Page 162 of Harnessed in Gold

I’ll go back to Newberry and wash them there.

After Leo is gone.

I have to decide what to do with his jeans and shirt.

Once he’s gone.

I squeeze Leo’s hand so tight he winces.

Meanwhile, Rime echoes our concerns about Jean West. “How do we know she isn’t working for Brier?”

“We don’t,” Leo admits. “Not for sure. Not until we go see her.”

Rime lays down his condition, “We don’t reveal the bracelet until we’re one hundred percent sure.”

“Agreed.”

“And we take Betts.”

Leo’s sharp inhale rakes my spine. “Absolutely not.”

Rime folds his arms. “She can sense if Jean is telling the truth.”

Something about this idea appeals to me. It makes no sense, but it feels like I can keep Leo safe if I’m by his side. “Rime’s right,” I say. “I can tell if she’s acting shady.” Even among all Jean’s uncanniness, I’d know shady. It’s a very distinct sort of icky.

Leo shakes his head so hard I don’t know how he’s still standing. “She’s not going.”

Rime growls, “This is exactly what her power’s useful for!”

“She’s done enough!”

Rime’s words stoke me.Useful. I may be in love with Leo and I may’ve grown to care about a realm I know nothing about, but the reason I joined this mission in the first place was to be useful. For the first time in my life. “I’ll go.”

Leo rounds on me, eyes wild with panic. “No.”

I narrow my own eyes to slits. “Yes. I’m going. I can do this.”

“Betts—”

I point to Rime. “He has his gun. We’ll be fine.”

“It’s too dangerous.” Leo’s eyes widen and bore into mine, as though he’s trying to send me a secret message. Yes, I get it. Burdock and Juniper could try to use me as a pawn again. Threaten to kill me to get Leo to turn over the bracelet. But they’d have to get a hold ofme first, and that’s going to be hard when they’re two on two, and one of our two has a gun.

“It’s the easiest way,” I insist. “The only way to really know where Jean’s loyalties lie.”

Rime brushes past us on his way to the kitchen. To get the bracelet, I presume.

“Betts—” Leo half-growls, half-groans.

“It’s quarter-of. We need to go.” I turn for the door, unable to look into those eyes another second. Doesn’t he understand? I need to do this.

As I step into my shoes, Rime returns with the lead box. Silent and wide-eyed, our friends watch us. But it’s not until Rime yanks open the front door and the cold air rushes in that Leo startles into action. Glowering, he shoves his feet into his Doc Martens and grabs his still-damp jacket.

Before we can get out the door, Liv hurries to us. She throws her arms around me and squeezes until I can barely breathe. Neither of us speak; her brimming eyes say enough. To my surprise, she hugs Leo, too, a hug he returns with big-brotherly affection.

Rime waits patiently, as if he doesn’t expect a hug himself. No, as if he doesn’t consider himself worthy to receive one. Because when she threads her arms around his neck, his whole expression softens in gratitude.

Forcing a smile, I wave to the others like I’m only going on a quick run to the Dunkin’ drive-thru, and follow Leo and Rime out into the night.