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The prank got better after people were filled in what was going on. Yeah, a few people yelled at me at lunch, but most were congratulating me on something so creative and different… Even if they didn’t want to.

But they laughed it off and rolled with it. A big part of that was Winter and his friends and I knew that. Also, the headmaster’s support.

With what I did, there was talk of changing the rules. Apparently, a freshman coming up with something so different no one else had been inventive enough to pull was the ammunition he’d needed to go to the board. Winter and his friends were part of the driving force, saying they were tired of people going for the easy targets and being lazy.

They were framing the whole thing that this new wave of lazy was tarnishing the reputation of Morrigan students and they were about to graduate after working hard. They weren’t going to allow it.

Which was why a bunch of master’s students made sure my prank was all over our social media, not even just Winter’s friends. Which was how our regular media caught wind of it.

The next morning, I froze as that same unknown number that sent me the information about Kevin sent me a link. So it couldn’t have been Charles. He was locked up.

Plus, I’d checked the number with my old phone and all the family numbers I’d had saved there.

I was glad I was still alone in my dorm room as I hit play.

“Are you going to rein in your sister, Ms. Shaw?” someone shouted at Jean as she walked along. “Isn’t it your duty as the head of the Shaw family?”

Jean stopped and slowly turned to the voice, taking off her sunglasses, and I knew that look of amused hostility.

It made me fucking shiver and hug myself as I kept watching.

“‘Rein in?’” she mocked. “I know you’re a sexist fool, but my sister isn’t a mare no matter your viewpoint on a woman’s place in our society. Your word choice wasn’t a slip, nor was your inflection on me being the head of the Shaw family. I understand you do not like a female being the head, but shockingly you don’t matter enough to get a vote.

“And before you twist my words to make me sound classist, I’m judging you that you can’t even do your job with integrity seeing how biased you are. I’m not even the first female head of the Shaw family and the family flourished under a woman and it was better for our community, so maybe we should learn from that and embrace this isn’t revolutionary.

“Now, on to your question even if distasteful. My sister is an adult. A thriving adult who impressed the headmaster of Morrigan from her last entry into the Wicked Challenges. As the kids say, she’s killing it. And I would expect nothing less of her. She freed herself from the grasp of Charles Shaw who constantly forced the women of this family to be mediocre.

“Over and over again we were put down and lectured not to shine so his beloved, monstrous heir, Alex, didn’t look the fool and as lazy as he was. I have not a doubt that Clare would have shined just as brightly if she’d been free to do as she wanted as well. Bevin did everything right. She followed the rules, and given it was new, went the extra step to check.

“Cheaters shouldn’t cheat . People should have more honor. She wanted people to be nicer and not so vile to each other. We should all aspire to be the same. It’s not her fault that the dominos fell and people were exposed. I heard students were hiding in their dorms all day so nothing else came out. The real story is what have they done that’s so bad that they need to hide?

“Or why have the standards of Morrigan fallen so much that a freshman is the only one challenging the system and now has enough points that no one can realistically catch up to her? Not to demean her excellence, but we should have others excelling as well. It’s laziness, and I applaud Headmaster Kerwynn for taking the swift steps to correct it.

“But while we’re on the topic of my sister, I will publicly state that the Shaw family will be withdrawing their support of the Rice family in suing Bevin Millen.” She nodded when a few people gasped. “I’m sorry for the Rice family, but Curtis Rice was a corrupt officer, and I have the proof that I’m giving to Bevin’s attorney.

“He was an employee of Charles Shaw. He wasn’t the only one, and all of that I’m giving over to the chief of police as I said. My father is a disgusting man who was trying to humiliate and traumatize his own daughter for not being silent property. Well, Charles Shaw is no longer in charge, and I will not allow this madness to hurt my siblings, Millen in last name or Shaw.”

That was the end of the clip. I let out a slow breath and backed out of it only to find I had more messages.

Unknown: Hopefully that shows I will keep with what I said and we will be on the same side.

Unknown: It’s not like this is the first time I’ve helped you after all.

Jean. It was Jean who sent the information about Kevin.

The air left my lungs in a whoosh.

I knew she wanted an instant response from me. The timing wasn’t an accident. She was doing this intentionally, being the one to get it to me first.

It was all part of a plan and a move of hers.

Possibly also a test.

But of what? How fast I would react? If I would always be reactive and jump in without thinking like I had with Kevin? How much she could get me to give if she offered me any good deed that she should already give?

All of the above?

That seemed the most likely answer with Jean.

I went to breakfast and couldn’t hide that I was distracted, shaking my head when people asked me what was wrong. I barely paid attention in Wyatt’s lecture, feeling his gaze a few times and even Quinn’s worry.

Then I realized he might be the answer. He knew her from school.

