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Maddy bites back a gasp.
Quinn jumps as though the question startles her, and her expression turns sad. “Maybe I should have expected that question.”
“It’s a reasonable one.” Caroline crosses her arms, and her mouth pinches.
Caleb glances between the two sisters. There’s so much history here. Caroline’s the daughter of Malcolm, and Ileana is Caroline’s sister. Except once Ileana passed on, Quinn escaped purgatory and took over Ileana’s body. Essentially, Quinn’s running around with Caroline’s dead sister’s face.
Caleb should probably care more about the trauma in it, but he only cares about getting Maddy fed. Bloodlust is a bitch when it hits. And everybody’s sporting their own trauma from the upending and subsequent invasion of the mortal plane.
He crosses his arms, realizing how heartless he’s being. Maybe his new powers are impacting him more than he wants to admit.
“Well?” Caroline urges.
Quinn sags as though it’s not something she likes to talk about. “There’s not much left.”
“Anything at all?” Caroline’s voice cracks, and her face crumples.
Quinn tilts her head, and her expression turns thoughtful. After a long moment, she says, “There’s a sliver of Ileana’s spirit still inside me. I can tell she’s there, deep inside. But I can’t access it or her.”
Caroline swipes at her cheeks. “Why not?”
“Ileana’s spiritual energy is eclipsed by the obsidian.” Quinn takes a step toward Caroline, and Cora looks up from her book, watching like a hawk. But Quinn places her hand on Caroline’s forearm. “I know how much you miss her. Once the obsidian is removed, I’ll do everything I can to ensure you two reunite.”
Caroline throws her arms around Quinn, crying on her neck. Quinn awkwardly pats Caroline’s back.
Maddy turns to Caleb and gives him a smile, one which reminds him of when they first figured out they liked each other, before all the recent drama, trauma, and everything else. It’s the old Maddy, smiling at him,hisMaddy, and it warms him. Someday, they’ll have a life without Orion screwing it up.
Caroline steps out of Quinn’s embrace. “Thanks for that. I don’t think I knew how much I needed to hear that.” She wipes her eyes. “I should have believed Ileana when she told me the truth about Malcolm. I regret that so much.”
Cora stands, and it’s clear she’s making ready to escort Caroline out of Veritas.
But Caroline turns to Caleb. “Malcolm and Orion have joined forces.”
Maddy curses under her breath.
Cora sighs. “It’s not a surprise.”
“You’re right,” Caleb agrees, even as his gut tightens.
Maddy glares at him. So much for the sweet smiles.
He shrugs. “Well? Did you really expect it not to go that way?”
She relents. “But for once, it would be nice if something went our way without a fight.”
“We got out of the Fae world without a fight,” Caleb counters, knowing she won’t like him pointing it out on the heels of her frustration. “That’s a win.”
She says nothing.
Caleb turns back to Caroline. “What else do you know?”
“I know they have control over the Faeries,” she answers.
Maddy curses again. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“Again, though, did you expect anything different?” Cora interjects.
“I didn’t ask you,” Maddy snaps.
