that was true. Kieran didn't suddenly shoot laser beams without a crowd of mages noticing. "Detective Thompson and I are following up on a few leads regarding the drug's origin." She just didn't know it yet .
His jaw clenched. "Please let me know what you find."
"And please keep an eye on your members. If anyone else is indulging, we need to know."
He nodded. "And second?"
I kicked a foot out toward Pinky. "Why would you choose her to compete? She's just a kid."
"It's a great honor to be chosen," Oscar said. It sounded rehearsed.
I rolled my eyes. "I'm sure that's what the Mayans told all the virgins they sacrificed."
Pinky looked at me. "But I'm not..."
I held my hand over her mouth.
"I don't see why the Enclave's business is any business of yours," Oscar said. "The Marida have never been involved in the Colony Games."
"And I'm not much involved with the Marida," I said.
"Then why this meeting?"
"Choose someone else," I insisted. "Pinky needs more time to train." Years, in fact.
"And what makes you qualified to say so?" Oscar asked, not unkindly. He was admirably patient.
"I've seen her potential," I said. "I know she'll be a great mage one day, but this could doom her before she even begins. The rules turn on a dime during the games. Pinky could find herself in real trouble without the proper experience."
He clucked his tongue. "I don't hear much faith in your words."
"Faith is an illusion," I snapped. "Pinky is real and she's going to get herself killed in the name of a stupid game."
"It isn't stupid," Pinky said quietly. "I want to compete."
"There, you see," Oscar said. "You needn't have involved yourself in Enclave affairs after all."
My jaw dropped open. "But Pinky, I saw the look on your face when the message arrived. You were scared to death."
"That's only natural," she said quickly. "Once I had time to process it, I realized what an honor it is."
"Bullshit," I said and Oscar shot me a disdainful look. Like he was too good to swear. Gods almighty, he was a mage, not a Naphil.
"Pinky believes in herself," Oscar said. "I would think someone like you would be supportive of a young woman's growing confidence."
"Not when her growing confidence is going to land her in a stadium full of bloodthirsty supers with years of experience."
"You're not my mom," Pinky said, careful not to look at me.
No, not even close.
"Regardless, Pinky is eighteen now," Oscar said. "Even her mother couldn't stop this."
"Was this your decision?" I asked him. "To select Pinky."
"Ultimately."
So her participation wasn't his idea. "Is there a nomination process?"
"There was. After Kieran's unfortunate demise, we had to shortcut the process for a replacement."
"And you voted for Pinky?" I pressed. "All of the talented, experienced mages in your Enclave, and you chose Pinky?"
He gave her a gentle smile. "If I had my way, I'd choose Pinky for everything. She's shown great promise."
Promise being the optimum word. "Pinky, tell him you don't want to do it."
"She already says she does," Oscar interjected. "You heard her."
"I want to make the Enclave proud," Pinky said and my stomach lurched. She had no clue what she was getting herself into. Or she was delusional. Either one was a death sentence.
I threw my hands in the air and hopped off the table. "Fine. I can see my opinion means very little here. I may as well be back in the Marida court."
"You and your prince are not always on the same page, I understand," Oscar said.
I snorted. "We're not even in the same book."
"My experience tells me he's strict and merciless, yet he seems very tolerant of you." His tone suggested he was interested to know why. I had no clue, nor did I care as long as Prince Poppycock's attitude swung in my favor.
"Strict and merciless," I repeated, not rising to the bait. "That about sums him up."
Oscar turned to Pinky and his features softened. "Pinky, I expect to see you in training first thing in the morning."
She gave him a mock
His jaw clenched. "Please let me know what you find."
"And please keep an eye on your members. If anyone else is indulging, we need to know."
He nodded. "And second?"
I kicked a foot out toward Pinky. "Why would you choose her to compete? She's just a kid."
"It's a great honor to be chosen," Oscar said. It sounded rehearsed.
I rolled my eyes. "I'm sure that's what the Mayans told all the virgins they sacrificed."
Pinky looked at me. "But I'm not..."
I held my hand over her mouth.
"I don't see why the Enclave's business is any business of yours," Oscar said. "The Marida have never been involved in the Colony Games."
"And I'm not much involved with the Marida," I said.
"Then why this meeting?"
"Choose someone else," I insisted. "Pinky needs more time to train." Years, in fact.
"And what makes you qualified to say so?" Oscar asked, not unkindly. He was admirably patient.
"I've seen her potential," I said. "I know she'll be a great mage one day, but this could doom her before she even begins. The rules turn on a dime during the games. Pinky could find herself in real trouble without the proper experience."
He clucked his tongue. "I don't hear much faith in your words."
"Faith is an illusion," I snapped. "Pinky is real and she's going to get herself killed in the name of a stupid game."
"It isn't stupid," Pinky said quietly. "I want to compete."
"There, you see," Oscar said. "You needn't have involved yourself in Enclave affairs after all."
My jaw dropped open. "But Pinky, I saw the look on your face when the message arrived. You were scared to death."
"That's only natural," she said quickly. "Once I had time to process it, I realized what an honor it is."
"Bullshit," I said and Oscar shot me a disdainful look. Like he was too good to swear. Gods almighty, he was a mage, not a Naphil.
"Pinky believes in herself," Oscar said. "I would think someone like you would be supportive of a young woman's growing confidence."
"Not when her growing confidence is going to land her in a stadium full of bloodthirsty supers with years of experience."
"You're not my mom," Pinky said, careful not to look at me.
No, not even close.
"Regardless, Pinky is eighteen now," Oscar said. "Even her mother couldn't stop this."
"Was this your decision?" I asked him. "To select Pinky."
"Ultimately."
So her participation wasn't his idea. "Is there a nomination process?"
"There was. After Kieran's unfortunate demise, we had to shortcut the process for a replacement."
"And you voted for Pinky?" I pressed. "All of the talented, experienced mages in your Enclave, and you chose Pinky?"
He gave her a gentle smile. "If I had my way, I'd choose Pinky for everything. She's shown great promise."
Promise being the optimum word. "Pinky, tell him you don't want to do it."
"She already says she does," Oscar interjected. "You heard her."
"I want to make the Enclave proud," Pinky said and my stomach lurched. She had no clue what she was getting herself into. Or she was delusional. Either one was a death sentence.
I threw my hands in the air and hopped off the table. "Fine. I can see my opinion means very little here. I may as well be back in the Marida court."
"You and your prince are not always on the same page, I understand," Oscar said.
I snorted. "We're not even in the same book."
"My experience tells me he's strict and merciless, yet he seems very tolerant of you." His tone suggested he was interested to know why. I had no clue, nor did I care as long as Prince Poppycock's attitude swung in my favor.
"Strict and merciless," I repeated, not rising to the bait. "That about sums him up."
Oscar turned to Pinky and his features softened. "Pinky, I expect to see you in training first thing in the morning."
She gave him a mock
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