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“Sort of?” Kell drawls.
“But does that change anything? Hecate and the others have welcomed us here—clothed and fed us—and I’m beyond thankful.”
“As am I,” she offers with sincerity. “But that doesn’t mean I’ve tossed my caution over the cliff. Nor that I should.” She leans toward me by a few inches. “Come on, classics major. You know this material better than I. Hecate may be the coolest witchy OG there is, but she’s still agoddess. And have you ever known of a god or goddess to drop their ethereal duties and mentor a protégé because their hearts are simply that pure?”
I shift a little. “Hecate hasn’t exactly whipped out a contract and demand I sign it in blood, Kell.”
“Good to know,” she replies with a forced breeze in her voice. “I only hope she’s not holding out for something more precious than that when she collects on the debt.”
I scoff. “You’re being paranoid.”
“And I hopeyou’reright on that one, sister.”
CHAPTER TWENTY
MAXIMUS
“Ah! As always, your timing is perfect,” Kiama calls as I enter the barn. At the other end, there’s a large truck piled with too many hay bales to count. “In the mood to sling some hay, Professor?”
“Knew there was a reason I inhaled three scones on the way over here,” I reply with a grin.
Hers is a bright complement to her glowing skin. “See? I was right. You’re also perfectly fueled up.”
The delivery guy has already offloaded about a dozen bales. I breathe in, enjoying their sweet grassy smell. “Where do these get stored?”
“There’s a storage loft to the left of where you just came in, but we have a portable elevator. Haul these outside. Liseli will show you how to load them on the hopper. Here are some spare hooks and gloves.”
“What?” I tease, thankful that the gloves fit my massive paws. “You don’t just whoosh it all upstairs with a spell or two?”
She flexes both arms. “We like to tackle a few things the hard way. Probably why it’s always so fun.”
“Speak for yourself.” The source of that gibe, one slightly scowling sorceress who’s quickly finishing a long braid of her thick hair, walks up and turns her focus to me. “Welcome! You have terrific timing.”
“So I’ve been told.”
“And also properly recruited. Good job, Ki.” She winks in response to her friend’s saucy smirk. “We’re sure to get this done in no time.”
She’s right. With the help of the hay elevator, we get the bales into the loft with speed and ease. Having already inhaled my breakfast, I tell the two witches to head to the sala for their meal while I finish stacking the bales. Turns out Kiama’s mind-set is contagious. It feels good to be working up an honest and productive sweat for the first time in a while.
After neatly placing the last big brick of hay, I straighten and use my T-shirt to wipe my face.
I’m ready to congratulate myself with a satisfied sigh, but the air stops short in my throat. There’s extra noise in the barn, and it’s not the goats getting amorous.
It’s voices.
A pair that my instincts recognize before my logic does. Ergo, the gag order inspiration.
Circe and Hecate donotsound inspired to do the same. But just like yesterday morning, they’re chopping their volume down with stubborn intent. They’re so lasered on arguing with each other, none of the creaks from the hay loft have them tossing a single glance overhead. Not that I’m moving, let alone luxuriating in breathing, at the moment.
“Calm? You want me to stay calm despite everything you’re implying right now?” Circe spits, only to earn herself the imperious iridescence of her leader’s glare.
“I will not repeat myself,” Hecate intones. “You heard me the first time. I have no idea—”
“You haveeveryidea,” Circe snaps. “And you know precisely what I’m talking about. You knew exactly when and where to find us yesterday, even after my cover story about needing to run down the hill to grab more medicine for the goats. That’s because you knew it was a cover all along. Because youalready knewwhat had happened to Kell. But you told me nothing.Why? Hecate, why didn’t you say a single th—”
“Calm. Down. I insist on meaning it this time.” Hecate’s tone matches Circe’s terse stomps, though her own steps are as queenly as ever. “You’ll start agitating the beasties, not to mention Jaden and his extraordinary ears. If Kiama and Liseli don’t come running back first, then—”
“Let them. Lethim. Why not everyone else too? Maybe that’s exactly what should happen now. Forget about lettingmein on things. Maybe it’s just time thateveryoneknows about this insanity of yours. What they’re signing onto by continuing to declare fealty to you.”
