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“What?” She frowned and lifted my hand, looking at my bruised skin. “How the hell did you get that?”

“It’s nothing you need to worry about.”

She scowled.

“Mom will only worry. Go grab my gold cuff bracelet, would you?”

She huffed but did as I said. There was no way I was telling my family what happened last night. They were worried enough already. Mags sucked at keeping secrets but could be bribed with the right inducement.

She rushed back and handed the cuff to me, and I slipped it on before heading downstairs.

“Who did that, Wills?” she asked, her amber eyes huge.

I didn’t want her concerned about me. Mags should be enjoying her final year of school and having fun with her friends, not dealing with all of this. “I had a little disagreement with someone, but they’re not going to be a problem anymore.”

“You mean you…” She dragged her thumb over her throat dramatically.

I forced a laugh. “I didn’t kill anyone.” No, Warrick did that for me.

“Fine, I’ll keep your secret, but it’ll cost you,” she said and flounced off ahead of me.

I hit the bottom of the stairs, and Iris was there, ushering me to the table. I sat and Mags got started on my hair while Iris and Roe painted my nails. Mom put a sandwich in front of me and Else shuffled over and put a glass of wine beside it.

“Looking good,” Else said. “Almost as good as Daisy did when she wore it.”

I smiled at her. “You and Gran will always be the great beauties of this family.”

She cackled. “Don’t you forget it.”

Cora was there as well, and she smiled at me. “I hope you don’t mind me being here. Else said I could come and see you all dressed up for the ball.”

“No, of course not,” I said.

Cora was basically one of the family. She and Else had formed a bond almost as soon as she moved in next door.

“I’ve only ever been to one ball,” she said. “Definitely nothing as fancy as the Keeper’s ball, with all those important, powerful witches, but it was so fun to get dressed up.” Her gaze became distant. “My sweet Emily never got to go to one.”

Emily had been Cora’s only daughter and Brody’s mom. She’d been raising Brody alone before she got sick, and Cora missed her terribly. “I’m sorry, Cora.”

“She’s never far from my thoughts.” She drew in a deep breath and forced a smile. “Ignore me. You never know, you might have a good time.”

“Honestly, if I could, I’d trade places with you in a heartbeat,” I said, staring longingly at my dinner.

“A lot of people would kill for a chance to be in your position,” she admonished. “Make the most of it, my girl.”

“Of course. You’re right,” I said, feeling rather chastised and guilty after what she’d just said about her daughter.

I liked a clear head, especially heading into uncertain situations, but today had seriously been a glass of wine kind of day. Roe, being the caring, considerate one of the family, noticed and lifted the sandwich to my mouth so I could take a bite, followed by a sip of wine. “Bless you,” I said.

She grinned, and I grinned back. There was even some color in her cheeks. Seeing her like this, I couldn’t help but feel some hope that maybe she might turn a corner.

“So where’s Ren?” Mags asked as she twisted a lock of my hair and pinned it back, then grabbed her heated hair curler.

Best to say it quick, like tearing off a bandage. “He’s with the hellhounds.”

The room stilled.

“What do you mean he’s with the hellhounds?” Iris said.