Clearly, none of us had known the real Jean… But he still knew her.

I waited after class, asking if he had a moment to talk. He studied me and nodded, deciding to discuss my latest independent study paper and asking where I would like to take things next since I was going to get more credit. He’d already apologized for giving me too much work for one credit and we were fine.

“What’s really going on? Your head was a million miles away,” he worried when we were alone.

“Jean was the one who sent me the text warning about Kevin. It’s not her normal number,” I explained as I handed him my unlocked phone with it already pulled up.

“I saw the video already,” he muttered after playing it a bit. “I’m not sure why you’re asking me. I’m not—”

I reached out and snagged my phone. “Sorry to have bothered you. I still thought you were on my side even if—”

“I’m not involved in the updates or what is currently going on with this topic,” he said firmly, cutting in and talking over me.

Shit. I was the bitch. “Sorry.” I let out a slow breath. “Sorry. Really. You’re just hard to read and…” I apologized again when he didn’t say anything.

He nodded and let out a slow breath, not annoyed, but more like he didn’t know how to approach me either. “Jean is smart. She’s a manipulative bitch and one of my least favorite people. Always assume she has an agenda.” He snorted. “That’s true of anyone from our families, but the most dangerous adversaries are the smart ones.”

And Jean was smart.

“But you’re no idiot, Bevin. You outsmarted all of them in a way I never could have. Yes, you had your grandfather’s help when you were young, but you went at it alone basically to get free. Tracey was waiting in the wings. I made a mess of getting free and I was older than you. I only was saved at the last second by Kerwynn and got out. Trust your instincts.”

“She wants the win of getting the ban on the Shaw family lifted. She still wants to use my company as a pawn later,” I told him. “That’s what my gut is telling me. She still has it on her chessboard to rewrite history and make it clear she did it all somehow.”

“Then make damn sure that’s all taken away from her and she can’t ever. Yes, you’ve done it with the High Council, but do more. Don’t make it public that they’re funding your spa expansion. I bet they’ll want to but keep more layers in your back pocket so if she ever tries to pull the rug out from under you, she will fall through several floors in doing so.”

“Thank you,” I sighed, relief flooding me to have that layer of clarity. “Really, I appreciate it. I’ll see you tonight for our session.”

“We don’t have one tonight. It’s Friday. Your spa night.”

Oh shit. I winced. “Right, sorry, I get all—overloaded. I’m so fucking overloaded.” I gave an awkward chuckle and thanked him again before racing off.

I didn’t have to attend Latin III anymore because of the deal I’d struck with Professor Daly. It was a worthwhile deal, and luckily things were going well for her daughter and familiar. I was going to suggest to Tracey soon that we have a session to help her if we could figure out some way to keep me hidden. I couldn’t glamour while using that kind of magic.

But there had to be some sort of way to still protect me. A forgetful spell on the room she would enter—something. We should have a plan for emergencies if nothing else.

I let out a slow breath when I was alone in my warded dorm room so I could make a call when I knew no one was listening. I connected the call and my confidence boosted when she answered almost immediately.

“Glad you got my message,” she greeted. “I almost thought I’d sent it to the wrong number with how long it took you to respond.”

I snorted. “You already know you had my number correct with how things turned out with Kevin Rose. I already figured out it was a second number for you, Jean.” I hurried on over the fib so she couldn’t try for it. “Let’s be better than the ‘top-tier’ men who ruin things like you suggested and stop with the stupid games.

“I’m way too busy for that and I know you are. I also know Jasmine gave over the evidence of my abuse from Alex so you could share it with the family. I’m glad you agreed none of those pictures would leave your possession given we know how many would be unscrupulous with them even if I’m underage.”

“There are lines I won’t ever cross, and I believe you are the same,” she hedged.

“I won’t say ever,” I countered. “I will do a lot in the name of survival and protecting myself. I won’t attack and cross lines.”

“Touché, baby sister,” she chuckled darkly. “So what are you offering in this tit for tat since we’re dropping the games?”

I was fine with not beating around the bush either. “Ammo against Hughes to protect yourself against his attacks that we both know are coming.”

“I was hoping you would say that,” she admitted. “My idea with Clare was shortsighted. I thank you for—”

I bristled at that and her so obviously trying to play me. “Don’t bullshit me, Jean. I’m not here for it and we’re never going to be friends.”

“No, we’re not and I don’t care to be, but I’m serious. That was a knee-jerk move feeling like I was backed into a corner already. One Clare didn’t deserve. Grandmother laid into me that I was better than starting off being a hypocrite and she was right.” She cleared her throat. “Not that I’d ever admit that publicly, and if you’re stupid enough to record this call—”

“I’m not, and I’m not planning on attacking you. I meant what I said from the very beginning. If you all leave me alone, I will leave you alone. You’ve already said no more sacrificing, and that was my only worry. But you are a hypocrite already with lying about everything and painting me in a bad light that I wasn’t on the fucking chopping block.”

