I paced for a moment, restless, then sat on the edge of the bed, my mind drifting back to Rune’s words earlier. “You’re part of this now, whether either of us likes it or not.”
The truth was, I didn’t feel like I was part of anything. Not this coven, not the alliance, not even my own story. I was just… here. Out of place and uncertain, the girl with no magic, trying to navigate a world that seemed determined to remind her of what she lacked.
A small tap on the door had me jerking forward. I ran both of my hands down either side of my unruly hair and tried to calm my breathing. Who would want to come see me now?
I opened the door slowly even more aware of Rune’s warnings about getting kidnapped by wolves and peeked out. Adelle stood in the hallway with a big grin on her face.
“Hey! I didn’t see you at dinner.”
This had to be a joke, right?
“I ate in the kitchen.”
Adelle’s brows pulled together. “Why on earth would you do a thing like that?”
I frowned. “Isn’t it obvious?”
Her brows jumped. “Oh, I’m sorry. I guess I should have thought about that. No one wants to enter a new space all on their own.”
She was right and wrong. “Rune doesn’t want to introduce me to the coven just yet so I figured it would be better if I remained out of sight.”
She rolled her light eyes. “Rune is a stick in the mud. He’s never let spontaneous moments take over. He’s always been so responsible. He needs to let loose.”
I leaned against the doorway. “And?” There was always anandor abutwith a conversation like this.
“And I think you’re going to be good for him.”
I laughed this time. “Me?”
She leaned forward as if she was sharing a secret with me. “I heard about the stolen library book.”
I groaned. Here we go. Maybe if I had my trunk of belongings, I wouldn’t have felt the need to take a book from their library. Also, since when is it stealing to borrow a book from alibrary?
Adelle’s grin widened at my groan, clearly enjoying my discomfort. She leaned casually against the doorframe, her light eyes practically sparkling with amusement. “You know, people are still talking about it.”
“Talking about what?” I asked, though I already knew.
“The library incident,” she said dramatically, emphasizing the words like it was some grand scandal. “It’s not every day someone storms in, borrows a book without asking, and sets off half the wards.”
“I didn’tstorm in,” I said defensively, crossing my arms. “And I didn’t know there were wards. No one told me the rules.”
Her laugh was bright and unrestrained. “That’s the best part! You had no idea what you were doing, but you did it anyway. Honestly, it’s kind of inspiring.”
I snorted. “Inspiring? More like embarrassing.”
“No,” she said, shaking her head. “It’s exactly what this place needs—someone who doesn’t tiptoe around all the unspoken rules. You’ve got guts, Maple. And trust me, that’s more valuable here than you realize.”
“Guts?” I muttered, raising a skeptical brow. “Tell that to Maggie. I think she’d argue I’m more of a nuisance.”
Adelle waved a dismissive hand. “Maggie secretly loves you. She just doesn’t know it yet.”
“Uh-huh.” I wasn’t buying it. “And what about Rune? Does he secretly love me too?”
Adelle tilted her head, a playful smirk tugging at her lips. “Now, that’s an interesting question.”
My cheeks burned, and I straightened, suddenly wishing I hadn’t said anything. “I didn’t mean?—”
“Oh, don’t worry,” she interrupted, clearly enjoying herself. “Rune’s a mystery, even to me as his older and wiser sister, but I can tell you this much: you’ve got his attention. And for Rune, that’s saying something.”
