I shook my head. “Girl, your death is my worst nightmare. I couldn’t do this knowing you were in danger. Just go to Torma, and… be careful there. You need a good cover story because they think you took off without permission. Be wary around Torin as well; he’s still the same evil dickhead pretending to be an alpha.” I looked between Simone and Sam. “Stick together.”

“I’ve got her back,” Sam said. “I know how to escape from a pack without detection, so if we need to run, we will.”

I had to hug her as well, my new friend who was already starting to feel like one of the pack. “I’m sorry to have dragged you into this, even if I’m not sorry to have met you,” I told her when I pulled away, “and if we all survive this, I promise to make it up to you.”

She waved me off. “Are you kidding me? Meeting you was the best thing that ever happened to me. There’s this whole damn world that I never knew existed, not to mention all of these new supernatural creatures to learn about. Before I met you, I was lonely and sad all the time. I’d take the risk of death over an empty life any damn day.”

“See,” Simone said smugly. “We both feel the same, and I think you should let us stay.”

I didn’t bother to argue; she already knew it was a done deal, but it was in her nature to fight until the bitter end. Before she could try again, Shadow stepped into view, holding what looked like a piece of parchment in his hand.

When he got closer, it was clear how ancient the parchment was, made from a material far thicker and sturdier than normal paper. “Here,” he said, handing one sheet of it to Simone and the second sheet to me. “These are magically-connected parchments. It’s fae magic, and Len left these in my care. If you write on one, it will appear on the other, until such a time that the words are read. Then it disappears. Keep it on you at all times.”

Simone looked down at the parchment, her eyes wide and glassy as she clutched it to her chest. “Old school texting. I love it.”

“Yes, it’s perfect,” I said. “I’ll send messages through the parchment and you can pass it on to Sam.”

A tear spilled down Simone’s cheek, sliding along the smooth skin. “I love you, Meers. Please don’t die. I honestly can’t live in this fucked-up world without you.”

Dammit, now I was about to cry too. “I promise to do my very best to remain alive so we can bitch about men and eat junk food.”