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Junie calls from across the room, “Too late.”

Everyone laughs. Even Theo.

The house knocks once inside the wall, almost approving.

Wes’s phone rings. He answers, listens, then looks toward us. “Hammer is out of surgery but under guard.”

Pepper settles deeper against Theo. “Good.”

Honey brings over another blanket and lays it across all three of us. Scarlet reaches up from the floor and tucks the edge around Pepper’s ankle. Junie passes me another pastry without asking.

The curse is still here. So are we.

Chapter 44

Pepper Vines

Theo’s motorcycle looks less threatening when my helmet is sitting on the seat. A tiny frog sticker near the back, a gator along one side, and a water bottle tucked low near the edge as though Ezra wanted to make absolutely certain no one mistook the helmet for belonging to anyone else.

Theo stands beside the bike with his arms folded. The sinking sun turns the edges of his beard copper. “Well?”

I circle the motorcycle once. “I’m evaluating the threat level.”

“Of the helmet?”

“The whole situation.”

His mouth twitches.

Six weeks have passed since the release. My ankle has mostly healed. Mostly means the swelling is gone, I can walk without the brace, and Honey has stopped threatening to carry me if she catches me limping. Mostly also means Theo watches every step I take.

“You said you wanted a ride,” he says.

“I did.”

“You picked where we’re going.”

“I did.”

“You still want to?”

I look at the road beyond the cemetery gate. “Yes.”

His shoulders loosen. He picks up the helmet and holds it while I pull my hair back. The inside smells faintly like leather, Ezra’s apple scent, and the lavender sachet someone tucked beneath the padding.

I glance at Theo. “Did Ezra scent my helmet?”

“He said it needed equal representation.”

“Do you agree?”

“No,” he says.

“You’re lying.”

“Yes.”

I slide it on. Theo fastens the strap beneath my chin, testing it with two fingers. His knuckles brush my throat. A tremor moves through me.