Miss Hazel hums, pushing up from her chair. “Then I’ll go fix the Merlin a plate.”

We all sleep in the next day.

By the time I make it to the kitchen, yawning every step of the way, Alice and William are at the counter chatting with Mariah over a book of pressed herbs.

Outside, the trees here have already released their leaves, save for a few that float down when a lazy breeze swirls through the forest.

I slide into a chair beside William. “Sel—”

“Out there already,” William offers, sipping his coffee. “Came in to sleep a bit, but not for long. Wouldn’t be surprised if he spent the day in the woods patrolling and licking his wounds.”

“Ah.”

“Mariah,” Alice pipes up. “If we don’t intervene right now, Bree is gonna head out to the woods and confront Selwyn instead of, I don’t know, taking a beat to recover from the last day. Help.”

“I have an idea.” She smiles at Alice, then me. “Eat breakfast and meet me on the porch.”

That’s how I end up sitting on a cushion in front of the wicker loveseat with Mariah’s knees at my back and her hands in my hair. “This hair!” she exclaims with a pin between her teeth. “Been waiting forever to get my hands in it.”

“Not taking that as an insult.” I say a silent thank-you that I’d just washed it a couple days ago, so whatever Mariah’s doing back there will be done on relatively fresh curls. She sprays a moisturizing leave-in to coat the strands first.

“You shouldn’t,” she says with a laugh. She dips her hand into the jar at her hip. “It’s gorgeous. But you’re gonna need some sorta style to contain it while you’re on the run.”

“Getting attacked by demons definitely requires an updo,” Alice adds. “Especially if the half-demon in your party who’s supposed to protect you is an actual asshole.”

Mariah makes a questioning sound. “I know we’re not supposed to talk about the Merlin but, uh, there seem to be concerns.”

Alice makes a face. “The list of concerns is extremely high. Not to mention she’s dating his bonded charge.”

Mariah leans over to stare at me. “Girl! Spill. It.”

I flush and duck my head. “I am seeing his former charge; that’s the boy he’s still bonded to. Nick. He’s missing in real life, but I see him sometimes when I channel Arthur. Because our ancestors, his and mine, knew each other…? But Sel and I… my mother knew his mother. When she was hiding her Rootcraft from Merlins, Sel’s Merlin mother protected her. They were friends. Sel and I have a connection, but he tricked me and hid his true face….” I look up to see Mariah’s jaw dropped nearly to the porch floor. “What?”

“Run that back again,” Mariah sputters.