“But,” he continues, looking seriously at me. “First, you have to promise not to go searching for him in the Deadlands without me. Because you will, obviously, die.”“Done!” I say, grinning, quite liking the tacit admission that he’ll go with me to find Blythe too.“And,” he continues, “unfortunatel
“I’m not happy with how last night went, Juniper,” Orion says, turning his eyes back to mine. “I wanted to apologize.”Surprise runs through me because…I was not expecting that.“I don’t know if you know this about me,” he continues, walking me again to the edge of the terrace but not wrapping an ar
My lips curl into a smile. “Again,” I whisper, shaking my head softly. “Such a freak.”A laugh spills over his lips, but the noise ends the moment he presses his mouth to mine.And damn me, I don’t stop him.I don’t make a single move, not at all, as my eyes flutter shut.The kiss is soft, and gentl
“Anton,” I sigh, shaking my head, “you’re going to think I’m so stupid –““I promise you,” he insists, “I’m not. Please, June.”I sigh again, pulling back a little, taking a deep breath. Anton lets me go and I cross my arms over my chest, feeling terribly self-conscious. But I close my eyes, pretend
“Yes, please, June,” Anton groans. “Please, I’m begging you – change out of that and then burn it.”I laugh again, flapping a hand at him. “Fine, fine,” I sigh. “Well, then, what would you suggest I wear?”When I appear at the auditorium where the show will be held, my hand firmly in Nic’s and Anton
Anton steps close to me, putting a ghost hand on my shoulder as I stare at the piano, my knees locked, my whole body tense and starting to tremble slightly.“Easy, girl,” he murmurs, calming and soft.I glance up at him, a glare narrowing my eyes. “Stop talking to me like a horse.”A laugh bursts fr
I gasp when she produces the first one, but then they keep coming every time Laila pinches her fingers together – pop! Appearing from nowhere. The bubbles begin to fill the stage in a beautiful, magnificent way, and Laila by some trick or magic begins to unfold the curves of her dress so that it str
I exhale slowly, much of the tension leaving me as soon as I feel the coolness of the keys beneath my fingers. Because this, in so many ways, is…home.God, why have I waited so long? Why haven’t I been playing in my room?Because the boy is there, my wolf says, and you like to keep it a secret. She
“No!” she sputters out, stumbling a few steps towards me, shaking her head so hard her pretty blue-green hair flutters out all around her. “No, Junie, don’t make me go! I want…I want to stay here! And help! I mean…” she bites her lip. “It will be nice to be able to visit home. But I want to stay wit
“I’m sending you home too,” I say quietly, doing my best to look each in the eyes. “I’m sorry this happened to you. I’m sorry if you’re disappointed that you didn’t get the wish.” They murmur a variety of responses back to me, most of them relieved. One by one they step forward and I take their ha
“Does…” I whisper, my eyes still fastened to Orion as my eyes move over him, feeling the powers that radiate from him now. “Does that mean you have all of the powers of Darkness too? From…from the wish?” “No,” Orion murmurs, looking down at his hands and flexing them, experimenting with the feel o
Beatrice is the last to go, staring at me in shock, realizing finally that she bet everything on the wrong horse. I bare my teeth at her, fangs extended, and Beatrice’s eyes go wider as she trembles and finally submits, going to her knees and bowing her head. “Good,” I say, my voice returning to n
Laila’s knife sinks deep between Death’s shoulder blades and the final scream of a God fills the air as Death falls to his knees. The magic stops mid-stream, like a tap being suddenly turned off. I groan and tilt forward against Anton, who catches me and holds me against his chest. “Shit, June,”
“Just a little longer, June. She’ll do it.” But what if she doesn’t? What if…what if I’m inches from oblivion, and this is it? My heart strains in my chest, my wolf shaking like a leaf from snout to tail. But still, I will myself to hope. To trust in my friend. “I know,” I reply, letting my ey
I gasp, my shoulders trembling under the sheer weight of Death’s magic that flows over and around us, my shield barrier straining and buckling under its might. “June,” Anton breathes, eyes wide as he looks up at the magic streaming over us in an unending torrent. “Shit – are you –“ I crouch besi
The wish presses against Death for a moment and then sinks into him, dissolving into his chest. He sighs with happiness and what looks like ecstasy, tilting his head back to the sky as the magic disappears into him. Beatrice steps away, tucking her hands behind her back, beaming at the God she jus
Before I can get more than three steps after Laila, Anton lunges forward, his paws landing on either side of me as he snatches at the back of my gown with his teeth, holding me back. His fierce growl reminds me that I need to stay here – that Death took Laila because he wants me to come rushing onto