Page 48

LYSANDER

“ Y ou still awake?” Ezra murmurs in my ear, his voice distorted by distance.

“I miss you,” I tell him, like I do every day. He never says it back, but that’s okay. It’s obvious to me.

“What have you read today?”

“Nothing.” I pull the blanket close against the evening breeze coming through the window screen. Ezzy the bunny watches me from the night table. “Too tired from all my exciting activities.”

“Lys…” The thread of sympathy in his voice makes me squirm.

“I went to Bear’s class. It was his last one at The Sanctum.” I pick at a loose thread hanging from the duvet cover. “The shop renovation is finished, so he’s moving the classes back there.”

It goes without saying I can’t join in. The thought is suddenly unbearable. “What did you do? Who have you seen? Have you had any news about a job?”

“Fitzie dragged me out shopping. He wants his apartment to be, quote, vintage maximalist chic.” He lets out a deep sigh. “Whatever those words mean.”

I’m deeply grateful for his silent understanding.

The cadence of his words washes over me soothingly.

I make noises of sympathy as he tries to explain what mid-century modern furniture is and why it now haunts his every waking hour, but shamefully, I can’t keep up with the torrent of human-isms — I just like listening to him talk. About anything.

I’ve half drifted off when Ezra says, “I want to meet.”

My eyes fly open. Lightning zips to my fingertips. “Meet — in person?”

“Yeah.” It comes out rough, and he clears his throat. “You said the azeroths only travel at night. I want to see you again. Even if it’s just once.”

“Yes.” It tumbles out unthinkingly. But a second later, I doubt myself. “What about the Watchers? What if something really does happen to you?”

“What could happen in broad daylight?” Ezra rumbles in my ear. “I can’t stand not seeing you again. The rest I can live with.”

I press my palms into my eyes, holding the cellphone between my shoulder and the pillow for a moment. My head spins. I can hardly think beyond needing to feel Ezra’s arms around me again.

What can King Hellebore’s agency do? They’ve taken my amulet already. Their job is to protect our world, and our world isn’t in danger from Ezra. I know it to my core.

“How do we do it?”

“I have a plan. But it involves Orion.”