Page 82 of The Glittering Edge

The question is blunt, and Corey’s eyes suddenly look vacant. It’s hard to feel bad for the guy, though. This is a fake relationship after all.

Then again, if Alonso were in Corey’s shoes, Penny would be the one in the curse’s sights. That thought is enough to steal his sleep. Alonso doesn’t respect Corey for being with Dylan, but he almost understands it.

“There’s one thing that might be related, I guess,” Corey says.

Alonso stops with more pancake halfway to his mouth.

“The land our manufacturing plant is on… it used to belong to Dylan’s great-grandparents. It was their farm. My family paid them a ton of money for it, so it’s not like we stole it, but it’s the only connection I can think of.”

“Except there’s more to it than that,” Alonso says. “Your family’s company changed this whole town. You bought up over half of the land. There are barely any privately owned farms left. You don’t think some people might hold a grudge about that?”

“That’s not enough to justify the curse, is it?” Penny says.

Alonso raises an eyebrow. “People have done worse for way less.”

The rain has started in earnest and fog forms on the window.

“Why would Dylan date me?” Corey says. “If she knew about the curse, it wouldn’t make sense. She’d know she could get hurt.”

“Fair point,” Alonso admits, “but we should make sure.”

“How?” Penny says cautiously.

Alonso tries to dial down his excitement. His plan is brilliant, but unfortunately he’s talking to two upstanding citizens. This is going to take some convincing. He leans forward, trying to project confidence. “Remember that book we found when we searched my basement?The Light?”

Penny looks thoughtful. “It was another spell book. It had something to do with revealing things, right?” Her mouth falls open. “Wait. No.”

“Yes,” Alonso says.

“What?” Corey asks.

Penny doesn’t break eye contact with Alonso, which he doesn’t appreciate. Looking at her makes him lose his train of thought.

“There was a spell for truth serum in that book,” Penny says.

Corey gapes at Alonso. “You’re not using magic on my girlfriend.”

Alonso crosses his arms. “Don’t use your scary voice on me, Barrion. And anyway, she’s your fake girlfriend.”

“She’s still a human being,” Corey says, turning to Penny. “You see why this is wrong. I know you do.”

“I do,” Penny says, but there’s a hint of uncertainty in the way she says it. Alonso grasps for that like a lifeline.

“Truth serums aren’t harmful. We get the information we need, and then it’s over. She won’t remember a thing.”

Penny tucks her hair behind her ear. She’s wearing a tank top, and there are freckles across her chest. Alonso averts his eyes, staring at the soggy remainder of his pancakes.

“Corey,” Penny says, “what if there’s something we don’t know? What if itwasher family?”

“No.”

Alonso drums his fingers on the table.

“I saidno.”

Penny clears her throat. “There’s something else you both should know. Something I found.”

“What?” Alonso says, but he cuts off as he catches sight of someone walking into IHOP. A person with blond hair, wearing a neon-pink dress. A person glaring at their table.

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