Page 137 of Balance

“Is it over?” she asked, her voice carrying between us on the cold breeze.

“Yeah…” I mumbled. “Yeah,” I cleared my throat, forcing my racing heart to calm and pieces to fall back into place around me. “Sorry, it’s fine,” I said. I turned to her and pushed the hood back from my face. Now that this was over, it was well past time to shed this caricature. My fingers brushed against the cut on my face, and I flinched. I was no stranger to pain, but facial wounds were a bitch.

Though they did say that women liked men with discerning scars. This ordeal could work out in my favor.

But did I really want to hold Bianca’s attention with pity?

“Are you okay?” she asked. I hadn’t even noticed her move, and she was in front of me, reaching up as she pressed her hand over mine.

“What?” I asked, my attention now fully on the place where our skin touched. My heart leapt into my throat as her blue-green eyes bore into mine. I’d been getting better at hiding my reaction… or so I thought. But there was no person in the world who wouldn’t be caught off guard when the person they loved surprised them by going from zero to a hundred within a span of two seconds.

“I still think you’re attractive,” she continued, proving my point.

“Thanks…” This really wasn’t the place to indulge, though I had my answer; yes, I would stoop this low to keep her attention. How long before she noticed that she was wrong?

It was embarrassing, but also not really a good time.

“We should pack up,” I told her, stepping back and putting distance between us. I glanced away from the flash of hesitance in her gaze, ignoring the way her hand dropped back to her side. “Do you mind traveling tonight?” I asked, glancing back to the now-empty house. Even though it only lacked its inhabitant, it felt like someplace long-abandoned. “It’s the full moon. We should have plenty of light.”

“It’s fine,” she whispered, stepping back another half-foot. She shuffled slightly, nervousness radiating from her. Her uncertainty hung thick in the air. “Do you think we should clean up first? Kathleen was making some kind of purple potion before…” her voice trailed off.

“Well…” It probably didn’t matter, it felt sacrilegious to go back inside now.

“She said it was for you,” Bianca added, piquing my attention.

I sighed, my shoulders slumping as defeat sunk into me. There was something sacred, untouchable about another witch’s space—especially after they passed. But I couldn’t ignore this.

Also, spirits did haunt where they felt their most earthly attachment.

Not that I was afraid of Kathleen’s ghost or anything.

“She’s not there,” Bianca said. She was hesitant now, but still stepped toward me, linking her fingers with mine. “You don’t have to be afraid.”

The heat rose to my face. “I’m not afraid!” I almost stuttered, but even with my denial, I couldn’t hold back the shiver down my spine.

“I’ll hold your hand,” Bianca firmly stated, squaring her shoulders.

Her steadfast determination made my embarrassment flare further, but I couldn’t resist the pull of her body as she tugged me toward the one room dwelling. My heart raced and I hoped that she’d never find out that even if she was lying—and she was leading me directly into a haunted building—I would follow her anywhere.

All she ever had to do was ask.

My attention remained on her the entire time, obediently following as she led me toward the now-cool hearth. She placed the lantern on the table, the light reflecting off the rounded, black iron.

“The purple stuff,” she said, gesturing toward the cauldron with a wave of her hand. She bit her lip as she spoke, suddenly nervous and unsure. “Kathleen was making it for you.”

I dropped Bianca’s hand, stepping forward as I leaned over the table and glanced into the opening, but it was too dark to see the contents now. When I’d left, it’d been a dull lavender, but the nature of a potion could change in an instant.

“She was making it for me?” My eyes flashed toward Bianca, who only shrugged.

“I don’t know,” she said. “She added mandrake, and it did something weird. She never said what it was for.”

My heartbeat was thundering in my ears in anticipation. How had she known I would be coming? This potion would have taken weeks to create.

Kathleen had known everything, including exactly what I needed at this point in my life.

“I’m going to bottle it,” I told Bianca, breaking the electrified air—or maybe that was just my excitement. There was even a bottle set out, waiting beside the gift.

She’d planned this all along.