Page 74 of Novice Girlfriend

“Jason Berns is dead?” one of the reporters asked.

“Listen,” Jean snapped. “She’s trying to explain.”

“Jason Berns tried to get his hands on Bevin because of the rumors she’s a goddess witch,” Tracey said firmly. “He tried to abduct her once before to return her to Charles Shaw like property, but now it’s about these rumors and him trying to use them and whatever that stupid prophecy is. Some lunatic’s rant about a god warlock or goddess witch born of a fallen noble family.

“He was going to use that for a ploy—I’m not sure all the details yet or what I’m allowed to say. What I can say is it wasn’t good and he didn’t care about Bevin’s consent. Apparently, that’s exactly the way Jason Berns likes it though.”

Oh shit. That wasn’t part of the script. Tracey was extra pissed about the women he’d hurt.

Yeah, all of us were, so I was glad she was saying it.

“Using information he got from threatening someone, he used magic to show he had abducted Clare Millen,” Tracey continued. “Knowing Bevin would go rescue her sister. Of course she would and she did. Luckily, she was with guards and council guards and contacted Jean Shaw.

“Again, I’m not allowed to disclose all of the details, but I will say that Bevin and Jean both tried to contact Clare first. They’re not idiots no matter what is said about them. She was unreachable, and Jason knew that the timing part of the plan since he couldn’t actually abduct her given the level of security the family has.

“A council guard was killed in the attempt to abduct Bevin.” Tracey nodded when murmurs started. “The council will handle revealing the details, but I do know his family has been notified and I believe placed in protective custody for fear of retaliation since he thwarted Jason Berns getting Bevin. That’s about all I can say on the matter.”

“And the council probably hasn’t done anything about it because they never punish the top-tier families while saying they keep us safe, right?” someone called out.

Tracey raised an eyebrow. “Are you willing to position yourself at the front line of the war that would follow when judging that so easily? Because clearly you know what would happen and are tapped in.” She snorted when he didn’t say anything. “They’ll handle it as best as they can, but given Jason’s magic was damaged in the altercation, I don’t think he’ll be much of a threat.”

Jean slowly looked at Tracey, and even with all her training and Shaw mask on, she couldn’t hide her reaction fully.

Because Tracey had just completely veered off the plan and tossed a grenade into… Everything.

Tracey chuckled darkly. “Oh, whoops. Sorry, Jason. I didn’t mean to admit you were impotent now. Guess you can’t make Jean your whore and Bevin your—whatever that crazy was. No more forcing women for you when you can’t perform. And what was I? An N-word that should be a magical slave if I have so much since humans were stupid and abolished slavery?”

“Holy fucking shit,” one of the guards breathed, lots of us at the estate watching it in the family room with breakfast.

Tracey didn’t give them time to react, moving on like a seasoned pro who was used to dealing with more than most.

“Given the events and what happened, the ban is lifted against Jean Shaw and those who work for the Shaw family,” Tracey continued. “The rest of the Shaw family is still banned except from the new comfort blankets that Familiar Treasures is launching. That is the only product that will not have a ban. Across the board.

“The magic is solely to help familiars and—as the name implies—provide comfort for familiars. Yes, that can help the bond between familiar and witch or warlock, but it does not directly relate to any increase in harvesting or magic. It’s meant for the familiar, and only if effort is put into it will it help their bond. So we are not putting any ban on the purchase of that.

“There’s also no way to abuse it nor duplicate the magic so the owner cannot punish familiars because the people might be horrid. That is our stance. I think no one will be shocked that we’re adding the Berns family to the blacklist. At this rate, it will probably be all the top-tier families by the end of next year. And yes, we can do that and be just fine.”

I was impressed when Jean snorted, obviously agreeing.

Jean went next and said a few things that she was grateful for my quick thinking and open communication even if it had all been a ploy. That while we may be Millen and Shaw, we were still related, and any attack on either was an attack on both, and the men of the top-tier families needed to stop underestimating us.

She knew they wouldn’t listen, but she was actually fair and thought giving them a warning was smart… As Neal Wyatt had learned.

I frowned. “What did I miss?”

“It just came in and you went to bed,” Jasmine sighed, her tone apologetic.

I bobbed my head and then my eyes went wide as Jean went over that Professor Wyatt’s older brother had submitted an offer to settle my lawsuit. A massive fucking offer. I slowly looked at Jasmine like she’d grown another head because it was double what we’d originally sued for.

She smiled behind her coffee mug. “Taylor and his people are good. They found more proof and Neal didn’t want that getting out. Nor have to go under truth magic in court. He settled pretty fast. That’s going to be a nice fund for witches who need representation or want to get a legal education.” She gave me a kind look. “You did that.”

“You did,” I argued. “You took my pain and did that. Thank you.”

“We need the wins to keep fighting,” she whispered.

That we did.

Jean also announced that Bernice would be working with Familiar Treasures and Mrs. Oliveria to help with the large familiar housing project at the colleges. Nothing had been stated formally about Bernice’s “punishment” for what she allowed Charles to do to his own sibling, and now was the time.