Page 50 of Alchemy of Souls

Eloise winces as her friend walks away. She takes a deep breath and pulls back, launching a dagger right into the bull’s-eye. A damn good shot. She does a quick reset spell with her hands and the dagger floats harmlessly back to the table.

Eloise’s forehead pinches as I slide in next to her, and I can scent her hesitancy.

So, I don’t push. Instead, I lift my own dagger, flipping it in my hand.

Which is why I’m thrown when she leads with: “We need to talk about this fake dating thing.”

My eyebrow arches. “Really? Yesterday I got the impression that you didn’t want to talk about that. Ever.”

She palms a double-sided axe. “Maggie asked me to hang out tonight. Actually, she demanded. Like ten times.”

“And?” I say slowly, knowing I could tell her about the party and that she’s about to get her wish. But I’m curious what she’s going to say.

“And I didn’t know how to respond,” she says. “I can’t lie to her.” She throws the axe with startling speed. It lodges a good inch and a half deep in the center of the target.

“Youcan’tlie to her?” I repeat, because now I’m lost. “As in physically incapable?”

She turns to face me, batting her hair away from her face like it offends her. “Not incapable… justreallydon’t want to.”

Now I’m even more confused. “You could lose everything if we don’t pull this off.”

“I know that,” she says quickly, and I scent her conflict. “But if I lie to her—who even am I?”

I blink. Twice. Her life is on the line and she’s worried she’ll be a bad person if she lies to her friend? People rarely surprise me, but I think I might currently need assistance picking my chin off the floor.

“What?” she says, and now her conflict is laced with embarrassment.

“No, nothing. I just—how does fake dating solve this exactly?” I ask.

She picks at her nails. “I just thought that, I don’t know, maybe you could…” Her embarrassment doubles.

“You thought maybe I could sell it?” I guess, and she flushes.

“Yeah,” she says on an exhale. “Maybe you could do just enough that people assume things? And then when I tell Maggie I’m spending time with you and can’t hang out she’ll understand? But I won’t actually have to lie?”

“What is this thing you have about not lying, anyway?” I ask, intrigued.

She exhales. “Gran always said that if you love someone you don’t lie to them. And I love Maggie.”

And now she’s got me. “Fair enough. I’ll lie for you.”

She winces, like she feels bad, even indirectly.

I smile. “Question, though, should I tell you I was right now or later?”

“Seriously?” she says, completely indignant. “You’re going to gloat?”

“Should I not?”

“Why are you the worst?” she asks, but I don’t scent annoyance from her. In fact, she smells like relief.

“Should we discuss the rules? I mean, you probably want to have rules, right? Unless I should just make them up as I go?” I say, and the pink on her cheeks creeps across her nose.

Her grip tightens on her dagger. “Absolutelyno kissing.”

And because I can’t help myself, I ask, “On the mouth or anywhere?”

“Mouth,” she huffs, and throws her dagger. “Cheek and forehead are fine.”