“Did you see him?”

She shook her head. “No. He must have been further away, but his magic smelled of the ocean.”

He swore under his breath. “I shouldn’t have allowed you go out alone tonight.”

The comment hit her like a slap in the face. “Of course you should have. I’m a Hunter. Going out alone is part of the job, and you know I can fight.”

“Your combat skills are incredible, but mentally you’re not battle ready. You can’t let your emotions get the better of you.” He shook his head. “You need to master your fear, or the demons will see you as prey.”

She flinched. “We’ve been over this. It’s why you singled me out for that special session downstairs.” She took a deep breath. She had no clue why she’d made it out alive at all, and now, she just needed Josiah to get to the point. “So what’s the deal. Am I fired?”

“The Chamber will review the case, but it’s not as if you’re the first novice to screw up. The Brotherhood won’t want to lose you. You’ll be giving them intel about two mages on the Thorndike Campus. No one else can sense them from so far away, or with such precision.”

“I’ve had an excellent teacher.” She exhaled slowly. He wasn’t an unreasonable Guardian, and he always seemed to have her back. On top of that, Josiah was one of the best Hunters the Brotherhood had ever trained. Randolph Loring had promoted him to Guardian at only twenty-three years old.

Her relationship with him should have been awkward after the break up, but she’d quickly stopped thinking of him in a romantic way—even if his chiseled physique excited all the other female novices.

“It’s not just your hunting skills that make you valuable,” he said, eyes flicking to her neckline. “With your Computer Science degree, the Brotherhood will want you to work on their security systems.” He pulled out a small, iron pendant, inset with rubies. “I still have your chalice.”

“Next time.”

His eyes met hers, and he handed it over. “Take it. You’ve earned it, anyway.”

She forced a smile. It was sweet of him to try make her feel better, though she didn’t deserve this. “Thank you, Josiah.”

He pulled out an iron flask, etched with Latin phrases, and handed it to her—ambrosia, the sacred drink of the Hunters. “This will help clear you of the stain of magic.”

She took a sip of the sweet liquid, and instantly her aching muscles relaxed. The stuff was addictive.

“Better?” He lowered his eyes. “You know I only had to end it with you because the Brotherhood wouldn’t allow us to be together.”

She handed him the flask again. “I know, Josiah.”

“I’ll still protect you.”

Her father’s message flashed in her mind. I can’t protect you. “That reminds me.” She pulled her phone out of her pocket, bringing up Mason’s text. “Any idea what Mason is talking about?”

His brow furrowed, Josiah stared at the phone. “How should I know? Why don’t you ask him?”