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A smirk took over my face.

My Trinket. Finally awake.

But my brow furrowed as I realized it wasn’t Tess.

It was Cyrus, standing with her arms crossed as she watched me work.

Turning, I forgot to turn off the power washer. A splash of bloody water flicked up onto Cyrus’s freshly cleaned boots.

“Shit.” I fumbled with the off switch, the humming machine slowly revving down. “My bad.”

“Fucker.” Cyrus grumbled, wiping the liquid off in the overgrown leaves at the edge of the path.

Looking around, I tried to play off my confusion. It was rare for Cyrus to walk through the park during the day. She preferred her security lair or the drug warehouses outside of Valemont to strolls in our haunted amusement park.

And if she did deign to wander the grounds, she’d never ventured all the way out to Carnival Chaos.

A heavy silence fell over us, water droplets as loud as cannons as we faced each other.

My throat was tight, my nails picking at the painted handle of the power washer.

We hadn’t been alone in weeks — not since Tess left the park. I’d hardly been able to look at her for the first week. And for the second and third all I could manage was snarled hisses in her direction.

Once Tess came back to us…

I didn’t even know where to begin.

My skin crawled the longer I stood still.

The fuck am I supposed to do now?

Forehead scrunched, Cyrus clasped her hands over each other at her core. “I…” She stopped and took a breath. “I owe you an apology.”

“Huh?” The handle of the washer clattered to the ground.

“Don’t be a dick, Blade.” Cyrus growled back.

“Sorry.”

Cyrus spoke through gritted teeth. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have treated Tess like that. I shouldn’t have asked you and Nash to keep my secret.”

“You should’ve talked to her.” I bit back, picking at a scab on my arm.

Shaking my head, I felt the need to chastise myself. She was trying to apologize and I was rubbing it in.

“You’re right.” Cyrus stepped forward into the dirty water. “I prioritized my need for vengeance over you. I regret it.”

“You do?”

If I’d had water in my mouth, I would’ve done about six spit takes by now.

I didn’t know the bitch could apologize.

“I broke our rules, our code of honor. I listened to the cards when it was convenient for me and it put you in harm's way. So, I’m sorry.”

My mouth hung open, unable to find words.

“Did you get body-snatched last night?” I laughed through the disbelief.