light anymore. I don’t think I can, not with what I’ve done. But I can live in the shade, in the shadows of the light. Be closer to it, enough for it to melt away some of that fear, that shame.”
I opened my mouth, wanted to tell her what we’d told him.
“You don’t have to tell us everything. Hell, you don’t have to tell us anything. But just know, whatever it is you think is keeping you in the dark, don’t let it be fear that we’ll turn you away.”
Jerk took the words right out of my mouth.
“You don’t know us, and we don’t know you very well.” He paused, waited for her to meet his gaze. “I think I can safely say that we all want you to stay.”
“Damn straight,” Tove said. “And in completely non-creepy ways, we’d just keep coming to find you. Bringing you home.” He shook his head. Pointed to the floor. “This is your home now.” A blush rode his cheeks. “And I fully understand how crazy that sounds.”
Hollyn shot him a shy, mostly sad smile. “I think that’s just the magic talking.”
I bit my lip to keep from pouncing on that statement. I waited for her to speak. Gave her the room to tell us what she wanted. Even though I felt like my head was going to pop off with every passing moment she remained silent.
She licked her lips. “Matty was right. I am one of the last druids. My circle is the Circle of the Stars.”
She dropped her gaze to the floor as if she’d just spoken her greatest crime. And for all we knew, she just had. But it didn’t mean shit to me. I wasn’t even sure I knew what she was talking about.
“Are we talking like Dungeons and Dragons druid or are you of the pagan religion that focuses on balance and nature?” Tove asked.
Of course, my nerdy brother would have some iota of an idea. He’d been something like a nineteenth level mage. I’d been too busy with girls at that point in my life to care about a stupid game. High school had been a crazy time for all of us.
Hollyn’s brow knitted. “I don’t know what Dungeons and Dragons are. But the people where I’m from are all about worshiping the trees and nature.”
“Hold on.” Tove pushed to his feet. Ran towards his room.
Hollyn looked back at Tag. “Are you truly feeling better?”
He nodded. “I feel better than I have in a very long time. Are you?”
I snorted.
They both looked at me.
“What did that mean?” Tag asked, his brows lowered.
“Um, she shot magic into your back, you danced like you were being electrocuted, then you sucked on her neck like you were a Twilight reject.” I looked between both of them. Neither of them had anything close to recognition in their gazes.
“Shit.” I rubbed a hand down my face. “I’m not lying. Ask Tove when he comes back.”
“Ask me what?” He came back in, a tall book in his hands.
I told him.
“Oh yeah. He was sucking on her neck like it was a new chew toy and he was a dog.”
Hollyn lifted her hand to her neck. “I don’t feel anything different.” Her head tipped to the side. “Although, if I expended that much magic, then I should be almost comatose. Not just feeling a little tired.”
Tove shrugged, resumed his seat. He opened the book on his lap, flipped through the pages as if he knew exactly where he was going.
The nerd probably did.
Tove flipped me off.
I laughed. “You know it’s true.”
“What does that mean?” Hollyn repeated the gesture. “I’ve seen that twice now.”
“It means ‘fuck you’ without saying the words,” Tag said bluntly. Not that he was good at sugar-coating anything anyway.
Hollyn’s eyes brightened. “I use this.” She spread her first and middle finger into a V shape and thrust them up into the air. “And when I’m really pissed, I do this.” She made the motion again, this time added a raspberry. When she was done, she giggled like a little girl, covered her mouth with her hands.
“I’m amazed at what you know and what you don’t know,” I said. I prayed I hadn’t pushed too hard.
She shrugged, but didn’t withdraw. “The world outside the Valley is quite…big. And noisy. And very, very gross.” She shivered.
“Gross?” I said with a laugh.
“Yes. The aura, it’s the color of babies’ poop when it has had too many vegetables. Very gross.” She looked at Tag. “Yours is