“Oh, don’t throw stones about lying, Ms. Owner,” she chuckled darkly.

“That’s not remotely the same when my lies are to protect myself and—”

“And mine aren’t?” she snapped, her voice cold. “I need Grandmother to survive right now. I’m roadkill if this fails, and believe what you want, I did it in part to save Clare from the Haddocks, Clare in particular. And I was against you being mated off to those disgusting people as well. I didn’t know Hughes’s son beat people.

“I didn’t. I knew he was a cad. They all are and who cares? But she should be able to make her own choices and is not a mare. I was wrong. But I will not apologize for lying to save my ass right now. It wasn’t for PR or lies about me. It was for survival of me, Bryan, and this family. Even you if you can’t see it right now.

“Do I like that it ran you over a bit? No, that’s why I said firmly that I supported your shining at Morrigan and even threw in about Clare because she does deserve that. So don’t call me a hypocrite when I lie to protect myself same as you, baby sister.”

“I will think about that, and you’re probably not wrong, but enough with the ‘baby sister’ shit when you’ve never really been a big sister to me,” I snapped right back.

“Fine. What about Hughes?” she asked, sounding tired more than mean.

“His right hand is finding familiars and going around to orphanages with them. He keeps track of them—completely circumnavigates the companies who do that for our world.”

“And one of them is allies with the Hughes,” she whispered, immediately understanding why this was such a big deal.

“Yes, yes they are,” I purred.

“How do I know this is real?” she hedged.

“You are not to use his name or throw him in the fire,” I warned, taking her grunt of agreement as enough. “Winter Green is one of them. He talked to me about the man with the ‘weird ass silver mustache and piercing yellow eyes.’ Sound like anyone we all get creeped out by?”

“Yes, he is a disgusting man,” Jean agreed. “I assume you were smart enough to show him a picture?”

“Yes, Clare had one from an event,” I confirmed. “I can also tell you he’s tried to get a spy into Familiar Treasures. One of his corrupt cops wanted to be security at the treat factory.”

She snorted. “Only Hughes? That’s the shocking part.”

“No, of course not, and we’ve kicked them all out, but Hughes was first and a bit reckless with the attempt. Why be so interested in treats for familiars?”

“He’s making a move,” she muttered. “Taking over that company?”

“Coming out with a competitor? Taking over the other company that he’s not friends with?” I added.

“It’s good but not what I was hoping for and not a lot to go on,” she hedged.

I snorted again. “You’re not going to get what you wanted especially because I know what you’re going to try to do with it. So again, let’s cut the shit if we’re going to even discuss being closet allies. This was huge and we both know it. It’s a huge array of shields for you if you know how to use it right and we both know you’re smart enough to do that.”

She was quiet a few moments, smoke probably coming out of her ears the wheels were spinning so fast on how to handle this next. “I assume this information comes with any follow-ups you might learn?”

“Depends how things continue between us,” I countered. “Don’t underestimate me, Jean. You won’t like the results if you do.”

“Oh, I believe that, Bevin,” she chuckled darkly. “I would never have guessed anyone could unravel Father that quickly and with such precision shots. I don’t think I could have. You have more help than I’d realized or would have guessed, but those were your moves. I know that.”

“Good.”

“But, Bevin? Don’t underestimate me either.”

“I won’t. I’m not coming for you. You’ll have enough of that, and I hope you clean out your security fast.”

“Oh? Concerned?”

“Yeah, because I didn’t kill Father’s familiar, Jean. It wasn’t anyone in my camp. And you didn’t. So who the fuck did it cleanly like that?”

She was quiet several moments. “We don’t know. Alex would make a mess. And no matter what the news is saying, it wasn’t another familiar.”

My blood went cold. “You’re sure?”

“The neck was snapped. By hands with opposable thumbs if the vet I took it to is to be believed, and I believe him since I was wearing magic to make sure,” she confessed.

“Who the fuck could get up on the—was it really on the roof?”

“Yes.”

That took me a minute to swallow. “So you have a threat that can get up on the huge mansion roof without security noticing, none of the sensors being set off, avoiding all of the cameras, fucking snapping a familiar’s neck—which is harder than a normal animal—and without leaving any evidence when you investigate later? Did I hear that right?”

“You did.”

I snickered but then chuckled.

“This isn’t funny.”

“No, it’s really not, but you have your lap so overloaded you really can’t afford to start a war with me. Hell, you need me to be willing to play ball with you to survive more than Hughes if you have that threat.” I swallowed another snort when she didn’t say anything. “Good luck, Jean.”

She was going to need it.