Did Bask not yet understand that it was I who’d hex anyone who sought to hurt him?
I could try for truly wicked, if I was pushed.
I tiptoed to the window, sliding onto the window seat. The braziers hadn’t yet been lit, and it was cold. When I pushed open the window, the icy wind slapped my cheeks in a familiar greeting that made me grin, and I held out my arm for Echo and Flair who hopped onto it.
Witching heavens, I forgot how heavy they were.
“I missed your feathery behinds more than you know, but did we have to hold this reunion at such an unholy hour?” I grumbled.
Flair ruffled his feathers. “The other witches are scary as fuck, boss. We don’t fancy being caught and trained like…”
“Familiars?” I arched my brow.
“On my fangs, we’re not familiars.” Echo rubbed his head against my arm. “We’re your familiars. You’d never want us controlled like those poor dragon shifters, right?”
I stroked Echo’s beak. “I have nothing but contempt for those who rule by control. I’d free you both if—"
“You don’t love us?” Echo gasped.
I blinked. “Excuse me?”
“Pluck, stuff, and mount me in Crow Hall, look what your witchy muff has gone and done now!” Flair snapped his beak with an angry clack. “Tell him that you own him and other possessive shit, or so help me, I’ll wake you up at this time every morning for the next term.”
Ah, he knew my weakness.
I caressed Echo’s wing because that made him coo happily, as I promised, “You’re mine. I won’t free you. I assure you that both your twin and you are bonded to me, and I shan’t let you go.”
I could hear the smile in Echo’s voice. “As I’ve Fallen, I love you too.”
The Fallen…or at least this pair, before they’d been transformed to familiars…were decidedly weird.
“Should I be worried about how you’re spending your time without me?” I asked.
Flair’s cackle didn’t reassure me. “Let’s just say that we’re exploring, unearthing secrets, and working on your behalf.”
“Consider me still worried.”
“We find the time to peek in on the Princes,” Echo added dreamily like that’d take the edge off my glare. “Last night, the elf sang a song that flowed over me like a beautiful frozen river: “All is Found.” I could’ve drowned in it.”
“Oh, and his dick looked beautiful too under the shower.” Flair dove above my head in a victory lap. “That’s another one to me in the Wank Count.”
“Did you simply come here to boast about Willoughby’s prick or…?” My tongue darted out, wetting my lower lip.
Why had Flair put that image in my head? Now that I knew the elf, I understood Echo’s obsession with him. I didn’t love Willoughby as I did the Immortals, but I wished that the Princes weren’t divided in their own Wing. If Willoughby was lying in my arms, then I’d be able to understand why Lysander treated him as if he was as dangerous as me, called him killer, and manhandled him, despite the fact that he was equally royalty.
Yet also why Willoughby joked with Fox, was kind to Bask, and had helped Ambrose’s son.
When Flair landed on my head, and his claws bit into my scalp, I winced. “We came because your mage is in serious danger. I don’t care a fuck about much, but I know what it’d mean to you if another mage died.”
I nodded; my throat was too tight to speak.
“We listened to the Principal and her daughter talking. You drew in the Rebel Cup on Monday and lost yesterday. Blood and bones, unless you win today, the mage dies. Your power could uproot this entire infernal academy. Unleash your witchy bitch.”
I clenched my jaw. “Oh, the witchy bitch is ready. I shan’t allow Fox to die for me, just like Robin did. I shall destroy this castle, rather than watch an execution on Saturday. But…” I hesitated, lifting Echo off my knee and standing. I bunched my hands in my dress. “…I love the Rebels and am even fond of the haughty Princes. I’ve grown attached to life. I wish to find a way to save us all. I’m known for death and destruction alone. Why can’t I be known as more than the wicked witch?”
When I glanced up, I eeped.
Fox, Sleipnir, and Bask were awake, resting on their elbows and watching me. Why did they look so serious?
Oh yes, to them it appeared that I was ranting about death and destruction to myself like a crazy person. Wait, had I even just pronounced my love in such an unflattering way?
“You heard that?” I asked.
They nodded at the same time.
Come on, Magenta, think…
“Be generous and merciful to her who is your slave in love.” I smiled: that’d do it.
Behind my back, Flair cawed with laughter.
Fox’s smile was shy. “I don’t believe that you’re wicked. You love me when no witch ever has.”
Bask simply lay on his back, teasing up his pajamas to reveal his pale stomach. “Who wouldn’t love this slinkiness?”
“It’s too early in the morning for declarations of love.” Sleipnir ran his hand through his mop of aquamarine hair. Mist, on the other hand, flew across the room to nuzzle against my neck with a gentle whinny. After the spell in SHP, Sleipnir couldn’t hide his true emotions no matter how he tried. “You’re plotting with those ghost pests again?”
“Flair says: Tell the god to go fuck himself with Thor’s hammer,” I smirked, repeating Flair’s response minus half the cursing.
“Rude.” Sleipnir raised one elegant finger: “As well as ignorant: it’s called Mjolnir. You can tell the jerk crow that I’ve already hit that sweet Mjolnir’s ass, or more precisely, it hit mine.” Bask snickered, and I reddened. Sweet Hecate, it was always the quiet ones. Then Sleipnir cupped his prick through his pajamas, and I wished that I’d been able to replace those long fingers with mine. Wasn’t it cruel and unusual punishment to expect a lady to resist such temptation from the gods? “Plus, brave to enter the arena of trash talk with the son of Loki. Mr Dick says: come and suck me, and I’ll show you the meaning of a chaos moment, bitch.”
Ah, traditional banter. How I’ve missed it.
When Echo laughed, Flair shot him a betrayed look.
I cocked my head as if listening. “Flair says: Why would he, when the worm doesn’t look more than a mouthful?”
Sleipnir sat up in sleepy outrage; his hair stuck out at cute angles that I longed to smooth down for him. Mist pawed the air angrily, tossing his head.
Sleipnir pointed at me. “Hey, you’re making it up now.”
I smiled, innocently. “Perhaps.”
Bask pretended to snap Nile at me. “Naughty witch. Pet him.”
“My pleasure.” I stalked to the bed, crawling over Fox to straddle Sleipnir’s lap.
I slipped my hand down Sleipnir’s pants to fondle his prick like I’d been craving. His pupils became dilated, as his gaze met mine.
“Just a little lower,” Sleipnir panted, before yelping. “On the second thoughts, that’s low enough. More than a mouthful, huh?”
I leaned forward, thrilling at the silky feel of him and how quickly he’d hardened at my touch. His magic vibrated through mine; I could taste the power of every guy in the room. Yet their pleasure controlled them, as much as I craved it.