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“How can you think that? Knowing what you know?”

Alice rubs her cheek on my arm, looking at our reflections. “The only thing that story told me was that you are so fucking strong, Summer. You survived, and you are not your past. It is simply a part of you, and you get to decide how large that part is.”

I take a deep breath and silently count to thirteen. I am allowing myself this time with Alice to have this mini breakdown and wallow in these insecurities. I will fix the mask and get it back in place when I am done. It is brittle after all these decades, but it will hold.

“Okay. I need to go.”

Alice pinches me hard. “Hey. I mean it. None of thatnot good enoughshit. You are a badass.”

I nod and straighten my shoulders. “Right, I’m a badass.” If Alice knew the extent of my twistedness, would she still think I deserve those words?

“You got Connor fucking Morningstar to settle down with a single look. You know more runes than most fourth years. You are Summer Tuatha De Daanan.”

I nod again. “I got this.”

Maybe I can convince myself of this lie, too. What is another in a lifetime of them?

“You want my lucky skull?” Alice asks sincerely.

“No. You should keep that.”

Alice nods gravely, a glimmer of relief on her face that I didn’t expect. It means the world to me that she would have parted with it for me. I look back at the reflection of us. We are two jagged shards honed by the injuries dealt to our souls.

The whole way to the Morningstar House, I work through various scenarios in my head about how this initial meeting will go. All of them end with his parents telling me I’m realmless trash and casting me out of the house.

Good gods, I need to stop this. I have this. It’s going to be fine.

The house seems bigger somehow, the door almost daunting as I walk up the path. It’s a path I’ve walked fifty times, and logically, I know there is nothing to fear. I reach out and politely knock on the door, my heart hammering in my chest. I can see the slight tremor in my hand, and I drop it to conceal the shaking.

The door opens and a slightly taller, more rugged version of Connor grins down at me. “Summer!” he exclaims and wraps his massive arms around me, picking me up into a large bear hug.

I gasp, unsure what to do. “M-Mr. Morningstar!”

He puts me down, his smile as bright as it is broad. I notice how similar he is to Connor. They share the same handsome features, but Connors are less burdened.

“Call me Uriel!”

“Lovely to meet you, Uriel.” I smile politely.

Uriel steps back, and I am barely in the house before I’m pulled into another hug. This one is just as warm and loving, but this time, the hugger is shorter, maybe a little shorter than me, and she smells like freshly baked cookies and daisies.

“There she is!” Farrah says, her voice familiar. The affection in her hold is almost intoxicating, and unlike anything I’ve ever felt before.

“Hi, babe!” I glance toward the stairs. Connor is stomping down the steps, his face glowing with happiness. His mother finally pulls back to cup my cheeks. I’m taken with how beautiful she is, and it’s now obvious where Connor gets his more bronze tones. Her skin is flawless and a deep tan. Her dark eyes search mine, and while I know she’s trying to read me, an aura of calmness suffuses me.

“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Summer. Please call me Farrah.”

Uriel walks over and kisses his wife on the temple. “She’s prettier than you said, Son.”

Farrah drops her hands from my face and leans into Uriel, turning her whole body toward him. I look past them at Connor. “Darling!” I blurt out. Connor frowns and glances over his shoulder to see who I am talking to. I keep the faux smile on my face, trying to keep it polite and endearing. Where did that endearment come from? I am such an idiot.

“Hi, babe.” Connor wraps his arms around me, and I feel like I can breathe for the first time in hours.

I kiss him softly on the cheek. “Hello.”

“Don’t I get a proper kiss?”

I glance at his parents, who are looking at us with affection. Uriel has shifted to stand behind Farrah, his arms wrapped around her middle. They don’t even try to conceal the way they are watching us.