Spells

“It’s only for humans,” she said softly. “I’d need something else.” She hesitated for a moment. “Hey, Chelsea,” she said slowly.

Chelsea and David both looked up at the serious tone in her voice.

Laurel took a deep breath. “I’m really glad you know I’m a faerie. It helps so much to not have to hide from the whole world. But anyone who knows is automatically in danger. So—”

“It’s okay, Laurel,” Chelsea said. “I’d rather know. You have to take the good with the bad.”

“It’s more than that,” Laurel said. “Stuff like this seems to happen a lot, unfortunately. If you…” She paused and laid a hand on David’s shoulder, glad he didn’t shrug it away. “If you do this with us — join us, I guess — I can’t promise your safety. I’m a dangerous person to be around, and this isn’t just about you. This may put Ryan in danger too. I mean, think about tonight. I didn’t tell you anything and you still got nabbed. So think — think really hard — before you decide that this is really what you want.”

Chelsea looked up at her warily. “Well, I think it’s a little late for that. I’m involved now whether I want to be or not, aren’t I?”

“Well…”

David and Chelsea both looked up at her questioningly.

“I could—” Laurel took a deep breath and forced herself to say it. “I could make you forget everything that happened tonight.”

“Laurel, no!” David said.

“I have to give her the choice,” Laurel insisted. “I won’t force her into this.”

“You could make me forget?” Chelsea said, her voice soft and small. “Just like that?”

Laurel nodded, her chest aching at the thought of actually doing it.

“But it’s my choice, right?”

“Your choice,” Laurel said firmly.

Several tense seconds passed before Chelsea broke into a wide smile. “Oh man, I wouldn’t trade this for anything in the world.”

A relieved breath rushed out of Laurel and she sprang forward to throw her arms around Chelsea. “Thanks,” Laurel said. Although whether she was thanking Chelsea for sharing her secret or for sparing her from having to use a memory elixir, Laurel wasn’t quite sure.

They all loaded into the car — Laurel insisting on driving even though David’s ribs were almost healed — and drove off toward Ryan’s house, where Chelsea had been headed when Barnes took her. Chelsea’s mom’s car had been carefully pushed off to the side of the road a few yards away from a stop sign. It looked so quiet and unassuming. No one would ever guess the circumstances under which it had ended up there. Laurel got out with Chelsea and walked her to the car.

“It’s kind of surreal,” Chelsea said. “I’m going to get in this car and drive back to my everyday life like nothing happened. And no one except me will know that it’s a whole new world.” She hesitated. “Even though I figured the whole faerie thing out — last year, actually,” she said with a giggle. “I do have a bunch of questions. If you don’t mind talking about it, I mean.”

“I don’t mind,” Laurel said, then smiled. “I love that you know, actually. I hate keeping secrets from you.” She sobered. “But not tonight. Go home,” Laurel said, placing one hand on Chelsea’s shoulder. “Hug your family; get some sleep. Then call me sometime tomorrow and we’ll talk. I’ll tell you anything you want to know,” she said earnestly. “Anything. Everything. No more secrets. I promise.”

Chelsea broke into a big grin. “Okay. It’s a deal.” She leaned forward and hugged Laurel. “Thanks for saving me,” she said, her voice serious now. “I was so scared.”

Laurel closed her eyes, Chelsea’s curls soft against her cheek. “You weren’t the only one,” she said quietly.

After a long hug, Chelsea stepped back and turned toward her car. She stopped just before slipping into the car and looked at Laurel. “You do know I’m going to call you at, like, six in the morning, right?”

Laurel laughed. “I know.”

“Just checking. Oh,” she added, “and you’ll tell me where you really were this summer, right?”

She should have known Chelsea wouldn’t buy the wilderness retreat. She laughed and waved one more time as Chelsea closed the door and headed on her way, tires crunching loudly in the quiet night.

While Laurel and Chelsea were talking, David had shifted himself over to the driver’s seat. Laurel walked around to the passenger door and let herself in. They drove silently, streetlights periodically illuminating David’s brooding features.

She wished he would say something. Anything.

But he didn’t.

“What are you going to tell your mom?” Laurel asked, more to break the silence than anything.

David was quiet for a long time and Laurel started to think he wasn’t going to answer her. “I don’t know,” he finally said in a weary voice. “I’m tired of lying.” His eyes darted to her. “I’ll come up with something.”

David turned into the driveway, his headlights cutting across the house. He pressed the button on his visor and the garage door rose slowly to reveal two empty spots.

“Oh, good,” David said with a sigh. “She’s gone. With luck I won’t have to tell her anything at all.”

They climbed out of the car and stood there, avoiding each other’s gaze for a long, awkward moment.

“Well, I’d better change,” David said, pointing his thumb at the side door. “My mom trusts me a lot, but even she would wonder why I decided to take a swim in November.” He laughed tensely. “Fully clothed, no less.”

Laurel nodded and David turned away.

“David?”

He stopped, his hand on the doorknob. He looked back at her but didn’t answer.

“I’m going out to the land tomorrow.”

David looked down at the floor.

“I’m going to tell Tamani that I can’t come see him anymore. At all.”

He looked up at her. His jaw was tight, but there was something in his eyes that gave Laurel hope.

“I’ll need to go back to Avalon next summer to attend the Academy, because that’s important. Maybe more important, with Barnes dead. I don’t like what he said…about things being bigger than him. I don’t even know what the consequences of tonight might entail. I—” She forced herself to stop rambling and took a deep breath. “The point is, I’m going to stop trying to straddle both worlds. I live here. My life is here; my parents are here. You’re here. I can’t live in both places. And I choose this world.” She paused. “I choose you. One hundred percent this time.” Tears threatened, but she forced herself to continue. “Tamani, he doesn’t understand me like you do. He wants me to be something I’m not ready to be. Maybe I won’t ever be ready. But you want me to be what I want. You want me to choose for myself. I love that you care about what I want. And I love you.” She paused. “I–I hope that you’ll forgive me. But even if you don’t, I’m still going tomorrow. You told me I need to choose my own life, and I am. I choose you, David, even if you don’t choose me.”

He didn’t look away, but he didn’t say anything, either.

Laurel nodded despondently. She hadn’t really expected instantaneous results; she’d hurt him too badly. She turned to head out to her own car.

“Laurel?” By the time she looked back he’d grabbed her wrist and pulled her to him. His lips found hers — so warm and gentle — as his arms snaked around her, holding her against him.

She kissed him back with abandon, all the fears of the evening rushing away and relief flooding through her body. Barnes was dead. And no matter what was going to happen tomorrow, tonight they were safe. Chelsea was safe. David was safe. And he was going to forgive her.

That was the best part.

He finally pulled away and ran one finger down the side of her face.

She laid her head against his chest and listened to his heart, beating steadily, as if only for her.

David lifted her chin and kissed her again. Laurel leaned back against the car, David following, his warm body pressed gently against hers.

Her parents could wait a few more minutes.

It was after eleven by the time Laurel dragged herself to her front door. She paused as she laid her hand on the doorknob. She could hardly believe that only that morning she had left to attend the festival with Tamani. It seemed like months.