I swallow my protests when I see the menacing gleam in her eyes.
“The only place you’re going is to apologize and beg that glittery mini reaper to come back. The next time I see your stupid face, and you’re alone, I swear I will carve your skin and wear it like a jacket, Anxo. I don’t care what you have to do. Bring. Them. Back.”
I have so many unstable people in my family that I could start a psych ward.
“We can handle whatever the witch is here for.”
“Technically, he’s a warlock—” Grace slips in and wisely shuts up when Hazel shifts her glare to her. “But let’s call him a witch.”
Hazel takes over, rattling off orders and making plans on my behalf.
Good thing because at this point, I’m running on fumes and far too emotionally compromised to concentrate on the details.
I feel unbelievably foolish for not involving them in my chaos sooner. Maybe then I could’ve spared my sweetheart some of the hurt I piled on her.
“Not happening. I’m not going anywhere with him.” Grace shakes her head so hard it’s almost funny.
“Darling—”
She jams her fingers in her ears and stomps out of the room. Grace was kind enough to forgive Hazel and me, but with Harvey… It’s complicated. She finally let him back into their room last week, but the poor guy is still sleeping on the couch.
I don’t think it’s anger so much as fear. Grace is terrified of losing her sister, and clinging to that anger and anxiety is the only thing keeping her from falling apart. If she let Harvey comfort her now, it would mean letting go of that shield and facing everything that could go wrong with our plan.
Before I can apologize for the hundredth time, Harvey stops me. “Not your fault, brother. It was my choice, and I deserve the consequences. Stop worrying about us and focus on getting our two troublemakers back. Besides,” his lips lift in his signature smug smirk. “I have a brilliant plan to win Graceover. Trust me, I’ll be more than forgiven before you’re back.”
Seiji snorts. “Yeah, right. Do tell. What’s thisbrilliantplan of yours?”
“Books.”
“Books? That’s your plan? You’re going to hand her a damn book? Fates, men are useless.”
“Notabook. I’m not that stupid. I’m building Grace the biggest library in all the realms, complete with first editions of all her favorite books.”
I know I’m stealing Nevaeh’s line, butholy fucking shitballs.
Harvey smirks at our stunned faces and saunters out like a man who already knows he’s won.
Shaking off my nerves, I stride to the door, ready to plan my own perfect apology. But my feet lock in place, refusing to budge.
When I look over my shoulder, Seiji is sitting with his arms crossed, looking at me expectantly, like he knew I wasn’t ready to leave yet.
“I just… what if she doesn’t want to come back? What if I ruined us beyond repair?” Saying it out loud makes the dread in my gut crawl up my throat.
I deserve it, after the hurt I’ve caused her, even if it was for her safety. Nevaeh will understand, I know she will. But that doesn’t erase the suffering I put her through.
Whatever punishment she chooses, I’ll take it as long as I get a second chance.
“Oh, she’ll come back,” Hazel says, startling me. I didn’t expect her to be the one to hype me up. “Just explain everything. Thoroughly.I bet the paranoid princess thinks you made her leave because you don’t love her anymore. So make sure she knows you do.”
I blink at her, halfway convinced I’m dreaming. I don’t think I’ve ever heard Hazel give someone advice. And good advice? That’s… new.
“And don’t forget to mention it was a once-in-a-lifetime kind of stupidity.”
More good advice sprinkled with insult? Maybe I should take her to the healer.
“Okay. Yeah. Thanks. And uh, before I go…” I rub the back of my neck nervously. “I just wanted to thank you guys for not giving up on me.”
“That’s what families do. We stick together.” Seiji winks, and I realize just how much I missed having him around.
