Page 96 of Heart of Mischief

Charlie bit her lower lip. “I’m not sure it’s an act.”

Whipping her head around, Abigail narrowed her eyes at Charlie. “Nuh-uh. Donottell me you’re falling for his bullshit again.”

“I’m not falling for anything,” Charlie said defensively. “I’m just saying, I think he genuinely wants to help us. Only because his boss told him to, but still.”

“Charlie.” Abigail gave her friend the kind of withering stare that would have made a lesser woman crumble. “Come on. You’re smarter than that. Elias works for no one but himself. Not even Loki. If murdering everyone at this party served whatever twisted purpose he’s working toward, he would do it. In a heartbeat. And he wouldn’t feel any remorse.”

“You have no idea what purpose he’s working toward,” Charlie snapped. “Did you ever stop to consider that? To consider that maybe he’s trying to do somethinggood?”

Abigail blinked once, before shaking her head sadly. “My gods. He’s completely brainwashed you.”

Shame and fury washed over Charlie, a confusing blend that left her uncertain whether she wanted to apologize to Abigail or yell at her. She opted for neither, choosing instead to storm away.

After that, the party flew.

Charlie was played beer pong with a girl from her Spanish class. Then, she held Lou’s legs as her friend did a keg stand, Henry bouncing up and down on the sand below and sending colors of encouragement. Shortly thereafter, she lost track of the vätte, but she didn’t worry about it. If Henry was in danger, she would sense it—and vice versa.

She didn’t think about Rattatosk. All she thought about was the breeze rolling in from the bay, the laughter rattling her chest.

And then there was the music.

Whoever was manning the aux was doing a fantastic job. They played just the right mix of pop and oldies, EDM and disco, Nicki Minaj and ABBA. Throughout the night, as Charlie bounced from person to person, activity to activity, she also bounced on the balls of her feet, feeling the music slowly creep under her skin. She tried to keep it in check, but all it took was one tug from Lou and Abigail.Suddenly, they were up with the seniors on the dock, which was steadily transforming into the least-safety-code-approved nightclub of all time.

Even in a state of slightly lowered inhibitions, Charlie felt a little self-conscious dancing. Lou clearly had no such qualms, throwing herself right into the middle of the dock to flail about and grabbing hold of reluctant bystanders to make them join. Even Abigail was letting loose; Charlie spotted her over by Bex, laughing as they danced side by side. There was nothing romantic in the way they were moving together, but Charlie was happy to see that they’d made up.

For the first few songs, Charlie just swayed about, bobbing her head and waving her beer can above her head. But by the end of the third song, she felt that familiar prickle on the back of her neck.

Elias stood in the sand around a table with Mason’s friends, who had started a game of flip cup. Everyone was locked into the game, competitive and overly invested in the way that only boys can be about a sport involving drinking beer and flipping a cup over.

Everyone but Elias.

His eyes were shamelessly on Charlie. Watching the sway of her hips, the little slice of skin exposed just below her naval. Before, she had felt his gaze as a warm, comforting presence. Now, it was something else entirely. Now, it was a lion captivated by its prey. A beast who couldn’t decide whether he wanted to eat the thing before him or protect it at all costs. And Charlie loved every second of it.

Elias’s eyes were like lightning hitting a power line. She was electrified, from top to bottom. Charged up with the same high that she felt when she broke one of her mother’s rules, or skipped class for the day, or told a lie. All her inhibitions fell away at once. She didn’t want to hold herself back.

So she didn’t.

Charlie danced with wild abandon, twirling around the dock and bumping into everyone standing beside her. She tossed her head back, letting moonlight pour over her. She probably lookedridiculous, but she didn’t care. She wanted to move. To spin and dip with a lack of self-judgment that she hadn’t felt since she was a little girl dancing to Rihanna in her bedroom, little Lou and little Sophie her only audience. Eyes closed. Hair whipping about her face. Arms tossed toward the sky.

Huge, elated smile on her face.

She sensed his presence before she even opened her eyes. Perhaps it was a whiff of his scent, dark and musky like the forest around them. Perhaps it was the tinge of darkness that followed wherever he went. Or perhaps she was just tuned in to some current she hadn’t known existed, one that ran between only them.

Whatever the case, when her eyes fluttered open, he was there. Standing before her on the dock. Waiting.

Her feet came to a halt. Arms dropping to her sides. Her chest rising and falling. Her face damp with a light layer of sweat. Hair clinging to her cheeks and forehead. She didn’t push it aside.

“Yes?” she asked between breaths.

Elias’s eyes glinted in the moonlight. “I came to deliver an important message.”

“What’s that?”

“I’m not entirely sure.” He tilted his head. “I don’t even remember walking up here. I think a witch may have cast a spell on me.”

“Witches don’t exist.”

“Sure they do. You just haven’t met one yet.”