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I sit on her bed as Nero sniffs the air in the direction of her familiar.

“Don’t eventhinkabout it,” I whisper to him. “I will turn you into a newt if you do more than lick your lips in Merlin’s direction.”

Nero gives me a grumpy look but settles for flopping on the floor.

Not even that alarming exchange causes my friend to open her eyes. She spellcasts for several more minutes, while Nero and I and my anxiety all hang in her room. I move near her bookshelf, ignoring a Venus flytrap that literally snaps in my direction as I reach for a book.

“Don’t be naughty,” I say, tapping it on its head.

I grab a book on herbalism and flip through it while I wait, though I’m not really seeing anything when I look at the pages.

You’re in deep this time, Selene.

Memnon wanted me desperate, and already I’m feeling the first tendrils of that desperation.

Sybil’s magic thickens as she finishes her spell, the plumes of it nearly concealing her. I feel the energy in the room shift, and the candles go out all at once.

I hear her deep exhale as her power clears.

“Fuck, I love magic,” she says, opening her eyes.

She rubs out part of the chalk circle and begins to pick up the items she had spread out.

I close the book on herbalism. “What was that spell for?”

“I rolled my ankle this morning walking down the steps of Morgana Hall.”

I wince. “Did you have to walk all the way back here on it?”

“Actually, I borrowed a witch’s broom and flew back here, and honestly, Selene, we’ve got to do this together…” She takes me in. “What happened to you?”

“Is it really that obvious?” I say, touching my cheek. But it must be—even I can hear the broken notes of my voice.

“What’s wrong?” she says instead, her voice growing alarmed. “I can smell smoke on you.”

I reach a hand down for Nero, grounding myself with his presence. “There’s a lot I haven’t told you,” I admit. I take a deep breath. “What I’m about to tell you is for your ears only.”

Sybil frowns. “Okay, now I’m really worried, Selene. What haven’t you told me?”

I share it all—everything from the spell circle gone awry to Memnon saving me. I tell her about him helping seal off the tunnel entrance—

“I didn’t even know thereweretunnels,” she cuts in.

“I’ll show you it sometime,” I say softly before continuing.

I tell her about how I found out I was a soul mate. A tear drips down my cheek when I admit exactly who I’m bonded to.

“What!” Merlin flaps his wings at Sybil’s outburst, then flashes me an owlish glare, like it’s my fault I upset his witch.

I press on, mentioning how Memnon turned on me and burned my books, and I finish with my meeting with the high priestess and being on the Politia’s suspect list.

By the time I’m done, my cheeks are wet again.

For a long moment, Sybil is silent. Finally, she whispers, “I am so sorry, Selene.”

She pulls me into a hug then, and I lean into her, crying into her shoulder as she rubs my back.

“And to think my day sucked because I have a sprained ankle.”