“No. I did it because hate shouldn’t last forever,” he said finally, voice soft. “Because eventually, you have to forgive. You can’t just stop caring or . . .” He didn’t finish the phrase. “I think we’ll always have a connection, no matter where we go or what we do. And if so, I’d like us to be friends.”

For the second time that night, I was speechless. There were a hundred things that would have made good responses. Telling him I agreed. Telling him I forgave him. Telling him I wanted us to be friends too. Yet, I couldn’t muster those words, and I never had a chance to ponder exactly why because Kayla suddenly jerked in my arms, coming awake with wide-eyed alacrity.

“Hey,” a voice called to us. We turned.

Dante was about half a block away and walking toward us. With each step, Kayla recoiled further and further from his approach. Dante’s lifetime of power-seeking and wicked deeds had left a taint on him, one that Kayla could sense the way she could sense my aura. I didn’t entirely know what it felt like for her, but it couldn’t be good.

“Here,” I said to Seth. “Trade me.”

Kayla went to him eagerly, and he handed over the book just as Dante reached us. He put an arm around me and kissed my cheek. “Got your message and thought I’d come by. Hey,” he said, by way of greeting to Seth.

Seth nodded back, and whatever fragile companionship he and I had been rebuilding disappeared. Eager to distract, I employed the conversational gift I allegedly had.

“Seth was leaving and just had to get this book for me.” I held it up as explanation. “How was work?”

Dante kept his arm around me in a way that was almost proprietary. He’d always regarded my past with Seth nonchalantly, but I think me being so deeply involved with someone bothered him sometimes. His eyes lighted on Kayla for a moment. She was trying so hard to keep away from him that she was practically crawling off Seth. Mortal magic and abilities varied considerably, but I imagined Dante must be able to sense her too. A ghost of a smile crossed his lips, and then he turned his attention back to me.

“Slow, as usual. I did get a couple of high teens wanting Tarot.”

“Oh, lord. Your favorite kind of teens.”

“Yup. Never questioned the price. I don’t even know if they comprehended the fortune, to be honest.”

“You didn’t tell them about tree frogs, did you?”

“Tree frogs?” asked Seth.

“Yeah, Dante had these kids on acid come in once, and as part of their reading, he told them to beware of tree frogs.”

Grinning, Dante shook his head at the memory. “Shit, that freaked them out. You should have seen them when they left the store. They were practically crouching on the ground, looking up everywhere, peering at every window and telephone wire. That would have almost been compensation enough.”