I didn’t have a bag any more, but there was a plastic carryall in the closet that looked like it had been there for ever. I shoved the rest of my things into it. The necklace with the crystal pendant Alex had given me lay at the bottom of one of my drawers. I hesitated and then took it out, slipping it into my jeans pocket. Its chain felt cool against my fingers.

When I returned to the kitchen, Seb stood waiting for me with his knapsack over his shoulder, wearing jeans and his long-sleeved grey shirt. I was keenly aware of how silent the house was. Somehow I knew that everyone knew – I could just feel them all sitting back in the TV room, talking in low whispers. Alex was in his room; I could tell without even trying. And he thought Seb was the one I was in love with. That the two of us had...I swallowed; I could hardly even complete the thought.

Suddenly the only thing I wanted was to leave the house by myself and not have to be with anyone, not even Seb. No – especially not with Seb. The thought of being alone with him now, knowing what Alex believed – and knowing the grain of truth that had been our kiss – made me cringe.

All of this came and went in a second. Seb stiffened as he picked up on it; I sensed his pain in a quick stab. Responding to my unspoken thought, he said quietly, “I’m not leaving you on your own. Even if there were no angels, el DF’s a dangerous place for a white girl who doesn’t speak Spanish. Once all this is over, I’ll go away if that’s what you want – you’ll never have to see me again. But I’m not leaving you by yourself in this city.”

I felt cold, locked away from myself. “Okay, you’re right,” I said finally, my voice dull. “And I didn’t mean that I never wanted to see you again. It’s just...everything’s really complicated right now.”

“With you and Alex, yes. With us, it’s only as complicated as you’re making it,” said Seb shortly. He took the carryall from me and wrestled it into his knapsack. The material bulged as he zipped it shut. His face was expressionless as he swung the bag over this shoulder again. “Ready?”

I almost asked where we were going, then realized I didn’t actually care that much. Slowly, I reached into my jeans pocket and drew out the necklace. I gripped it in my hand, feeling its facets against my palm and remembering the look that had been in Alex’s eyes when he gave it to me. Then I lay it on the kitchen table beside the file. The teardrop crystal rolled a little as I put it down, sparkling like a diamond.

“Ready,” I said softly.

Chapter Twenty-six