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“And the rest of us?” Gus asked, scratching the back of his head and rumpling his dark hair. “Are we still part of the team?”
Gabi closed her eyes, just longer than a blink. “You’re putting yourself in Paulina’s sights. You have to know that. She wants Joy convicted of this crime for some unfathomable reason—if you help me find the actual killer, she’ll know your names. She’llrememberyou.”
And that was never a good thing when it came to Paulina.
“You think she doesn’t know us already?” Victoriya’s remark was bitter—but she was right. She raised a sharp eyebrow, somehow managing to look dangerous in tight exercise pants and a vest so low-cut at the sides Joy could see her bra. She’d clearly come here straight from teaching her dance class, or maybe even ran out and left her students there. Joy felt another part of her soften with affection.
Victoriya went on fiercely, “We all applied to be part of her coven, and she told us to fuck off. Joy’s mum is fae, Eilidh’s is human, and Paulina’s a prejudiced piece of shit when it comes to species. She doesn’t want her witchescontaminated.”
Gabi went still. “She didn’t say that.”
“She did,” Joy sighed, running her thumb over the familiar crystal of her wand. “She said that about me—and Gus.”
Gus snorted. “Oh yeah, shehatesme.” Not that he was her biggest fan either, since she was one of the most transphobic people in this town.
Gabi shook her dark head, her jaw clenched. Her shoulders rose and fell with a hard breath. “I fuckinghatethat woman.”
Joy blinked. Gabi hadn’t sworn much when they were younger. Now, apparently, she swore freely and with relish.
Sadness threatened to crush Joy at the thought of everything she’d missed, but there was curiosity there too, the desire to learn what was new about her oldest friend.
“We all do,” Salma agreed, twisting a rope of ivy around her wrist, the movement absent. “She’s offended each and every one of us in some way. The words she’s used to describe my mother…” She snapped a leaf off the stem.
Gus sighed. His eyes were bleak, enhancing his uncommonly rumpled look, his jeans well-worn and his shirt—emblazoned with the logo of some metal band—wrinkled and unironed. Gus might not have had the best things, or have lived in the best house, but he always took the time with his appearance. Joy’s heart ached when she realised he was probably too busy worrying over her.
“Look, Pride,” he said, “we’ve all got our reasons to do this. It doesn’t matter if Paulina gets her knickers in a twist. We’re used to it. She already thinks we’re dangerous because we’re different.”
“I can’t believe you’re talking about her underwear,” Victoriya snarked, pretending to gag.
“I know.” Gus faked a shudder. I’m so brave.”
Joy almost laughed.
“She shouldn’t get away with shit like this,” Gabi seethed through gritted teeth.
“Who’s going to stop her?”
Joy jumped at Eilidh’s voice. She sounded … different. Weaker, like she’d been the one in the cells instead. Joy reached out and threaded her fingers with her friend’s, squeezing reassuringly.
Gabi didn’t reply because Eilidh was right; Paulina sat at the very top of Agedale’s hierarchy. Only the most powerful fae and the elven elders would challenge her, and Joy had neither of those on their side.
Silence settled over them, a swiftly closing net that made Joy’s chest tight. It was a reminder that Paulina could turn up at any moment and throw Joy back in jail, no matter what evidence Gabi had to prove she wasn’t a murderer.
“So, what’s first, boss?” Gus asked, slouching into a seat at the table.
Gabi sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose. “First, I need silence to concentrate, which means you all need to leave.” She lifted her eyes to Joy’s face, her gaze so gentle it hurt. Her voice softened, too. “Unless you want to stay. I can rig some tripwires around the house with my magic if you'd feel safer here.”
Joy opened her mouth to shoot down the offer but … she would feel better with someone else’s magic around the house. And she wasn’t sure she wanted to go home yet. It was so close to the beach.
So she swallowed her pride and nodded. “If that’s alright. I don’t want to get in the way though—”
“Joy,” Gabi stopped her and smiled—smiled. “It’s fine. You’re always welcome.”
Joy’s heart gave a fatalistic thud; she dropped her eyes before Gabi could read all the feelings she still kept inside her.
“Wow.” Gus drew out the word. “Here I was thinking I’d come over to protect you. You, me and Mais would have a sleepover, maybe watch some scary films, Netflix and chill.”
Joy’s face heated. She rolled her eyes and reached across Eilidh to shove Gus’s shoulder. “Shut up. I’m not ‘chilling’ with anyone.”
