“No, I most definitely haven’t forgotten,” she countered, staring up at him. Anger laced her words and made them sound hard. “That’s one of the reasons I’m volunteering. I need to find out what the hell is going on. I don’t want to just hide in the Coven and wait for him to come back for me.”

Theo fisted a hand at his side and a muscle twitched in his jaw. “You’re barely a witch, Sarafina. Your training isn’t even finished yet and you’d be putting yourself right into their nest without any backup.”

“That’s bull, Theo, and you know it. I’m strong. Exceptionally strong, isn’t that what you told me?”

“In healing you’re exceptionally strong, Sarafina. You’re stronger than most with fire, but you lack the skill to wield it properly. You’re not ready for something like this.”

She continued on as if he hadn’t spoken. “And the fact that I’m inexperienced works in my favor. I’ll tell Stefan I spent some time here at the Coven, but you-all were too goody-goody for me. I’ll tell him I want to be with the ones who can help me maximize my skills and turn a profit from them.” She paused. “I was in theater in high school. I can do this.”

Theo glared down at her. “No. Gods damn it, getting the lead in My Fair Lady can’t prepare you for something like this.”

She bristled. “You’re not my—”

“Enough!” Thomas roared.

The room was plunged into silence once more.

“I agree with Theo,” Thomas said. “It’s too dangerous.”

Sarafina gestured with one hand. “It’s perfect. I have the best way in of anyone here. Stefan was already willing to talk to me personally. All I have to do is convince him I want to go warlock and I’m sure he will let me in again.”

Thomas raised an eyebrow. “And Bai? Aren’t you forgetting about him? Maybe all Stefan wants to do is feed you to his pet Atrika.”

Sarafina shook her head. “No, he told me that he would keep Bai under control and away from me.”

Theo snorted. “Do you really think that Stefan has any control over Bai?”

She turned and speared him with her gaze for a long moment before answering, “You don’t, either, Theo. No one does. I either sit here and wait for Bai to come for me, or I go back to Stefan and wait there. It’s the same damn thing. But if I go back to Stefan, I might actually glean some information that could help the Coven and maybe all of mankind to boot. Is that such a bad thing?”