Magical Midlife Love (Leveling Up 4)

No, that wasn’t quite true. I’d mostly been worried about Austin, and how far into the shadows he’d charged.

I had caused him to do that. I had to own that. He’d only lost control when the conversation had turned to me. I’d caused it, and I would help fix it.

Niamh was the first to stomp back into the room, her glass empty and her expression closed down in irritation. “What took yis? Stop playing with your food, Austin Steele, or do it somewhere else. I’m choking with thirst!”

Sebastian drifted in slowly with his hands in his pockets, slightly bowed, his hair still sticking up all over, and his gaze rooted to Austin.

“I want to thank you,” he said when he got within range. “I haven’t felt proper fear in a very long time. I was a little afraid when I saw all the fierce muscle in the bar, just knowing what could happen, but seeing it…” He shook his head, then shivered. “Thank you for reminding me what it’s like.”

“He’ll fit in with Ivy House at least,” Austin murmured, turning away as Donna bustled in behind the bar.

“What can I get ya, alpha?” she chirped, as though nothing had happened.

Everyone else filed in from outside, and I was surprised when there was even less room in the bar than before. I’d expected people to go home in fear or boredom. From the looks of it, they’d called their friends.

After Austin ordered a round for everyone on the house, I reached in my back pocket and pulled out a bent invitation Mr. Tom had given me a couple of hours before. It had come by courier, apparently, something I’d totally missed in the midst of my twelfth attempt to explain my newfound magic to Jimmy.

“Okay, let’s get down to business. Two things…” I pointed at Sebastian. “Are you up to speed regarding Ivy House and my role there?”

“Not your role, but Niamh did tell me about your introduction to magic,” he answered.

“Yeah, I don’t even really know much about my role. I’ve been avoiding it. Good call. Okay, so I’d like to beg your help in training, because I need to get ready for this.” I straightened the thick, smoky-colored card stock. “For the first time, an interested party isn’t planning on attacking. They are, instead, formally inviting me and my people to a weekend at their estate. Apparently he wants to…get to know me.”

“Form an alliance, maybe?” Niamh asked, peering over. “Did he say how he heard of ye?”

“No, no information. Just a meet-and-greet situation.” I shrugged. “To get to know me,” I repeated. “It’s a chance at a friendship, maybe. Or at least make a connection. Maybe I can get my foot in the door with mages.”

Sebastian leaned forward, peering over my shoulder at the swirling font. “Domino Kinsella would stab his granny in the back if she had something he wanted.”

Eight

“If something goes wrong, or his intentions aren’t pure, we don’t have the numbers or the setup to make that visit.” Austin took his drink off the bar, swirling the dark brown liquid. The people trying to get to the bar for their free drink gave our group a wide berth, but several of them shot furtive glances at Austin and me. “I have a few guys who can operate well in small spaces, but they won’t show well in an affair like that. They have more raw talent than honed skill. Do we know anything about this guy’s magic or power level?”

“Mid-level mage, I think.” Sebastian put his hand up and teeter-tottered it back and forth. “I know him only by reputation. He’s made it farther than a man of his stature normally would, and it’s because of pure viciousness.”

“I really need to stick me head out of me arse and get better acquainted with the magical world again,” Niamh murmured.

“I was just thinking the same thing,” Austin said, his expression troubled. He glanced to the side as someone slowly shuffled by, watching Austin with tightly pressed lips. His expression smoothed over into the hard mask.

“My side of the link is going to stay open now, I hope you know.” I reached for my bottle of beer, the dark brown glass sweating. I felt like something a little lighter than my normal glass of wine. “It’s only fair.”

“Oh, ye worked that out, did ye?” Niamh twisted her mouth to the side in distaste. “I wanted to see that go down.”

“What would be the downside of putting off the visit?” I asked. “Would he lose interest, do you think?”

“Are ye jokin’?” Niamh tsked. “He’ll surmise ye don’t have the forces to keep yerself safe. I may not know much about the current players in the magical world, but I doubt the game itself has changed. Ye are new and untested, mostly. So far as he has heard, anyway. He wants to get a gawk. He wants to size you up. If ye snub him, fine, but ye better have the power to swat him away if he takes offense and paints a target on yer back.