Page 292 of Blood & Betrayals

“Who pissed you off?” I ask, raising my arms overhead.

Max shrugs. “No one. Just thought you needed to be pushed today.”

I smile and walk to him, nudging him playfully.

Max raises a brow at me. “What?”

I nudge him again.

Max crosses his arms over his chest, frowning at me.

I jab him in the stomach.

“What?”

“Why aren’t you playing?” I say, poking him in the stomach again.

“Playing?” Max looks at me like I am crazy. “Why would Iplay?” The disgust in that last word makes me wince.

“Right…”

“Better get back to golden boy,” Max says, turning away from me.

I stare at his back, unsure what is wrong or what I have done. The venom in his words eats away at my happiness. I briefly wonder why, and that is when I have a horrendous realization. I consider Max to be a friend. Gross.

Well, if he doesn’t want to talk to me, there isn’t much I can do. With a last look at Max’s back, I turn on my heel and leave the gym. I have one more stop I want to make before I headto the Morningstar House. I need to update the headmaster on what I learned from the stranger last night.

The walk allows my body to cool, but I can feel that I will be sore and stiff tomorrow. I stand outside the headmaster’s door, preparing myself to face his overwhelming presence as I always do. Having Connor at my back last night had lent me more confidence than I thought.

I knock on his door and enter the room when he directs me to enter.

“Good morning, sir.”

“Miss Tuatha De Daanan.” He gestures to the seat across from him, and I sit down.

“I see congratulations are in order.”

I frown and glance down at the ring. “Oh, thank you, sir.”

He nods curtly. “You have an update for me?”

“Yes, I know it’s a Saturday, sir, but I have discovered who’s runningEverydayEmrys.”

He raises a brow. “All right.”

“However,” I look down, “I would like to talk to him before you reach out to him if you’re planning to. It’s someone I know personally, and I don’t want him to feel blindsided.”

He lifts his chin, waiting.

“It’s Luke Morningstar.”

“The youngest Morningstar,” the headmaster replies, his expression impenetrable.

I nod.

“Surprising. How did you find out?” he asks, tapping a finger on the arm of his chair.

“We agreed it would be better if I didn’t disclose that information.” I remind him with a grimace.

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