I reach my room and slam the door shut. I close my eyes and lean back against it while I take deep slow breaths and try not to scream. I’m startled when I hear someone approach me, and I find five pairs of eyes filled with concern.

“What are you guys doing in here?” I ask and then clear my throat at the emotion that just leaked through in my voice.

“Being nosy. We thought the best way to get some answers was to ambush you," Valen explains. The playful smile on his face quickly falls away when he takes a closer look at me. “What happened?”

“Well long story short, the elders wanted in on my reading to better assess how much of a threat I might be. Don’t worry though, Lachlan’s coven didn’t allow that to happen.”

I watch as a few of their shoulders relax and then tense up again as I go on.

“Oh, they didn’t keep the elders away for the reasons you’re thinking. They weren’t protecting me. They’re fucking protecting the elders. Big, dangerous, and scary Vinna will be dealt with by the asshole paladin who are supposed to be her coven, so there’s that to be grateful for.”

“Wait, what makes any of them think you’re dangerous, or a threat?” Knox asks, just as confused as I was.

“To quote Lachlan--the newest recipient of the shittiest uncle award--they don’t know where I come from, and I’ve been designed as the perfect weapon. They all think that because I’m capable, I’m automatically culpable.”

“Fuck that," Bastien snaps.

“Yeah that’s more or less what I said, then I threw a knife at someone who tried to follow me upstairs. Probably not my finest moment.”

I hear several snickers as I walk over to the bed where a white dress, a pouch of herbs, and a glass vile that’s filled with clear liquid sit. I’ve been waiting for this reading and what it will tell me about my magic since I got here, but there’s no excitement about it anymore. All I feel right now is a little broken and a lot pissed off.

The wood box containing Laiken’s ashes catches my eye, and I stare at it and berate myself. Why am I so hurt by this? I should fucking know better by now. I followed perfect strangers to the middle of nowhere out of sheer desperation. Should I really be shocked that this is how it turned out? I take in the details of Laiken’s box, and a decision cements itself in my mind. I’ll get through this reading, and then I’m done with the paladin.

I can tell that the guys want to say or do something that will make all of this better for me somehow, but everyone stays silent, understanding that the damage has been done. I pick up the white dress that’s laid out and throw it over my elbow. Grasping the pouch of herbs and the corked bottle I head into the bathroom to get ready for my reading.

An hour later I step into the dress. It’s white, long, and flowy. The top part is a halter that ties around my neck and fits snugly against my chest and sides. There isn’t a back, and the waist drops low on my hips. The accordion-esque fabric starts just above the crack of my ass and flows nicely over my curves to the ground.

I’ve used my magic to style big loose curls into my hair, and I’ve parted it to the side. I grab what’s left of the contents of the stoppered glass vile, and open the door that separates the bathroom from the bedroom.

“Knox, can you put some of this on the middle of my back? I’m not sure if I reached everything.”

My voice trails off, as I stare at the five gorgeous men in front of me decked out in white from head to toe. They’re all in identical white linen tunics with fitted pants in the same material. The clothing has an old and otherworldly look about it, and a mixture of heat and awe fills me as I take the guys in.

“Where did you get these?” I ask pointing at their clothes confused.

“The sisters made them up for everyone in the house. They weren’t sure who you’d want in your reading, so they made sure everyone was prepared," Valen explains. “If you don’t want us there, we completely understand and support that, but we wanted to be ready, just in case.”

“Of course, I want you there."

I look at each of them and try to silently convey how much it means to me that they want to be there for me, for no other reason than to offer their support.

Knox steps forward and takes the glass bottle from my grasp. He pulls out the stopper and tilts the contents into his hand. I turn around and pull all my hair to the side. He rubs the potion into my bare back and sides with his strong hands.

I tilt my head back and do everything I can to stop myself from leaning into his touch. Knox finishes and places a kiss where my neck meets my shoulder, right over the runes there. His lips coax out the faintest moan, and when I turn around to thank him for his help, he smiles wolfishly at me. I look over at Sabin and fix him with a glare.

“You told them about the magic tornado that happens when my runes are touched, didn’t you?”

“Uh, was that supposed to be a secret?” he asks innocently.

“Not cool Captain, not cool at all," I admonish him trying to look serious and not at all amused.

“You look incredible," he tells me, and all of the guys voice their approval and agreement.

I give them a big smile, and then I take a deep breath, steeling myself for whatever’s about to go down.

“Alright, let’s do this,” I announce, and we all make our way downstairs.

Lachlan and his coven congregate in the living room, and my guys gather around me like they’re guarding me against anything that might come our way. I’ve strapped back on all the armor I had been shedding since I moved here, and my demeanor is hard and unyielding.

I observe several looks of surprise from Lachlan’s coven when they take in the boys all dressed in white as they surround me the way that they are, but no one says anything.

Lachlan moves toward me and starts to say something, but he’s interrupted when a man I have never seen before walks into the living room from the kitchen.

“Reader Tearson is ready; please follow me.”

He takes all of us to a closed door that doesn’t lead to a linen closet like I thought it did.

“The casters who will serve as witnesses will enter first. Once they are arranged, the door will open again, and that is when you will enter.” The stranger looks to me, and I nod in understanding.

The door opens on its own and reveals a dimly lit hallway. Lachlan steps toward the new opening, but my voice stops him.

“I don’t want them there," I announce, and the robed assistant turns to me, a questioning look on his face. “I don’t trust them, and I don’t want them in the reading.”

Lachlan opens his mouth to say something I’m sure is going to piss me off, but the robed caster holds up a hand and stops him.

“Vinna, as he is your blood, it is customary for him and his coven to be present for your reading. However, I will not dismiss your feelings. I will ask that Reader Tearson place a binding upon the ceremony so that nothing can be discussed without your permission or presence, once the reading is complete.”

He looks at me silently for a moment, and I nod my head in agreement with his compromise. Aydin’s gaze is burning a hole in me, but I refuse to look at him or any of the others.

The robed caster leads the paladin into the hallway, and my guys all hug me before walking in after them. The door closes behind Ryker as he gives me a reassuring smile, and I suddenly find myself alone. I feel apprehensive and restless, as I wait--what feels like forever--for the door to open again. In reality, it’s probably only five minutes before it cracks open on its own and I step through.

The hallway and floor are comprised of gray stone, and the coldness of it seeps into me through my bare feet. Soft gas-lit lanterns guide my way, and they create an old and eerie feel to the space surrounding me. The hallway opens up into a large dimly lit stone room. Traces of residual magic surround me, and I get the feeling that the stones comprising this room are old and have witnessed more than I could ever know.

The paladin and the guys all stand around the edges of the room, still and staring straight ahead. There’s a marble table with two chairs in the center, and on the far side of the table stands an elderly caster dressed in a red ceremonial robe. Reader Tearson’s kind eyes are taking in every move that I make towards him, and I find it interesting and unsettling all at the same time.

He reaches out to me, and I automatically offer my hand in greeting. Instead of shaking it, like I thought he was going to do, he bends and brings his forehead down to the knuckles of my hand and then places a kiss on them.

Taken aback, and not sure what the hell to do now, I just stand there.

“Sentinel, Your Greatness, I can’t begin to describe how elated I am to meet you.”