Page 21 of Golden Star

Now, they’re suspended in midair. It’s like someone pressed pause during a movie, except everything other than the floating droplets is still playing.

Zoey’s eyes widen, and she steps closer, poking at a droplet in front of her.

Immediately, it and the others fall back to the floor.

“Wow,” she says, and this time when she looks at me, it’s not with fear, or worry. It’s withawe.“Can you really not lie?”

“Seriously?” I ask. “I made your shower explode and lifted water off the floor, and the thing you care about is whether or not I can lie?”

“You should test it out,” she says, not bothering to answer my question. “Like you did with the water.”

“Don’t we have more important things to worry about?”

“Wow,” she says, smirking. “You really can’t lie.”

“I can’t believe this is what you’re focused on.” I shake my head and manage to raise more droplets upfrom the floor, so they move around me in what feels like a moment of pure magic.

“Just try it,” she says, and I can’t help it—I push some of the water forward, so it splashes on her.

She’s completely unfazed.

“Lie. Right now,” she continues, her smirk growing wider. “Tell me that… you wish you’d said yes to Matt’s proposal.”

“I definitely don’t wish I’d said yes to Matt’s proposal.”

“You don’t even realize you’re doing it.” She laughs. “You’re just… talking around lying. Unbelievable.”

I press my lips together and glare at her, suddenly aware of the truth of what she’s saying.

Have I ever been able to lie? I don’t know. I’ve never felt great about lying, so I guess I’ve just danced around it. It’s always felt simple enough.

But when I try to tell Zoey that I’ve lied before, I can’t. The words simply won’t come.

“Fine,” I admit. “Apparently, I can’t lie. Happy?”

“Yes.” She grins—lookingalmostas conceited as Riven. “I am.”

I roll my eyes at her smug grin and refocus on the water around me, relieved when the magic comes to me way easier than it did during my first few attempts.

The water shifts and swirls, and I manage to pull some from the soaked rug, the mirror, and even Zoey’sdrenched hair. It collects into a ball in front of me, and I stare at it in amazement as it sparkles under the light.

It’s like the magic is speaking to me. Telling me it’s mine to command.

Confident about my abilities now, I step aside and guide the floating ball of water into the bathtub.

Halfway there, it wobbles and splashes to the floor with a loud splat, soaking everything again.

I curse in frustration, squeezing the water out of my hair.

Zoey bursts out laughing, wiping water from her face. “So, you’re not exactly the fae version of a cleaning service yet, but still—that was amazing.”

I rub my temples, a headache brewing. “I’m glad you’re entertained.”

She grabs a towel from behind the door and starts mopping up the floor, still grinning. “This is incredible. You have magic. Not to mention a gorgeous, male fae who apparently has some weird, magical bond with you and rides around the forest on a white leopard.”

“We’re supposed to be focusing on getting back my bracelet—not on Riven,” I remind her.

She finishes wiping down the counter and tosses the towel into the sink. “So, we’re heading back to the forest?” she asks. “To go to his realm?”

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