“Yeah? I wonder who that could be.” She flashes me a smile that kickstarts my heart all over again, then links her arm in mine, resting her head on my shoulder as we continue our walk.
“Despite everything,” she says, “I still love Kirin. He’s sweet and compassionate, brilliant, thoughtful—well, when he’s not being an ass. And Baz makes me feel… I don’t know. Wild and uninhibited in the best possible way. He’s got a tender side, too—one he hardly ever shows, which makes it all the more rewarding when it comes out. But beyond that? What happens next, what the hell it all means, how we figure this thing out together, I have no idea. Which way?”
She stops and looks up at me, her eyes wide and hopeful.
“Are you asking me to choose for you?” I ask. “Because whoever I pick, the other one will surely murder me in my sleep.”
“The path, Ani!” She rolls her eyes again, nodding toward the lands behind Fire and Fury. I didn’t realize we’d come so far already. “Which way?”
“Oh! Right. Follow me, my confused little Star.”
I lead her along the pathway that will eventually take us up to the top of the Cauldron, the same place we had our picnic awhile back. Only this time, I get to show it to her at sunrise.
She has no idea the surprise she’s in for.
“So tell me what the plan is,” she says as we make our way up the rocky trail, our breathing become heavier as the landscape slopes upward.
“Well, assuming my theory holds water, if the Arcana objectsare,in fact, hidden on campus, there’s a good chance each one is located somewhere on the land that corresponds with its original element, most likely in a place that has some spiritual significance.”
“So you think the wand is around the Cauldron.”
“It’s the most spiritual place inside the Flame and Fury lands,” I say. “So I thought it made sense to start there.”
“Agreed. However, you still haven’t explained why I had to wake up at four a.m. for this. Daylight is our friend, Ani. Caffeine is our friend, too, and I didn’t even have time to make my tea.”
“Fear not, sweet Star. I’ve taken care of everything.” Pulling off my pack, I reach inside for the thermos of tea I brewed for just this occasion. “Nothing fancy like your brews, but I think it came out pretty good. Just your basic Irish Black.”
She stops to unscrew the lid and takes a sip, her eyes closing in pleasure behind a plume of steam. “Oh, Ani. I could kiss you.”
“Youcould,” I tease, one more minute from heart failure, “but then you’dreallycomplicate your love life.”
“Ooh, the L-word. So you’re saying that one kiss from the fair ginger, and I’ll fall hopelessly in love?” She passes the thermos to me, flashing a cute smile. “Aren’t we confident.”
Aren’t we dreaming, is more like it.
Keeping my smile firmly in place, I close the thermos and drop it back in my bag. “In answer to your question, you had to wake up this early because I have a gift for you, and it can only be shared at this specific time.”
I start up the path again, the top of the canyon rim coming into view.
“A gift? That’s funny. I drew the Ace of Pentacles before I left this morning.”
I return her wide smile, excitement building in my stomach. She’s going to love this so much—I know it. “Perfect. Come on.”
We find our same spot on the rim, and I spread out a blanket and pass her the tea and some breakfast goodies.
“What is it?” she asks, opening the container. “It’s still warm.”
“Fresh baked blueberry-banana bread.”
“Oh my Goddess, Ani! Ace of Pentacles for the win.”
“This isn’t your gift. I mean, it’sagift, and it’s for you, but that’s not the main event.”
I sit down next to her on the blanket, so close our shoulders brush, and the two of us look out across the wide canyon, the red pool at the bottom glittering like a black jewel. The first orange-pink hints of sunrise streak the sky.
“This is so beautiful,” she says. “If we didn’t have all this Arcana craziness to deal with, I think I’d resign from all my classes and just spend every day up here.”
I offer a smile and take her hand. I’ve been up here so many times before, I can read every shade of orange in the sky, sensing exactly when the sun will ascend behind us.
