He felt a hand cup his cheek. Bethan rolled off of him and stared into his eyes with a gaze full of affection.

He wondered if that was what peace felt like.

Hells, how could anyone hurt her when she looks at you like that? he thought to himself.

‘What are you doing?’ she said.

He stopped detangling her knotted hair.

‘Nothing, I was just thinking,’ he drawled.

She nodded and swung her legs over the bed and stared out her window.

‘I can’t believe it is still snowing up there,’ she said.

He followed suit and stood behind her. He didn’t notice how close they were to the mountain range when he arrived. They doubled the size of the mountains he had seen in Zakros. It only had one mountain but was surrounded by large hills. That mountain was home to the Temple of Pythia, where the Moirai lived.

But the Etruscan Mountains stood glorious and tall. Even in the distance, he saw how jagged and steep it was; he could also see the snow that hid tall trees beneath it. And all he wanted was for her to wrap her arms over his shoulders so he could lean down and kiss her forehead or the crook of her neck. But he didn’t know where they stood, and he was happy to let her take the lead.

‘We should probably call the Rennigans and tell them that we need to read the Antiphonus, immediately,’ she said, whirling around.

‘We have two days until the time they requested. They can wait.’

‘I suppose,’ she murmured. ‘Should we stay for another night?’

He thought back to the maps he saw in one of Dana’s boxes. One of the maps highlighted the spot where she found the Pele Amulet. Deep down, he knew it would be a waste of time, but if the amulet was found, the grimoire might be there too.

He told Bethan his thoughts.

‘That’s what Dana told me.’ Her voice sounded defeated, and the corners of her mouth quirked downward.

‘We don’t have to, I just thought while we’re here . . .’ He saw how sad she looked. He swore under his breath.

He promised Circe, Agatha and Elnora that the trip would be good for her, but it seemed like it was weighing her down more.

‘Breakfast,’ Ally yelled from downstairs.

Bethan cocked her head to the side, gesturing to the door.

Downstairs, her mother was setting down a plate with stacked pancakes drowned in syrup. His stomach growled, and Bethan rubbed her hands together, shifting with excitement. Kellan couldn’t remember the last time they ate, considering they went straight upstairs after a quick chat with her parents.

Guilt the weight of bricks hit him; he hoped they didn’t hear the argument they had. But the way her father frowned at him told him the very thing he feared.