Page 56 of Real

Standing a few paces off is Candlewick. He’s swapped out the prison jumpsuit for a tight pair of jeans and a button-up shirt that’s only buttoned halfway. He flashes Manny a flirty smile. “Don’t worry. H and I have already been introduced.”

Manny smiles back at him stiffly. “Yes, I know.”

Candlewick saunters toward us. “Manny here is upset because we had to touch when we were riding the dragon together, and I have omega cooties.”

Manny clenches his jaw. “I never said you had cooties.”

“Right. You just suggested I ride through New York City clutched in Anne’s claws so we didn’t have to touch.” Candlewick leans forward until he’s so close to Manny I can practically see Manny vibrating with nervous tension. Candlewick steps back and laughs. “Touching an omega isn’t going to kill you.”

“Well, one of you is going to have to ride in my claws this time around, and I’m not taking all three of you. My back is killing me,” Anne says.

If I can only take Manny or Candlewick, who should I choose? Manny is great at strategy, but Candlewick knows Dorian’s place.

“I’m going,” Candlewick insists.

Manny scoffs. “Why?”

“Because we’re killing Dorian, aren’t we? I’m definitely not missing that. I want to see that bastard take his last breath.”

“We’re just stopping the spell. You’re not killing anyone,” I correct him. The last thing we need is for Candlewick to end up in jail again.

Candlewick pouts. “Can we at least maim him?”

“See? This is why he can’t go,” Manny says.

“Because I want to maim Dorian? When you meet him, you’ll want to maim him too. Trust me.”

Manny rolls his eyes. “I’m not going to let emotion cloud my judgement. This is serious. We have to stay focused on the plan.”

Candlewick leans in close once more and says, “We don’t even have a plan yet. And sometimes it’s important to let yourself feel things.”

Manny opens his mouth, then closes it again. Their faces are less than a few inches away from each other. Manny is probably stuck under Candlewick’s thrall.

I don’t have time for this.

“I’m going alone,” I say.

“What?” Manny and Candlewick both say in unison.

When I talked to Felicity about backup, what I really wanted was a way to get to Dorian’s house and a way to stop the spell. I think Anne can help me with both.

“Anne and I can do this without anyone else getting involved. You should be seen in public, Candlewick. Get yourself an alibi in case I have to hurt Dorian. And it would be great if you could get my wallet from the Den of Dreams, Manny. I don’t need either of you for this.”

“But—” Candlewick starts.

“H, you can’t—”

“Oh, I can,” I interrupt. “And I don’t have time to argue about it.”

Anne’s lips quirk into a wry smile. “I think I like you. Let’s get going, shall we? Does someone have a map and an address? I don’t know where this Dorian guy lives.”

Manny takes out his phone and flashes the screen to Anne. “I still think I should come with—”

But Anne’s body is expanding, her skin growing icy blue scales and a long tail sprouting from the base of her spine. When she finally finishes growing, she’s larger than a bus, and her wing span is wider than the top of the building.

This is the part where I have to ride a dragon.

“The whole riding in your claws doesn’t seem like such a bad idea. It would be better for your back, and—”

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