“How about I’ll see you later instead?” she asks, and Max bobs his head in agreement.

I smile. “Definitely. Will you tell everyone else? I don’t know…I can’t say goodbye any more today.”

“Of course.”

I follow Liam to the front of the house where the Charger idles, waiting for us. We slide in just like old times, him in the driver’s seat, me beside him, the windows down and the engine humming. He tosses my bag in the back seat.

“We’re heading toward Seattle,” he says. “I got a tip about a vampire nearby who’s been hunting locals.”

The idea of going on a hunt with my brother should excite me. This is what I wanted. So why do I feel so empty?

“Colin?”

Liam watches me carefully, a knowing look in his eye. “Tell me what you’re thinking.”

Not long ago, I would have told him it was nothing. That I was fine. I’d have bottled it up and dealt with it myself, determined not to be a burden.

This time, I tell him the truth.

“I don’t want to move anymore,” I say. “I want a place I can call home. I want…I want to stay at Ravenfall.”

I expect Liam to be upset, to tell me that’s not an option. So when a smile takes over his whole face, making his eyes crinkle at the edge, I just stare at him.

“I thought you might,” he says. “I didn’t want to bring it up in case you felt as if I was pressuring you to stay, but Nora already said it’s okay. She took your room off the booking list and everything.”

My heart leaps. “She did?”

He nods, and then I’m in his arms and he’s holding me tight, and it feels so good to have him back. I know I’d trade all the magic in the world not to have to let him go.

“You could probably stay too,” I tell him when I finally pull away. “Wick needs Ravens.”

“So does the rest of the world,” he replies grimly. “Now more than ever. Besides, I’ve never been like you when it comes to staying put. Moving every few weeks was more my style, and there’s a lot of people out there who can use my help. But I’ll stay if you want me to.”

I almost say yes. I just got him back, and we’ve both lost so much the last few weeks. But I’ve gained just as much, and I know that this isn’t really goodbye.

“It’s okay,” I say. “I’m okay.”

He ruffles my hair, a habit I had not missed, and grabs my bag from the back seat. “I’ll come back to check on you all the time, and I put a new phone in your bag. Call me whenever you need me.”