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Shayne took in a deep breath and swallowed. “I don’t trust you, but I’m counting on you because I must. Make sure theyallgo home. No exceptions. I want no one left here.”

Luc grunted. “Yes, well,mybestie Dranian would hold it against me if something happened to the humans at home anyway now that I’ve summoned Trisencor and Cressica here. I’ll get everyone home. You just keep your family issues away from my apartment and my dog.”

Shayne folded his arms. “Tell me one last thing. Where do you keep disappearing off to?” he asked.

Luc smiled. He tucked the paper crane into his over-the-top black coat. “Just because I know your secrets doesn’t mean I owe you mine.” He paused. His nose wrinkled, and he sniffed.

“Well keep mine,” Shayne snapped. “At least until morning when I’m long gone.”

Luc pursed his lips and angled his head. “Oh dear. It might be difficult now, considering she already knows.”

Shayne’s brows tugged inward. “She? Who?”

Luc sighed dramatically. “How shameful, North Fairy. You’ve gotten so used to being unable to detect her feelings that you can’t even tell when she’s close enough to grab?” Luc airslipped to the cave entrance and reached around the corner.

He pulled Lily into the mouth of the cave, and Shayne’s stomach dropped.

Oh.

‘She’.

Curse the Ever Corner stars.

Lily’s eyes were fierce and alert. Shayne studied the strangeness; how she seemed completely herself in that moment, in no rush to hold him, or climb all over him, or make the world a better place for him.

He wanted to ask what she was doing there, why she hadn’t listened. But it was clear. It was so clear, it hurt—his heart and his pride.

It was the first time in his whole life he’d failed to enchant someone with a kiss.

“Let her go,” Shayne whispered.

“Actually, I think she wants to be held right now,” Luc said, tugging Lily a little closer.

“Let her go!” Shayne shouted it this time.

Luc’s jaw slid to the side. But he slowly peeled his fingers off her. Then he said, “Say your goodbyes, dear Lily. When we get back to the others, we’re going home.”

Luc wasted no time backing up several steps and waiting at the entrance. He studied his coat, checked his pockets, but it was obvious he was still eavesdropping.

“Queensbane,” Shayne said under his breath. “Ugly Human…”

“Don’t call me that anymore,” she rasped.

Shayne bit his lips. Then he said, “Lily—”

Lily stepped toward him and smacked his chest. He went still. He let her do it again a second later. She wasn’t hitting him hard anyway. Not that he would have stopped her if she was.

“You’re the worst,” she croaked. It was a miracle of the sky deities she wasn’t crying—thick tears rested in her eyes. They just couldn’t seem to spill over.

The next time she tried to swat his chest, he grabbed her wrist. He slowly wrapped his arms around her, holding his hand tight against her back as her head came along his shoulder. She fought it with everything she had, but eventually, a cry slipped out, and Shayne’s shoulder dampened.

It had taken her a million faeborn years to finally cry in front of him.

He hadn’t wanted to leave like this. This was all wrong; she might not go home willingly this way. She might do something utterly foolish like try to stay. “Luc,” Shayne called. “Can you take away her memory of this?”

Lily’s gun was out so fast, aimed backward at Luc’s heart—Luc went rigid in the cave’s entrance.

“Don’t you dare come near me,” she said.