“He was…” I hesitated, not sure how to describe the annoyingly attractive stranger from the Portent even though I’d already told her all about it.
“Sexy?”
“Not what I was going to say.” But also not completely wrong.
“Dark and mysterious?”
I swatted her arm. “Someone capable of killing.”
“That’s not nearly as fun, and we’re not sure if you interpreted the Portent correctly. You know you’ve never trained your fae magic like you should have, and you tend to assume the worst about the fae.”
“It’s hard to argue with a corpse, Jane.” And after seeing the light in Easton’s veins flicker out, there was no doubt in my mind. Honestly, even without practicing my fae magic, how could I misunderstand? The guy was alive oneminute, and the next, the fae hit him with some magic and he died.
“Is that Riley?” Jane tilted her long neck to our left, and a tendril of her golden hair from her high ponytail got stuck in her lipstick.
“Nice try, but I know he isn’t coming tonight.” I looked that way anyway to make sure it wasn’t the guy from my Portent, squinting to make out the man’s facial features against the backdrop of purple lights. His profile was too narrow and his chin too weak. “You know that’s not Riley.”
“I couldn’t resist.” Jane flashed a smile at me.
I shook my head at her teasing and returned to scanning the crowd. Jane wanted so badly for me to fall for someone that she was making up romance where there was none.
My gaze snagged on Lydia, who was flipping her hair in an obvious attempt to catch the attention of an attractive man sipping from a drink at the bar. He ignored her as studiously as she ignored the fact that he was ignoring her.
She seemed oblivious to the fact that we were practically at the bottom of the Marked social totem pole thanks to our status. Then again, her ignorance was partially myfault. After Jane and I had been mocked in school by some of the fae and witches for being “half-breeds,” I’d done my best to protect my little sisters from the truth of things. While some of the Marked merely snubbed us, the Blackthorns, a highborn family that had moved to town for a few years, had taken it upon themselves to be extra cruel. To them, we were abominations, and they never let us forget it.
Jane didn’t approve of violence, but I’d found that a few well-placed punches and threats of hexes did wonders. It wasn’t possible to entirely hide reality from my sisters considering what Pastor Collins often said about witches at church, but the only ones who went regularly were Mary, who was actually devout, and Mom, who was still trying to ingratiate our family into “the right circles.”
I walked the room’s perimeter for several minutes, ducking under enchanted cobwebs clinging to the walls and weaving themselves into different shapes. Thankfully, the pounding music turned into something softer, and I listened in on conversations happening at the bar while facing the dancers.
Jane stuck close, her head bobbing to the music while her body swayed to the rhythm. She wasn’t one for being in the spotlight like Lydia, but the spotlight insisted on finding her regardless. Men turned their heads to stare at her, but she scanned the room, unaware of the looks she drew.
A man without a silvery outline stepped between us, so close that Jane bumped into his chest and had to take a few steps back.
“Hello, Jane.” His attention never left her as he smiled, but his teeth gleamed too much in the pulsing light, giving him an almost predatory air.
“Frederick.” Jane gave him a small smile in return, too polite to do anything else. Based on the way he leaned even closer, he was oblivious to the way it didn’t reach her eyes. He was always oblivious to anyone but himself.
I bit my lip and held myself back, trying to give Jane a chance to deal with him without my interference, even though at least three different hexes sat on the tip of my tongue.
“Fancy meeting you here alone.” Frederick prowled closer, his dark hair gaining blue shadows in the enchanted lights.
Jane backed up a step. “I’m not alone. I’m here with Lizzy.”
His gaze flicked to me. “So you are,” he said, grabbing her hand. “Still, I’m sure she won’t mind if I steal you away for a dance.”
“I’m busy at the moment, but maybe later.” Jane tried to pull her hand free, her gaze dropping to the floor.
My desire to cheer for her standing up for herself contrasted with the desire to scold her for the empty half-promise of ‘later’ she’d tacked on to soften her rejection.
“One dance won’t hurt.” He tugged her toward the floor again.
Jane’s nervous gaze flew to mine. She’d reached her limit of rebuffing men, but it was fine. That was why I was there.
I stepped forward and grabbed Frederick’s arm, much like how he held Jane’s.
“I’d appreciate it if you let go of my sister. We have plans together tonight.” With an effort, I kept my tone pleasant.
“Plans more important than me?” He puffed out his chest, which didn’t look too impressive considering he was wearing a graphic tee that flipped between different Marvel characters.
