Page 54 of Fallacies

Gemma snorts, and Callan lets a light chuckle slip free.

“Both of you need to grow up,” I add, hardly enough venom in my tone, as I spin on my heel and head down the hall. “I’m taking a shower.”

“A cold one?” Gemma teases, and the laugh that bursts from Callan is infuriating. I can still hear it through the bedroom door when I slam it shut behind me.

12

Lucina

“How do you not remember anything about Callan’s initiation?” I ask Gemma as she finishes with my hair.

We spent most of the day together, something we haven’t been able to do in a while with all the long training sessions Callan’s been putting me through, but he gave me the day off. He said I should save all my energy for Initiation, which only made me more nervous. I didn’t think that was possible.

I’m pretty sure Gemma has been distracting me. Keeping my brain preoccupied with senseless conversation, helping me with my dress, and insisting she roll my hair into big, bouncy curls. It’s a waste if you ask me, getting all dolled up for this. If Initiation is anything like Albatross, I doubt these pretty curls or the beads in my dress will withstand it.

“I remember that he survived it,” she replies with an encouraging smile, fidgeting with the shorter front pieces that just won’t curl in the direction she wants them to. With a sigh, Gemma meets my gaze. “And so will you.”

I glare at her through the mirror.

“Come on, Cin.” She rolls her eyes, pulling apart a bobby pin with her teeth, and pinning the curl out of my face. “If boys can do it, you can do it.”

I snort, opting to shift the subject. “What was your Initiation like?”

“Boring,” she exhales, reaching for another pin. “For other covens, it’s more of a formality. A simple test of the power you’ve inherited. The Disciple-born covens—the Dianic and Ajax—they take it a bit more seriously.”

“Why?”

She shrugs. “Their roles are more important.”

“Than healing people?” I volley back, and Gemma shrugs again.

“Every coven is important. The hearths, diviners, floras…we all work together. We all need each other.” She steps back, admiring my hair, and then moves to lean against the bathroom counter beside me. “It’s an honor to Split—to finally inherit your power—and to then be Initiated. I know you’re scared, but you should also be excited.”

I sigh, trying to roll the tension out of my shoulders, but nope, I’m still fucking nervous.

What if I fail? What if I slip up and expose myself? What if I’ve been parading around like I’m capable of being in this coven and I’m not? What if I’ve led myself to believe I deserve it, and I don’t?

“Speaking of boys…” Gemma drawls, rifling through the bag of makeup she brought over.

“We weren’t talking about boys, G.” And it’s not a conversation I’d like to start right now.

I take one of the glosses she sets onto the counter. There’s a gold shimmer to it that I don’t mind, considering everything else in her makeup bag has glitter in it. I twist off the cap and swipe the sweet-smelling cosmetic across my lips, feeling the weight of Gemma’s silence.

A quick glance in the mirror confirms that she is, in fact, staring impatiently back at me. “What?”

“Are you going to make me pull teeth? Cause I will.”

“Pull teeth about what?” I toss the lip gloss back in the bag.

Gemma’s stare falls flat. “Callan, you asshole.”

Traitorous color blooms over my cheeks, and I hate it. With a huff, I turn from the mirror and walk back into the bedroom. “What do you want to know?”

Gemma follows me into the room, plopping down at the end of the bed. “Do you love him?”

My heart drops, and I huff a laugh to cover any evidence of panic on my face. It suddenly feels way too hot in this room. “I don’t know, G.”

“You do,” she decides, ignoring my response entirely. “And he loves you too.”