Page 100 of Alchemy of Souls

Grayson freezes. “Maid? What maid?”

“The night of the party, when you left me in the walk-in closet, a maid named Sage came in—super pretty, really nice, maybe a couple of years older than me? She helped me with all the finishing spells for my outfit,” I say, and he sucks in a sharp breath.

“Where are the clothes? The ones Sage helped you with?” he asks quickly.

“Armoire. Top shelf,” I reply, suddenly feeling nervous. “Why?”

“We gotta go. Now,” Grayson says, and immediately starts walking.

I have to speed up to catch him.

“Grayson, you’re scaring me. Why do you want to see those clothes?” I ask.

“Because,” he says. “We don’t have a maid named Sage.”

There has never been a moment in the last four years where I wasn’t happy to see Maggie, but as we enter the main lobby and almost collide with her, I hate that she found me and not the other way around.

She spins on her heel, clocking both of us and narrowing her eyes.

“Oh? You’re alive? How nice for ye,” she says, angrier than I’ve ever seen her.

Grayson immediately tries to mediate the fallout, but I know before a word leaves his mouth that he has no chance. “My fault,” he says quickly. “I was the one who—”

“I’m not talking to ye, prince,” she says with enough authority to shut him up.

Time to stop standing still and move, the Gran spell chimes in the hallway.Dinner has been served.

Maggie gestures to the hallway; then she glares at Grayson to let him know he isn’t welcome. I make eye contact with him and he nods in the direction of our room, a silent acknowledgment that he’ll take care of things. But my heart is heavy as we leave him behind. How will Maggie ever understand?

“What in the absolute shite is going on with ye, Eloise?” Maggie asks the second we’re alone.

“Everything,” I reply, trying to reel myself back, because by this point the emotions of the day are threatening to overwhelm me.

“You’ve completely fecked off on this friendship,” she says with oomph.

“I wouldnever,” I reply, wanting her to see the truth of it.

“Is that so?” Maggie says. “Because for four years we’ve dreamed about this—the day we get into Unitogether. And now here we are and all ye have time for is Grayson Stone.”

“I need two days,” I plead with her. “Please. Just forty-eight hours and I’ll tell you everything. I promise. I’m trying to—” But that’s where I stop. If I say the words “protect you,” she’ll know something’s wrong immediately.

Maggie’s eyebrows push together. “That’s the single worstapology I’ve ever gotten in me life. And I have brothers, so I’ve had my share. What the hell are ye on about? Two days for what?”

“Mags—” I start and stop, wanting to tell her everything. Every single thing I’m not supposed to.

She pulls me to a stop in a little alcove of the wooden hallway. “I’ve been understanding about Grayson—made jokes and gave ye opportunities. I even let it go when you stood me up to get ready for the party. But then you take off without so much as a word? I left, too, did ye know that? I missed out on a crackin’ good night where I washanging out with Sofiabecause I put you first. Sat by your damn door like a gobshite and waited until the last minute before curfew. A door which isstillspellworked to rearrange my face, by the way. And I thought at the very least you’d come looking for me first thing in the morning, begging to explain.”

Every word is a punch to the gut and my chin starts to shake. Students walk past and I hear my name. They’re probably whispering about what happened at the party. But my focus is solely on Maggie.

“You can’t imagine how sorry I am, how much I’ve wanted to tell you—” I stop short. My chin shakes again and I beg it to stop. “Listen, I know I’ve been a crappy friend. The worst. You have every right to be mad.”

A crease forms between her eyebrows. “Are ye about to cry? Ye never cry, not since your Grandad—” She scans my face. “Are you in some kind of trouble?”

Crap. I look up at the ceiling, trying to get ahold of myself.

Her eyes widen. “Are you takin’ a piss? Because if not, yer starting to scare me. Is there danger I don’t know about? Tell me this isn’t about that damn Key everyone is talking about.”

My heart begins to race and I know she reads me too well.