“Every time I use my magic, everybody gets so concerned. I defend them, I bleed for them, and the moment the immediate danger passes, they let me know how much they disapprove. As if their fucking disapproval matters. As if I should ask their permission, like a servant, to do what is in my power.”

“Kate,” he said. “I know you’re in there. Stop.”

I brushed the ocean, giving it a hint of my power. The feylanterns flashed brighter on all the houses down the street.

“Have you ever wondered what would happen if I stopped listening to every pathetic creature who thought that they had a right to weigh in on my decisions? Wouldn’t it be nice to not have to ask permission for something that’s already yours? What’s the point of having power if you never use it?”

I slapped it again and again, faster, picking up rhythm. Thump, thump, thump.

“I can crush all of them, but I won’t. That would be wasteful and I’m not wasteful. I’ll use my magic and turn them into willing happy slaves.”

“No,” Curran said. “You won’t.”

“Don’t you love me, Curran? Don’t you want me to bear your children? Can you imagine how powerful they will be?”

I pulled on my magic a tiny bit. It warmed me from within and I let it out. It felt like I was glowing, but I could see my arms and no glow seemed to be shining out.

Curran froze.

“Take my hand, Curran. You know you want to.”

“No. This isn’t you.”

“Of course, it is. Jim told you so. Take my hand, baby. Be with me eternally. Rule with me. All you have to do is love me and I will give you all the power and immortality you could ever want.”

The door of George’s house swung open and Eduardo stepped out.

“Is everything okay?”

Aw. He ruined it. Well, it was fun while it lasted. I let go of the magic. “Everything is fine. Curran and I are having a married moment.”

“Oh. Sorry.” Eduardo turned and went back inside.

Curran looked like a flying magic fish had popped into existence in front of him and slapped his face with its tail.

“You should see your face!” I snickered.

He snarled. “Damn it, Kate!”

That’s right. You’ve been had.

“Do you think this shit is funny?”

I kept laughing.

He swore.

“Woo-woo!” I waved my fingers at him in between bouts of laughter. “You and Jim are two idiots. Maybe you should marry each other. You can rule the Pack together.”

“Why the hell would you do this to me?”

“Because you deserved it. Jim came to you with this nonsense and you got all concerned.”