Page 61 of Alchemy of Souls

“What about a call?” she asks fast as anything.

“Even I won’t make calls on it. I’m pretty sure my uncle monitors it.” I only make calls on myothercell phone and only outside the wards, not that I can say that.

“Great. So, you lied again,” she says, and looks away.

Something about her frustration gets me frustrated. “You want me to lie for you but not to you?”

Her eyes widen. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You were okay with it when I lied to my uncle and you have no problem with me lying to Maggie so you don’t have to,” I say.

“That’s different and you know it,” she says, adamant.

“More or less different than you asking me to fake date you and then flirting with Adrien?” I say, and the moment the words leave my mouth I deeply regret them. I’m not jealous. I don’t get jealous.

“Flirting with—” She lets out a tight breath. “I think we’ve done more than enough for the night. I’m going back.”

To top it off, the stupid flower ring—aster flower to be exact, just like Adrien’s crap last name—catches the moonlight and twinkles.

CHAPTER 32Eloise

10 DAYS TO GO

I lace up my boots over the Ace bandage and open the door to my bedroom, my hair still wet from my shower and hanging loosely down my back. It’s Friday morning and we’re running out of time.

“Sleep well, Claws?” Grayson asks cheerfully as I step into the living room of our suite, like our fight last night never happened.

“We can drop the fake dating ruse if it’s too much,” I say, because despite everything, he was right that he shouldn’t have to lie for me.

In a rare moment for Grayson, he actually winces. “I was being an ass last night. I don’t want to drop the ruse,” he says, and plucks a to-go cup off the table and hands it to me. The words Kelly’s Caféare printed on the outside.

My eyebrows shoot up. Was that an apology? “You went somewhere?” I say.

“I run in the woods most mornings,” he says easily. “Kelly’s is right next to the trail. I’ve been going there since I was a kid.”

I stare at him. There’s something about his voice that I can’t quite place, like what he’s saying is important to him.

“It’s not poisoned. Cross my heart,” he says, laying on the charm.“I didn’t know your preference so I got you the s’mores latte—since you said you like to roast marshmallows with your sister.”

How can one person be so thoughtful and so deceiving?

We stand there for a long awkward moment before I take a sip of what can only be described as the most luxurious coffee of all time. I think a small embarrassing sound of pleasure leaves my mouth.

And damn it if he doesn’t look ten kinds of satisfied. “That good, huh?”

“Better,” I admit. “I only get flavored coffee once a year.”

His eyebrows push together, and for a brief second he looks bothered. “Only once a year? Why?”

I shrug. “That’s all we can afford.”

For the first time ever, Grayson actually looks embarrassed. “Right. Yeah, I should have known that.”

“Should have known how poor we are?” I say, and the look of horror on his face makes me snort.

“That’s not what I—” he says.

But I just wave him away. “My mom takes us to Perky Potions at the end of every school year as a celebration. I get a drink and my little sister and I both get cherry chocolate tarts. She goes bonkers over them. But this year—” I stop, sighing. “Never mind. What I’m saying is, this coffee isreallygood. So, thanks.”