Page 87 of Hexes and Exes

“I know every freckle on your skin, could recite a thesis on the goodness of your heart. I know you inside and out.”

“How is this possible?” Is it because of Jamie? Is my curse broken? Or does Jamie remember me because someone else broke my curse? I’m shaking again. My knees are wobbling.

Bram sucks in a deep breath and holds up his hand. I watch in fascination as inky vines appear like a ring around his finger. Bram swallows thickly, looking just as stunned as me.

37

BRAM

Ava’s eyes are wide as she gapes at my hand. All I can do is stare at it in wonder. It’s her. It’s always been her. With her shit talking and big heart. No one has ever made me laugh as much, made me feel so human and fucking vulnerable. I’ve never understood the phrase “wears their heart on their sleeve.” Now I do, because my heart is outside of my body, walking around and going about life completely unaware that she has changed everything in my world.

Ava lifts her hand up to meet mine and all the life seeps out of her. Her finger is bare. No bond mark claiming her as mine. Her eyes are glassy as she blinks up at me. I’ve never seen her look more beautiful. Like an actual goddess, and I physically feel her sadness like a punch to the gut.

“It’s not me.” Her voice trembles, and she takes an unsteady step away from me.

“No. Ava.” I pull her back into my arms. She doesn’t even resist. She’s limp, broken. Panic surges up in my chest at the dead look in her eyes. “There must be an explanation.” There hasto be. Why would I get the mark and not her? How the fuck does this magic work?

“Good evening.” Selene fucking Nightshade’s voice booms across the ballroom at the worst time possible. “To my brothers and sisters of the Luminara coven, welcome.”

“Fuck,” I hiss. I don’t have time for the council's bullshit. I scan the crowd. Maybe we can get out of here. Find somewhere private to figure out what’s going on.

“Ava.” I brush a strand of hair back from her face. She peers up at me, her eyes blank.

“We should listen,” she murmurs and turns toward Selene. I keep her hand gripped in mine, afraid she’ll slip into the crowd and disappear.

“Tonight is an extraordinary night. We are finally united as one coven. Embracing our light and dark magic in the name of the Maiden and the Mother.”

“Always forgetting the Crone.” Ava laughs without humor. “I feel ya.”

“I know it hasn’t been easy, setting aside our differences, but we are not so dissimilar. We all want prosperity and peace. Do we not?” Selene spreads her arms like she’s inviting the coven to give her a hug. “And so tonight, I’ve asked the council to bestow a special blessing on us all. To ensure the strength and longevity of the Luminara coven for years to come.”

“Where’s Lucida?” I murmur. Most of the coven council steps onto the stage. My father, Peter Lexington, Philip Masters, Tucker Beaumont, Ivan Vandenberg, Francesca Delvaux. The leader of the former Tenebris coven is noticeably absent.

The crowd murmurs in disapproval when Francesca steps on stage. We knew she was back with the council after that half-baked inquiry they summoned us all to. Whispers of her misdeeds have reached the general public, and it appears they’rejust as disgusted to see her back in a place of power as the rest of us.

Excluding the other council members, that is. They look just fine with her being back on the team.

“What are they doing?” Ava cranes her head to see over the crowd. Movement on both sides of us distracts me and I pull Ava closer. Except it’s not a threat. It’s Stellan and Odie, Josephine and Roman, and finally Ambrose and Piper pushing through the crowd to get to us.

“What’s going on?” Roman briefly takes in my protective stance around Ava, but his eyes quickly flicker back to the stage.

“Nothing good.”

Tucker Beaumont is searching the crowd. When his eyes land on Piper, a wide grin spreads over his face. He crooks a finger, then points to the stage in front of him. “Piper, come here.”

I doubt anyone in the crowd hears him, he’s spoken so quietly. Piper has, though. A small sob escapes, and she steps in his direction.

Ambrose grabs hold of her arm. “Where are you going?”

“I have to…” She fights to get out the words and pull herself free, but Ambrose is holding tight. Piper folds in half, her mouth open on a silent scream. She tilts her head up to look at him, pain written all over her face, tears streaming down her cheeks. “Please, let me go.” She barely gets the words out.

Ambrose lets go of her as if scalded, his mouth parted with shock. “I’m sorry. Go if you have to.”

Piper’s lip is trembling when she nods at him. She wipes her tears away and disappears into the crowd. Ambrose watches her for a moment and then slips away after her.

“As you know, a coven can really only exist if we are bound in truths. We cannot afford to have secrets between us.” Selene pauses and looks out over the crowd.

I don’t trust a single word out of her mouth. What is she playing at?

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