Page 48 of Magic of Sins

The sweetness is so pungent it makes me sick to my stomach.

“Yeah. Yeah, I’m fine. I just need to go to bed. It’s been a long day.”

My excuse is flimsy and my voice sounds pressed, but Ava doesn’t notice. She’s completely focused on the taffy. I’m to blame for what she’s doing. And I can’t make it stop.

Once I’m in my room, I lock the door behind me. The stale taste of the taffy is still on my tongue, but it’s not quite as strong anymore. The dizziness is starting to subside. I can only hope that my hold on Ava has also worn off and she’ll stop eating.

I throw myself onto my bed and pull the covers over my head. Hot tears run down my cheeks. I’m so sick of crying. I’m sick of feeling helpless. But I can’t help it.

At some point, the knob on my bedroom door turns. It’s Ava. She rattles it.

“What the hell is going on, Kaya?” I hear her ask through the closed door.

I can’t tell her. Ava may be open-minded, but even she wouldn’t want to live under the same roof as a sin mage.

“Kaya?”

I don’t answer, shutting my eyes tightly, pretending to sleep, wishing she’d give up and leave.

My pillow is wet from my tears as I wake at dawn. I listen for any noise, trying to gauge whether Ava is already awake, which doesn’t seem to be the case. I can’t hear the familiar sounds of the shower or clattering dishes of Ava making her morning porridge.

Sleepy-eyed, I get up and plod on bare feet to my wardrobe. I’m going back to the library today. If I call in sick for too long, Mrs.Byron will get suspicious, and I’d run the risk of getting a bad diligence rating or even losing my job. Besides, maybe I’ll find a clue on how to control my powers in one of the books there.

I put on a long, high-necked dress and a cardigan over it. It’s much too warm for this outfit, but under the many layers of fabric I feel a little safer. Which is ironic, seeing how it’s me who is a danger to everyone around me.

I go for a quick wash in the bathroom and put my hair up into a tight bun before tiptoeing out of the house. There’s no way I want to risk an encounter with Ava. She’d only ask questions about last night. Questions I don’t want to answer.

Tinkerbell is already waiting for me in the hallway, mewling, but I just give her a sad smile.

“Ava will take care of you, sweetness.”

She rubs against my legs and purrs before running into the kitchen. I use that moment to sneak outside.

Caden’s limo is still parked outside my front door. Apparently, Rey has been watching over me all night. As I start to walk, the dark car follows me. I’m already a little annoyed. What if someone notices I’m being followed? What should I tell them? That this is my personal bodyguard who follows me everywhere I go?

I stop, step out into the street, and knock on the black-tinted window of the sedan. The window opens agonizingly slowly, then Rey grins at me.

“Good morning, Miss Ashton. Can I drop you off somewhere? Perhaps at the home of a certain sin mage?”

“I have to get to work. And I’d prefer it if you didn’t follow me around everywhere.”

“Well, you see,Iwould prefer to drive a red Ferrari, but the king would probably condemn such a display of wealth.”

A red Ferrari? I shake my head, uncomprehending. Rey shrugs.

“What I’m saying, Miss Ashton, is that we don’t always get what we wish for.”

I sigh.

“Can you at least do it a little more inconspicuously? I don’t want to have to explain to my boss why I’m in need of an escort all of a sudden.”

The window of the limousine is raised again until all I see is my own reflection, tired and disgruntled.

I will get through this day,I tell myself. And the next, and the one after that. At some point, my life will return to normal.

It just has to.

Mrs. Byron eyes me critically, as if she’s afraid I’m bringing some dangerous disease into the library.

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