I frown, arms crossed, eyes narrowed to slits, refusing to acknowledge any of it—besides, it’s not that simple, it goes much deeper than that.

“Ever, please, I want to help you, you should know that by now, but I’m also determined to do the right thing. You need to take this to Damen. I’m sure he’ll understand and—”

“I’ve already explained,” I say. “He doesn’t trust magick and he already warned me against using it. I can’t bear for him to know I didn’t listen, and just how low I’ve sunk.”

Jude leans back and studies me closely, his voice a sigh when he says, “Ah, but you’ve no problem with me knowing, is that it?” He gives a half smile that never quite reaches his eyes.

I take a deep breath and look at him, determined to shoot as straight and openly as I can. “Trust me, this isn’t comfortable for me either, but I’ve pretty much got nowhere else to go. But, hey, if you don’t want to get involved, just say so and I’ll . . .”

I grip my armrests, lifting myself out of my chair, preparing to leave. Stopped by the lure of those deep aqua green eyes coaxing me back into my seat, as he slides open a drawer, riffles through the contents, and says, “Looks like I’m already involved. Let’s see what I can do.”

twelve

“And here I thought I was destined to head off to Florence without a final good-bye from you!” Miles grasps me to him in what could only be described as a bear hug. Peering over my shoulder at Damen and eyeballing him carefully when he whispers, “Glad to see you’re back together again.”

I pull away and shoot him a dubious look. Remembering the last time I saw him, at the going-away party I threw for him last week, and how he urged me to move on from Damen and find happiness with Jude.

He reads my gaze as though reading my mind, his lips curving into a grin as he says, “So I want to see you happy—is that so bad?” He turns, giving Damen a little half wave, when he adds, “Heck, I want to see everyone happy—which is why you might want to steer clear of just about every room in this house except the one you’re in now. And that includes the backyard.”

Damen’s arm tightens around me, pulling me into a protective embrace, his voice tinged with concern when he says, “So there’s someone on the guest list who might make us unhappy?”

I glance between them, already knowing the answer. I knew it the instant we got out of the car and walked up the drive to his door. The moment that strange, foreign pulse awakened inside me, alerting me to the one thing, the only thing I need to know:

Roman is here.

The rest is just details.

Miles screws his lips to the side and runs his fingers through his short dark hair. “Oh no, there was no guest list—just a random group of people who started stopping by around noon and haven’t stopped yet. And just so you know, I know all about you and Haven, so—”

“Excuse me?” I study him closely, peering at his aura, its usual well-meaning yellow now tinged with a conflicted gray.

He looks at me, pursing his lips and shaking his head when he says, “Listen, I know all about it, she told me. And while I wish I could stick around and help you two work it out—”

“What did she say? What were her exact words?” I ask, my gaze fixed on Miles as Damen grips my waist tighter, both of us on high alert, watching as he shakes his head, and mimes a zipper being pulled across his mouth.

“Oh no, don’t even go there. Seriously, Ever, don’t even try. All I know is that you’re no longer talking. As for the rest—I’m Switzerland. Totally neutral. I refuse to get involved. Because the truth is, I really don’t wish I could stick around to fix it. I was just being nice. I can’t wait to get to Florence and leave you guys here to work it out on your own. And you better work it out too, because I will not be forced to choose sides when I get back. I mean, you may have the advantage since you give me rides to school and all, but still, I’ve known Haven longer, and that’s gotta count for something, right?” He closes his eyes and shakes his head, as though the whole mess is just too much to process.

“Miles, that’s all well and good, but I’m afraid it’s imperative we know exactly what it is Haven told you.” Damen’s voice is low, urgent, filled with intent, making it clear, or at least to me anyway, that if Miles doesn’t fess up, he’s just seconds away from breaking our vow to never spy on our friends’ private thoughts and peer right inside his head to see for himself. “It won’t get back to her if that’s what you’re worried about, but I’m afraid we must know.”

Miles looks at him, heaving a dramatic sigh and rolling his eyes “Et tu, Damen?” he says, glancing between us, clearly unhappy with the peer pressure we’re inflicting on him. “Fine, I’ll tell you, but only because this time tomorrow I’m out of here—sailing through the clouds at thirty thousand feet, watching movies I’ve already seen and filling up on high-sodium food that’s sure to bloat me. But just remember, no matter how ugly it gets, you asked for it.” He looks at us, pausing dramatically, face gone all serious when he says, “She told me you guys are determined to keep her from Roman, because, and remember, these are her words not mine so don’t shoot the messenger, but basically she thinks you’re jealous. Well, not really you, Damen, but Ever for sure. She thinks Ever’s jealous because, again, her words.” He clears his throat, striving for just the right raspy-voiced, Haven inflection. “I’m finally coming into my own and Ever can’t stand the fact that she’s no longer the special one.” He rolls his eyes and shakes his head. And even though I feel bad that we made him repeat it, I’m also secretly thrilled that it isn’t at all what I thought. She may hate me, but she’s still managed to keep her immortality to herself—at least for now anyway.