Page 57
“We do,” Grandmother replied. “There is a part of the preparation process where the petals must be burned at the edges. I thought I would save some time and do every petal at once. But I slipped, and the flower was destroyed. I’m so sorry. My hands aren’t what they used to be.”
She squeezed her shawl, her bony fingers locking around the old wool.
“It is getting warmer now. With any luck the snow should thaw a few days after it settles. I’ll send Ben up next time. You shouldn’t have to go twice.”
“Tell him to go up further than us,” Luna said. “Get a bunch. Abouquetof divorce flowers.”
“I will.” She came forward and laid a hand on Luna’s arm, apologetic. “The snowwillthaw soon,” she said again. “It’s spring, after all.”
She leaned in, pressing a kiss to Luna’s forehead. Then she leaned up and did the same to Oliver, hand brushing his hair before she trailed out of the room, still clinging to her shawl.
Oliver watched the door close behind her. Something was itching at the back of his head. He couldn’t figure out what it was.
“I guess you should call your fiancé back,” he told Luna.
He risked a glance at her to find her watching the door as well, hereyes narrowed.
“What?” he asked.
She shook her head. Started for the door. He followed, trying to identify that strange itch at the back of his head.
“That was weird,” she said finally as they walked down the hall. “Like,shewas weird. Right?”
“What do you mean?” Oliver asked.
Luna gave him an expectant look. Before Oliver could ask again, realization jolted through him in a sickening wave: it was suspicion.Thatwas the itch. His and Luna’s, tangling together through the bond.
“She’s not a liar,” Oliver said. “If she says she slipped?—”
“I’venever seen her hands shake,” Luna insisted, folding her arms over the baggy shirt she’d changed into after the hike. “Have you?”
He paused. She was slower these days, but he’d never seen her hands shake either.
“It wouldn’t have gone up in flames all at once,” Luna continued. “There would be SOME petals left. Enough for us.”
“She wouldn’t—” Oliver cut off, wetting his lips. “Why would she lie? Your wedding is coming up.”
“I don’t know,” Luna said slowly. She toyed with a strand of blonde hair. “Maybe she wants to keep me around. Free marketing.”
She flashed him an impish smile. There was an edge to it he didn’t recognize, but Oliver was too awash in a realization he didn’t want to dwell on it.
“You think she’smakingyou stay? She wouldn’t.”
Luna hummed consideringly. She came to a stop infront of Grandmother Musgrove’s door, the furthest door on their side of the inn. Just like back home. The home that had been in the Musgrove pack for six generations, the home that was nothing but ash because Oliver was a gullible idiot.
“We don’t go into her room,” Oliver said. “That’s her private space. It would be disrespectful.”
Luna made a face. “You know what else is disrespectful? Trapping an innocent woman with your grandson.”
She reached for the doorknob.
Oliver pushed her aside, grabbing it himself. If there was going to be someone invading his grandmother’s privacy, it would be better if it was family. Real family, not whatever Luna was.
“If it will make you be quiet,” he said.
Then he opened the door.
For a second, he wasn’t sure what he was seeing. Then he heard Luna make a sound, not quite a gasp and not quite a squeak. She was shocked, even though she’d said it—she’dsaidit—but she didn’t actually expect it.
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57 (Reading here)
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 64
- Page 65
- Page 66
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 71
- Page 72
- Page 73
- Page 74
- Page 75
- Page 76
- Page 77
- Page 78
- Page 79
- Page 80
- Page 81
- Page 82
- Page 83
- Page 84
- Page 85
- Page 86
- Page 87
- Page 88
- Page 89
- Page 90
- Page 91
- Page 92
- Page 93
- Page 94
- Page 95
- Page 96
- Page 97
- Page 98