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Okay, the feelings themselves weren’t complicated, but everything else was. If he and I were romantically involved and I stole his sword and used it to bring down the Fates, he would be implicated. He didn’t deserve that.

A problem for another day.

Vale kissed me again. “Thank you for telling me, Maya. I won’t tell a soul unless I have your permission, I swear it.”

I allowed myself a smile of contentment. “I believe you.”

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

I wasn’t the least bit surprised when Penny and I were summoned to Justine’s office bright and early the next morning. Lionel, Justine’s assistant, kept side-eyeing us from behind his desk.

“Go on and say it,” I finally told him.

He adopted the innocent face of an infant. “Say what?”

“We’re in trouble. We know.”

Lionel smirked. “I don’t know about Penny. She’s too green. But you most certainly are in deep doo-doo.”

“You don’t have to look so delighted about it,” Penny said, sharp as a blade.

Lionel shrank a couple inches. “Excuse me. I need a snack from the vending machine.”

Once he was out of earshot, I thanked Penny for her support.

“He shouldn’t enjoy someone else’s failure. It’s gross.”

My eyes snapped to hers. “You think I failed?”

“I think there’s room for improvement.”

I couldn’t argue with that.

“It’s funny,” Penny continued. “You may be a Gorgon, but you fight like a fury.”

I looked away. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“I’m serious, Maya. I saw you last night. Your moves…” She shook her head. “They’re so familiar.”

“There are only a finite number of fighting styles,” I countered.

“And where did you learn yours?”

My heart stopped beating. “My parents were adamant that I learn to defend myself.”

“Mhm. How did you subdue those Neighbors under Keith’s control that tried to hurt you? Someone said all you did was touch them and they fell unconscious.”

“Defensive magic,” I said. “My father was a mage.”

I couldn’t afford this line of questioning. As much as I liked Penny, I had to find a way to ship her off to another island. Vale was right. It was too risky to have us working side by side. Sooner or later, she would put the pieces together.

And then life as I knew it would be over.

“How did you manage to become such a girls’ girl?” I asked.

Penny’s face was a blank canvas. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“I would expect a fury to be more…” I groped for the right word. “Solitary. A loner. Unconcerned with others.”