“David doesn’t want to learn anything from you people,” I said, crossing my ankles.

But David jerked his head to look at me, something like irritation in his face. “I think that’s one of those things I get to decide for myself, Pres,” he said, and in that second, he wasn’t the Oracle or my boyfriend—he was the annoying guy who wrote mean articles about me in the school paper, the boy who never stopped arguing with me.

“Saylor said—” I started, only to let the words die in my throat. Saylor had told me that David’s powers could prove dangerous, and that the Ephors wouldn’t care. That his power was the only thing that would matter to them. I didn’t think she’d ever told him that, though, and this wasn’t a conversation I wanted to have in front of Alexander.

Ryan was looking down, frowning a little, but Alexander only watched me with those green eyes, brows drawn sharply together.

Finally, he folded his hands on the desk, the cuffs of his blue shirt peeking out from his jacket. “The issue as far as I can see, Miss Price, is that neither you nor the Oracle nor your Mage”—Ryan’s head came up—“currently have any sort of guidance. With the deaths of Christopher Hall and the woman you called Saylor Stark, any assistance you could have had in protecting the Oracle—”

“David,” I interrupted. “His name is David.” My voice shook the littlest bit, and I hated that. But I also hated anything to do with these people wanting to “help” David.

Alexander inclined his head the tiniest bit, lips pursing slightly. “As you say. David.”

Manners and graciousness dripped off those four words, but I knew when someone was being condescending, and I didn’t like it. Maybe that’s why my voice was frosty when I replied, “We don’t need your assistance. We have things totally under control. We have a Mage, an Oracle, and a Paladin. We don’t need anyone else.” It wasn’t true, not really... I was shaky and tired and completely in over my head. But I couldn’t take help from these people. Not the people who kidnapped Bee. As for everything else... we’d figure it out as we went.

Alexander’s expression didn’t change, but a muscle ticced in his jaw and after a long pause, he reached for the teapot at the edge of his desk, filling a delicate china cup. Once he’d taken a sip, he fixed me with that gaze again.

“I’m unsure of how you could control anything, Miss Price, seeing as how you are not actually a Paladin yet.”

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

MY MOUTH went dry. “Excuse me?” I finally managed to croak.

His fingers drummed on the mahogany desk. “Well, you have the powers themselves, of course. That’s not in any doubt, as Michael’s corpse attests.”