“Invisibility,” Connor explains for her, and while his tone is matter of fact, his eyes reflect pride. “It’s saved our asses more than once.”
“I imagine it would.” I smile slightly, thinking about all the times invisibility would have been helpful on my own adventures. There are so many of them that it’s impossible to count.
Suddenly, bright light flares through the room, coming straight from Amber’s direction.
What looks like a small sun hovers above her palm, radiating heat.
“Sun magic.” She leans forward in excitement, the light brightening further. “I can shoot out solar flares and heat things up.”
The temperature next to me drops, and my attention snaps to Riven, whose frost is crackling from his hands up to his elbows.
I narrow my eyes at him, my magic prickling along my skin.
“Please tell me you’re not going to attack one of the two other star touched in the world within the first hour of meeting her,” I say to him in warning, although part of me gets a thrill about how his protective side is always ready to step up, even now.
“Think of it as precautionary frostbite—better safe than sizzling.” He shrugs and reins in his magic, although a bit of it lingers around his fingers, just in case. “Plus, if I was going to attack, I’d have already brought out my sword.”
Connor smirks at Riven with what looks like approval. “I like your style, Ice Prince,” he says, leaning back in his chair and continuing to size him up. “Never thought I’d say that to a fae, but protective instincts are something wolves understand.”
“And I never thought I’d sit in the same room as a wolf without turning him into a fur coat, but yet, here we are.” Riven’s smile is sharp and deadly, although there’s a surprising amount of warmth in his tone.
Could my Winter Prince be making afriend?Because I really, truly love that for him.
Ruby smiles knowingly at me and rolls her eyes, silently mocking Connor and Riven for taking jabs at each other, which makes me like her even more.
Damien, on the other hand, watches Amber with admiration as she closes her fingers around the orb of light she was holding.
“Moon, sun, and stars.” He looks around at us with a calculated calmness that makes the centuries of life he’s had over us clear. “Three celestial powers, and three supernatural species represented. Shifters, vampires, and fae.”
Connor’s expression grows serious. “Which brings us to why we’ve gathered today—allying against the Blood Coven.”
Riven looks around the table, quickly snapping back into politics mode. “The Winter, Summer, and Night Courts stand ready,” he says, his voice carrying the weight of royal authority.“Queen Lysandra and Queen Mirena agreed to the proposed terms.”
Mirena didn’t have much of a choice, given the ironclad terms Riven offered when we invaded her palace, but a tense alliance is better than no alliance.
“As does the Pine Valley pack,” Connor affirms with a nod. “And through us, all the major shifter packs of North America.”
“And of course, the vampires of New York are with you,” Damien adds.
A powerful, collective silence settles over us, broken after a moment by Ruby’s thoughtful voice.
“You know, now that Luna, Sunneva, and Celeste have chosen their star touched warriors, only Tempest remains,” she says, pointing out the big fact we all know but haven’t mentioned yet.
“The storm goddess,” Amber says. “Whoever she chooses?—”
“Will likely be connected to the witches,” Damien finishes, as if they’ve had this conversation before. “And that means fire magic.”
“Tempest,” Riven repeats, as if tasting the name.
Everyone at the table turns to look at him.
“What is it?” Damien tilts his head with subtle interest, urging Riven to go on.
Riven’s silver eyes meet mine before he addresses the group. “Have any of you ever met a pilot who goes by the name T?”
The others exchange glances, shaking their heads.
“No,” Connor says. “Why?”
