Page 35 of Hexes and Exes

“I should get back.” Bram doesn’t wait for a response before slipping out of the room like a thief.

“Thanks a lot, butthead.” I slap my brother’s shoulder. He cackles like the Wicked Witch before hopping up on the pool table.

“His aura was an interesting color.”

“Don’t start.” I hold my hand up in his face. I do not want to talk about the fact that Bram’s aura was a horny red. Not with my brother, at least.

“Gross. I didn’t mean that. We both know that there is something broken with him. He’s got all those inky tentacles in his aura.”

It’s not really my place to tell Stellan anything about Bram’s curse, but I want to defend him. I don’t want my brother to think there’s something wrong with Bram. Even if there absolutely is something not right with his aura. I also don’t want to examine why it’s important to me.

“It’s part of his curse. That’s all I’m going to say, and now you can stop mentioning it.”

Stellan nudges my arm with his elbow. “I’m just looking out for you. That’s what big brother’s do.”

“I’m older than you.” I roll my eyes. I’m not ready to go back to the party, but the sooner we get this done with, the sooner we can leave.

“Hey, you left your phone.” Stellan does some kind of ridiculous gymnastic dismount when he hops off the pool table.

My phone is in my bag, which is still in the dining room. “That’s not…” My thought flits away when I see Bram’s phone sitting on the felt. Lonely and waiting for me to get revenge. “Thanks. Give me a minute, and I’ll be right back to the party.”

Stellan gives me a skeptical look, but leaves me behind. I swipe at Bram’s phone and enter the code. I know it because I’ve watched Bram enter it a dozen times. He wasn’t exactly stealth or clever with his security.

“One, two, three, four.” I grin when the phone opens. I’ll just make a slight change and then make sure this gets back in his hands.

17

BRAM

“Are you ready for cake?” Ava grins from the passenger seat of my car. After being smashed into her tin can of a vehicle the other day, I refuse to ever ride with her again.

“It’s ten in the morning,” I grumble.

“There’s never a bad time to eat cake,” Ava says as she squirms in her seat, way too excited for our outing today.

We’re headed to The Enchanted Oven, a bakery run and owned by a witch named Paul. He’s supposedly one of the best bakers in town, but I’ve never had his cakes. Before a few months ago, he was part of the Lumen coven and strictly speaking Tenebris witches weren’t allowed on his side of town.

“How are you feeling after the other day?”

Ava’s eyes widen as she looks at me. Her mouth moves in a silent answer before she cocks her head. “The other day?”

“With what Fitz said. We didn’t really talk about it.” What did she think I was talking about? What else happened the other day? The horrible coven dinner?

The kiss.

Is that what she’s thinking about?

“Oh.” She clears her throat. “It’s all a little romantic without a lot of substance, isn't it.”

“Are you a romantic?” I don’t know why I just asked that.

It’s another gray day. The sky has been threatening snow for the past few days with no follow-through. At this point, I haven’t seen the sun in a week and it’s fucking depressing.

“I would call myself a pragmatist. Kind of goes along with my curse.”

“But love conquers all.” There’s no missing the sarcasm in my voice.

“According to Fitz. Then again, I don’t think Fitz has ever hugged another person, so I’m going to take it all with a grain of salt.” Ava shrugs.

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