Vivian shrugged as she sucked on her straw, and Trent wiped his mouth, red faced but finally under control. “Ms. Morgan is somewhat naive when it comes to world powers,” he said.

“Why? Because I expect them to keep their word?” I said darkly.

Looking innocent drinking her milk shake, Vivian sat back, her blue eyes downcast. The diamonds on her watch glittered, and the time was off. “It would help a lot if you brought back Brooke. She’d vote for you then.”

I couldn’t stop my rueful laugh. “No, she wouldn’t.”

Trent had gone back to his soup, watching us both. It made me feel like I was on trial not once, but twice.

“And we’re not corrupt,” Vivian said, almost as an afterthought.

Why is she saying this crap? I thought, rolling up a second pancake and taking a bite. It was like she was reading a script. Maybe she was afraid of what Trent thought? Maybe she was bugged and this entire conversation was going to end up in someone else’s ears?

Regardless, I couldn’t let that one go without a rebuttal, so, taking a huge bite of pancake, I mumbled, “Right. Okay. Let’s just say the coven is lily-white, but Brooke was dabbling in demonology.” Swallowing, I added, “She summoned Big Al all on her own, knowing that’s who she was going to get, not me. She didn’t pay or threaten anyone into doing it, she did it herself. I warned her not to. I went out of my way to try to stop her. Burned my synapses and fried my brain trying to jump a line to get to her in time. If I’m to be shunned, then she should be, too.”

Sure enough, Vivian didn’t look appalled or insulted. Though we were alone, we were not unheard. “Can you…” She looked at Trent, hesitating.

“No,” I said, knowing where her thoughts were. “I can’t rescue her. Brooke summoned Al. He broke her circle because she didn’t know what she was doing. I’m sorry. I know you think I control him, but I don’t. I’m just trying to stay alive here.”

Vivian bent her head back over her milk shake. “I had to ask,” she said, her thin fingers looking cold on the glass.

The table grew quiet. I kept shoveling pancake in my mouth, not knowing what to say now that I knew we were being eavesdropped upon.

“Vivian,” Trent said, his attention lifting from my unused syrup as he broke the awkward silence. “What role do you have in the coven? You seem to be involved in everything.”

“I’m the plumber,” she said with pride. “It’s traditional for the junior ley-line magic user.”

Plumber was a nice way of saying that she plugged information leaks and kept the crap moving. And I almost laughed at the junior tag. Junior or not, she could smear my face in the playground dirt with her white magic.

“I fix things,” Vivian added to make sure Trent understood. “Make things run smoothly. That’s why I…” Her words faltered, and she looked embarrassed as she took another pull on her straw.