Page 102

“Sum? What’s going on?”

The book vibrates harder, rattling violently against the table before bursting into flames. The thick, heavy paper and beautiful cover turn to cinders. Alice, Brett, and I lunge away from the table, our chairs scraping loudly against the floor. The fire rages for a few seconds and then is ousted by… nothing. Once the flames clear, the book is completely gone, with no evidence of it ever existing. I swallow and brush my fingers over the table. Not even a scorch mark remains. I look up, my mouth hanging open in shock. Brett and Alice are watching me wide-eyed, but no one else seems to have noticed.

“I’m going to head home,” I say abruptly.

Alice nods. “Me too. Studying has taken it out of me.” We leave the library and Alice links her arm through mine. “That was some crazy shit. What was the book about?”

“The Lady of the Lake,” I say, still slightly freaked out.

Alice curses under her breath. “Is this another assignment I’ve forgotten about?”

I shake my head, distracted by thoughts of the book.

Alice nudges me. “Summer?”

I glance at her, blinking. “No, no assignment. I was just reading.”

Alice rolls her eyes. “Reading nonfiction for fun is truly the most depressing thing.” She nudges me again. “So what happened with Connor?”

“Connor said he… loves me,” I manage to grate out, and I can feel Alice gaping at me. “We’re good, though. We talked it through, and he feels how he feels. He has no expectations of me getting there anytime soon.”

“And how are you feeling about it all?” she probes, probably shocked that I haven’t fled the realm already.

“Better than I thought I would.” Rather than the usual inky feeling that coats my skin when I’m uncomfortable, I am surprisingly at peace. Connor’s love is warm, comforting, and completely undeniable. There’s something almost concerning about how undeniable it is.

Over the following week, things on campus slowly get back to normal as people return to their lives. The ground outside of the room where Connor found Gia is still covered in flowers, crystals, and stuffed animals. People have tacked photos and poems of her to the wall and door. Sadness still hangs over the campus like a heavy miasma, but some of the fear has died down. Everyone seems a little more at ease, everyone but me.

Connor is pretending to be more all right than he is, so I conspired with his brothers to arrange a weekend in Eden. I know how tight-knit his family is and how much they ground him. Connor and I are advancing with our relationship, and it doesn’t seem too big a step to spend a couple of nights at his parents’ house. Connor is still in the dark about this plan, and I’m excited to see his reaction when he hears I’ll be joining. Or at least that’s what I’m telling myself, but I know he won’t go without me.

I set down my overnight bag and frown at Alice. She is sitting on my bed, wearing that blood-stained onesie again, pouting and tugging at my plush cow’s ear somewhat violently.

“Hey. Don’t take it out on Mabel.” I snatch the stuffy from Alice’s grasp and carry her to the safety of the desk.

“I can’t believe you’re leaving me.” She crosses her arms.

I unzip my bag and rearrange the contents for the thirtieth time. “It’s only for two nights, and I can be back in thirty minutes if you need me.” I look at her, a pang of concern trickling down my spine. “Promise me you’ll be safe.” My worry grows more intense. An image of Gia from my dream fills my mind, but this version has Alice’s pixie-like face. “Fuck. Never mind. I’m not going.” I pull a sweater out of my bag and turn to put it away, but Alice grabs my arm, turning me to face her.

“Summer, I’m joking.” Alice pries the sweater from my hand and shoves it carelessly back into the bag. “You know what my nickname is back home?”

I shake my head, fear making even my fingers tingle.

“Mistress of Bloodshed,” Alice says, rolling her eyes. “Among others.”

I exhale heavily, taking her hand. “You’ll be okay? You’ll text me all the time?”

Alice snorts and throws her arms around my neck, pulling me into a tight hug. “Yes, you little psycho.” I hug her back, theaffection feeling almost familiar. “You should be more worried about the killer running into me than the other way around.” Alice tries to pull back, but I don’t release her, clinging to her tightly.

“I can just go to Eden for the day and come back tonight.”

Alice struggles in my arms and manages to wriggle out of my hold. She cups my cheeks. “I will be fine. Connor needs this. And Sum?” She looks at me, concern lining her features. “I think you do, too. I can see the toll this is taking. You’re not sleeping.”

I sigh and look away. As if reminded by her words, my body aches from exhaustion. Every night since Gia’s death, I’ve had the same nightmare. She haunts me, and even the rune I used on Connor doesn’t stop it.

“You like his parents. It wouldn’t be the worst thing to go and spend a weekend being… hugged or whatever parents are supposed to do.” Alice’s voice is soft, but she grimaces as the words leave her lips, the very idea repulsive to her. I nod and rub my hand over my face, exhaling on a soft laugh.

“Text me every hour.”

Alice rolls her eyes. “That’ll really ruin the mood during my forty-two-hour orgy marathon.”