by Emma Dean
“Did you know that ravens start training from the age of three?” Corbin asked as he eyed all the students they passed.
“Why would I know that?” Mika snapped.
“You’re not bad, for a witch,” Corbin admitted. “You were started early in some kind of training, even if I’m not sure what. But it was sloppy. And you’re out of practice.”
Mika gritted her teeth to keep from snapping at him again. She hefted her bag over her shoulder and pushed through another set of doors. Why were all her classes on opposite sides of the school from each other?
“You could be better,” Corbin said with a shrug. “I could train you.”
Mika stopped dead in her tracks, ignoring the glares from other students as they jostled into her. She didn’t bother moving. Turning to stare at the raven, Mika tried to think of any reason why he would offer such a thing.
Was he trying to get her to trust him? Did he want her to spill all her secrets while they trained together? Or was he trying to get closer to her, so that one day she wouldn’t even think of him as an enemy?
“Why? I thought ravens never taught outsiders.”
Corbin actually looked away.
Mika’s eyes narrowed. She pulled out her phone and texted Audrey that she had to skip class. “Come with me.”
For once Corbin didn’t argue with her as she shoved through the mass of chattering students. She pushed through yet another set of doors and stepped out into the courtyard. It looked a thousand times different in the daylight – when she wasn’t being chased by a hellhound.
“Skipping class isn’t advised,” Corbin told her as they passed more buildings.
Mika walked toward the forest, ignoring him.
The trees whispered as she approached and she didn’t slow down this time, not until she stepped out into the cemetery.
Snow and ice still clung to the headstones and the trees, but the dirt was visible. Winter was fading.
Mika looked up at the blue sky and then at the trees as their whispers grew silent in the presence of the raven. Even they knew what he was.
“Why would you offer to train me?” Mika asked again. “When you might have to kill me one day?”
Corbin was utterly silent behind her, but she knew he was there – she could practically feel him now that she knew what to look for. “If I had to kill you dove, it wouldn’t be with a blade to your throat.”
His words were nearly gentle – almost…sad?
Mika turned around to study the raven. “And how would you do it?”
He took one step toward her and then stopped. “A painless poison. You would die in your sleep.”
“Mercy?” she asked, raising one eyebrow in question.
Corbin nodded, a flash of surprise going by before he could hide it. “You know your poisons.”
“Of course I do,” Mika scoffed. “I’m a Marshall.” The headstone nearest to her was engraved in a language she didn’t recognize. She fiddled with the charm hanging from her ear and the words morphed until she could read the epitaph.
Your life was brutal, so we made sure your death was gentle.
Mika considered the words that seemed so fitting for her own headstone – if witches were buried.
“Why train me?” she asked again.
Suddenly he was right beside her and she had no idea how he’d gotten there or when he’d moved. Corbin’s green eyes practically sparkled in the sunlight. But the look on his face was serious…considering.
“You’re not a hunter or a shifter,” Corbin said. “You are at a disadvantage in a physical fight until you learn how to use battle magic.”
Mika went still. Battle magic.
For some reason, the way the raven said it was completely different than the witches – than the ones who taught her battle magic for the sake of a game. And she doubted he meant the kind of magic taught to witch hunters.
Battle magic.
Audrey had mentioned she’d read about other types of battle magic spells than the fifteen they were taught for the game. Mika would have to ask her which book it was again.
The sound of the Morrigan’s whispering words and the caw of her raven echoed in her thoughts as Mika considered all that those words meant – what Corbin was telling her without realizing it.
Did he even know how little witches knew of their own past?
Witches were warriors once. Even on her deathbed her grandmother’s words hadn’t wavered.
“I thought you felt nothing,” Mika said, eyeing Corbin carefully. “I thought you were still deciding whose side you were on.”
He took another step forward until there was only an inch of air between them, but still no part of him touched her. “I don’t. And what better way to decide than to spend more time with you?”
Mika looked up into those green eyes and wondered if he was lying to her. How would she even know? This time she was the one who took a step forward until one strong gust of wind could push her into him, but still they didn’t touch. She was always mindful of that – knowing what it was like after three years of isolation.
Touch burned like fire after years of nothing at all.
What did a lifetime feel like?
“You’re risking your life,” Mika warned him. “Because I don’t trust you.”
And her magic was volatile – no longer contained by the pretty silver she wore. One wrong move and she could accidentally bleed him dry if her control shattered.
Corbin tilted his head slightly like he would in his raven form. “Should be exciting.”
Mika rolled her eyes and tucked her hands into her pockets. Why were all the men in her life so stupid? “Show me what you got, Corbin.”
9
Checking to make sure the window was still unlocked; Mika and Audrey eased it open – silent thanks to Audrey messing with it earlier. There was a chance Corbin would hear them, but they had Bewitched blaring on the TV and Audrey set up an enchantment that looked just like them, talking and eating popcorn.
It was fucking eerie and Mika couldn’t wait until Audrey dispersed that particular spell.
The charms Selene had given Audrey kept their every movement completely silent. Audrey had even managed to slip a sleeping charm in Corbin’s tea. Mika wasn’t sure it would work, he was an assassin after all, but Selene’s charms weren’t exactly legal.
