“Well, again, please keep in mind we’re thinking of what’s best for the city and we didn’t necessarily have all the facts,” Mayor Jordan said. The others nodded, except Schulz, who just looked a little miserable. Then they all left.

Both Chris and Stacia tilted their heads, listening to the politicians exit. They nodded at the sound of the elevator doors closing.

“I’m beginning to feel like a pariah,” Declan said, opening his mouth to eat the flight of green beans he mentally lifted.

“See, that right there is proof that school has been good for you,” Stacia said. “You didn’t even know the word pariah when I first met you.”

“I did—” he started to respond, but broke off as a thoughtful look came over him. “No, you’re right. It was in a class reading assignment and I had to look it up. Damn.”

“You really want to call it quits?” Chris asked.

“It’s hard to be here when so much else is going on everywhere. I’ll admit that education is more important than I would have thought, but I feel like I can still keep learning from anywhere. I pretty much have the best online instructor possible.”

“Very true, Father.”

The werewolf and the demon hunter turned to the door at the same time. Dr. Singh stood there, giving them all a smile. “Not to interrupt, but your other physicians agreed that you can likely go home this afternoon. You are healing very quickly due to the vampire virus in your system and there’s no point to staying here,” he said.

“That’s great, Doc,” Stacia said, “How long till he’s fully healed, do you think?”

“Broken clavicles generally take four to six weeks. But with the extra assistance you’ve been given, I’d say a week to two. Hard to tell. But not more than that. Maybe much faster.”

“Great!” Chris said. “I’m going to head back to Arcane, but I’ll have Deckert orchestrate your pickup.”

“I can’t wa—” Declan started to say, but the spoon full of food that Stacia popped in his mouth shut him up.

“We’ll see you there,” she said with a smile, ignoring Declan’s glare.

Chapter 40

“So are you really leaving Arcane?” Zuzanna asked Declan three days later.

“And more importantly, who’s gonna teach us this stuff?” Tami asked, dark eyes dead serious.

“We’re still figuring things out. Watch your arc, Zuzanna. A mistake there will either make the portal useless or send you to nowhere.”

Zuzanna looked back down at the chalk circle she was helping to scribe on the floor of Arcane’s basement. “Oops,” she said, brushing out the off-track line and reapplying the chalk with stricter attention.