Page 45 of Wynter

“I guess I sort of get why you’d want to go back,” Mini says.

I sigh. “They have more than enough agents. There was a line of supes wanting to take my place. But… the agency wants me.” And none of my mates do.

I feel a lump form in my throat and gesture for Mini to hand me my comfort fuzzy. Snowball settles on my lap, but my heart still hurts.

Xavi was only interested in me so he could get information for his stupid article. Leith was so done with me he shifted into a bird to get away. And Ghost—Ghost will always be the guy who sold me out so he could get an agency job. But the agency helped me forget Ghost, and now it can help me forget Xavi and Leith, too.

“Will you watch Snowball for me?” I ask Mini. “I can’t take her on missions, and she seems to like you.”

I expect Mini to say yes, but the witch shakes her head. And just when I was starting to like her, too.

I sigh. “What if I pay you? And let you stay here, free of charge?”

“Look, it’s tempting. It really is. I love Snowball, and this apartment. But, no.”

“Seriously?” I snap. “Why am I even talking to you? Don’t you have hair to brush?”

“At least I brush my hair,” Mini snaps back. Then groans. “Look, I didn’t mean that. Force of habit. And I can’t watch Snowball because I think you’re making a mistake.”

“Why do you even care? You barely know me.”

“True.” Mini examines her unmanicured fingernails. “I guess you can do what you want. I just don’t think you’ll be happy there.”

“It’s not like I’m happy here.” I tighten my grip on Snowball. “Do you ever wonder if happiness is just something that’s meant for other people?”

“I’m always happy.” Mini takes a stick of gum from her pocket—does she have an endless supply?—and pops it in her mouth.

“I was always happy, too. Until I wasn’t.” I glance down at my hands. “Before my parents died, then at my last foster home, and again at St. Vincent’s.”

“Is that… a convent?” Mini snorts.

“It’s the agency’s training academy.” I chuckle, then swallow hard. “It’s where I met Terence—Ghost. I thought things were perfect, and then he dumped me.”

“Asshole.”

“Ghosthole.” I struggle to fight back tears. “I don’t think I ever got over him, but I accepted it. And I thought I could be happy in Silver Springs. But maybe it just wasn’t meant to be.”

“And the agency was?” Mini raises an eyebrow.

“It’s a good offer.” I shrug.

“Look, I get it.”

“Do you really?” I look over at the red-haired witch, who blows a large pink bubble with her stick of gum until it pops.

“Okay, I don’t get it, get it. It’s not like your agency would ever want a magicless witch like me. But…”

“Wait. Hold up. What do you mean, magicless?” I gape at her. “You were literally just gathering intel. From Snowball.”

“Gathering intel?” Mini snorts. “Snowball just likes to talk.”

“This Snowball?” I glance down at my pet, whose eyes and mouth are closed and hidden beneath soft fur.

“How else would I know that you got Juniper to order you a custom dildo that makes you come with air?”

My checks flush. “If you ever repeat that to anyone, I swear…”

“Oh my Goddess, chill.” Mini rolls her eyes. “First of all, I can keep a secret. And second, I don’t have any friends to tell.”