I might not trust Thane, but he is the only one who’s given me real answers, and it’s likely the more I’m around him, the more I’ll learn about myself, my powers, and Influence.

“Fine. Make the appointment.”

The corners of his mouth turn up. “I’ll be in contact.”

He stands, and I follow.

“Do you have a ride home?”

“I’ll walk.”

“In the rain?”

“Y-yes,” I say as I look toward the window and notice it’s pouring.

Keys jingle in Thane’s hand. “I’ll take you home.”

We leave the coffeehouse, and Thane holds the door open for me.

“Hold up,” he instructs once we are outside under the awning. He moves to take off his jacket for me. “Use it as an umbrella.”

The drive to my house is short, especially since I tell Thane not to drop me off directly in front.

“But it’s still pouring,” he says.

“That’s okay. I like the rain.” He doesn’t look convinced but doesn’t argue. I add, “Thanks for the ride.”

“Anytime, especially if it’s raining.”

I start to get out and leave his jacket behind.

“Take it.” He holds it to me. “You can give it to me at school on Friday.”

“I’ll be fine.”

“Just do it. I’m already wet. It won’t help me.”

I take the jacket and put it over my head as I get out of the car. “See you Friday.”

I close the door and walk the rest of the way to my house in the pouring rain with Thane’s jacket covering my head, smelling of cigarettes.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Anora and the Witch

When Thane said we would be in contact, I thought that meant I wouldn’t hear from him for a couple days. Instead, I get a text near midnight. The buzz of my phone startles me, and I sit, staring at the message. It’s simple. I’m here. I contemplate whether I should meet him, claim I was asleep come Friday, though if he’s parked close to my house, chances are he can see the light on in my room and me in the window.

I spent the evening googling a combination of words I’d learned today: Eurydice, the Order, death-speaker. I came up with nothing useful. Seems like these people do a good job of keeping their world a secret. When that produced no answers, I started a list of reasons why I’m not the Eurydice and a list of reasons I could be the Eurydice. So far, the list of reasons I could be the Eurydice outnumber the other six to one—one being a measly it’s just impossible.

The other list includes the thread, turning souls into coins, seeing the dead, unexplained ass-kicking abilities, weird scythe-wielding boys stalking me…