“The language of countries that historically identify as part of Persian society.”
“Great.” I rolled my eyes. “That soundsreallyuseful.”
“You never know – maybe one day we’ll all be speaking Farsi on Mars.”
My stomach fluttered with sudden nerves. “Do you think we can do this? Leave Briarwood to study?”
“I think it’s worth a try.” Corbin smiled, but his smile was tinged with sadness. “I know I need to let go of this idea that I have to look after everyone, that Briarwood is my sole responsibility. The other guys have more than proven they’re capable of managing any problems while we’re away, and as you said, we’ll be back on weekends. It might just be possible to be a Briarwood witchandhave a life. That is, if we can stop the Slaugh and survive the next week.”
I sighed. “We just made plans to study astrophysics and obscure languages next year. It’s going to be hard to do that if the university becomes a fairy grotto. We’ve got no choice now.”
Corbin glanced over my shoulder at the grandfather clock. “It’s nine o’clock. You’re meeting Daigh at midnight. How do you propose to pass the time?”
I slipped my hands down the front of his shirt, popping open the buttons one by one. “I dunno… maybe we should bone up on our Farsi…”
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
TWENTY-FOUR: MAEVE
“You’re not going with us.” I folded my arms, spreading my feet wide to block Aline from the kitchen doorway.
“Daigh said he didn’t want any of the otherguys,” Aline insisted, her voice rising into what was rapidly approaching an irritating whine. “But he didn’t say anything aboutme.”
“He said it had to be only me and Blake or the whole thing was off. I’m not going to risk this deal just so you can ogle your old sweetheart.”
Aline’s face fell. Guilt panged in my stomach, but I pushed it aside. She was acting irrational, and a bit childish. She reminded me of Kelly chasing after her latest crush.
Kelly.The pangs in my stomach intensified. I hadn’t seen or heard from her since our horrible fight.Will she ever talk to me again?
Aline wasn’t going to let me forget that she existed. “I know Daigh better than any of you.” She grabbed my arm. “I may be able to read some treachery you can’t.”
“I think I know his treachery when I see it,” Blake murmured behind me.
“You’re not coming, and that’s my final word as High Priestess of this coven. Stay in the castle. We need someone to watch out for any of the villagers approaching. Call on Corbin’s mobile if there are any problems.”
“But—”
I turned on my heel and headed toward the orchard, not waiting for her to finish.
“You don’t seem happy to have your mother back,” Blake said as he caught up with me.
“She’s only my mother in the biological sense. Another woman raised me, wiped my tears, put Bandaids on my skinned knees, and bought me astronomy books for Christmas. Right now she’s a whiny houseguest with a penchant for trying to fix everything with woo-woo hippie stuff.”
Blake grinned, like he didn’t believe me. “If you’re sure, Princess.”
“What?” I growled. Behind us, I heard the creek of the kitchen garden gate as the boys snuck out behind us and headed toward the topiary maze, where they could cut through to the wood and hide without Daigh’s fae seeing them.
“Nothing. Nothing at all.” Blake’s grin infuriated me.
“If you think she’s so awesome, how come you haven’t asked her about your parents?” I demanded.
Blake shrugged. “Never thought about it.”
“Bullshit. I saw your face after all those things she said on the night we freed her from the painting. Rowan needed to know. Why don’t you?”
Blake shrugged again. “It’s not going to bring them back.”
“But you never knew them at all. Don’t you at least?—”
