I can’t do this. Not anymore.
As Veronica takes a deep breath and copies my technique, I pull myself up and escape the clearing, struggling against the pull of the wind at my back.
“Hannah, wait.” Branches snap behind me as Veronicarushes to catch up. She pulls me to a stop one bend before the cars, where we’re still hidden from view.
I flinch away from her touch. “What do you want?”
Veronica steps forward, but she doesn’t snap back. She looks... confused. “Why’d you do it?”
“Do what?”
“You stood up for me. Against Lady Ariana, of all people. Why?”
I force a shrug, but the movement is constricted by her closeness. “If Benton hadn’t caught me, I might have done the same thing.”
“But you didn’t.” Veronica shakes her head and steps closer. She trails her fingers down my bare, dirt-streaked arm. “I think it’s more than that.” She tries to lace our fingers together. “Do you still love me?”
Her words rattle through my rib cage, and it’s all I can do to shake my head. I pull my hand from hers and step out of reach. I can’t let her see how much my skin sings under her touch. How true her wordsusedto be.
“Come on, Hannah.” Her voice is breaking, and I can’t bear to look at her. “We were so good together.”
But we weren’t.“I can’t do this right now.” I try to turn away, but Veronica blocks my path. She steps closer, and her familiar scent—floral body wash and coconut shampoo, now with a hint of earth—washes over me. It floods my senses until I’m drowning.
Veronica leans forward, her forehead resting against mine. “You can’t deny you miss me,” she whispers, her breath warm on my face. “I miss you so much.”
I want to tell her no. Tell her she’s wrong, that I never loved her, but I can’t. I did love her. First as a friend and then as the girlI thought I’d marry. And now, with her so close, that’s the only part I can remember.
In my silence, Veronica leans in and closes the final gap.
And then I’m flying.
Her lips are warm against mine, and all the feelings I tried to bury flare back to life. The love, the passion, theheatof everything we shared. Against my better judgment, I kiss her back. Nothing about this moment is tender. It’s frantic. Hungry. Full of hurt.
I wrap my arms around her waist, my hands slipping along the thin fabric of her dress. The one we picked out together. I pull her tighter to me, until our bodies are flush, but it still isn’t enough.
Veronica bites my lip, and the pain reminds me of all the reasons this has to end. I pull away, hating how much her sudden absence affects me. My body doesn’t feel whole without her pressed against it.
“We can’t do this.Ican’t do this.” My breath comes out in a rush, and I’m powerless to stop the tears. “We’re over.”
“But why? We were perfect together. We can have that again.” Tears pool in her eyes, making the green shine bright. “You want me just as much as I want you. That kiss proves it.”
“It only proves I’m lonely.”
“Oh, please. There waspassionin that kiss.” Veronica brushes away her tears, her movements harsh, like she hates to show weakness. But then she softens. “I love you.”
“No, you don’t.” I shove past her and continue toward my parents’ car. I’m bursting with all the reasons we can’t be together. “You loved having a girlfriend who never said no. ThesecondI stood up for what I needed, you abandoned me.”
Veronica grabs my arm and spins me back to face her. “That’s not true.”
“It is!” My voice reverberates through the woods, startling birds into flight. “I told you I wasn’t comfortable with those Caster Witches, but you didn’t care! You were so busy trying to impress them that you didn’t listen to me.”
“Hannah—”
“No. You don’t get to spin this. Not again.” My breath comes in short, painful gasps. A phantom ache spreads through my limbs. “You didn’t even help me when I wasattacked by a Blood Witch, because you were too busy sucking up to people we were never going to see again.”
The memories threaten to pull me down like an undertow. Pain blossoming across my face. My blood on the other witch’s hands. Her smile as she took control of my body and forced me to my knees.
“Can I speak now? Or are you going to cut me off again?” When I cross my arms and say nothing, she continues. “I’ll admit, the thing with the Blood Witch was not my best moment—”
