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Holden fell in step behind us as we left and was discreet enough to stay a few feet away.

“He didn’t ask where we’re going,” Gentry observed under his breath once we were outside.

I chewed my lip and hoped he didn’t make a big deal of it—I should’ve said something instead of relying on Holden’s hearing. I had gotten so used to treating him like my shadow, something not to think too much about.

“You’re meeting your brother at the hospital?” I asked in an attempt to change the subject. “Does he live nearby?”

“Dominic? Oh, yes. Over on Beekman.”

“Well, well,” I grinned. “Your family did pretty well for itself.”

“You could say that.” Only his voice was tight, and he spoke through clenched teeth.

Sore spot.

“Is he your older or younger brother?”

“Older by three minutes.”

“Twins! Wow. Is it true that you have a connection, the way twins are supposed to?”

“In a way, yes. We’re much closer than most siblings, I suppose.” He looked at me. “What about you? Brothers or sisters?”

“One sister.” I looked away, ahead of us. “She’s… not here anymore.”

“I’m so sorry.”

“I’m sure she’s better off now.” That wasn’t a lie, at least.

She was happy with Elias. It didn’t matter where they were—I had seen enough of the two of them together to know location wouldn’t make a difference.

“That’s a fairly dark perspective,” he murmured.

“That doesn’t mean it isn’t the truth,” I replied, and he left it there.

I wondered if we would ever get to know each other when we both held so much back. I could never tell him the truth about Mariya, even though I knew there was nothing he could do to hurt her. He was just a human. It wasn’t as if he had connections to my world.

What was I doing with a human? It was almost beyond belief.

“I wonder if I’ll feel the same about my mother when she passes on,” he mused.

“I didn’t mean to come off as insensitive.”

Getting to know a man was exhausting, especially with such a complicated life as mine. Always afraid to tell the entire truth, always hoping I didn’t say the wrong thing. No wonder I had avoided it for so long.

“You didn’t. Trust me. I was only thinking out loud. She’s in a lot of pain. It’s difficult to visit her, seeing her like that. She was always the liveliest person in the room, no matter how full the room was. The sort of person who draws the eye. Spellbinding.”

I smiled to myself at his choice of words. If he only knew how familiar I was with spells.

“She sounds wonderful. I’m sorry she’s going through this—and you, too.” I let my hand brush against his again, and he took it as he did in line.

A wave of all-consuming fury hit me from behind, but I made it a point not to react when I felt it.

I was too busy glowing inside to bother with Holden just then. He had to learn to deal with Gentry, sooner rather than later. I had the distinct feeling that Gentry wasn’t going anywhere.

That warm, glowing, all’s-right-with-the-world feeling didn’t last long.

When we approached the hospital, he dropped my hand. It was so obvious, so abrupt, that I couldn’t help but notice the change in him. “What’s wrong?” I asked.