And the Kavanaghs were masters at these little enchantments they liked to package so pretty – it had looked like a simple sugar cube.
With the help of the watches Kenzie had made for them, Mika was able to scan Corbin’s room, see that he was indeed laying on his bed, but she couldn’t tell from the outline if he was sleeping or not.
Audrey had slipped a recording charm in his room earlier that sent the sounds directly to her watch.
No wonder they didn’t sell these things much. The things the watches could do were unreal, but Kenzie didn’t just make these for fun. She used hers as a programmer. For the first time, Mika wished she was better at computers, but regardless the watch was a welcome gift.
They had until midnight. Corbin usually got up around one in the morning to go to the bathroom, listen at her door, and then make his rounds around the house, stopping on his way back up for a snack.
Mika had stayed up one night just to see what he did. Then Audrey had the next night. It had eased her fear that he might be watching her in her sleep. But no, he just stayed in his room, which made her wonder if there was another way he was keeping track of her through the walls.
Did he rely on sound alone?
Her boots didn’t make a sound as she climbed out on the ledge of the window. There wasn’t a fire escape, but the bricks had enough room for her fingers. Not to mention they would have help.
As if he’d heard her thoughts, Lucien tossed a rope over the side of the building and it smacked the wall right next to her. Mika looked up and grinned at the fox, who grinned right back.
This was what he’d meant by juices flowing. She coul
d feel the adrenaline pumping through her veins making her feel giddy and strange.
Gripping the rope, Mika used every bit of muscle she had to climb up, feet pressed against the wall so she could walk herself up a bit. Audrey waited anxiously, hanging out the window, but she didn’t say a word.
Her hands reached the ledge of the roof and Ethan instantly grabbed her coat and helped haul her over.
Audrey was next.
As Lucien held the rope – his fox strength was ridiculous, he didn’t even look like he was trying – Mika hugged Ethan but waited for Audrey before saying anything. She and Ethan both helped Audrey up and over.
Then a few words and some runes sealed them in a bubble similar to a shield. But it was like her other spell – no sounds could make it through that shimmering green sphere.
“Well,” Lucien said, pressing into Mika’s side like it was the most natural thing in the world, with Ethan on her other side. “That raven is still here.”
“I really thought he’d be gone by now,” Ethan muttered. “So what exactly did the Council say? Why is Corbin shadowing you?”
Mika cleared her throat. “I did talk to him a little,” she admitted. “And Dean De Rosa and the Council insist it’s because I’m being targeted, but Corbin admitted it’s because they think I’m tied up in everything that happened before spring break.”
Lucien let out a whistle. “Damn, and if Corbin sees you sacrifice a witch…” He drew his finger over his throat.
“Yup.” It was gruesome, but at the same time Mika couldn’t forget what Corbin had told her. He wouldn’t kill her with a blade to her throat – what did that mean coming from an assassin?
“Anyway,” Mika said, leaning into Lucien more than she usually did. She slipped her hand into Ethan’s, enjoying their comfort after a week without them. “We don’t have much time. Audrey, I need you to get into contact with Selene or Kenzie. Tell them you need to talk to Jessica James about the seal. Maybe see if we can set up a meeting?”
Audrey nodded.
Mika wanted the hunter who knew Lucifer himself to know where the seal was and what they’d found out. After all, that seal had Lucifer’s mark on it.
Just because Patricia was locked up and the killings had stopped didn’t mean that someone somewhere wasn’t still planning to try and open that seal. Mika didn’t know if it was still unprotected, or if the dean had added more protections…those eyes she’d seen once still haunted her.
Too bad there was no way to go searching for them with Corbin stuck to her side constantly. Maybe she’d get a chance another night.
“Lucien,” Mika said, turning to him next. “You’ve got the best chance of sniffing out anything than the rest of us. Could you go back to that den and see what you can find there? Do that thing you do?”
The fox grinned at that. “They’ll never know I was there.”
“Ethan, help him if you can. But I was thinking, that spell you use to watch me through the plants?”
The storm witch grinned at her. “You want me to put them in certain locations?”
She nodded, chewing on her lip as she thought. “And maybe set up some mostly harmless poisons in the tunnel entrances? So if someone suddenly gets a rash…”
Lucien and Ethan shared a smile. “Wanna help?” Ethan asked him.
“Do I ever,” the fox snickered. “I love a bit of mischief.”
Mika squeezed Ethan’s hand and smiled, enjoying how these two were finally coming to some sort of understanding.
“Will the raven be going with you to the funeral?” Audrey asked, glancing at her watch and the outline of Corbin who was still lying in his bed with an arm thrown over his eyes. “Would you like for me to come as well?”
Audrey’s question instantly dampened Mika’s mood. She wasn’t looking forward to the high society shenanigans this weekend.
“Yeah, or I could go,” Ethan said gently.
“I would offer, but Hunter might be there and ruin everything,” Lucien huffed, growling slightly. “I never know with him.”
