Page 20 of Dark Night Golden Dawn
He pulled a cigarette from the pack, lighting it with a brief pull on the threads of magic surrounding them, then took a deep drag. The smoke wasn’t toxic smelling like some of the stuff humans smoked. It smelled of woodfire, dark honey and cloves, expensive. “You know why I’m here.”
His voice was wary, no trace of his usual arrogance, or the swagger she’d come to know in the months after their friendship ended. She was tempted to read something deeper into his words, something beyond the obligation she knew he felt he owed his parents. The freshly cut hair and clean shaven face showed that he cared aboutsomethinghere, despite his obvious attempt to appear as though he didn’t. She’d never seen him look so much like he was conforming to the Illuminated’s stuffy sense of style.
Something nipped at her suspicion, making her wonder if it were possible he’d cleaned up because he knew he’d seeher. Not that she cared about that kind of thing. She actually preferred him the way he usually was, longer hair, the merest hint of a beard. Her skin heated at a random memory of a video she’d seen on socials of him at the beach, walking out of the waves carrying his surfboard, water dripping off his bare chest.
Harlow shoved her reaction down deep and lashed out to get herself in line. “Still doing everything mommy and daddy say, I see.”
As she swept past him, out of the maze, she heard the sharp intake of his breath. It was a low blow, and perhaps he deserved it, once.But it has been nearly seven years, a little voice whispered in her heart,does he still deserve it now?She wasn’t willing to stay in the maze and find out. He’d hurt her by walking off last night, and that hurt compounded years of pain—pain that had only started because of him—and now his family was trying to destroy her family’s livelihood. She wanted nothing to do with him.
The rest of the party was mind-numbingly boring and while Finn still primarily socialized with Alaric, Thea, and Enzo, he stayed well away from her. That was fine. It was all just fine. When Petra arrived to wrap herself around Finn, Harlow decided to find somewhere else to be.
Petra’s satisfied smile was enough to make her regret giving up ground, but she didn’t feel confident enough to stand up to her. Enzo looked concerned, as though he’d follow, but she shook her head slightly. He shouldn’t have to lose his place in what was the most highly coveted circle at the party because she couldn’t stand to be near both Petra and Finn at the same time.
Harlow spent an hour trying to find the maters and her sisters in the vast gardens, as her phone had run out of battery life, but could only locate Larkin. Her youngest sister sat alone at a wrought iron table, staring at her hands, her dark hair in her face.
“Hey, pal. Where’s everyone else?”
Larkin looked up at her, her green eyes and heavy brows a mix of both their mothers. “They all found people to talk to.”
“And what about you? Why are you alone?”
Larkin shrugged, examining her fingernails. “I don’t think I understand all this very well.”
Harlow sat down on the bench next to her and sighed. “Me either.”
Larkin shook her head. “I know whatyoumean, but that’s not whatImean.”
This caught Harlow’s attention. “Parse that out for me, pal.”
“Youmean that you don’t understand all the frivolity. You think this is ridiculous and hate the forced nature of the season and the way the Illuminated control us.”
Larkin’s eyes were bright and intelligent, her words incisive. Harlow nodded. “That’s a good approximation of how I feel. Sure.”
“ButIdon’t understand how to flirt.”
Harlow started to say something sisterly and encouraging, but Larkin shook her head. “I don’t understandwhyeither. Why flirt? Why run off into the maze together? Why, Harlow? Why does any of that seem appealing?”
Harlow began to understand better. She pulled a piece of her sister’s dark brown hair playfully, thinking of how she’d never liked romances, or to play romantic pretend games as a littling. “I don’t know how to explain it. It’s all a feeling I don’t quite understand myself.”
“What’s wrong with me that I don’t feel that way at all, ever?” Larkin’s voice was full of such despair, such sorrow, that Harlow’s heart cracked.
“Nothing, pal. Nothing at all.” A tear rolled down Larkin’s face and Harlow wiped it away. “Got your phone? Mine’s out of battery.”
Larkin nodded and handed her phone over. Harlow texted the maters and Thea.It’s Harlow, my phone’s out of batt. Taking Larkin home. Tell Enzo I’m not going out this evening.
Harlow didn’t wait for a reply. She didn’t want one. “Let’s get out of here. Go home, order pizza and watch a movie.”
Larkin wiped another tear from her face. “A scary movie, okay?”
“Scary as you please,” Harlow agreed, knowing Selene hadn’t indulged her last night and they’d probably watched a slew of mysteries instead.
They made their way out of the garden to where a line of cabs should be waiting, but none were there. Harlow groaned; it was too early. The cabs wouldn’t arrive for another hour or two. She started to ask Larkin for her phone again when Finn McKay walked out of the garden gates holding his car keys, smoking another of his expensive cigarettes. He was leaving.
He didn’t see them standing there. She had to make a quick decision. His name was out of her mouth before she could change her mind. “Finn?”
When he heard her, his head snapped around. It took him seconds to see Larkin’s miserable face and her worried eyes. He’d been halfway down the block when she called to him, but he reached her side in seconds, the cigarette gone from his hand.
“Are you okay?” He sounded concerned.
