No, I couldn’t leave her, couldn’t kill her, couldn’t have her, which left only one solution. One clear, tangible solution. If I were honest with myself, I should’ve done it already. I should’ve done it as soon as I saw my face on that wanted poster. It should’ve been easy.

The right thing rarely was.

The door crashed open before I could finish the thought, and Lou burst into the cabin. Hair wild. Chin determined. She still wore those filthy leather pants, and the top lace of her blouse had loosened. Her neckline had slipped over her shoulder. It revealed a single collarbone. Long and delicate. My gaze lingered there for a second too long before I tore it away, furious at myself. At her. I glared at the floor.

“That’s quite enough sulking, I think.” Her boots came into view. They stopped an inch from my own. Too close. Trapped on the couch, I couldn’t move away without standing, without brushing my body past hers. This cabin was too small. Too hot. Her sweet scent engulfed it. “Come on, Chass,” she needled, bending at the waist to catch my eyes. Her hair fell long and thick between us. I clenched my hands on my knees. I wouldn’t touch it. I wouldn’t. “I know things got a bit—well, bad in the courtroom, but we have a plan to save her now. We’re going to trick Auguste.”

“I still don’t care.”

“And I still don’t believe you.” When I didn’t look at her, she straightened, and my treacherous eyes followed the movement. She planted her hands on her hips. “We’re going to trick Auguste,” she continued, determined to tell me whether or not I wanted to hear, “by pretending Jean Luc has arrested us.”

Abruptly, my attention sharpened on her face. On her words. “We’re going to turn ourselves in?”

“Pretend to turn ourselves in.” Her brows flattened at whatever she saw in my expression. “We’re just pretending, Chass. After we free your mother, we too will be getting the hell out of there. Coco will round up Claud and Blaise and hopefully even Angelica, and we’ll meet them all at Léviathan.”

Claud and Blaise and Angelica. Gods and werewolves and witches and mermaids.

I shook my head.

“Stop it.” Lou snapped her fingers to reclaim my attention. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. “I know what you’re thinking—I can see it all over your stupid face—and the answer is no.”

I scowled at her finger. “Yeah? What am I thinking?”

“You want to ruin this brilliant plan of mine—”

“It is a brilliant plan.”