Unless … unless “final” meant something a bit more eternal, involving more of the physical presence of God and entirely too much less of Magnus.

No … No. It was not my time to die yet, God willing.

I reached out to caress Magnus’s cheek. He sighed, murmuring my name quietly.

“Yes, I’m here,” I whispered back.

“Did you have fun?” he mumbled, still mostly asleep I was sure, because his face was still pressed to his pillow.

I grinned, only holding back a kiss so as not to wake him. “I did.”

“You love working…”

I shushed him gently, and he sighed and went back to sleep.

CHAPTER 31

I awoke with my face to a wall. I lifted my hands to push away, but it felt surprisingly flesh-like. Merciful God, how could I have forgotten. Magnus had shared my bed last night. His arms were around me, leaving only a breath’s amount of room between us.

“You broke the bed-sharing rules,” I mumbled to his chest.

“Good morning to you too, my little sunbeam,” he whispered to the crown of my head.

I felt overly warm, and it wasn’t all due to body heat.

We lay in bed, basking in the rays coming through my window, but it was difficult to fully enjoy remembering what would happen tonight. That the hyena would be released … and my life would be on the line.

No. Death wasn’t an option for me. Besides, what could death do to me that life hadn’t already? This was performance anxiety. That’s all.

The sounds of a coach and horses outside sent me kicking off my blanket and leaping to my feet. I got dressed quickly, but by the time I got to the stairs Esjay had let himself in.

“Peggy?” he called, and my heart went immediately into my feet.

“She left,” I said, rushing down the stairs.

Esjay paused in putting on his coat. “What do you mean, left?”

As I approached, I could see he looked more tired than usual. More anxious. But I hadn’t really thought out the details to my lie, so I just shrugged. “She didn’t want to deal with the curse anymore, I suppose.”

Esjay looked at me like I had to have been a figment of his imagination. “She’s taken care of Magnus since he was a baby. How could she just leave?” And then his jaw dropped, his eyes wide. “Who did you find to volunteer?”

“U-um—”

“Peggy!” he called, poking his head in the dining room before rushing up the stairs. “Magnus!”

“Esjay, you’re back,” Magnus said, yawning as he came from my room. “You’re not here to pick up Kelela, are you?”

“Kelela?” Esjay stopped himself just short of looking at Magnus, not trusting his amulet. “She’s supposed to be with friends. Are you telling me she’s here?”

“We are her friends,” Magnus said, his tone indignant.