“It’s family reserve,” Clem said. She unscrewed the cap and took a sip, smacked her lips, and sighed. “That is a damn fine bourbon.”

Irene rolled her eyes.

Clem grabbed one of the stools and set it in front of Kaden’s chair. She handed him the bottle and threw back her shoulders. “Try it on me.”

Kaden stared at her outstretched hand. “You’re serious.”

“I thought you wanted the truth.”

“Not if it means hurting you,” he said.

“So, don’t hurt me,” Clem said. “Make me forget about something that doesn’t matter. Like coming over here to sit in front of you.”

Part of Kaden was terrified this would work, but he was more scared about what would happen if it didn’t. Then he’d have no answers, no way to help fix this problem his brother had created. He reached for the bottle and took a sip. It hit his tongue sharp with dark notes of oak, butterscotch, and cloves. It went down smooth, and he hated how good it tasted.

With a deep breath, he said, “You were sitting over at the table. Then you walked over here and told me you wanted me to take one of your memories,” he said. “Forget it all happened.”

As the words left his mouth, his chest warmed. Like he’d taken another sip of bourbon. Clem blinked. Her lips parted. A puff of dark smoke—gloom—rose into the air and hovered above them before it dissipated. Kaden’s heart lurched.

“Did you see that?” he asked Irene.

She nodded slowly, eyes wide.

“How did I…?” Clem looked down at herself and back at Taylor, then shrugged and said, “Try your magic on me. Make me forget about something that doesn’t matter.”

Taylor clapped a hand over her mouth.

Clem narrowed her eyes. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Please tell me you’re joking,” Kaden said. But he’d watched it happen. The gloom was no angel’s share. It was the town’s memories lost on the wind.

“I’m serious,” she said. “Try to take my memories.”

“Babe,” Taylor said as she stood and planted her hands on Clem’s shoulders. “He already did.”

The reality of it crashed into Kaden. He’d stolen one of Clem’s memories. He’d stolen that stranger’s memories. If Kaden could do this, then it was likely his brother could, too. He took a ragged breath. His mother could do this.

Sylvia had lied to him when he confronted her about his magic, and if she’d lied about that, then there was no telling what else she’d twisted. Her words echoed in his mind.

Something horrible happened that summer. Bad enough the whole town let it go. A month after you left, Nolan Haywood’s body was found in the river. Maybe if the town chose to forget you, there was a reason for that.