I shift on my feet, swallowing hard and rubbing my arms to try and warm myself.
Heat swells around me. It isn’t a harsh heat. It’s the warmth of an embrace, the comfort of someone you care for making you feel a little less alone. My eyes move to Blaze, and I don’t have to ask to know he’s the one responsible.
“Don’t use your magic on me,” I say.
The warmth drops at an instant. I shiver so visibly in its absence that a smile almost reaches his eyes, and it returns before I can make the decision to ask for it.
I grit my teeth and fold my arms over my chest. Looking between their hurt faces, my rage quells into curiosity. It still lingers in the back of my mind, but if this is the explanation for every weird thing I’ve seen and felt this week, then I need to know I’m not losing my mind.
“So… you’re the Rumpus twins.”
“Yes,” Blaze says.
“You’re… what, you’re like fae?” I ask, remembering any stories I’ve read about magical legends and supernatural entities.
“Whoa—” North says fast, brows knitted as if I’ve just insulted him.
“Demons, angel,” Blaze says.
“You don’t get to call me that right now,” I snap at him. “And if you’re demons, then what? Did I accidentally summon you somehow?”
“The shitheads in the bar.Theywere fae,” North says. “Cowards. They’ll be back.”
“We’ll be ready,” Blaze mutters.
“What’s wrong with fae? Why were they here? I didn’t step into a mushroom circle at some point, did I?” I ask.
“We don’t do that,” North says.
I almost scoff. “No? But the swirls in the sand out front. The shells and stones in patterns for people to follow. The wood and icicle ornaments everywhere this morning. That was you, wasn’t it? And those are… you wouldn’t consider them fairy circles? Fae mischief?” I ask.
“No,” North says firmly, though Blaze seems to be considering it.
“You’ve never stolen children or punished people for the fun of it?”
“We don’tstealchildren,” North says.
“Well…” Blaze lifts a brow his way.
“That wasn’t stealing. Those kids were being abused at home. They’re much happier in the Nether Realm.”
The Nether Realm.
Oh god, I am losing it.
“And the punishing people for the fun of it? That’s not true?” I ask.
Blaze and North look at each other.
“No, that part is true,” North says.
I stare between the pair, eyes lingering on Blaze for a half-second longer.
“What we are doesn’t change the way we feel about you, Juniper,” Blaze finally says.
The sincerity in his tone has my nose burning. I don’t know what to say. I don’t know what I should feel. I need to process. I need time to figure out what the fuck is real and what isn’t.
Three days ago, I didn’t believe in fairy tales.
