After we finished the meeting and everyone began to disperse, Lachlan grabbed my hand and pulled me into an abandoned nook in the hallway, tucking us behind a statue, deep in the shadows.

I’d been stealing looks at him through the meeting, but this was the first time we’d had even a second to ourselves.

In this tiny space, I was standing so close to him that I could feel his heat. I shivered, anticipation and fear racing through me.

“Did you mean it?” I demanded.

His dark gaze met mine. “I did.”

“Why? What made you change your mind?”

His eyes were serious. “Two things. My heart stopped briefly when the cloaked figure hit me with the sonic boom.” He reached for my hand. My heart thudded as his strong grip closed over my palm. “I realized that I was being an idiot. I won’t live forever, and pretending that there’s nothing here is stupid. Waiting to see if this goes away is stupid.”

“It’s not going away.” I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about him, even when I knew I shouldn’t be.

“I know. I had my reasons, but they were shite.”

“What reasons? And what was the second thing that changed your mind?” The words spilled out of me.

“When I was in the Room of Truth, I realized that I wanted you more than anything. It was simple, really.”

Memories flashed through me. “Same. I didn’t want you to ask me what I was thinking, or I’d be forced into telling the truth.”

“I’m sorry I was an idiot,” he said. “But I don’t want to be one anymore.”

This was great. But I wasn’t about to let him off the hook so easy. I hadn’t been the one to delay this unnecessarily.

I looked him up and down. “Well, maybe you were too big of an idiot and waited too long.”

The corner of his lips hiked up in a sexy smile. “Not going to let me off the hook easy, are you?”

“You’re going to have to earn your way into my good graces.” I crossed my arms. “It’s going to take a lot of hard work.”

“Is it, then?”

“Aye.” I mimicked his brogue. “What’s your plan?”

“I was thinking we’d start with a kiss.”

“Really? Because I was thinking you should wash my car.” I pursed my lips, making a thinking face. “But if the kiss was a good one…”

He gripped my waist and pulled me toward him, making my heart leap. His smile faded into an intense expression as he dipped his head toward mine. His lips captured mine in an expert kiss, and all rational thought fled.

I melted into him, swept away by the sensation. He groaned, wrapping his strong arms around me. They were iron arms behind my back, and every inch of his body was hot and hard. I wanted to touch all of him, and I kissed him as if my life depended on it.

“Ana!”

Bree’s voice tore me from the kiss. I jerked my head away.

“Lachlan!” Jude’s voice echoed down the hall.

Fates.

I looked at Lachlan, eyes wide.

“Jude wants to speak with me.”

“And Bree.” I’d promised her I’d go to the Whisky and Warlock. Crap.

“We’ll finish this later,” Lachlan said.

“I’m counting on it.” I moved to dart away.

He grabbed my arm, pulling me back. With a grin, he said, “And I will wash your car.”

* * *

As usual, we ended up at the Whisky and Warlock for our celebration. I was tired, but not too tired to get some food and a drink with my friends. Lachlan had stayed behind to speak with Jude, and I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t wished he’d come with us, but it was still fun.

Anyway, it really was a celebration. I’d mastered some of my magic and saved Arach’s heart. She, Florian, and the pugs were all safe. So was the Protectorate. The institution needed Arach’s magic just like she did. They were going to fill in the tunnel and put guards on the heart.

Muffin led the way into the pub, sauntering right up to the seat where Miss Kitty sat by the fire. The little black cat stared at him, unimpressed.

Clearly, Muffin was going to have to work for her affection.

Princess Snowflake III and Bojangles went straight for a back door that led to the kitchen, which didn’t surprise me. The rest of us headed toward Sophie at the bar.

Today, her shirt read Kiss My Haggis. She grinned at us while wiping down the bar. “Good to see your lovely faces. What’ll it be?”

Bree, Rowan, and Caro placed their orders, then Sophie shot me a grin as she pulled a bottle of cheap pink champagne out of the fridge. “I don’t need to ask what you want.”

“Nope!” I grinned and took the glass. “Thanks. It really goes fabulously with fish and chips.”

“I’ll have to take your word for it, but I’ll put in an order.”

“Me too!” There was a chorus from my friends.

Sophie grinned. “No problem. Your usual seats are waiting for you.”

We found our table by the fire. As I lowered myself to the seat, every muscle in my body ached. As soon as my butt hit the wooden chair, I nearly melted into it. The fire warmed my back, and music played over the speakers.

This was amazing.

“Why does champagne always taste better after you kick some demon butt?” I asked.

“I don’t know, but it does.” Bree laughed and sipped her pink cocktail.

The pub was pretty full for a weekday night. At least, our section was. We were too far from the entrance to this room to see if the rest of the pub was heaving, but there were a lot of Protectorate members in here.

I spotted Lavender on the other side of the room, sitting with Angus and a few other classmates. She noticed me looking, and glanced away. Her hair was different. A wig, probably, since my magic had somehow singed hers off.

