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Summer

A fter we speak to Farrah and Uriel, Connor is eager to tell his brothers. He wants me to join him, but I think it’ll be more special if it’s just him there. He protests and tries to cajole me with kisses, but I hold firm. With one last toe-curling kiss, he leaves the dorm, and I hear him jogging down the hall.

Alice still isn’t home, so I decide to get a workout in. It has been a rollercoaster of emotions over the last two days, ranging from rage to grief, to terror, to unadulterated happiness. Adrenaline is still coursing through me, and I may as well benefit from it.

On my walk to the gym, I find myself glancing repeatedly at my ring. I can’t help but appreciate how it glints in the sunshine and how perfectly it fits on my finger. He obviously gave this a lot of thought, and I smile again when I remember the joy on his face when he asked me. I’m waiting for the panic to start, but so far, there is just the love and warmth Connor always makes me feel.

Max is standing in the free weights area, spotting someone when he notices me come in. He tips his chin at me in greeting, and I gesture toward the sparring room to let him know I will be in there when he is done. I stretch, warming up while I wait.

“You look happy,” he says as he walks in.

“Hm?”

“You’re smiling. It’s weird.”

I quirk a brow. “I didn’t realize that wasn’t allowed.” Max rolls his eyes, and I smirk, nudging him in the stomach. “Wanna fight, berserker?”

Max shoves me playfully. “Let’s go.” He goes to the wall and collects the weapons, tossing me my sai. I catch them deftly, and he smiles, but it wavers when his gaze falls to my hand. “What’s that?” he asks, his eyes glued to my ring finger, his brows drawing.

I blink and follow his gaze to the ring, the light bouncing off it and sending little rainbows skittering over the walls.

Max walks over and takes my hand, looking at it. “This…” He shakes his head. “Wow. Um, congratulations.”

“Oh, thanks.” I smile.

Max drops my hand and steps back, and I can feel a definite shift in the atmosphere between us. “Let’s fight,” he says, lifting his sword.

I nod and get into position, but Max is already on me. His sword swings straight for me. I barely lift my sai in time, catching the blade between them. I try to push him back, but he withdraws and swings again with a speed I’ve never seen him use before.

We don’t pause for the entire session, and it’s a constant dance of duck and dodge, parry and deflect. By the time Max calls it to a close, I’m covered in sweat, and my chest heaves from the exertion. I bend, bracing my hands on my knees as I try to catch my breath.

“Fuck, Max.” I look at him, also covered in sweat and panting.

“What?” he snaps.

I just pant, shaking my head.

“Good job,” Max grunts, taking my sai from me and returning them to the wall.

“Fuck,” I say again, straightening and stretching my muscles out.

Max rolls his eyes. “It wasn’t that bad.”

“Who pissed you off?” I ask, raising my arms overhead.

Max shrugs. “No one. Just thought you needed to be pushed today.”

I smile and walk to him, nudging him playfully.

Max raises a brow at me. “What?”

I nudge him again.

Max crosses his arms over his chest, frowning at me.

I jab him in the stomach.

“What?”

“Why aren’t you playing?” I say, poking him in the stomach again.

“Playing?” Max looks at me like I am crazy. “Why would I play ?” The disgust in that last word makes me wince.

“Right…”

“Better get back to golden boy,” Max says, turning away from me.

I stare at his back, unsure what is wrong or what I have done. The venom in his words eats away at my happiness. I briefly wonder why, and that is when I have a horrendous realization. I consider Max to be a friend. Gross.

Well, if he doesn’t want to talk to me, there isn’t much I can do. With a last look at Max’s back, I turn on my heel and leave the gym. I have one more stop I want to make before I head to the Morningstar House. I need to update the headmaster on what I learned from the stranger last night.

The walk allows my body to cool, but I can feel that I will be sore and stiff tomorrow. I stand outside the headmaster’s door, preparing myself to face his overwhelming presence as I always do. Having Connor at my back last night had lent me more confidence than I thought.

I knock on his door and enter the room when he directs me to enter.

“Good morning, sir.”

“Miss Tuatha De Daanan.” He gestures to the seat across from him, and I sit down.

“I see congratulations are in order.”

I frown and glance down at the ring. “Oh, thank you, sir.”

He nods curtly. “You have an update for me?”

“Yes, I know it’s a Saturday, sir, but I have discovered who’s running EverydayEmrys .”

He raises a brow. “All right.”

“However,” I look down, “I would like to talk to him before you reach out to him if you’re planning to. It’s someone I know personally, and I don’t want him to feel blindsided.”

He lifts his chin, waiting.

“It’s Luke Morningstar.”

“The youngest Morningstar,” the headmaster replies, his expression impenetrable.

I nod.

“Surprising. How did you find out?” he asks, tapping a finger on the arm of his chair.

“We agreed it would be better if I didn’t disclose that information.” I remind him with a grimace.

His eyes flash. “When are you planning on speaking to him?”

“Tomorrow morning.”

“Thank you, Miss Tuatha De Daanan,” the headmaster says, giving me a dismissive nod.

“You are welcome, sir,” I say, standing up.

I leave his office and head back home. My stomach twists and my joy seems shadowed, but I’m unsure why. I don’t love how things changed with Max. Does this mean that now that I’m engaged, everyone is going to treat me differently? Am I feeling weird because I’ve not told Alice yet? I was going to text her, but it didn’t feel right. I wanted to tell her in person, but now Max and the headmaster know before her, and I’m feeling weird about that, too. It was stupid of me not to realize people would figure it out based on the ring, and suddenly, it feels heavier.

My phone pings in my pocket, and I pull it free

Connor

I’m back at your dorm. Where are you?

Summer

Almost home, fiancé.