Free The Council (Darkness #5) by K.F. Breene Page A

course. A sad smile drifted across his lips. “We’ll make it through this, baby. We both have a lot of supporters. A lot of people have given each of us nods of welcome. Dominicous and Toa are working hard to source out all the political angles. Stay safe. I’ll see you as soon as I can.”
    I blew out a breath. “Think they’d be mad if I grew a plant through a wall of this establishment? Bet they haven’t seen that before. Maybe the repairs would slow them down.”
    Stefan stopped with his hand on the door. He turned back to me, contemplative. “Remember those purple insects that work their way back to you and bite like a bitch?”
    I smiled. The ol’ spells trying to kill me trick. “Shoot them behind my attacker and just wait.”
    He winked. “Keep ’em guessing. And don’t forget about the dinosaur one. That’ll freak a few people out. Just memorize the room before you set it off. Using Toa’s arsenal is excellent, but the more experienced mages won’t be thrown off-kilter with those. You need to go back to some strictly Sasha spells.”
    My brain whirled with all the failed spells I’d created before Toa came on scene. I could definitely use more than one. It was time to take a trip down memory lane.
     
    ***
     
    “Why’d we get stuck with that guy?” Charles flipped a thumb over his shoulder at Jessie, following behind us with a stern expression and darting eyes. “He’s got no sense of humor.”
    “And Jonas does?” I led the way to breakfast. I’d stayed in my room for five minutes after Stefan left, really not wanting to step out the door. Charles and Jessie waited patiently, not asking why I needed the extra time. It was pretty much commonsense.
    “This guy’s not irate, either, though. There’s really no point to him at all. He’d bore a plant.”
    I stifled a chuckle as I turned a corner. I held my breath as I noticed three people up ahead. Two were talking, a male and female. The third stood by idly. He was a human male.
    “They aren’t challengers,” Charles muttered, falling back a little.
    The male and female glanced up and saw us. I received a scowl from both before they meandered off to the right through an arched doorway. They must’ve been heading to breakfast as well. The human had glanced up, too, and upon seeing me, smiled. He was a middle-aged man with a thick mustache and groomed hair. His stance and smile were pleasant and inviting.
    He noticed my followers. “Oh. My goodness! You must be the black mage I hear so much about. A human to boot! Fantastic!” He stepped toward me, prompting me to stop and chat.
    “How’d you know?” I glanced around anxiously. “Look, let’s walk toward breakfast. I really shouldn’t loiter around the hall. ”
    He slapped his palm to his forehead. His comb-over quivered. “Of course. Please, we’ll go together.”
    A couple steps in and I couldn’t help but just kind of put it out there. “You seem normal. All the other humans seem a little… kinda… off.”
    He nodded in a knowing way. “I’m pet to a lovely female in charge of a homestead in Arizona. We only visit the Council once a year at most. Humans in here… Well, I’ll be bold. They get a little warped. Always inside, always in blood circles, always trying to blood-let themselves to the most powerful.” He shook his head sadly. “Wrong way to do it.”
    “Sorry—” I held up my hand as we entered the safety of the cafeteria. “Blood circles?”
    He quirked an eyebrow. “You sure don’t know much about this way of life, huh?”
    Seeing a look that obviously answered his question, he smiled good-naturedly, stalling near the line for food. His glance took in Charles and Jessie before settling on me. “Do you go first, or do they? I’ve never met a human so high in the trade.”
    “I usually go first. Unless I offer Charles to go. He accepts because he’s a child with no manners.”
    “I accept because you are a woman; I hear you roar. I want to treat