“Hey, Tim,” I said with a smile and gestured behind me. “I hope it’s okay I kidnapped them from the library. They needed some fresh air.”

He was, after all, temporary Coven Leader.

Tim sniffed the air, then grimaced. “The air in here is far from fresh, kiddo. Stale sweat and rubber is never a nice combo. So long as Mei-Ling and Tai are with a Coven member, I don’t see why they can’t go places.”

Tai whistled under his breath. “Now this is a gym.”

“C’mon, Tai. Come meet Frankie’s witch friends.” Mei-Ling dragged her brother away from us, giving me a knowing look. “Birdie, we need the tea for everyone else in here.”

“Girl, even I don’t know everyone here.”

Once they were out of earshot, I turned to Tim. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have put you on the spot with them being right there⁠—”

“No, no. Don’t worry about that. I was Coven Leader for twelve years. I got really good at saying no to anyone.” He chuckled and scratched the back of his salt-and-pepper head. “But I do appreciate the apology anyway.”

“I’m really surprised they’re allowed to stay⁠—”

“They’re not safe out in the world right now,” he said softly. “Sweyn loathes you. Whatever you did in Avolire you really got under her skin. She would do horrible things to your friends just to get to you. We’re not a Coven who leaves people in danger like that.”

“Fair. But they’re not stuck in the house?”

“I meant what I said, they just need Coven supervision.” He pursed his lips. “Look, Tegan and Haven are phenomenal leaders. They’re really going to do some incredible things for our people . . . but they’re not exactly good at what you’d call people skills. The two of them are raw power and magic. Between the stress and pressure inflicted on them, and then Tegan’s knowledge of everything, there’s just not a whole lot of conversation happening.”

I chuckled. “But The Coven speaks their language, so they don’t need to?”

“Yes . . . and no. If you remember, Constance and I were put in charge this morning.”

“Temporarily, right?”

His cheeks flushed. “I have no interest in taking my old job back from my nephew, but they are just kids still figuring the world out. Tegan creeps people out, they’re afraid to ask her things, but with Haven, they don’t want to let him down. They just want to do whatever he needs them to.”

“I was noticing this morning just how much everyone loves him, like genuinely.” I smiled. “He’s this terrifying, barely human warrior and everyone wants to coddle him like he’s made of glass.”