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“Don’t wait too long to work things out with Alexei,” she warned. “That boy is a catch if I ever saw one. Though, last I saw of him when we went to Bled Island to exorcise the remaining spirits, he looked ready to be reeled in by a certain witch I know.”
Despite the thrill and heartbreak her words brought as I imagined Blanca finally finding Vera in the afterlife, I firmly filed all thoughts surrounding Alexei into a compartment inside my mind.
If he truly wanted to be mine, he would be here. The Alexei box would remain firmly closed. It hurt far too much otherwise.
Luckily, I had Ember, Audra, and Isla to keep me busy.
Though I wanted to head straight in to the corruption removal process of the talismans, my sisters forced me out of the Coven estate, wandering down Bourbon Street like old times. Since Audra would return to Wales the following week, she was desperate to get her fix of beignets and cocktails drunk in the streets.
“Let’s party!” she yelled, guzzling her brightly-colored Hurricane.
I took a smaller sip with raised brows. “What are we celebrating?”
Ember rolled her eyes. “We’re celebrating you and your badassery in Slovenia. Not only did you single-handedly annihilate Trystan Dubois, but you helped bring peace between our people and the vampires. Change is coming; I can feel it. And it’s because of you, Jade.”
Audra lifted her cup to me while Isla simply grinned into her steaming mug of tea.
“To Jade and her new future,” they sang in unison.
The mortals nearby who heard the toast joined in until my face grew flushed with embarrassment.
As we walked, Audra pulled a few strands of auburn hair out of her face as she stared down at her phone with excitement gleaming in her eyes. “Apparently, word got back to my professors about the battle in Slovenia, and they want to include me in some advanced classes I’ve been pushing for. Maybe by the end of next semester, I’ll actually earn the title of Top Witch,” she sighed dreamily.
“What does that entail again?” I muttered.
She smirked. “Only eternal bragging rights, a private dormitory suite, first choice of classes, and a guaranteed sign of approval for any venture I want to take on post-school. That bitch is mine.”
“That’s great, Audra. I know you’ve worked hard for this.” Isla grinned.
Audra sipped her drink. “I just hope you find something to fill your time now that you’re back from your travels. You’re looking listless lately, sister dear.”
Isla threw her a dirty look, but it held no heat. “I’m much more animated than Jade. Why don’t you pick on her some more and leave your poor baby sister alone?”
“Poor baby sister, my ass.” Audra snorted and pulled Isla into a hug, but Ember’s face grew troubled.
“Still no news from Alexei?” She wondered as I restlessly tapped my nails on my thighs.
“Nope,” I said breezily. “He clearly decided to remain in Slovenia. It’s for the best. He kept so many secrets from the beginning. I don’t see how I can trust him again.”
She raised a brow. “And you haven’t kept secrets?”
Before I could offer a haughty retort, I realized we had inadvertently marched past Get Hexed and now stood at the gates of the Vampire Court. My heart ached with loneliness. After lowering my protective walls, Alexei had slithered past, winding around my heart in a constrictive grip, only to shatter me like he promised never to do, but I hardened myself with an internal kick.
“Sorry.” Ember winced. “Let’s just head home. Movie night?”
Isla groaned. “Please, no more horror movies that will make me want to gouge my eyes out.”
Ember’s phone pinged, and she stared at her screen with furrowed brows before she squealed and bounced in place with excitement. She practically yanked my arm out of its socket as she dragged me across the littered street, nearly getting run over by a horse-drawn carriage.
“What the Hell, Em!” I yelled, but she simply pushed me through the Vampire Court gates and whispered a locking spell to keep me inside.
I jostled the iron bars with a snarl. “Seriously, what is this? More punishment for lying to you? Because it’s not funny.”
Audra and Isla joined us across the street, and Ember showed them her phone. Equal expressions of delight spread over their features, and they joined arms, creating a link.
“We’ll see you soon, Jade. Or possibly not. Preferably not, in fact,” Ember teased as they started down the street.
My mouth fell open in shock. “What—”
