Guilt climbed in Embry’s chest now, as icy hot as the rest of her, burning like a molten peppermint stick. Alistair wasn’t daft; he’d likely noticed her moon eyes over Balthazar, probably deduced if not divined the fact that she’d instigated their own little dance card. Anyone with decent observation skills could’ve noticed the day-early orchid corsage. And he definitely would have, given the feelings he’d apparently harbored for her over the past few years.
Embry shook herself loose. She couldn’t dwell on the feeling of betrayal. Alistair had done what he’d thought was right. Even if what he’d told the authorities was so, so wrong.
She cleared her throat and shifted in her seat, hugging her knees to her chest. Embry hadn’t had the strength to dress up for tonight’s coven festivities. Yoga pants, fuzzy socks, and a University of Maine hoodie Daddy gave her two Samhains ago was all she could manage. Not ideal to mope in the fetal position in a dress and stilettos anyway.
“Did Balthazar get permission from Martinelli to come to the meeting?” Her priorities were basically a game of fifty-two-card pickup at this point, but she had to ask.
Again, the couple exchanged a glance. “The coven meeting?” Ames clarified. “Tonight?”
Embry nodded. “I gave him a coin.”
“You… did?” Ames asked in a way that surprised Embry. She was sure she’d told her about the whole thing. “But he’s a sorcerer.”
“I know he is.” Embry was feeling a little defensive. “Rye thoughtI was being an idiot, but Balthazar said he was missing community and, well, I couldn’t say no when he asked.”
Unlike Rye, Ames didn’t push further. Instead, she just shrugged and sank back into the cushions again. “If he planned on coming, he didn’t mention it to me.”
“Or me,” Fairfax seconded. “Not that I’ve seen him.”
“You haven’t seen him?”
They both shook their heads. “He’s gone radio silent,” Ames explained. “Asked him twice if he wanted anything from the refectory when it was my turn to pick up food. No answer.”
Beside her, Fairfax shrugged. “Lockdown has been strange.”
“Huh. He texted me.” Embry slipped her phone out of her pocket and showed them the thread of messages. “Think I should ask him if he’s coming to the meeting?”
“If you don’t think Inspector Brown can use it against you, go for it,” Fairfax replied. “Balthazar’s clearly not answering either of us.”
Embry gamed this in her head. It might look like she was hoping to have a private conversation with him. Or, well, it might look like nothing. And it wasn’t witness tampering or anything. If she’d texted Alistair? Sure, that would look bad to Inspector Brown. But Balthazar? This was just a question about plans that could be proven were previously made.
Ignoring the iron will that had kept her silent the past twenty-four hours, Embry blasted off a message to the sorcerer.
Thanks. Are you coming to the meeting tonight? Miss you.
“Miss you?”Ames scoffed, leaning over to read. “I don’t get one lousy text or lazy-ass mirror scry, but the drama king with the leather jacket and enviable hair gets aMiss youjust for flashing those dimples your way?”
Despite literally everything, Embry’s stomach cartwheeled, and a flush crept up her neck beneath her fall of shiny blond hair as she shuffled away her phone. “Never mind that. Tell me what else you’ve heard on campus. Anything? Am I the only suspect? Do they have any other suspects? Has Alistair seen anything else?”
“Girl, we haven’t learned shit,” Ames groused with zero hesitation. “We only knew about Alistair’s vision because Martinelli referenced it during Fairfax’s questioning, and then Inspector Brown gave her a face-melting look and they never mentioned it again.” Her boyfriend mimed his cheeks sagging like hot wax to confirm this before Ames continued. “Place is on lockdown; info is on lockdown. At least until classes resume tomorrow.”
“That is not ideal,” Embry sighed.
“Not ideal,” Fairfax agreed, before a grin crossed his face and he arched one impeccable eyebrow. “But also not sustainable. You need boots on the ground? That’s us.”
Ames purposefully propped her feet up on the coffee table and wiggled both adorable faux calfskin ankle boots. “Literally and figuratively.”
CHAPTER 17
THIS BITES
THOUGH SHE RECEIVED A RESPONSE OFMISS YOU, TOO, PRINCESS.See you soon, I hope, Balthazar wasn’t waiting for her in the pentagram when Embry emerged from the house at dusk.
Rye was.
Embry could feel his familiar attention on her as she and her friends approached the woods from the house. They hadn’t talked yet. Not about the nightmare of Oakley’s murder. Or the nightmare of suspicion settling on Embry. Not about the last conversation they’d had, which was a nightmare of its own kind for Embry.
What you said was badly, badly done, and right now there’s no coming back from that.
