personal list about a mile long of everything she needed to study over the summer – studies that wouldn’t get her any extra credit at Morgana.
Everything was packed up and ready to go back to San Francisco. The University of Morgana was unlike normal colleges in the sense that this room was hers until she graduated. So Mika didn’t pack her bedding, or any of the basic necessities. She had her clothes, laptop, and anything else she didn’t think she could live without for three months.
Like her rubies.
There was a lot she had to do over the summer, but Mika couldn’t help feeling like this was the end of whatever comradery she had going on with Ethan, Lucien, and Malachi. Would it be like starting over in the fall?
Audrey was coming with her back to San Francisco since there was nothing she could take at the university over the summer. They would finally get to that list Audrey had made before spring break.
It would be an interesting summer for sure – between Hunter and Claire and Audrey…
Mika sat on one of her suitcases and fiddled with the tag as she waited for Audrey to finish packing. “I’m going to go update the blackthorn,” she said, watching as Audrey contemplated if she should bring her shower sandals with her or not. “I’ll be back in a little.”
“Yeah sounds good,” Audrey said distractedly. “I should be done soon.”
They’d both passed finals with flying colors despite everything and Audrey had to come back to Morgana early for Marauder training, but Mika felt like they’d gotten off easy.
The walk to the forest went by in a blur. Mika hadn’t had time to say goodbye to anyone, but Lucien and Ethan said they were waiting for her at the portal with everyone else. The first and last day were always crazy as everyone arrived or went back home.
The trees were quieter today, murmuring as the warm spring air just had a tiny hint of summer to it. Soon it would be hot and everything would bloom. The food at the farms would grow and Mika wished she could stay.
She wasn’t ready to deal with Claire. She wasn’t ready to face Beltane again. But time didn’t work that way – it never stayed still.
Especially with the small heartbreak she couldn’t quite get over. There’d been no time to talk, to say farewell, or to exchange numbers, addresses, or emails. Mika had no idea how to get back in contact with him.
Part of her wanted to stay on this island and explore the ocean, or search for any other signs of the Morrigan, but she had duties at home. Once she had the greenhouse settled and the Matriarch ceremony was done she could explore her own options.
“Thought I would find you here.”
Mika whirled around, heart pounding, tears pricking her eyes. “You came back.”
Corbin gave her a cocky grin. “I’m not currently contracted with the Council. They can’t tell me who I can and cannot see. And there’s the little matter of them forgetting about this.” He waved an I.D. around and she had to laugh.
“Did they forget it, or did you steal it back?”
“Does it matter?” he asked, taking a step forward.
Mika’s breath caught as she stared up at the raven. He was gorgeous as always. “No, I suppose it doesn’t. What are you doing here? You disappeared, and then showed back up just in time
to save the day. Then you disappeared again.”
He tilted his head and that smile widened. Corbin took another step closer. “I went home to speak with my brother, and then I was doing as you had commanded – finding those who wanted to hurt you so I could deal with them.” They were so close she could touch him if she took a deep breath. “You seem to care an awful lot about my whereabouts.”
Narrowing her eyes, Mika wanted to pinch him. “And you stole an I.D. to come and go as you please. Who’s more desperate?”
Corbin reached out and his finger barely brushed the line of her jaw. “We thought all the morrigans were gone. I need to sort some things out with the other flocks. But I’m not ready to say goodbye either.”
And then he leaned down, brushing his lips against hers ever so slightly. Mika could barely breathe as lightning shot through her whole body. Corbin was kissing her.
Her eyes were wide as he pulled back. Mika could hardly believe that had actually happened.
Corbin’s cheeks were flushed, but he was smiling. “I know things are complicated right now, but I want you to know I’m here if you ever need me.” The raven handed her a slip of paper wrapped around a coin before he folded into himself.
His bird form was massive – more like a giant eagle than a raven. And he was gorgeous. When he flapped his wings a feather fell and he swooped down to catch it. Mika watched as he circled her and then landed on the branch above her.
Then he dropped the feather and it slowly fell right into her waiting hands.
Mika wanted to tell him she needed him right now. That she didn’t want to face her sister alone. She wanted to tell him to stay, but there was no place for an active assassin at the University of Morgana.
Corbin had a life and it wasn’t here.
He flew off to go back to wherever it was he called home and Mika watched him go with a heavy heart. Part of her knew deep down he was hers, but the timing wasn’t right. Maybe one day.
She looked down at the paper he’d given her and smiled at the email address and phone number wrapped around an assassin’s token.
Mika tucked it away and twirled the feather between her fingers as she headed to the blackthorn. Asking her for a cutting would supposedly allow her to communicate with the tree while in San Francisco. Hopefully it worked. Ethan thought it might.
And she’d gotten to say goodbye to Corbin.
Three months was a long time, but Mika thought maybe with Audrey it wouldn’t be so bad.
30
Hundreds of witches milled around the portal, waiting for their city to be called. The University of Morgana wasn’t a large school, but there were enough people there to make Mika feel claustrophobic.
She sat on her suitcase with Audrey, searching the crowd for Lucien, Ethan, and Malachi. The administration always did east coast to west coast due to the time zones. The idea was that everyone got home at roughly the same time of day.
They were only onto Denver, but Malachi and Ethan would be up soon.
“Mika!”
She turned and smiled when Ethan barged through the crowd under the spring sky. Malachi followed a bit slower behind him. Ethan didn’t have a suitcase, but Malachi did. Right, they lived in the same House.
“Where’s all your stuff?” she asked, standing up so she could wrap her arms around him.
“Professor Hayes asked me to stay for an independent study program in the conservatory,” Ethan explained. “So I signed up yesterday.”
