Page 110 of Archenemies

She almost laughed. She couldn’t believe she had found it—actually found it, actuallysucceeded.

She clasped it behind her neck and tucked the medallion beneath the collar of her shirt. The iron was warm against her skin.

The kitchen door opened and Nova spun around.

Simon Westwood yelped in surprise and, ever so briefly, flickered invisible. Then he was back, clutching his chest.

“I’m sorry,” Nova sputtered. “I was… um. Looking for… a snack! I just remembered that the pantry was”—she pointed toward the dining room door—“that way, right? At the end of the hall. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to pry.”

Simon waved her apologies away. “No, no, it’s fine. It’s a big house. Easy to get confused.” Having recovered from his surprise, he meandered to a tall cupboard and pulled it open. “We keep most of the snack foods in here. Where’s Adrian?”

“He fell asleep,” she said, shrugging sheepishly. “He seemed so tired at dinner. I didn’t want to wake him.”

“Ah.” He gestured at the open cupboard, stocked with a variety of cookies and chips. “Well, take whatever you want.”

“Thanks.”

Simon grabbed a candy bar for himself, which surprised Nova. She wouldn’t have pictured Simon Westwood as having a sweet tooth. Shaking herself into movement, she shut the closet door and went to peruse the snacks.

Simon was halfway back to the door when he glanced back at Nova. “I know I probably shouldn’t say anything, but… you know, you’re the first girl Adrian’s ever brought home to meet us.”

She flushed. “Actually, I came here to see him, so… I’m not sure we can count it as himbringing me home.”

With a chuckle, Simon nodded, his wavy hair tumbling overhis forehead. “Fair enough. Though… I think he would have eventually.”

Her blush deepened, which she hated. Were all parents so awkward?

The thought brought a twinge of pain to her chest. She would never know what it was like to be embarrassed by her father, and she would never invite a boy over to meetUncle Ace.

“Good night, Nova,” said Simon, walking out of the kitchen.

Her shoulders fell, releasing the built-up tension, and she cast her gaze toward the ceiling in relief.

Deciding to come back for the hidden folder before she left, Nova headed back downstairs.

Adrian was still sound asleep. She took a moment to inspect his face, telling herself she wanted to make sure he was still in deep. The planes of his cheeks, the cut of his jaw, the lips that were no longer such a mystery, yet were more enticing than ever.

“I’m so sorry you had to be the enemy,” she whispered.

Then she crept back into the mural room. There was one last thing she needed from this house.

The jungle assaulted her senses even more strongly now that she could compare it to the real world. The birds were still up in the boughs, squawking and tittering, and the intoxicating perfume of the flowers engulfed her.

From the doorway, she could only see a glimpse of the statue’s shoulder and a sliver of its hood. Nova made her way through the brush until she was standing before it again.

In her childhood dream, this was as far as she’d gotten. She could clearly remember the sensation of awe she’d had when she stood before this statue, caught up in that whimsical, unconsciousstate. Even now, she felt swept away by the impossibility of it. The sheer miracle of this tiny star brought into being.

She had wanted to touch it in the dream, but she never had the chance. She woke up too soon.

Her hands trembled as she lifted them, fingers outstretched. Some quiet instinct told her that she had to sneak up on the star. Like if she moved too fast, she would frighten it away.

It glowed, as if it were aware of her presence. When she was mere inches away, she realized that the star had begun to shift in color, from vibrant white to something mellow and rich. A copper gold, just like the material that her father used to cull from the air.

Nova brought her hands together, cupping them around the star. Its warmth pulsed against her palms.

Exhaling, she brought her cupped hands back to her chest. As her heart tapped a furious beat, she dared to part her thumbs. Just enough. Just enough to see the star clasped within.

It flashed suddenly, blinding her. Nova stumbled back, turning her head away.

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