“You don’t get to be this annoying today,” I deadpan.

Shera looks between me and Anna, not actually seeing Anna.

“It’s frustrating when you talk to the dead. The dead aren’t supposed to be acknowledged,” she reminds me.

“Do you think she can actually see me?” Anna asks, turning a studious gaze toward Shera.

Shera just darts her eyes around like she’s trying to peer through the complicated fabrics of the universe.

“I don’t have time for this,” I tell them both, as I idly wonder when the last time I even slept was.

Two arms are suddenly around me, and a sense of warmth fills me, as an accidental groan slips through my lips. I really do miss touch.

“I’ve scoured this place looking for you,” Damien murmurs against my ear. “Why is your scent so weak?”

“Maybe because I’m tired?” I suggest, leaning against him, as I allow myself a second to rest.

It doesn’t last long, because he turns me, and his lips hungrily fuse to mine like he can’t wait another second to have me alone. Another moan slips through my lips when he backs me into the cider shop.

My fingers tangle in his hair, as I desperately pull him closer, not having the amount of time I wish I did before I have to start directing beds to rooms.

He makes another impatient, hungry sound against my lips, as he lifts me to a counter, shoving my legs apart.

I’m so happy I wore a dress today.

“I have five minutes, sweet little monster. Demetria is bringing in new betas today to start cleaning up the human cult problem that has ‘gotten out of hand.’ It should be an absolute mockery of bad, scripted acting,” he says, apparently forgetting how to be good at dirty talk.

He starts to pull my underwear down, as his lips drag to my neck, but I roll my eyes and shove hard at his chest.

He leans back, frowning down at me.

“Well, I only have two minutes, and to make that work, I needed the mood you just ruined when you started talking,” I tell him as I shove my flowery dress back down and hop off the counter.

“I’m…sorry?” he says, making the apology sound more like a confused question.

I walk out of the cider shop without a backward glance, and just in time, since the beds are being backed up by the truckload.

Shera suddenly goes still beside me, eyes widening like she senses something I don’t. Which is the norm. I rarely ever sense anything at all, and I’m supposed to be empathic.

I’ve been told I was. My emotions affect others. However, I’ve lived with the Simpletons for five months, and their version of empathic strongly differs from mine. The only time I feel another’s emotions is when they channel their emotions to me—either by accident or on purpose.

She grabs her phone with shaky hands, but I stop her when I see what’s going on.

Maybe I jinxed myself by boasting too soon about the skin walkers not being on my radar.

Nadine—who I’ve only seen in portraits and in very dry skin—is standing across the street in the same place Idun stood almost five months ago.

“I have to call Arion,” Shera says on a hushed whisper. “He’s just upstairs.”

“No,” I say distractedly when I see the very familiar and extremely thick book in her hands. “She’s here to talk to me. Not them.”

“Violet, don’t—”

“If you’re really going to split time between this House and Arion’s, you need to learn how to manage that. Here, Arion isn’t in charge,” I remind her as I head outside and toward Nadine.

Shera blows out a breath of frustration, but I know she’s simply watching and not calling in the troops. Yet. Her finger’s hovering on the trigger, no doubt.

Avery immediately joins me at my side, his stance relaxed, as he leisurely picks up stride with me.

“Evening, madam,” he says conversationally to me, eyes on Nadine.

“She’s here to talk to me and not Vance,” is all I say to him.

He just gives a nod and stops behind me a few feet, while I move the rest of the way to Nadine.

She doesn’t even glance at him, because she knows he’s a nonissue for her.

“I can’t decide if you’re a saint, a fool, or just too daft to know the forces in which you toy,” she says as she holds up my blue-leather-bound proposal. “Maybe a bit of all three,” she concludes.

“I only need the support of five of the six Houses, and I have those five. That was just a courtesy—sending you the full proposal for full disclosure.”

She snorts. “Marta Portocale, your supposed mother, signed off on this? Did she read it?”

“I was under the impression she’s the only alpha who did read it until you showed up holding it.”

“Do you have any idea what Idun will do to you once she realizes the things you’ve put in here?” she asks in a very condescending tone.

“Doesn’t really matter what she does. Idun’s not my problem.”

Anna pops up, and Nadine predictably doesn’t acknowledge her.

“You tell her, Violet,” Anna champions as she mimes dramatic clapping, which makes me sound like I’m about to hit the tee-ball in front of all the adults for the first time.

I glare at her, and she grins at me until I roll my eyes and look away.