Page 89 of Fool Me Twice

For a split second, Roma looks like she’s wrestling with something.

And then she says, “I should’ve helped you, too. But I didn’t. Actually‍—‍” She laughs uneasily. “Actually, I basically did the exactoppositeof help you. I just wanted everything to go back to the way it used to be. Before everything got complicated, and before I had to start questioning the Sanctum‍—and our places in it.” She meets JJ’s eyes. “I’m really glad you’re happy now. It took me a long time to realize that, but‍—but I think part of me always knew you were better off on the outside. I just didn’t want to think about it. Didn’t want to think that you were better off without us.”

JJ pushes himself to his feet, turning to face her directly. “I wasneverbetter off without you, okay? Not without you, and not without Chester and Bryant, either. If I could have the three of you here with me, then‍—then life would be pretty damn perfect, honestly.”

Roma gives him a hesitant smile. “Well, you might have me,” she says, and she takes a tentative step towards him.

JJ jerks away. “Wait‍?—‍”

Instantly, Roma snaps back to Ez’s side. “Sorry,” she blurts out, her voice lightning-fast and tight with emotion. “I‍—I know that we’re not really okay yet, and I know that I hurt you really badly, and‍?—‍”

“No, no‍—‍” JJ shakes his head. “It’s not that. I forgive you for that.”

Ez’s heart leaps. Roma goes still. “Really?”

JJ gives her a small smile. “Really. Listen, I’m not gonna lie‍—what you did to us was terrible on a thousand different levels. I almost lost Cass,” he says, and almost unconsciously, his hand drifts to the side. Without even blinking, Cass grabs his palm, squeezing lightly. “I almost losteverything,Roma, and I‍—I thought it was my fault. My fault for trusting you.”

Roma’s face crumples. “JJ‍?—‍”

“But it wasn’t my fault,” he cuts in. “And I don’t think it was your fault, either‍—not entirely. You were just doing what you had to do to survive, because‍—‍” His lips twist in a bitter smile. “Because you and I always got the worst assignments, didn’t we? We always had the most to prove. Always had to fight for our place at the table. Always had to beg for those scraps of approval from the Council. Hell, I probably would’ve done the same thing in your position.” His eyes are sad. “You wanted your friend back because you thought someone was manipulating him. Trust me, I understand that more than ever nowadays.”

Roma’s eyes look watery. “Thanks, Jayj,” she says haltingly.

“Yeah.” JJ laughs awkwardly. “And I only backed away because it looked like you were about to go in for a hug, and, um. I would give those corrosion burns a zero out of ten. Wouldnotrecommend. They took almost three weeks to heal last time.”

The words jolt through Ez. Roma straightens, blinking back at him. “Oh, Ez and I actually found a workaround for that. You just have to deactivate the corrosion spell on the injured party, and the burns heal pretty much instantaneously.”

JJ’s jaw drops.“What?”

“Excuseme?” Obie demands, looking torn between stunned and appalled. “Sincewhen?We’ve been trying to figure out how to heal them for centuries!”

“Turns out we just needed a few more hunters in our lives,” Ez says. “And, for the record, I deactivated Roma’s enchantments. She’s corrosion-free at the moment.”

JJ stops dead. “What?”

“Yep,” Ez says, and she pokes Roma’s cheek to prove it. “See?”

Roma swats her away, simultaneously amused and exasperated. “You’re infuriating.”

“Wow. Ungrateful, much?”

“Listen, Laguerre‍?—‍”

But Ez never gets to hear the rest of Roma’s threat, because in a flash, JJ bolts forward with a speed that’s just alittlemore than human and tackles Roma into a hug. “Oh,” he says, and he hugs her even tighter, burying his face in her shoulder.“Oh.Hi, Roma.”

For a moment, Roma looks frozen with shock.

And then she squeezes her eyes shut, cinching her arms around him and pulling him close. “Hi, JJ,” she mumbles back.

JJ’s voice is soft and shaky. “I’m really sorry.”

“I’m sorry, too,” Roma whispers, her voice hitching.

Ez’s heart feels full. Casually, she strolls over to the couch, where Obie and Cass are watching the proceedings with thunderstruck eyes. “Hey,” she says pleasantly, perching on the armrest and smirking at them. “You look surprised.”

“You deactivated her enchantments?” Obie asks, his eyes narrowing. “Why?”

Cass lowers his voice. “Is it permanent? Or human-permanent, at least?”

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