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I consider that for a moment. It's risky, but for the first time, we're not entirely at Vera's mercy. We have abilities she doesn't know how to counter.

“And if she calls our bluff?”

Granger's grin turns wicked. “She won't. She's spent years treating us like we're helpless, and she still thinks we are. She has no idea what we're capable of now.”

He's right. Vera knows the men we used to be. She doesn't know the monsters we've become.

And that's going to be her biggest mistake.

“And there's something else,” Granger adds. “She's not feeding on our magic anymore. We don't know how much that affects her, but there's a chance she's weaker than she used to be.”

Vera has spent centuries drawing power from us, and now that supply has been cut off. It might not be enough to stop her, but combined with our new abilities and the amulet she thinks we still have, it gives us a fighting chance.

For the first time, we're not waiting for Vera to come after us.

We're going after her.

Chapter thirteen

Nick

By the time I get home from town, Leo, Granger, and Toto are practically vibrating with excitement.

They fill me in on everything Granger discovered, and after going through all the evidence, one thing is clear: Vera wants the amulet back badly enough to kill for it, and she still believes Granger knows where it is.

What we still don't understand is why she went after Dottie, why Toto's name was used to lure her away, or why Pullier thinks Vera is targeting all four of us. There are still too many pieces missing.

The knowledge that Vera was feeding on us for years makes me sick to my stomach. She took what she needed, then reached inside our heads and made sure we couldn't remember enough to stop her. Even now, I can't pull up more than fragments, but the anger is crystal fucking clear.

And while Granger finally managed to cut off her supply by taking the amulet, he can't remember where the hell he put it.

Which means Vera has a problem because we know what she wants now. And if she's desperate enough to make mistakes, maybe that's something we can use against her.

We're exhausted, running on adrenaline, and about to bluff a centuries-old witch with an amulet we don't actually have. Charging into Fable Forest tonight would be reckless.

So we agree to give ourselves one last night in Screaming Woods. Rest. Make a plan. Go after Vera in the morning.

The small cabin has enough beds and couches for us to spread out, but we all want to sleep with Toto. After a ridiculous attempt at rock, paper, scissors (I cheated because I'm now as fast as the wind and want to sleep naked next to my girl—sue me), we decide to pile all the mattresses and cushions into the living room for a slumber party.

It's not the best night’s sleep, but when I wake up, I’m holding hands with Toto, and I've never felt more content in my life.

We dress quickly and tidy the cabin before leaving, tucking the key under the doormat where we found it. If we survive today, I'd rather not get blacklisted from the one place that's starting to feel like home.

None of us knows what the future holds, but there is something incredibly special about Screaming Woods. Which is ironic considering the last time we passed through, we drank a cursed Halloween punch and got kidnapped by a witch.

Still, for the first time in years, I can imagine building a life somewhere other than Oz, especially now that we know going there was never our choice in the first place.

We lock the door behind us, and Toto walks toward the front steps before turning to face us. The three of us are lined up like sentinels, ready to guard this woman with our lives if necessary.

Toto glances at all three of us and takes a deep breath.

"Look, guys, before we offer ourselves up as witch-bait, I need to say something." She bites her lips, looking so beautifully vulnerable that I want to scrap the entire plan and keep her right here forever.

"I love you equally." She shrugs unapologetically, and my heart squeezes. "And I want all three of you, which is maybe a little selfish, but it's the way I feel. If we make it through this, I'm yours with my whole heart. We'll figure out the logistics."

"When we make it through,” Granger says, stepping forward and cupping her cheek in one big hand. "Not if."

Toto smiles as she presses her cheek into his palm.