“Don’t be naughty,” I say, tapping it on its head.
I grab a book on herbalism and flip through it while I wait, though I’m not really seeing anything when I look at the pages.
You’re in deep this time, Selene.
Memnon wanted me desperate, and already I’m feeling the first tendrils of that desperation.
Sybil’s magic thickens as she finishes her spell, the plumes of it nearly concealing her. I feel the energy in the room shift, and the candles go out all at once.
I hear her deep exhale as her power clears.
“Fuck, I love magic,” she says, opening her eyes.
She rubs out part of the chalk circle and begins to pick up the items she had spread out.
I close the book on herbalism. “What was that spell for?”
“I rolled my ankle this morning walking down the steps of Morgana Hall.”
I wince. “Did you have to walk all the way back here on it?”
“Actually, I borrowed a witch’s broom and flew back here, and honestly, Selene, we’ve got to do this together…” She takes me in. “What happened to you?”
“Is it really that obvious?” I say, touching my cheek. But it must be—even I can hear the broken notes of my voice.
“What’s wrong?” she says instead, her voice growing alarmed. “I can smell smoke on you.”
I reach a hand down for Nero, grounding myself with his presence. “There’s a lot I haven’t told you,” I admit. I take a deep breath. “What I’m about to tell you is for your ears only.”
Sybil frowns. “Okay, now I’m really worried, Selene. What haven’t you told me?”
I share it all—everything from the spell circle gone awry to Memnon saving me. I tell her about him helping seal off the tunnel entrance—
“I didn’t even know there were tunnels,” she cuts in.
“I’ll show you it sometime,” I say softly before continuing.
I tell her about how I found out I was a soul mate. A tear drips down my cheek when I admit exactly who I’m bonded to.
“What!” Merlin flaps his wings at Sybil’s outburst, then flashes me an owlish glare, like it’s my fault I upset his witch.
I press on, mentioning how Memnon turned on me and burned my books, and I finish with my meeting with the high priestess and being on the Politia’s suspect list.
By the time I’m done, my cheeks are wet again.
For a long moment, Sybil is silent. Finally, she whispers, “I am so sorry, Selene.”
She pulls me into a hug then, and I lean into her, crying into her shoulder as she rubs my back.
“And to think my day sucked because I have a sprained ankle.”
“I’m sure the sprained ankle sucked,” I say, sniffling a little.
My friend laughs. “It did hurt like a bitch,” she says as she continues rubbing my back. “But then I got to ride a broomstick—I even cackled for the sheer hell of it.”
I let out a sad little laugh at that. “I’m pretty sure you have to cackle when you’re flying on a broomstick,” I say, pulling away to wipe at my tears. “It’s part of the rules.”
Sybil smiles at that, but it quickly disappears. “Honestly, Selene, I don’t even know where to start with this one, except that, babe, that was a crap ton of secrets.”
I laugh again, even though I know she’s saying this just to lighten the moment.
She reaches out and tucks a lock of my hair behind my ear. “I know you’re innocent.”
I pull away to look miserably at her. “I don’t think I can prove it,” I admit.
“I’ll help you,” she says. “I’ll ask the other coven sisters if they saw you at the times in question. We’ll make a new notebook for you and create a timeline, one that I am sure will clear your name.”
“You’d do that?” I’m so used to winging it on my own that I forgot I have people in my life willing to help me.
“You’re my best friend, Selene. Of course I will. Now,” she says, her tone changing, “forget about the Politia and that case for a minute. I want to chat about Memnon.” She says his name menacingly.
“Ugh.” I place my face in my hands, trying to wish away my life.
What hurts the most is that before he burned my notebooks, I had actually started to fall for him. I caught glimpses of what it would be to care and be cared for by a man like Memnon.
You and I, Empress, we are eternal.
But then he wanted me to hurt like him, to be lost and confused in this modern world just like him. His vengeance eclipsed whatever feelings he has for me.