Page 50 of Scattered Glitter

Levi casually drapes an arm over my shoulder. “C’mon, Glitter, don’t be mad. A little mystery never hurt anyone.”

Koen steps closer, drawing my focus back to him. “What if I told you I could teach you how to make sure no one ever controls you again?” he asks, smooth as velvet. “How you could decide whether you want to be influenced or not. How you could influence others.”

His words hang in the air, charged with something more than a simple offer.

Power.

I hate that I’m intrigued at all, but there it is, a flicker of curiosity, mostly because I hate that he, or anybody, can control me so easily. “And what if I do?” I ask, trying to keep suspicion laced through every word, even though my resolve is faltering.

Koen steps even closer, his eyes never leaving mine. “Show me yours, and I’ll show you mine.”

I study Koen and feel Levi’s gaze flicking between us, excitement practically radiating off him, but I ignore it. My focus is on the man in front of me, with his promises and cryptic words. I don’t trust him—either of them, really—but there’s something in the way he talks that makes me hesitate.

Levi leans in, dropping his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “Come on, it won’t hurt to try. Worst case, you’ll get a free magic lesson.”

I roll my eyes, trying to shake off the weird tension building between us. “Yeah, because that’s totally what I need… more ways to get into trouble.”

Koen chuckles softly, low and deep, and it sends an unexpected shiver down my spine. “If you’re scared, you can walk out. No one’s forcing you to stay because, honestly, if this scares you already, you’re useless to us.”

I bristle at the suggestion. “I’m not scared,” I snap, more defensive than I intend. His smirk deepens, and I can see the amusement in his dark eyes like he’s already won.

Fuck. He’s played me again.

“So, is that a yes?”

I bite my lip, considering my options. Walking outwould mean proving him right. Staying, well, I’d at least get to find out what the hell they want from me. Plus, there’s that small flicker of curiosity still burning in the back of my mind.

“Fine,” I grumble. “You go first.”

Levi claps his hands together, grinning like a kid who just got the best Christmas present. “Oh, this is gonna be fun.”

“We’ll start with something simple. See how easily you can be influenced,” Koen says, giving Levi a look and making him take a step away from me.

“I thought the whole point was not to be influenced,” I shoot back, arching a brow.

“You need to understand how it works before you can learn how to control it. Trust me on this.”

“Trust you? That’s a stretch,” I mutter, but I step forward anyway, rolling my shoulders as if bracing myself. “All right, Mr. Hypnotist, show me what you’ve got.”

He sighs, clearly not thrilled with my attitude, but I think I detect a hint of amusement behind it. “Close your eyes.” A snide comment instinctively forms, but something about the way he looks at me makes me follow the instructions, and I swallow it, closing my eyes. “Now, listen to my voice,” he says softly, his tone smoothing out into something that feels almost intimate. “Don’t think, don’t question. Just listen.” The tension in my body slowly unwinds, and my pulse slows as my breaths even out. I hate his voice pulling me in. I hate how easy it is. How natural it feels. “Let go of everything else,” Koen murmurs, closer now, as if he’s right in front of me. “Focus on me. There is only me.”

I grit my teeth, resisting the pull. “You sound like every manipulative guy I’ve ever met.”

He lets out a small huff of laughter, his breath warm against my skin. “And yet you’re still listening.”

“I havea history of engaging with toxic men,” I quip back, but I can’t deny how quickly he’s sinking into my mind and how his words wrap around me.

His fingers skim my wrist, a fleeting brush of warm contact before there’s a tap on my forehead.

“Sleep.”

“Sleep,” Ace commands, his voice dipping into that serious tone he thinks makes him sound mysterious.

I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from smiling. He’s so earnest, and it’s adorable. “Mmm, okay,” I reply, doing my best to look entranced.

Ace furrows his brow, his ice-blue eyes narrowing in concentration. We’re tucked away in our favorite spot behind the old theater, where the faded marquee casts a shadow that hides us from the world. The air is warm, the scent of summer clinging to the evening breeze.

“You’re feeling sleepy,” he intones, waving a hand slowly in front of my face while he’s standing on his skateboard, making him even taller than me. “Your eyelids are getting heavy.”

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