Mika wished she could bring all of them with her, but it would just cause more problems. “Yes, the raven will be coming with me, and no, I think it would be best if it were just me and him.”
Ethan smiled down at her then and ruffled her hair on the top of her head. “You’re going to try and ensnare him just like you did me, aren’t you?”
Lucien’s frown melted at that and he chuckled. “That sounds like a fun game. If anyone can make a raven fall for a witch, it’s you.” With that he chucked her under the chin and Mika couldn’t help but laugh.
This was what she’d missed so desperately that she’d managed to fall back into her old habits – dealing with things the way she had before. But she wasn’t truly alone anymore. These three had her back no matter what.
“We should get back, just in case,” Audrey told her, throwing an arm around Mika’s shoulders. “If you need anything from me to help soften this raven up, let me know.”
Mika nodded and slipped her arm around Audrey’s waist, wishing things didn’t have to be this way, but soon she would have her way. Corbin would be hers or he would leave, one way or another.
“There is one thing you can do,” she murmured, glancing over at Ethan and Lucien who were already going over logistics. “Find a way to get rid of Corbin if I can’t turn him. We need a backup plan.”
Audrey looked out at the forest and sighed. “Which means we need to figure out a way to prove your innocence.”
“You don’t have to make it sound like I’m such a criminal,” Mika teased, elbowing Audrey in the side.
The other witch laughed and elbowed her back. “You are definitely a suspicious character, Mika. Maybe I’ll have to get them to lock you up while crime is happening. And I did invite Malachi, by the way. I’m sorry he didn’t come.”
Mika was grateful Audrey had told her without having to ask and looking desperate, but it didn’t lessen the sting. She hugged Audrey tight. “It’s okay, and thank you, for everything – for the offer to come with me. I would take you up on it, but…I want to introduce you to high society not at a funeral.”
Audrey nodded. “I don’t think I’m ready yet either, but I wanted to be there for you.”
“Hey, let’s go!” Lucien called. “I want to be out of here before that shifter starts lurking around the house.”
Mika kissed Audrey’s cheek and headed toward the ledge. The spell around them dissolved as she reached the rope.
They had a plan, but Mika couldn’t be a part of it yet. It was difficult to accept, but she didn’t plan on sitting in the backseat for long.
10
Mika adjusted her black tie, laying it flat against the black shirt. Her sister had glared when she saw Mika arrive in the Armani suit tailored to perfection. No dress for Grandmother, not today.
Grandmother would have been pleased, especially paired with the Louboutin’s.
“This suits you,” Corbin murmured, touching the edge of her jacket’s sleeve briefly. “It makes an interesting statement too.”
He was already reaching out to her more which she found interesting. Was it because he was training her now? Was it because they weren’t at the school? Either way, she had to ease into this. She didn’t want to raise his suspicions.
So Mika ignored the raven and focused on arranging the Aconitum in the vase. Her gloves kept the poison from her skin, but all Marshall’s built up a bit of tolerance to poisons. The chance she could accidentally poison someone else though was too high to risk not wearing protection.
“So how are you going to explain my presence?” Corbin asked, looking around the foyer of the Marshall mansion.
The large dining room for entertainment had been cleared out which is where the funeral would take place. Claire had said the funeral would be small, but a hundred people was not small in her opinion. Mika sighed, moving onto the next vase. She supposed it could have been worse considering how well known and liked Helen M
arshall had been.
This whole thing was going to be a shitshow based on the guest list alone.
“If anyone asks, I’ll tell them you’re my boyfriend,” Mika finally responded. “Though I doubt anyone with connections to the Council will believe it.”
A raven dating a witch. Mika snorted. How ridiculous. Ravens hated witches.
She glanced down at the inked wing she could still see on Corbin’s wrist. The rest of the Morrigan’s symbol was hidden by his suit jacket. Maybe they didn’t hate all witches. Not like Corbin would ever tell her the truth.
Claire had shown her the guest list earlier and Mika’s stomach churned anxiously as she considered everyone that had been on there. Most of the Bay Coven would be in attendance. Which meant Selene and Kenzie, but that wasn’t what worried her. Kenzie would bring her foxes and that might potentially cause problems.
Then she’d seen Matthew’s name on the list as well as his parents.
Mika chewed her lip again, wondering for the thousandth time if she should warn Corbin.
“Would you stop that?” Corbin muttered. “You’re going to tear the skin.”
“Didn’t realize you cared,” she snapped, taking a step back to admire her work.
There, the Queen of Poisons was properly displayed in all its varying colors and glory. Mika narrowed her eyes and studied it. A bit of orange would look gorgeous against all the purples and whites.
Mika turned on her heel and walked through the foyer straight through the house to the back. They had a nice collection of black bean flowers from Australia that were both yellow and orange – and one of the deadliest plants in that country. It took a lot to kill someone, but the symptoms were incredibly painful.
“Why pretend I’m your boyfriend?” Corbin asked, following her without question or hesitation. “Why not the truth?”
Mika headed for the large conservatory out back and didn’t bother to answer. She slid off one glove and opened the door, holding it for Corbin. He gave her a curious look as he went by but didn’t press for answers.
