Addison stared blankly as the power of the rosemary worked its way through her, pulling every dark thought, every fear from that night she’d stolen River’s joy to the surface.

She hadn’t wanted this.

Her whole body ached with the shame and the guilt and the helplessness of it all. The pain sat heavy in her chest, pressed against her throat, making it hard to breathe.

Addison felt a tingling and an itching beneath her skin.

Somewhere in the back of her mind she knew she should’ve been concerned. Normally, you’d have to eat a whole basket of shadow fruit to feel this way. It should’ve worried her. But all she could think about was this ache that wrapped around her heart, setting its roots in deep.

She blinked, and the world came into focus. Beside her, Clem and Taylor were laughing so hard they had tears in their eyes. Up ahead, Kaden stared out at the room in horror, his hands held over his mouth, a puddle of vomit on the stage. Irene had burst out of their row of chairs and was making her way toward him.

River turned in his seat. His eyes met hers. Just minutes ago his aura had carried the mild annoyance and general frustration he always had when she saw him, but now it overran him like crabgrass.

“Really?” he asked. “You’re crying?”

“We’re at a funeral,” Addison said. She didn’t bother to wipe the tears away and instead found her chest heaving with an unexpected sob.

“What, like you cared about the Bonners?”

“I cared about you. I still care about you, but all you can do is look at me with hate.”

“Why do you always have to make my pain about you?” River rubbed at the tears in his own eyes.

“Because it’s my pain, too,” she said.

“You hurting me is your pain?”

Addison shook her head. “This isn’t what I came here for.”

“And yet you’re bringing it up,” River said. “At a funeral for the family I’m working for. Are you planning to take another thing I love from me?”

Harper started peppering Quinn’s cheek with kisses.

“Is that really appropriate right now?” River asked.

Harper glared at him. “I’m in love, and Quinn looks hot in a suit.”

“This is more than a little shadow garden magic,” Quinn said.

“Of course it’s your family’s garden that’s making you act like this,” River said to Addison.

“Sure,” Addison sniffled. “Because it’s not enough for there to only be something wrong with my magic. It has to be the garden, too.”

“I think this is going to be a lot better for both of you if you don’t speak to each other right now,” Quinn said.

“He started it,” Addison replied as she tried and failed to hold back another sob.