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“You okay in there?” I called.
“Peachy.”
Yeah. It was getting to be time to have a talk with her, whether or not people listened in. Cosette was still wearing her suspicious glove, and I’d rocked that style for enough years of my life to know that she wasn’t trying to make a fashion statement with it. Something was up.
I polished off my last crust and was starting to get up when a flash of light exploded.
Dastien yanked me to his side and suddenly everyone was moving, taking defensive positions.
Cosette rocketed from the bathroom, fastest to react. “Show yourself.”
The light slowly faded and when my pupils adjusted, a guy stood in front of our locked door. Tall and lithe, he wore tight pants, tall boots, and a fancy tunic. His long, white hair was clipped back and his cheekbones could’ve cut glass.
The fey guy from my vision. Which meant we were getting closer to the church.
I wasn’t sure if I was glad he was here or terrified of what that meant. “It’s you.” The words were out before I could stop them.
Cosette spared me a withering glance and I winced. I was so going to pay for keeping that part of my vision secret. But she didn’t have enough attention for me right now.
“No. Go home, Van.” She drew out the soft A in his name until it sounded like fawn.
“I will.” Van reached out to her, palm up. “And you’ll be coming with me.”
“Is that a command?” Cosette stilled, staring at his hand.
“A request. It’s too da—”
“I know it’s dangerous.” Her shoulders relaxed as she let out a breath. “But I’m allowed to stay and clean up my mess. Go home before you get caught up in it.”
“I won’t leave you here to…” Van’s voice trailed. Lightning-fast, he grabbed her wrist and yanked off the glove. “You’re injured.”
Ugly black streaks spread up her hand. They were almost all the way to her wrist.
Shit. Why hadn’t she said anything?
“Are yo—” I was going to ask what we could do to help, but another flash of light nearly blinded me. Everyone lifted their hands to block their eyes.
When I peeked through my fingers, my breath caught in my throat. Van glowed like the sun as he gripped Cosette’s wrist. He radiated magic and my skin tingled—almost painfully—with it. His eyes burned bright silver.
Cosette’s jaw was clenched, but she wasn’t trying to pull away. Only, the longer he worked his magic, the more she started to glow. It was like pearly, white light shone from under her skin.
I’d always known she was hiding herself from us. She’d proved that the first time she pulled her sword out of thin air. Now she was casting off light, but I didn’t feel a hint of magic from her. Was that just how she was supposed to look?
“Enough.” Cosette jerked back her hand and finally, the magic stopped.
“You can’t stay here.” Van finally looked at the rest of us, and his lip curled a little at the sight of our room. I couldn’t blame him, because I wasn’t looking close enough to check, but I was pretty sure the brown stain on the wall was actual excrement. Still, it said a lot that he was standing in the middle of a group of worked-up Weres and brujos and couldn’t care less about it. His silver eyes were all for Cosette.
She jammed her glove back on, covering the marks that hadn’t budged. “I’m staying.”
“Coco.” Van sighed. “It was easy to track your magic. Others will be able to find you.”
Coco? Who knew Cosette had a nickname? And who did she think was after her? This was getting juicier than Mom’s favorite telenovela.
“I’m not likely to forget that, am I? Go home.” Cosette pushed him toward the door.
“No.” Van stood his ground. “I’ve found you and I’m staying. If you want me to leave, then leave with me.”
Whoa. What was going on between them?
