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I lean against his side. “You have no idea how often I wake up boiling alive because you and Darius together are like a furnace. Sharpe and I sleep with the blanket off half the night, but we’re not always hot at the same time, and then it’s a fight for who sleeps on the outer edge.”
He grimaces. “Sorry about that.”
I shrug. “Usually Pen soaks it all up, but after so many nights with all of us in one place, she’s topped off on your guys’ heat.”
His arm drops from my shoulders, and he presses his hands against the cold marble countertop. “So, what’s the solution?”
I waggle my eyebrows. “Hex Bailey to make him sick so he can’t interfere with us anymore?”
“Tempting.” Marc cracks his knuckles. “Let’s just take him out.”
I chuckle. “Pen and Mayn have already made a plan for that.”
His laughter joins mine before sobering. “But we don’t want to upset Sharpe. Right?”
“Yeah…” I slump forward to press my head against the island. “I can be patient.”
Marc ruffles my hair. “I believe in you, pretty boy.”
Feet pound down the hall, and I straighten as the kids come racing into the kitchen. Face flushed and out of breath, Lia arrives a second behind them.
“There’s nothing in the basement.” Alaska pouts, his tone accusing.
“The backyard is all grass.” Trevor’s hands move to his hips. “There’s not even a spot for a garden.”
“Then we’ll make one.” Lia clasps his shoulder and turns to Alaska. “And there’s a bowling alley at the mall.”
“Or…” Star grabs the box we brought in and upends one of the goodie bags onto the counter, spilling out toys and candy. She fishes a gold car out of the pile and holds it up. “We just visit the Library! It has everything we could want!”
Lia’s eyes widen as she counts the bags and sees that there are enough for everyone, including herself. “Well, I won’t say no to that.”
Marc nudges me. “Looks like we need Reese to come by and set up a portal. Because no way in hell are using our garage portal every time they want to have a game night.”
The other kids grab their bags and race off once more, their high-pitched voices already planning out their return to the Library. The hag is going to regret giving them free passes within the first week.
Star hangs back from the others, her vibrant purple eyes moving from Lia to me.
Lia gives her an encouraging nod, and I lean down to rest my elbows on the kitchen counter. “What’s up, sweetie?”
She fidgets with a bangle on her wrist. “What’s living in the Conservatory like?”
Caught off guard, I consider the question. “It’s a bit like living here, only with a much larger class and more roommates. You’ll also have multiple teachers with different specialties.”
She bites her bottom lip with uncertainty. “What if all I can do is glow?”
I smile at her. “Then we’ll teach you how to glow so bright they’ll be able to see you from space.”
Lia touches the girl’s shoulder with an encouraging nod. “Why don’t you show him what you’ve been practicing?”
Star’s hands shake as she raises them and her face tenses with concentration. Slowly, a purple light blooms in her palms while the rest of her body remains dark.
I straighten with surprise. This is the first time I’ve seen Star control her power with such precision.
Next to her, Lia mouths, Wait for it.
Star’s breathing quickens as the light peels away from her to form an orb. It drifts into the air until it hovers above her head.
Her nervous gaze darts to me.
