Page 99 of This Witch Is Not Wicked

I stopped pacing. “What is wrong with you? You’d think you could come up with better ideas than taking her to her favorite restaurant?”

“Hey.” Cillian stretched out the E, lifting his head. “That was my idea.”

“There are two restaurants in Fairwitch!”

Wolfe sighed. “I have more important things to do. Nevan, you want my advice?”

“I thought that was the point of all this.” I waved my arms around my lab.

“Stop making it so damn complicated. I made that mistake with Niamh, and you know where it got her? Attacked by the brotherhood. I wanted to make some grand gesture, but all Niamh needed was to hear how I felt.”

I swallowed. I’d already told Enid how I felt, and it wasn’t enough.

The window creaked, and a sudden wind burst into the room. Papers swirled in the air, and I jumped to catch them, stuffing each one into my arms.

That damn window. You’d think a sentient castle could keep it closed.

“Uh, I think you might be out of time.” Cillian pointed, and I slowly turned.

My breath caught in my throat. Enid sat in the window ledge.

“I think that’s our cue.” Cillian stood, hesitating, then he looked Enid right in the eye.

Oh, godwitches. If he so much as said another negative thing about her . . .

“I’m sorry,” he said to Enid, and my mouth dropped open.

Enid didn’t say anything at all. She only stared at him.

“You’re good for my brother,” he said. “You saw what no one else saw, or what none of us wanted to see. You saw him. Thank you.”

I swallowed thickly.

Cillian stuck out his hand, and Enid looked down at it for a moment before stretching out her own and shaking it.

“Well, we should probably get going. I think you two have a lot to discuss.” Cillian moved toward the door that Wolfe was holding open.

My brothers gave me nods of encouragement before leaving the room.

I rushed to the window, dropping all the papers. “Have you never heard of a door?” I asked.

I expected Enid to scowl or give one of her snarky replies, but a nervous look crossed her face. I wasn’t used to seeing her nervous, and it made my stomach twist.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

She just stayed on the window ledge, legs hanging over.

“Are you coming in? Or did you come all this way to sit in the window of my tall tower and give me a heart attack imagining you falling over the ledge?” I cocked my head. “How did you get up here anyway?”

Something brushed against my arm, but I ignored it, too focused on Enid, on what she was doing here.

“Nevan,” she started.

“No.” I held up a hand, thinking over Wolfe’s words. Yes, I’d been honest with Enid, but I hadn’t said everything I wanted to. I wouldn’t make that mistake this time. I wouldn’t hold back. “I know you love me, Enid, and I also know you want to be with me. But you’re scared.” A tingle spread down my back, but I ignored it, determined to get this all out. “Where was I?”

“Telling me I’m scared?”

“Right. Yes, you’re scared. And I get it. Because love is scary. But you know what’s scarier?” I took a step forward, that tingle now trailing down the back of my legs. I kicked out a foot and the tingle stopped. “A life without you. That’s far worse than any other fate I can think of.”