That sounded about right for him. Mika stood up on her tiptoes and kissed him. “I’ll have to come visit you.”
“You most certainly will.” Ethan kissed her back and held her close. “I’m going to try and come visit you too. Three months is too long to go without seeing you.”
Mika agreed. Breathing him in, she stepped back with a teasing smile. “I think you just want to see my greenhouse.”
Ethan chuckled. “It’s definitely on the list of reasons.”
Malachi watched them with a small smile on his face, still rather disconnected from it all. He’d been so distracted during the games that they’d bumped him from captain. Malachi was still on the Marauders, but he wasn’t going to be the one leading it next year.
It was a lot all at once and Mika wished she could make him feel better. She wrapped her arms around Malachi, hoping a summer away from everything would do him good. “You should come visit too. There’s a lot to see in San Francisco.”
Malachi kissed her cheek, but moved back so they were no longer touching. His eyes were haunted. “I have some things to sort out first with my mom, but it might be a good idea. You guys are welcome in Vegas of course. Though there’s really not much to do until you’re twenty-one.”
“Or have a fake I.D.,” Lucien said as he walked up with his hands in his pockets – no bag to be seen. “You guys are witches. Don’t tell me you can’t just magic one into existence, or confuse a bouncer or two.”
Audrey grinned at that. “I refuse to admit to any sort of crime,” she said, pulling out her state license. A wave of her hand over it and the dates magically changed. Another wave and it went back to normal. “An enchantment I made for spring break, but never got the chance to use it.”
Mika wasn’t angry about missing out on spring break with Audrey anymore. She wasn’t mad about not making the team, or missing the last full moon to speak with the Morrigan.
There was a lot she’d accomplished regardless, and she’d been able to convince a raven to keep her secrets. That was not something everyone could say.
“They just called Vegas,” Malachi told them, giving Mika a nod. “I’ll see you all in the fall if nothing else. And Audrey, don’t slack off.”
Audrey laughed and hugged Malachi goodbye. “I won’t. Don’t forget to text and call. If you need anything let me know.”
Malachi waved as he walked toward the portal door with a few other students from Vegas. They all watched him go, and Mika sighed. She really hoped the summer would help him heal and come to terms with everything that had happened.
But she knew from firsthand experience it was never that easy.
“You think he’ll be okay?” Ethan asked.
“He’s a big boy.” Lucien rolled his eyes. “He knows he can call us if he’s not.”
“With his dad locked up there’s almost no chance of anything happening.”
“Is anyone else not surprised there’s a seal to hell in Vegas?” Audrey asked. Then something caught her eye and she smiled. “Hey, never mind. Ex-nay on the hell shit. Natalie!”
Mika watched as Audrey said her goodbyes to her girlfriend. It was strange to think all these people would be in their own separate corners of the universe for three months. She’d never had to experience anything like this before, and she had to admit, she didn’t like it.
In high school she’d been so secluded no one even cared – and honestly it wouldn’t have mattered if she had been friends with anyone. They all lived in the same city anyway. But this…this was completely different.
But at least they had phones.
Mika took Ethan’s hand and then Lucien’s. “I’m going to miss you guys.”
“And we’ll miss you,” Ethan told her, kissing her on the cheek. “Lucien decided to stay for the summer as well, but we’re going to make a trip to his pack in a few weeks. You should come.”
Mika looked at Lucien’s smirk in shock. “You’re letting him into the library too?”
“The librarian knows as much as I was allowed to tell him,” Lucien told her. “He knows the situation.” Then the fox kissed Mika’s other cheek. “If you’re jealous just let me know and I’ll tell Ethan he has to wait until next summer.”
It was hard to be jealous when she was just so shocked that they were working together. “Why are you staying for the summer, Lucien?”
The shifter shrugged and gave her a mischievous smile. “I’m nosy and want to know things. Also, there’s this class being taught by an actual samurai hunter visi
ting from Japan. Chick is like eighty years old with a kill record off the charts. There’s no way I’m missing that.”
Mika almost said fuck it so she could stay too. A samurai? She was highly annoyed she had to go and deal with Claire instead of getting trained by one of the best female hunters. “Take notes for me?” Mika asked. “I’d stay if I could.”
She grabbed Lucien’s shirt and tugged until he leaned down far enough she could kiss him without having to stretch. The taste of him wasn’t enough to last her the whole summer, but Mika knew things wouldn’t fade between them.
Lucien wasn’t like that, and neither was Ethan.
“Mika, we’re supposed to be next,” Audrey called. “Get your ass over here before we miss our portal and have to wait until tomorrow!”
She didn’t want to leave. Mika threw her arm around Ethan too and kissed him good and hard, tasting the rain on his tongue. Then she turned to Lucien and held his face as she slid her tongue into his mouth to taste that wildfire she was always craving.
“Get to the door,” Lucien told her, laughing as he smacked her ass. “We’ll see you before you know it.”
Mika nodded, blinking back tears even though Lucien’s lewd gesture made her laugh. She grabbed her bag and her suitcase, not looking back as she caught up to Audrey. It was only three months.
Everything would be fine.
“Mee-kah Marshall,” Ryan said as he put in the correct sigil – over pronouncing her name like he had when she’d first arrived at Morgana. “Congratulations on your A in my class, and I hope to see you next semester.”
She didn’t know what to say to the guy who had always made her slightly uncomfortable – like he was constantly trying too hard. “I hope so as well,” she said politely, falling back onto high society manners.
“I thought your final equation was really interesting,” Ryan told her. “To think how easy it would be to open the right door. I’ve never quite seen that equation presented for the hell realm.”