I frowned.

Bree caught my eye. “What’s up?”

I nodded my head toward the other side of the room and whispered, “Lavender.”

Bree scowled.

I chewed my lip, debating. But all I could see was her sprawled out on the floor of the training room, unconscious. Guilt tugged at me.

“I’m going to go say something to her.” I stood.

“Don’t start a fight,” Rowan said.

“I’m not going to.”

“Then what’s the point of going over?” Bree asked.

“I want to apologize.”

“What?” Bree’s jaw dropped. “You heard the things she said about you. And she totally guns for you in class.”

“I know. But I knocked her unconscious. She hasn’t done that to me. And she’s going to be my colleague one day. I can’t help that she’s kind of a bitch, but I can help what I do. And I’m going to apologize for knocking her out.”

Bree frowned, clearly not liking what I was saying, then she sighed and smiled. “You’re right. Go and be a bigger person. You were always nicer than me.”

“I’d be ruthless if she picked on you too,” I said. “It’s just that it’s easier to shrug it off when it’s me.”

She nodded, and Rowan joined in. I grinned. It didn’t matter if Lavender threw her beer in my face. I had my sisters.

I turned and headed toward her.

By the time I reached Lavender’s table, I was definitely dragging my feet. She looked up as I stopped in front of her. Angus and the other two also looked up, their eyes widening.

“What are you here for?” Lavender demanded.

“Just wanted to say sorry for knocking you unconscious.”

“Oh. Okay. Thanks.” She nodded and almost smiled. Then her eyes narrowed in on my glass of pink champagne. She frowned. “That’s not real champagne, you know. Real champagne is only made in one region in France. And that’s not it.”

Aaand that was the Lavender I knew. I laughed. “I will keep that in mind.” I grinned and saluted. “But you have a good night.”

I turned and walked back to my table.

“That didn’t take long,” Rowan said.

“It was as long as I could manage.”

“Feel better?” Bree asked.

“Much. The air is better on the high road.”

They laughed.

Rowan raised her glass in cheers. “To Ana, who can kick demon ass and apologize with the best of them.”

“To Ana,” they echoed.

I sat down and sipped my champagne, grateful to be with my friends. Life was good.

* * *

Exhaustion made me leave the Whisky and Warlock early. The rest of the gang was on their second drink, but I needed a nap. For twelve hours.

Muffin escorted me back through the portal and the enchanted forest, his green eyes gleaming in the dark.

“Did you strike out with Kitty?” I asked.

Good things are worth waiting for.

“Well, that’s very…romantic.” My cat was a romantic. Who’d have thought it?

He ignored me, of course.

The night air was chilly as we walked, bringing with it the scent of the sea and the sound of crashing waves. In the distance, the castle windows gleamed with golden lights. I grinned.

I’d saved Arach. I’d mastered some of my magic. And I was earning my place here.

All in all, not a bad day’s work. Maybe I actually could handle this.

We crossed the lawn toward the castle, and I caught sight of the circle of stones that sat near the cliffs. The rocks rose tall toward the moon, silent sentinels that guarded the empty circle.

The fortune teller’s words whispered in my head.

Answers.

The stone circle tugged at me.

I tried to ignore it, quickening my pace toward home. I wanted to see if Lachlan was still here. Maybe his meeting with Jude had run long.

But no matter how much I tried to ignore the stones, they pulled harder. There were answers there. I just knew it. They were dangerous answers, if my mother was to be believed, but I needed to know.

Not knowing was killing me.

I could handle it. I had to handle it.

I veered off toward the circle.

Muffin meowed. What are you doing?

“Looking for answers.”

Finally.

He followed me toward the stones. Their pull grew as I neared. My heart began to pound.

I reached the first stone, a towering block of granite that rose twenty feet in the air. I pressed a hand to it, hesitating at the edge.

The circle tugged again, so hard that it dragged me across the boundary and into the empty space within.

Magic swept through me, lighting me up like a live wire. I fell to my knees, gasping. Images flashed in my mind. Figures in white cloaks standing around a small, bent tree. Ancient writing carved in stones. A crashing sea.

And two words.

The Druid.

Muffin yowled. Something tugged at the back of my jacket, dragging me out of the stone circle. I passed the boundary of the stones, and the magic faded from me.

Gasping, I lay on the ground. My head spun, the stars whizzing by overhead.

Muffin meowed. Idiot.

My head reeled as I sat up.

Muffin stared at me. He’d dragged me out of the circle.

“Did you do that to protect me?”

Duh.

My upper arms burned and my mind buzzed. Frowning, I pulled off my jacket. My sleeves were burned away, and my upper arms were covered in scrolled, golden tattoos.

“What the hell?” I muttered.

Then a memory flashed. The words that I’d heard in the circle.

The Druid.

I was the Druid.

And that was dangerous.