“You keep on promising to show me more pictures.”
“I keep on getting distracted.”
“Mm.”
I ignore her pointedly raised eyebrow and turn my phone screen toward her, where I’ve pulled up a photo of my latest progress. I’m rewarded with a quiet, awed inhale of surprise. “So lovely, Sadie. I’m so glad you’ve gotten back into it. You’ve always loved painting.”
“It’s been incredible, Mom. The man who hired me seems to love it, and I’ve learned so much about the process. I really think I’ve outdone—” I pause, then swallow. I laugh a little and turn my phone face down on the table. “…Sorry. We were going to talk about Paragon?”
There’s a tiny shift in my mother’s features that I would have missed if I’d blinked—a slight lean forward, a loosening of the lines on her forehead. She smiles gently, and her warm fingers wrap around my wrist.
“No, go on,” she says. “I want to hear more about Texas.”
Chapter
Thirty
Noah arrives early for the game on Sunday to wrap me in a crushing hug that sweeps me off my feet. He presses a loud kiss into my cheek. “Missed you,” he says warmly. “How was your trip?”
“It was really good.” It feels nice to hear how relaxed I sound when the words ring with truth. “I visited some of my favorite spots, got to see my mom, and—oh, I brought you something.”
I fetch him the four-pack of local beers I’d brought back from the brewery near my apartment in Queens. “They’re not as good as Alchemist’s,” I say quickly. “But in case you want to try something new.”
“Trying new brews and food is the best part of traveling.” He snaps one beer off and opens the can with a hiss. “You know me well.” He squeezes my hand then drops his voice. “And Paragon?”
I just nod. “They’ve given me the weekend to think about it.” I’d told him about the offer, of course—but not much more than that. I’d kept our texts during the trip lighthearted, and he’d kindly followed my lead.
I don’t think I imagine the way his lips linger as he plants another kiss on my temple.
Shortly after Morgan walks in, Jules arrives wearing the pair ofchunky yellow taxi earrings I’d given her that I’d found at an art market in Chelsea. We all descend upon her latest batch of treats: dice-shaped sugar cookies. Half of them are decorated immaculately and frosted with tiny numbers, while the others are smeared with messy colors.
“My kids helped.” Jules glows with pride.
As I search for a gold-painted d20, Liam shoulders his way into our frenzied feeding circle. “Y’all better have left some for me,” he grouches. I gape at him and mouth,y’all?
He grins and shrugs. “What can I say? It’s grown on me.”
He plucks two natural twenties from the top of the pile—which doesn’t bode well for us—and turns back toward the game room. “Let’s get started, shall we?”
Noah fires off a crisp salute. “Ready when you are, DM.”
Hearing a knock, Jaylie opens the front door of the tower to find Alastair on his knees, webbed hands held awkwardly clasped together above his pointed hat. His bulging eyes are fixed on the dirt.
“Lady Shira Soros,” he intones, voice thick with feigned obeisance. “I have tried everything I know, and I cannot rid myself of this curse. Please consider me thoroughly humbled. You may keep my spellbook, as is your right, but if you can find mercy within the depths of your black heart to free me from this slimy cage—”
He finally looks up when Jaylie can no longer suppress her giggling.
He drops his arms to his sides and stands immediately. “Oh. It’s you,” he says flatly. And then, very meanly: “Fuckyou, you said you were going to help me!”
Jaylie cuts off her laughter with an indignant gasp. “Well, fuck you, too! You got me killed!”
“You seem fine now!”
“Only because they brought me back! It was a godsdamnedbeholder,you nasty little amphib—”
“What’s going on here?” Shira snaps. Over Alastair’s roaring ribbiting, Jaylie hadn’t heard her approach. The others peek their heads around the corner with curiosity.
“Alastair has come to beg for mercy,” Jaylie summarizes. She glares down at the frog. “Pathetically, I might add.”
