“No, I am not,” he said flatly. It reminded me of an exhausted parent putting up with the wild energy of their young child asking them a million questions about crazy things. Him being her father really made so much sense. I saw the same expression from Hunter when Tegan was being Tegan.

Saber rolled her eyes. “You lie.”

Jackson frowned. “Actually, he does not.”

“Thank you, Lancaster.” Everest smirked. “I have tasted the blood of angels, Saber, lest you forget.”

Saber’s face fell. She looked like a deflated balloon. “Oh, right.”

“Though, that is like cocaine.” Everest grinned. “And yes, I did try cocaine once in the seventies to compare.”

Everyone laughed.

Saber narrowed her eyes on her father. “C’mon, you’re not even⁠—”

“Okay, fine, I am a little curious to see if Tenn’s blood tastes like the angels, but the answer is still no.”

Tenn frowned. “Why? Now I’m curious.”

“This group is entertaining.” Everest laughed and shook his head. “When we consume blood, there are markings on the body”

In perfect unison, everyone looked to Tegan, then to Tai, but only Tai had marks. Tegan’s skin was clear and normal. Tai’s mouth had the same black lines I’d seen on Mei-Ling downstairs a few minutes ago, and on everyone else in Avolire.

Tegan shrugged. “I’m weird, but we knew this.”

“Right, okay, but . . . ” Tenn turned to Everest.

“I don’t exactly want to showcase to our enemies that it is okay to drink from arcana, especially those as important as you, Tennessee. Unless it is unavoidable.”

Silence.

Willow cleared her throat. Her cheeks were flushed pink. “Saber, you can drink from me?”

“Thank you, Willow.”

Tenn nodded. “Do you need to feed, Everest?”

“No, I’m old. I can go without for long periods of time.”

Everyone nodded. I didn’t miss the way Everest did not look at me, even as he stood up and excused himself from the room. I wanted to follow him, but Saber had just started to drink from Willow and her rune was a glittery black. When I touched it, I was surprised to find all six Heavenly ingredients listed. I glanced to Tegan and found her scowling too. We both shrugged. Another puzzle to solve.

I rubbed my hands together. “Okay, I’m going to try starting these new potions and see what happens.”

I walked around the corner to the apothecary and started pulling three cauldrons off the shelf to get started when Jackson Lancaster walked in and shut the door behind him. His expression was wary. I frowned. “You okay?”

Jackson put his hands in his pockets and stopped at the end of the table. “Look, it’s none of my business what’s going on with you and Everest, but I thought you should know—-from one soulmate to another—that he was lying.”

I flinched. “What? Which part? How do you know?”