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‘Man, that felt good’ I exaic until I couldn’t use it’

A faint smile crossed the Ipsissimus’s face ‘Yet you did not hesitate to deny yourself that which you so desperately desired You are to be commended, Ms Wilde’ He lookedoff on you in ways both seen and unseen It is obvious that you are affecting him’

‘You keep calling him that,’ I said ‘But he’s not in the Order, Ipsissier Adeptus Exemptus’

‘He will change his mind’

I shook my head I wasn’t so sure about that

The Ipsissie his ’

‘I don’t understand’

He pursed his lips ‘The recent events in Scotland have forcedaround and ensure I have an appropriate successor in place I did not believe Raphael was ready for that role, but the way he left the Order behind because of his loyalty to you…’

Whoa there I held upme into this He left on his own terms’

‘Ms Wilde, until you ca he lived, breathed and ate the Order Many of our witches do But to be Ipsissimus is to take on board heavy responsibilities Without a strong and steady network and a life outside work, it is ireat And that is not all If one is wholly absorbed in the Order, one can lose sight of the bigger picture Now that Raphael Winter – Adeptus Exeer picture’

I felt unco this conversation without Winter present The Ipsissi juicier and juicier carrots in his bid to get Winter to return but soive two hoots about as on offer All the saot the better of me ‘But you’ve said it yourself He’s Adeptus Exemptus and that’s only Second Level There have to be at least a couple of hundred witches who are ranked higher than Rafe’

‘Two hundred and thirty-three, to be exact,’ he said ‘Most of whom are tied to their specialisms and who are unable to see the wood for the trees Adeptus Exee upwards as well as down You have o doesn’t interfere with that fact and he isthe best out of you’

‘I’s, and I’ets a lot of leeway as far as I’m concerned The Order, however, is thousands of people,better than they are and for leaving when he could have stayed Rafe doesn’t want it’

The Ipsissiaze was frank and earnest ‘And maybe that’s why he should have it He has already shown he has rity than ambition Besides, I’m hardly at death’s door There is plenty of time for Raphael to take the necessary examinations and move up the hierarchy’

‘Not if Raphael doesn’t want to,’ said Winter from the doorway He looked pissed off I wasn’t really surprised ‘What exactly is it going to take for you to leave me alone?’

‘Come back,’ the Ipsissiood you could do’ He reached inside his coat pocket and drew out a scroll

I sucked in a breath The last tiiven me a scroll, it had been an incantation which had almost caused my death

Winter’s expression was flat ‘What is that?’

‘The paperwork that will bring you back in, Raphael Your proned it All you have to do is add your na that has happened in the past It’s time to move on’

Winter crossed his arms ‘No I don’t kno ’