as well come along and we’d make it a foursome.”
Coriander squealed and clamped a hand over her mouth, then whispered, “You’re going to be a legend.”
“I don’t want to be a legend. And I chickened out on that part.”
“But I thought—”
“Yeah, it was all well and good until Brody showed up. Lila was...it was fun,” Caraway admitted. “Then Brody showed up and ruined it.”
“You don’t still have feelings for Brody, do you?”
“No. I haven’t for a long time. I’m still pissed at him and I feel stupid.”
“You don’t need to feel stupid. He’s the one with issues, not you. Sure—pardon the phrasing—playing Devil’s Advocate”—they both giggled—”I can see where he’d be afraid to come clean, but there’s more to it than that. There was the way he treated you at the Samhain mixer, the stunt on the quad, and then to expect just because you’d fucked him before that it’s some kind of free pass? Especially after the way he treated you? No, you have every right to be angry at him and he needs to be punished. Don’t you worry about that though, Cara, my pet.” Coriander nodded and her eyes darkened.
“Do you have a plan?”
“I do.” Coriander nodded more emphatically.
“Consisting of?” Coriander could be just a shade shy of evil when she wanted to be.
“Not ready to tell you yet. But you’ll see. Now, back to you and Morningstar. You’re not getting out of spilling your guts.”
She took a breath. “But, you know, I find it telling you’re more willing to talk about making out with Lila Darkend than you are about Morningstar. Don’t tell me you’re having feelings?”
“Of course not! Why would I go and cock up my life by doing something as stupid as to have feelings for the heir of all evil?” Caraway wrinkled her nose. “He’s just a lay. Albeit a very good lay, but nonetheless it’s only physical.”
“Some witches can’t tell the difference between love and sex. It’s okay if you’re one of them. He might actually make you happy.” Coriander narrowed her eyes. “He’d make me happy, too.”
“How’s that?” Caraway was almost afraid of the answer.
“How do you think?” She winked. “No, but seriously, have you considered the implications for Hexes & Haunts if one of the proprietors had a direct line to all of Morningstar’s power?”
“He’s engaged to Lila. So I’m sure if we did have anything, it would be on the down-low.”
“Why? She doesn’t care.”
“You know things aren’t done that way. As forward thinking and permissive as magical folk can be, there are some traditions you just don’t shit on.”
“Or Brody on,” Coriander deadpanned.
“You’re so wicked,” Caraway managed through another fit of giggles.
“That’s why you’re going to tell me more about Morningstar.”
“Fine. Merlin! Shut your gob so I can get there, ‘kay?”
Coriander fidgeted for a moment before widening her eyes and giving Cara a pointed look that indicated she should get to it.
“Okay, so anyway. After Brody showed up, I left. Alexander actually came after me and demanded I finish what I started.” She bit her lip, remembering every detail. Caraway sighed, unsure of what else to share. It seemed wrong to tell her everything. This belonged only to her and Alexander right now—if she told Coriander, it was like giving a piece of it away.
But that kind of thinking...it led to other thoughts.
Thoughts of how long it would last. And those things shouldn’t matter to her. Not if she was only in it for the physical—and, no mistake, that’s all she wanted. Wasn’t it?
“Oh Hell, Cous. You look like a moon-eyed calf on dragon’s blood ale. You’re stupid for him!”
“Shut the fuck up, I am not.” Caraway was heartily offended. She studied her cousin intently, debating what to say next, when she saw it. A bit of pink glitter on the corner of her mouth. She pursed her lips and realised Coriander smelt like cherries.
Coriander squealed and clamped a hand over her mouth, then whispered, “You’re going to be a legend.”
“I don’t want to be a legend. And I chickened out on that part.”
“But I thought—”
“Yeah, it was all well and good until Brody showed up. Lila was...it was fun,” Caraway admitted. “Then Brody showed up and ruined it.”
“You don’t still have feelings for Brody, do you?”
“No. I haven’t for a long time. I’m still pissed at him and I feel stupid.”
“You don’t need to feel stupid. He’s the one with issues, not you. Sure—pardon the phrasing—playing Devil’s Advocate”—they both giggled—”I can see where he’d be afraid to come clean, but there’s more to it than that. There was the way he treated you at the Samhain mixer, the stunt on the quad, and then to expect just because you’d fucked him before that it’s some kind of free pass? Especially after the way he treated you? No, you have every right to be angry at him and he needs to be punished. Don’t you worry about that though, Cara, my pet.” Coriander nodded and her eyes darkened.
“Do you have a plan?”
“I do.” Coriander nodded more emphatically.
“Consisting of?” Coriander could be just a shade shy of evil when she wanted to be.
“Not ready to tell you yet. But you’ll see. Now, back to you and Morningstar. You’re not getting out of spilling your guts.”
She took a breath. “But, you know, I find it telling you’re more willing to talk about making out with Lila Darkend than you are about Morningstar. Don’t tell me you’re having feelings?”
“Of course not! Why would I go and cock up my life by doing something as stupid as to have feelings for the heir of all evil?” Caraway wrinkled her nose. “He’s just a lay. Albeit a very good lay, but nonetheless it’s only physical.”
“Some witches can’t tell the difference between love and sex. It’s okay if you’re one of them. He might actually make you happy.” Coriander narrowed her eyes. “He’d make me happy, too.”
“How’s that?” Caraway was almost afraid of the answer.
“How do you think?” She winked. “No, but seriously, have you considered the implications for Hexes & Haunts if one of the proprietors had a direct line to all of Morningstar’s power?”
“He’s engaged to Lila. So I’m sure if we did have anything, it would be on the down-low.”
“Why? She doesn’t care.”
“You know things aren’t done that way. As forward thinking and permissive as magical folk can be, there are some traditions you just don’t shit on.”
“Or Brody on,” Coriander deadpanned.
“You’re so wicked,” Caraway managed through another fit of giggles.
“That’s why you’re going to tell me more about Morningstar.”
“Fine. Merlin! Shut your gob so I can get there, ‘kay?”
Coriander fidgeted for a moment before widening her eyes and giving Cara a pointed look that indicated she should get to it.
“Okay, so anyway. After Brody showed up, I left. Alexander actually came after me and demanded I finish what I started.” She bit her lip, remembering every detail. Caraway sighed, unsure of what else to share. It seemed wrong to tell her everything. This belonged only to her and Alexander right now—if she told Coriander, it was like giving a piece of it away.
But that kind of thinking...it led to other thoughts.
Thoughts of how long it would last. And those things shouldn’t matter to her. Not if she was only in it for the physical—and, no mistake, that’s all she wanted. Wasn’t it?
“Oh Hell, Cous. You look like a moon-eyed calf on dragon’s blood ale. You’re stupid for him!”
“Shut the fuck up, I am not.” Caraway was heartily offended. She studied her cousin intently, debating what to say next, when she saw it. A bit of pink glitter on the corner of her mouth. She pursed her lips and realised Coriander smelt like cherries.
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