Page 121 of Fool Me Twice

Roma fights back a smile. “Sure. One, two, three‍—from the depths…”

“… to the sky…”

The reversal is a little later than they initially planned. After she and Ez finally left Cass and JJ’s place last week, the first thing they did was hunker down in Ez’s favorite safe house, sitting with matching mugs of hot cocoa as they talked through everything that led them to this moment: Roma’s initial mission and the false flag operation, the origins of the mega-rift epidemic, Ez’s inability to replace Roma for the counterspell‍?—

Roma was secretly pleased that Ez didn’t deem any of their group’s other humans worthy enough to perform the spell, but she kept that little piece of information to herself. After a long discussion about the pros and cons, they decided to delay stabilizing the Deep for another week, keeping the Sanctum’s attention divided so they couldn’t immediately throw all their resources behind tracking their newest‍—and oldest‍—defectors.

Since everyone is still secure in their safe houses, it looks like their gamble paid off‍—for now, at least.

And ever since then, Roma and Ez have been settling into their new life. It’s not quite the picture Ez painted for them after they spent the night together‍—especially since Ez’s actual home was compromised, so they’re currently living in her safe house‍—but it’s strikingly similar. Roma wakes up every morning next to Ez; sometimes, Ez is still snoozing next to her, but usually, she’s already awake and absorbed in a spell book. They make breakfast together, Ez doing most of the actual cooking while Roma loyally butters toast, and eat at the table while they discuss the day to come.

Sometimes, they spend it with JJ, Cass, Obie, and Desi, all of them glamoured beyond recognition but otherwise defiant in their decision not to hide‍—or run away. Sometimes, they spend it with Naomi, Sawyer, Micah, and Gregorio, holed up in theirnewest safe house and helping them investigate the Sanctum–Chain connection.

And sometimes, they spend the day at home, reading books side by side and experimenting with different spells and enjoying each other’s company. Roma will freely admit that those are her favorite days, the days when she gets to see Ez relaxed and content and at peace, the days when they get to nerd out over the finer points of magic and dream about building their own spell book.

The days when they get to just be themselves.

“… close all that has been opened,” Roma finishes, and she meets Ez’s eyes. “All right. For real this time?”

Out of the corner of Roma’s eye, she sees JJ shift his position to keep them in eyeshot through the trees. After Roma’s near-death experience during their last attempt to stabilize the Deep, she’s not surprised that he’s feeling protective.

He’s good like that. Always has been. And even though he’s enthusiastically supportive of Roma’s relationship with Ez, he also pulled her aside a few days ago and told her, quiet and serious, that if they ever broke up and Roma needed a new place to stay, he would make sure she had one.

He also seemed to forget that demons have enhanced senses, because Ez clearly heard every word. A few hours later, Ez brought Roma to a new address‍—another spare safe house‍—and told her in no uncertain terms that it belonged to Roma now, should she ever desire to move out.

Honestly, Roma wouldn’t trade her newfound family for the world.

Ez sets her jaw. “For real this time,” she agrees, and she places her fingertips on the grass. “Count us off?”

Roma smiles. “One, two, three‍—from the depths…”

“… to the sky…”

Power swirls through Roma’s chest as she flows through the incantation, her voice blending effortlessly with Ez’s. Magic races down her arms, ignites in her fingers, pulses into the ground beneath them‍?—

Shoots down to the very heart of the Deep itself.

Roma braces herself as they reach the end of the spell. “… close all that has been opened,” she says, and the last of her magic flares down into the earth.

This time, it doesn’t ricochet back out at her. Cautiously, she peeks one eye open, frowning at Ez. “Did it work?”

Ez squints down at the grass. “If it did, then it wassuperanticlimactic,” she says, poking the dirt like it’ll give her the answer. “I don’t feel the echo of any mega-rifts opening, but it could just be a break. I wish there was some kind of feedback mechanism.”

“I almost died the last time we had a feedback mechanism,” Roma says.

“Well, at least we knew that we didsomething,”Ez says, and she raises her eyebrows at Roma. “Do you remember how to check for stabilization? I can’t guarantee that Obie will agree to loan us his precious spell book again.”

Roma’s heart dances. Even though it’s been nearly a month since they cast that spell, she won’t soon forget her first dual incantation with Ez. “I remember,” she says, and she straightens her spine, positioning her fingertips back on the ground. “Count us off?”

Ez smiles back before mirroring her stance. “One, two, three‍—from the depths…”

“… to the sky…”

Less than two minutes later, they’re jogging over to meet their friends. “Demons and half-demons,” Ez announces, “the mega-rift epidemic is officially over.”

Desi throws up her arms excitedly. “Yay! Auntie Ez and Auntie Roma did it!”

“We did,” Roma confirms, tentatively ruffling Desi’s hair when she crawls over to hug Roma’s leg. She’s still wary around JJ’s adopted daughter‍—more because she’s a small child than because she’s a demon‍—but she’s rapidly growing to understand why JJ defected so readily in the face of those puppy dog eyes. “Thanks for believing in us, kiddo.”

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