Page 32 of Crown of the Mist

"We've got it covered," Theo says coolly, appearing in the doorway. His usual calm looks forced, brittle around the edges.

Phil's gaze darts between us, measuring odds I'm guessing he doesn't like. Finally, he shrugs, trying to look casual and failing.

"Have it your way." He takes another step back. "But tell Bree..." His face shifts into something colder, more calculated. "Tell her daddy says hi."

The mist surges, and this time I swear the temperature actually drops. But before either of us can react, Phil turns and walks away, his uneven footsteps echoing down the hall.

"You okay?" Theo asks quietly once he's gone.

I realize my hands are shaking. With rage or adrenaline, I'm not sure. "Found something," I say, pulling out the camera. "And I'm betting it's not the only one."

Theo's expression hardens as he examines it. "We'll have the police—"

"No." I grab another box, needing to move, to do something. "Not yet. This is evidence, yeah, but we handle it smart. For Bree."

He nods, understanding all the things I'm not saying. We pack in silence after that, both of us cataloging every violation, every sign of control we should have seen sooner.

The mist stays with us, watchful and waiting, like it knows this isn't over.

19. Unknown

The plan unfolds at last. Not as I imagined, but perhaps better. These mortals, her chosen guardians, finally seeing what I've known all along.

About damn time.

20. Bree

I wake to filtered sunlight and the musty scent of old wood. For a moment, I can't place where I am—not my apartment, not the guest room. Dust motes dance in slanted beams that cut through dormer windows, catching on exposed beams overhead.

The attic. I'd found the door earlier when the walls of the guest room started pressing in too close. Needed somewhere higher, somewhere I could breathe. I hadn't expected to find... this.

I shift slightly, realizing I'm curled up in a window seat, soft cushions cradling me. A throw blanket has been tucked around my shoulders, the fabric impossibly soft against my skin.

The mist drifts lazily near the floor, peaceful in a way I've rarely seen it. Like it belongs here. Like maybe I do too.

Nope. I can't let myself think like that.

"You found it." Wes's quiet voice carries from somewhere to my left. I turn my head to see him settled cross-legged on the floor, his back against a bookshelf. "We were wondering when you would."

I blink, taking in the space for the first time in full light. It's been transformed into something out of a dream. Refinished floors gleam beneath oriental rugs. String lights wind through the rafters. The window seat I'm curled in looks custom-built, complete with storage drawers underneath.

"What is all this?" My voice comes out rough with sleep and wonder.

Wes doesn't answer immediately, just watches me with that steady gaze of his. Beyond him, taking up most of the far wall, stands what has to be the biggest bed I've ever seen. It seems like a strange centerpiece for what otherwise looks like a reading nook, but something about it feels... right. Like it was meant to be here, though I can't explain why.

Custom-made, my mind supplies distantly. Has to be. Normal beds don't come that size.

"We've been working on it for a while," Wes finally says, his voice careful but warm. "It started as just storage space, but..." He shrugs, the movement almost shy. "It felt like it neededto be more... For you."

I run my fingers over the window seat cushions, startled to find the fabric is exactly the soft shade of green I've always loved. "You guys did all this?"

"We all helped. Rhett built the window seat. Gray handled the electrical. Theo designed the layout." His lips quirk slightly. "Jace just kept buying things he said you'd like and hiding them up here."

The lump in my throat threatens to choke me. "Why?"

"You know why." He says it simply, like it's the most obvious thing in the world. Like they haven't just revealed they've created an entire space meant for me without even knowing if I'd stay.

The mist swirls closer, curling around my feet like a contented cat. For once, I don't try to hide it. Wes has always seen it anyway, even when I pretended he didn't.