Page 63 of The Witch is Back

“Kole doesn’t live at the manor with the rest?” Bastian asked when she walked over and sat on the couch, ensuring there was a lovely Chester buffer in between. Her familiar was all about the bagel, using big eyes to his best advantage, though he did spare a tail wag for her when she sat down.

She curled her legs up and wrapped her arms around them. “He’s in research out on the Atlantic for most of the year.”

“I always liked him.” Bastian flicked her a look that was pure teasing. Normal. “Apparently not returned.”

She relaxed. Kole’s call couldn’t have come at a better time. Everything was back on even footing and they could...not forget, but...skip over the kiss.

“Who’s Sloane?”

Damn it. She forced herself not to freeze. “I volunteer with a program for teens. Kole’s hung with us a few times.” Proud of how casual she sounded, she smiled.

“Ah, cool. Maybe I could meet her at some point if she’s important.”

“Maybe.”

He hesitated, reading the brush-off for what it was, before choosing his battles. “I was going to meet up with Ethan, that friend I told you about, today. The one who lives off the river Nile.” His plate disappeared back to the kitchen at a gesture from him. “I was going to ask if you wanted to come join us.”

“To Egypt?”

“Yeah.”

She wasn’t sure why she was so surprised. It wasn’t like they were talking a long plane ride. It was just a portal away.

To meet his friend. In Egypt. As his fiancée.

Mixed feelings about that. Longing, uncertainty, some small pleasure that he didn’t mind introducing her as his soon-to-be wife. To his friends.

Goddess, get a hold of yourself.

She shook off the mooning stage and said, “Maybe another time.”

“Sure. I think you’d like Egypt.” He tapped his finger on his knee. “Remind me why you haven’t gone again?”

She lifted a shoulder, unable to put it into words. Well, not words she could say aloud. The truth was she’d been saving for a long time to take Sloane away on a fantastic trip the old-fashioned plane ride way. Sloane and she had been planning their route for the last year and both were beyond excited to experience it all for the first time together.

Not that she could tell Bastian that without revealing just how important Sloane was. She changed the subject. “Did you hear what Kole was saying?”

“Yes. He thinks I’m a dick.”

“Besides that.” She took a breath, the unease edging back in. “There’s going to be an Exhibition.”

He gave a careless shrug. “Annoying but not surprising. Most Divinings have one.”

Emma squeezed her knees tighter. She didn’t want to admit what she was about to admit, but for the sake of friendship—not to mention common sense—it was necessary. “I need to practice.”

“Practice?” His expression softened. “It’s not a competition, Emma. You show up, you show off a trick or two, you get cake. Or that’s what happened the last time I went to one. Cake’s still a thing, right?”

She wasn’t in the mood to laugh. “Mother won’t think of it like that.”

“So?”

So. As if it was just that easy.

“You stood up to her once,” he pointed out, and that same dark something shifted in his face. “Or you wouldn’t be here. Right?”

That wasn’t exactly what had happened. She didn’t want to go into it. “I’m not as strong as you.” It pinched her pride, but she squeezed the question out. “Will you help me?”

“Again, not a competition. Just... I don’t know, do something with flowers.”

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