“You don’t want me to leave, huh? Does that mean you forgive me?”
I tilt my head to the side and do my best not to smile, but I can’t help it. “Yes, I guess it means I do forgive you.”
Chapter 8
As soon as I enter the cottage, Orchid barrels into me.
“Are you ready for this year to be our best one yet?” she asks.
Laughing, I disengage from her embrace. “I’m sure it will be. Hey, you think you’ll finally find a guy?”
“There’s no need to rush love,” she protests. “When it happens, it’ll happen.”
“Yeah, but something can be said for finding the one.”
“And you’ve found what? The two?” She snorts and shakes her head. “I honestly feel sorry for them.”
“Thanks. Way to make me feel small.”
“Oh, I don’t mean to upset you. It’s just…”
I blow out a breath. “I know. If the wing were on the other fairy, I wouldn’t want to be left dangling either, but…”
“I know,” she says gently. “You love them both.”
I gape at her. Is she right? Can you love two people at the same time?
"I don't want to hurt them, so I'm going to have to make a decision."
“Yes, you are,” she says firmly.
“What about that artifact from your great-grandma?” I ask. “Why hasn’t that helped you find love yet?”
She grimaces. “Honestly, since I got it back, it hasn’t been working right. I think it being stolen ruined its magic, or maybe I just don’t believe in it enough for it to work again. Who knows?”
“Or maybe you’re afraid to find love and let it do its thing.” I knock my hip into hers.
She laughs and pushes me away. “Not all of us can have hot fairies draped all over us.”
I blush.
“But are you leaning Damon?” she asks.
I blink a few times. “Why do you ask that?”
“Oh, you know I’m all Team Sage, but I was flying by, and I saw the way you two were.”
“You saw the kiss?” I flinch, wondering how many others saw it. “Sage saw it too and asked why he didn’t get one on the lips. I kissed his cheek, just like I intended for Damon, but he turned his head—”
“I’m sure that was an accident,” she murmurs.
I giggle. “I’m sure it wasn’t.”
She lifts her eyebrows. “If you didn’t want to kiss him on the lips…”
I tuck my head. My cheeks feel like they’re on fire. “If I didn’t want to kiss him, I would’ve pushed him away. If you saw the kiss…”
Orchid blows out a breath. “Yeah, yeah. You clearly wanted to.”
“Why are you so dead set against my being with Damon?” I ask curiously. “Bay feels the other way. Please don’t tell me that it’s just because you can’t ever seem to be on Bay’s side with anything.”
“Please. Do you think I’m that petty?” Orchid fiddles with her purple hair, her black eyes soft. “Why does Bay push you toward Damon anyhow?”
I swallow back my first impulse—to say that Bay has a demon boyfriend. That intel isn’t mine to share, and besides, that’s not even the real reason for Bay wanting me to be with Damon.
“I helped her out of darkness. She thinks I can keep Damon toward the light,” I say simply.
Orchid’s thin lips form a perfect oval. “That… That actually makes sense,” she says haltingly.
I laugh. “You just don’t want to give Bay any credit, do you?”
“It’s not that,” she protests. “As for Sage, you were so gone for him from the start. You had a connection, a bond. The relationships that last, the ones that matter the most, can stand being tested. Yes, he thought you were Bay, but you were just starting school outside of homeschooling for the first time ever. You wanted to reinvent yourself. Now, you have more experience. You’re more secure in who you are, and you’re still attracted to him. Why wouldn’t you be? Although I saw that he’s cleanshaven. That takes some getting used to.”
I give a small smile. “What about him not wanting me to investigate the murders last year?”
“There’s a line between being controlling and being protective. Did he cross the line? Did he specifically say you couldn’t investigate?”
I shake my head. “He was just worried about me.”
“Can you blame the guy?” Orchid asks softly. “He cares about you. By the wing, he might even love you. I think you two deserve another shot.”
“But what if I regret never giving Damon a chance?” I ask.
Orchid throws up her hands. “Only you can say if he deserves one.”
“Hmm.” I turn to stare out the still-open door. One of Bay’s old friends flies by. He’s joined by another. Bracken and Cosmo. For once, Cosmo is wearing a shirt. In fact, they’re both dressed as security guards. They graduated last year? I hadn’t realized.
Bay squeals, darting into the room. She ignores Orchid completely, grabs my wrist, and forces me to fly alongside her to the two guys. Cosmo looks amused as Bay launches herself at him and then Bracken, but Bracken pins a steely gaze at me.
I shiver. I’ve always felt uncomfortable around him even though he’s done nothing to make me feel that way. He’s hated me since my first year, when I thought that one of their friends might be the thief. As it turned out, I was right, but I don’t think he’s ever forgiven me for having my suspicions.
But then he nods stiffly. “Rosemary, I have to admit that you had our crew pegged from the start, and you were right. Two years, horrible crimes, both criminals in our group.”
“Come off it, Bracken,” Bay snaps. “We can’t be blamed for what others do.”
“Who we associate with is important.” Bracken doesn’t look away from me. “You’re the reason why I became a security guard.”
“I don’t want to be the reason for anything,” I mumble.
“Thistle.” A muscle jumps in Bracken’s throat. “You do tend to have an effect on fairies.”
I swallow hard. “I don’t want
