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Apparently, coin travel didn’t work with Rylan’s potion. She would have to tell him to add that side effect to his list, but at present, she had bigger worries. Namely, the Wielder with silver eyes who stood smiling at her.

“I’ll be leaving,” she said, flustered, heading for the door. She didn’t trust herself to coin travel, so she would have to walk back to school. Or wait until the side effects subsided in about thirty minutes. Either way, she needed to get out of his bedroom.

But when she tried to make her way past him, his hand went to the doorframe, blocking her way out. “Well, you coin traveled straight into my bedroom in the middle of the night. I can’t ignore that sign.”

If he knew about the truth elixir, he would be ruthless with his questions.

“I didn’t mean to come here. I’ll go now.”

“Why can’t you coin travel?”

That was a direct question, and the truth elixir pulled on her. “Side effect. Took a weird potion.”

If she answered as shortly as possible, perhaps she wouldn’t say things she shouldn’t.

“What potion?”

“Rylan’s potion.”

“That researcher you’re studying with?”

She nodded.

“Is that the only side effect?”

It had been a while since she’d been on truth elixir, and the way the words forced their way out was as unpleasant as she remembered it.

“No.” She bit her lips and held her breath to keep from saying any more.

His eyes narrowed. “What are the other side effects?”

Telling the truth. The words practically burned her tongue, and she clasped her hands over her mouth before she could say them out loud. But apparently that gave her away, because his grin widened.

“Oh, I see.” He chuckled and closed the distance between them. His hands gripped her wrists, and he pulled her arms to her sides. “Did you take truth elixir?”

“Yes.” The word just appeared. She couldn’t stop it. “If you’re a gentleman, you’ll let me leave now.”

A wolfish grin spread on his face. “Good thing, then, that we both know I’m anything but a gentleman. What did your friend say at the opera that made you uncomfortable?”

“She invited me to her birthday party, and lots of people I have no interest in seeing will be there.”

His hands slowly traveled up her arms. “What else?”

“She wants me to bring you to the party.” Why did she have to reveal that fact? This wasn’t like a normal conversation. Truth elixir pulled from the subconscious, and it was impossible to think before talking. “I told her it’s a stupid idea.”

His eyebrows rose with interest. “Do you want to bring me?”

“Yes.” The answer appeared without hesitation, and she was just as surprised by it as he was.

He brushed her hair to the side, exposing her neck. “I’ll be your date if you ask nicely.”

She pushed him away. “I’m not going to ask you at all. It’s unkind to keep questioning someone on truth elixir.”

He nodded with fake seriousness. “It is. But it’s oh so much fun.” His hand went to her lower back, pulling her closer as he placed kisses on her jawline, traveling down her neck.

“Dawson, I’m serious, I should go.”

“You should,” he whispered against her neck. “Do you want to go?”