Page 42 of Jacinth

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It appeared my loving brother had propped me against a gravestone and left me to my own devices, and as I looked around, I was thankful to see the colors of life everywhere.

A groan beside me caught my attention, and I recognized ‘donkey man’ from the confrontation in front of our house a few days before. Today he was covered in glitter and naked except for a unicorn sock covering his junk that had a separate three-dimensional horn standing proudly at a 90-degree angle from the image’s forehead.

“It looks like your dick has a mini dick,” I told him helpfully.

He groaned again and pushed himself upright. Casting bleary eyes first at me, then down at himself.

“Your mate let you keep your clothes? You lucky bastard.”

My bark of laughter soon turned into a slightly hysterical—though still totally manly—laughing fit, as the poor dude watched my slight breakdown in silent horror. The only condolence I had to offer him wasn’t all that comforting.

“We’re all fucked.”

CHAPTER 30

Orion

Gladys is gone.

I had heard so many stories about the infamous Gladys.

It appeared Jacinth had been engaging in a long-term—six-month long-term—feud. The thing was, it was obvious Jace had a soft spot for the witch.

Something truly terrible had happened here; and by the way Jace continued to cower—as though the trees were all that kept her safe—I knew whatever it was had to be stopped. I reached a hand toward Jace to help her out and realized it still held her coffee. Okay, so that could work as bait.

“Angel, I have a gargantuan bucket of sugary coffee for you.”

She blinked big blue eyes once, as though trying to process what I had said. I waited patiently, offering extended like I would to a new dog. Letting them decide if they would approach. Not that Jace was a dog. I was a vet, okay? It was a valid metaphor. But still... don’t tell her.

“Triple shot double dunk choc... something-or-other. It’s goooooood. Julian made it and didn’t put a spell on it... I don’t think. I’m sure it’s fine. Like, 89% sure.”

Jace huffed a weak laugh as she seemed to return to herself.

“You’re becoming less persuasive by the minute, but it’s caffeine, so gimme.”

I pulled my hand back just as her swipe for the cup almost took it off.

“Vicious,” I muttered, rubbing my wrist.

“Mess with the bull, baby... Mess with the bull.”

“That doesn’t even make sense! All I did was bring you coffee like a good boyfriend and you almost removed an appendage.”

Her face was doing a weird phasing thing, as though she couldn’t settle on something.

“Just say it.”

She broke into a cheshire grin so fast I knew she had been waiting for the invitation.

“Okay, so I’m stuck between swooning over you admitting you’re my boyfriend, and making a joke about appendages.”

“Weren’t you in shock or something about thirty seconds ago?”

She took an obnoxiously loud, slurping sip from her cup. “Oh, I have a marvelous constitution. Great bounce back rate. Seriously, no one can keep this bitch down.”

The words were confident, but the fine tremor in her hands and the twitch in the side of her mouth belied her easy manner.

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