Page 84 of The Glittering Edge

“No,” Dylan says, pulling her hand back. “You don’t get to act like things are fine.”

“Theyarefine.”

But Dylan shakes her head. “First the drag show, and now this. What the fuck is going on with you three?”

Immediately after the drag show, Dylan sent eleven text messages grilling Corey about why he went there without her. He said it was for football-team bonding, and she barely bought that excuse. It was easier to lie before Corey learned the truth. Now, the phone call with Milton has changed everything. Corey doesn’t know who to believe, or who to trust.

If only Corey could text Julian and tell him about the new coven. He could’ve, before today. Before Corey became the heir.

“We’re not friends,” Corey says, his voice ragged. “We’re dealing with some family stuff.”

“Oh really? So your dad knows you’ve been hanging out with Alonso?”

Corey can’t help it; he laughs. “Are you threatening to tell on me?”

Dylan’s face goes red, maybe with anger, maybe with embarrassment. Corey hangs his head. He can’t provoke her like that. He should know better, but his patience is running out. He can’t deal with her pushing him, interrogating his every move.

For one wild moment, the breakup feels imminent. Corey is teeming with the energy of this possibility.

“Corey?” Dylan’s voice is taut like a violin string. She’s watching him stone-faced, as if she’s on the front line of a battle that hasn’t started yet.

“What?” he says.

“You’re going to say something.”

Corey softens immediately. Dylan reads him well. It’s weird, and it makes him feel like the center of the universe. Or maybe just the center of hers.

He won’t break up with her. The brief momentum he felt is gone, replaced by something almost like protectiveness. He isn’t in love with Dylan, but he knows her. She’s not all bad, even if she sometimes does bad things. Maybe it’s impossible to look someone in the eyes for three years and not care about them, because despite everything, Corey wants to keep her safe. And, in her own way, she wants to keep Corey safe, too.

And Corey needs her around right now. He needs to talk to her, to ask her directly about her family history. But will that conversation mean admitting the truth about the curse?

He can’t do that yet. Corey’s life has changed twice in the last twenty-four hours. Right now he needs an excuse to stop Dylan from asking more questions about Alonso and Penny.

The lie weaves itself together easily, out of habit and necessity. It’s a good one, but already Corey’s stomach is twisting with anxiety.

Because this lie will involve Penny.

But there’s a way to tell this story that will keep Penny safe, too. The best way to address Dylan’s suspicions is to convince her that Penny is the last person Corey could ever want.

“I’ll tell you what’s going on,” Corey says, “but you can’t freak out.”

Dylan narrows her eyes. “No promises.”

“Hear me out first. So…” Corey lets out a low laugh. “Penny sort of has a crush on me.”

Dylan’s face turns murderous. “Sort of? What are you talking about? She made a move on you?”

Corey squeezes her hand. “Calm down, okay? I told her it’s never going to happen.” Dylan’s face doesn’t change, but she’s quiet, so Corey takes that as his cue to continue. He makes his voice as condescending as he can. “I don’t know what she expected from me, but Penny doesn’t have a lot of friends. And with everything she’s going through, she needs someone to talk to. I know what it’s like to lose a parent, soI reached out to her, but she thought my attention meant something else, so this is my fault. I should’ve kept my distance. But I’ve made it clear to her that she’s not my type.”

My type. The words echo too loud, and when Corey blinks, he sees Penny’s face. Her eyes are such a strange blue that they look less like the sky and more like the ocean. Has she ever seen the ocean?

“Corey? Hello?”

Corey snaps out of it. He pulls his hand away, wiping its clamminess on his jeans. Where had that train of thought come from?

My type.

Oh god. Is Penny his type?

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