“Yes, there are a great many things we’re supposed to do, aren’t there?” Dominic stayed on the windowsill, eyes narrowed and jaw set in a hard line. “For example, when my wife discovers dead bodies in the place where she spends most of her time, I expect her to notify me. I certainly expect her to call me before she goes to a party, rather than leaving me to find out from an email CC.”

I paled. “Oh. Dad already got results?”

“You are the most insufferable, infuriating, insane woman I have ever—yes, he found some documentation of those runes you photographed. You remember, the ones carved into the corpses of your fellows.” He finally slid off the windowsill, striding toward me. “Verity, how could you?”

“Look, I know you’re mad, but I was never directly in danger,” I protested. “They were dead by the time I got down to the basement. I didn’t see the killer.”

“You think that’s why I’m angry? Please. Danger is a natural part of what you’ve chosen to do with your life. I hope you don’t get yourself killed while I’m not with you, but I accepted the possibility long before I asked you to marry me.” Dominic shook his head. “I’m angry because you didn’t call. Because I had to find out from someone else, as an afterthought, and I’ve rarely been so worried, or felt so helpless.”

“I’m sorry,” I whispered. “I didn’t think.” I’d followed procedure. I’d encountered a problem and notified the family. But I had more than my blood relatives now. I had Dominic, and he was here, and he’d needed me, and I hadn’t called him. I was a terrible wife. He was probably going to divorce me. It would be just what I deserved. It would be—

Dominic put his hands on the sides of my face, pulled me closer, and kissed me. I could feel the relief radiating off him, so clear and vibrant that for a moment I thought this must be what it was like to be an empath. Artie had tried to explain what it was like to feel other people’s emotions to me more than once: in that moment, in that kiss, I finally understood what I’d been missing.

Finally, Dominic pulled back, and said, “If you ever do that to me again, ever, I will lock you in the trunk of the nearest available vehicle and leave you there until I feel you’ve thought sufficiently about what you’ve done.”

“I’m sorry, did you just threaten to put me in time out?” I put a hand at the center of his chest and pushed lightly. “Nope. Not going to happen. But I’ll try to be better.”

“That’s all I’ve ever asked.”

“So if Dad found some info on these runes, does that mean you’re up to speed?”

“Yes, although not with whatever unreasonable plan you’ve concocted to deal with the situation.”

“I’m going to go back to the theater tomorrow, and wait to see whether Adrian shuts down the show,” I said. “If he does, we get the hell out of Dodge. If he doesn’t, I keep my eyes open and you start lurking around the theater more, in case you’re needed in a hurry. Dad thinks these may not have been the first bodies—just the first ones we’ve found. Someone may have gotten to the janitorial staff. I’m not sure yet. I need to wait and see.”

Dominic blinked. “That actually sounds reasonable. Who are you, and what have you done with my wife?”

“Ha, ha,” I said, before kissing him again. “Get out of here. The last thing we need right now is for you to get caught. I’ll come see you tomorrow night, and you need to clear your calendar for this weekend.”

“Why?”

I grinned. “Because we’re going to the flea market.”

After Dominic left and I’d taken my shower, I was able to manage almost five hours of uninterrupted sleep before the alarms went off and it was time to get moving again. Despite my corpse-and-intrigue–filled evening, I was still perkier than most of the other dancers as we lined up to wait for the town cars. Apparently, dead bodies aren’t as bad for you as wine coolers. Not a surprise, but still good to have it proven.

Malena wandered over to our waiting area, nodding genially to Anders and Lyra before asking me, “All good?”

“All good,” I said. “I’ll let you know if that changes.”

“Or you could not let me know,” she said. “That’s always an option. Catch you on the backbeat.” Then she was gone, heading for her own waiting zone, while Anders and Lyra turned to stare at me.

“Are you making friends?” gasped Lyra. “With people who aren’t us? Be still my heart, I never thought I’d see the day.”