Page 132 of The Glittering Edge

Corey grits his teeth. Of course Julian saw them.Deflect, deflect, deflect.“Why would Alonso be here?”

“I don’t know, but I think you do.”

“So you’ve figured me out?”

“Almost. I’m missing something, but I can’t figure out what it is.”

They face off, glaring at each other. Julian nods behind Corey. “Where were you heading?” His eyes go wide. “Doesn’t this path lead to Elkie Lake?”

“Most of them do,” Corey says, but Julian is already moving past him. “Where are you going?”

“I’d like to take a walk, too,” Julian says. “See you later.”

Julian is forcing Corey’s hand. Either Corey can let him go and discover Penny and Alonso, or he can stop him. Either way, they’ll get caught. This will be over before they have a chance to cast the spell.

And Corey can’t let that happen.

Out of the corner of his eye, Corey spots his grandfather’s shed, the door slightly ajar, the key protruding from the lock. A plan forms quickly.

Corey steels himself. Then he runs up behind his cousin.

Julian is almost Corey’s height, but he’s skinny. Corey, on the other hand, is all muscle—so grabbing Julian under the arms and lifting him off the ground is easy.

“What are you—” Julian says, but he cuts off as Corey drags him to the shed.

It’s only a few feet away, but Julian thrashes, knocking Corey in the cheekbone with his head and spitting ugly words that Corey will never unhear. Corey manages to get the door of the shed open with his foot, and he throws Julian inside.

Julian crashes into some gardening equipment, and before he can stand up again, Corey closes the door and locks it from the outside, pocketing the key.

“Let me out!” Julian calls from inside. “I swear to god, I’ll fucking kill you, Corey.”

Corey blocks out the words. Breaking the curse will help everyone, including Julian, who is too busy drowning in jealousy to understand that Corey would always put Julian’s future—his family’s future—above himself. And when Corey tells his family he doesn’t want to be the CEO of their company, Julian will thank him.

Corey takes off running toward Elkie Lake.

Alonso

THEY’RE SITTING AT THE WATER, FINGERS INTERTWINED. ALONSO CANstill taste Penny on his mouth.

After years of wanting her and believing it would never happen, Alonso isn’t even close to sated. He wants more.

But the gravity of the night has become suffocating. Penny is staring at the water as it glances silver, reflecting the moon. Alonso squeezes her hand, and she finally looks at him.

Something about Penny makes sense at a molecular level. It’s logical but not. Familiar but not.

I love you, Alonso thinks, and he wants to say it even if it’s too much.

But he doesn’t get the chance, because there’s a steady rhythm moving through the trees, growing louder. A few seconds later, Corey emerges into the clearing. His eyes find them in the bright night.

“Corey!” Penny says, pushing to her feet.

“What took you so long?” Alonso says, glancing at his phone. “It’s midnight. We need to get everything set up.”

But Corey doesn’t answer. He just strides up to Alonso and shoves him. Alonso flails, barely finding his balance in time.

“What the hell were you thinking?” Corey says.

So Corey heard Alonso was at the gala. Alonso straightens up, trying to project an ease he doesn’t feel. “I had nothing better going on.”

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