Page 67

Luna chokes on a laugh, trying to hide it behind her hand. She’s so bad at pretending she’s not entertained by me. I see the curve of her lips, the way she’s trying not to grin, and it only makes me lean in harder.

“And,” I continue, counting on my fingers, “the wardrobe incident wasn’t even me. That was Elias.”

“I told you not to shove the damn goat in there,” Elias mutters under his breath.

“Technically, you bet me I wouldn’t. And okay, fine,” I sigh dramatically, flopping back onto the grass. “Maybe I did steal Lucien’s journal to doodle mustaches on all the old Sin Binder portraits. But in my defense, he keeps looking at them like they’re gonna give him answers, and honestly? A little facial hair never hurt anyone.”

Elias whistles low. “You also told that village kid that Ambrose could turn into a bear.”

I grin up at the sky. “That was public service. Kid should know what he’s dealing with.”

Luna finally loses the battle and snorts, shaking her head, strands of her hair falling across her cheek. She looks at me like I’m the world’s worst idea—and maybe her favorite one, too.

“So really,” I continue, lacing my fingers behind my head, “I don’t know why he’s so mad. I’m innocent.”

Elias throws a blade of grass at my face. “You’re a menace.”

“Correction,” I say, grinning at Luna now. “I’m delightful.”

And maybe that’s why Lucien’s so mad. Because every stupid thing I do, every prank, every fire and misstep—it’s all to make her laugh.

And I don’t even bother pretending otherwise.

"You know," I say, stretching my arms overhead like I haven’t just been scolded like a child, "if Lucien’s gonna ruin my perfect day of meadow mayhem, we might as well make getting back home interesting."

Elias groans, but I catch the spark in his eyes when he looks at me. "Silas—"

"Race you back," I cut in, already grinning, the kind of grin that means trouble, the kind of grin that usually ends in something on fire.

"You want to race me?" she deadpans, crossing her arms. "When you cheat every time?"

"Baby," I say sweetly, "cheating is just creative strategy."

I don’t wait for permission. I’m already moving, shoving off the ground with enough force to scatter wildflowers, and then I twist, snap, drag magic across the soles of my boots. A pulse of kinetic energy ripples outward from me, kicking up petals, a gust of heated air that sends Elias swearing.

"You absolute little shit!" Elias shouts behind me, and then I hear it—the shift of power, time bending around him like it always does. His magic is subtle, dangerous, slow-motion lethal. The entire world hiccups, slows, except for him. And me. Because I know how to slip past it.

"Not fair!" I call over my shoulder, laughing breathlessly. "You can’t Time your way to the finish line!"

Without warning, I twist, yank magic through the bond I share with her, and sling her forward like a slingshot, sending her flying past both Elias and me, hair whipping behind her, her squeal sharp and delighted and furious.

"Silas!" she shrieks, half laughing, half scolding, soaring ahead of us like she’s weightless.

Elias barrels forward, using his power like a goddamn cheat code, the ground sluggish beneath everyone but him. But I don’t care. I know how to play dirty. I snap my fingers, grab at the threads of kinetic force in the Hollow itself, and let the ground ripple under my feet, using the very bones of this place to throw me faster, harder.

"That’s illegal!" Elias calls, time catching in his voice like molasses.

"Everything I do is illegal!" I yell back, catching up to Luna, who’s still trying to slow her momentum without wiping out.

She shoots me a murderous look as I sidle up next to her, running backwards now because I’m an asshole and I want her to laugh again. "You’re the worst," she huffs.

I grin wider, bouncing backward, deliberately showing off. "But I’m your worst."

She lunges to shove me, but I’m faster, flipping sideways and tumbling once, twice, the magic thrumming through me like lightning in my veins. I land in a sprint, grinning so hard my face hurts.

By the time the house comes into view, the three of us are breathless, chaotic, a mess of laughter and curses and wild, reckless magic tearing at the edges of this world. And Lucien? He’s gonna lose his mind when he sees how much trouble we caused in five stupid minutes.

But right now, in this ridiculous race, in the way Luna’s smile cracks open like it belongs only to us, it’s perfect.