He was silent and it was my turn to examine him. “Do you ah… have a thing for my sister?”

He threw his head back and laughed. “No. Not that she’s not beautiful, but I’m focused on someone else right now. I just know what it’s like to try and live up to the heavy hitters in your family,” he said. “I don’t want Evie to get hurt trying to make you love her.”

I flinched. “I do love her.”

“Yeah, but you also left her. Now, she’s probably thinking that you could do it again at any time. She’s probably hoping that if she can prove herself to you, you’ll want to stay with her, instead of abandoning her.”

I froze. “What the fuck, Vas?”

He shrugged. “I call it like I see it.”

Was my sister really doing everything she could to win my approval? I frowned, my head aching at the thought.

“My sister knew you were above her, Vas. If she let the spell drop, it was because she knew you’d land and find her, and it would distract you. You insist on believing she’s helpless, but she’s much more powerful than she appears. She’s also sneaky as hell, and she can think on her feet better than most bounty hunters I know.”

“Maybe. But what if something had happened to me and I couldn’t get to her?”

I pinched the bridge of my nose. “You’ve got a point. I’ll talk to her.”

Vas frowned. “Fine. Now that you’ve decided I’m trustworthy enough to hang out with, where are we going now?”

I winced. Vas was already in a terrible mood. Learning where we were going next wasn’t going to help.

21

Danica

“I don’t see why we have to use this witch.”

I sighed, shifting on my feet. “Because she’s performed a look-away spell for me once before. And because I trust her.”

Vas snorted and I held back a growl. “It’s happening. You don’t have to come, you know.”

He sneered and I let out a low growl. I was not having a good day. I’d spent the night tossing and turning, my dreams plagued with memories of my mom’s body, cold and lonely on the ground. Then I’d had zero luck with my only lead into rowan wood, and found out my sister was willing to hurt herself to earn my approval.

I was in a pissy mood.

So was Vas.

We stood and hissed at each other in front of Hannah’s mint-green bungalow. Vas had his feet planted, hands on his hips, and I’d bet his wings were spread in sheer rage.

“Who else do you suggest I use, Vas?”

“Gloria?”

It was my turn to sneer at that, and Vas raised one eyebrow.

“Oookay.”