Page 248 of Infernal Secrets

After another movie, Rae went upstairs to call Maya and Trudy and make plans for our last day on Earth while the rest of us got ready for bed.

I tried to do as I’d done all week—stay downstairs and not linger outside her door like a creep. But after having her so close on the couch, soaking in her warmth as she alternated leaning against me or Zeke, I couldn’t stay away anymore.

I tapped my knuckles against the door frame, watching her scroll through her phone beneath the covers.

She looked up, and her smile when she saw me made my heart skip.

“Hi, beautiful. Mind if I come in?”

“Come on in.” She plugged her phone into the charger and set it on the nightstand. “You don’t have to ask anymore, you know.”

“Habit.”

“Is your back hurting? You wanna sleep up here again?”

“Yes.” I chuckled. “I mean, no, my back isn’t hurting. But yes, I’d like to sleep here.”

“I imagine it’s better than the couch.” She pulled back the covers on the opposite side and fluffed the pillows as I rounded the bed.

“I’ll never turn down a bed over the couch. The company isn’t bad either.”

She shook her head, smiling. “The others asleep?”

“Yeah. We’re the only ones up. When I got out of the bathroom, Ezra was out cold. Cyn and Zeke went up about twenty minutes ago.”

I climbed into bed and sighed, relaxing the moment her scent enveloped me.

She scooted down to rest on her side, facing me. “So tomorrow’s it, huh?”

I turned toward her. “You okay?”

“Yeah. You’d think I’d be a lot more upset than I am, but I’m not. At least not anymore.” She tugged up the strap of her tank top as she propped on her elbow. “With Grandma gone, there’s not much here for me. Sure, I have friends, but did I expect to work in a trinket shop in the mall the rest of my life? No.”

I nodded, listening. I knew she needed to talk about it, but I didn’t know how to approach it.

“Other than with my neighbors, I always kept to myself. I’m not losing much.”

“Was there nothing you wanted to do here?”

“Thought about going to trade school.”

“For what?”

She looked away. “Cooking.”

“Why didn’t you before now?”

“No time. I wanted to take every free chance possible to see Grandma. I could have gone now, but…” She rolled her hand.

“There’s no sense in enrolling when you’re leaving.”

“Exactly.”

“You could train with the chefs in the palace.”

Her eyes rounded. “Come again?”

“I mean, why not? The best chefs in Elyrdin work for the palace.”