I glanced back again. Yeah. Still there. Still curled up in my hoodie, hogging my pillow, sound asleep like we weren’t headed straight into hell.

You looked so goddamn peaceful.

Your legs were tucked under you in the middle row of the van, head pressed into the side of my pillow, wrapped up in my blanket like it was yours. Your breathing was slow, steady, and your nose wrinkled every few minutes like you were dreaming of something sweet. Probably cupcakes or your spell books.

I should’ve been annoyed. I needed that blanket. That was my sleeping setup for the hotel, and if what we read about this place was even halfway accurate, tonight was gonna be rough. But one look at you snuggled up like that? Yeah. No shot I was asking for it back.

I was so down bad for you it was getting embarrassing.

Sam nudged me from the passenger seat with a knowing smirk.“You gonna say something to her today?”

I kept my eyes forward.“Say what?”

He scoffed, grinning.“I don’t know. Maybe, ‘Hey, I like you and I’ve been completely wrecked over you since that first ritual circle when you corrected my chalk lines.’”

“I’m not saying that,”I muttered.

“You should. Everyone knows you’re into her. Hell, even the ghost we haven’t met yet probably knows.”

I shot him a look.“Not funny.”

He smirked again, but let it go. I could feel his eyes on me though. I always got like this around you—especially when you were quiet. I knew it wasn’t personal. You were just tired. You’d stayed up late the night before prepping protective sigils in your journal, brewing that tea you always offered to the crew when energy felt off. I watched you measure herbs like you were building a spell out of love itself.