Page 157 of The Glittering Edge

“Because, deep down, you’re—”

“Please don’t say a good person.”

“Never! I was going to say you’re a witch.” Penny leans in. “You wanted access to spells, right? This time, you don’t have to send any nudes to strangers on the internet.”

“It was foot pics.” Dylan rolls her eyes. “Never thought Penny Emberly would be the keeper of my darkest secrets.”

“There’s no waythat’syour darkest secret.”

“Ooh, she’s got jokes.”

“You don’t have to help if you don’t want to,” Penny says, though her heart is racing. “See you at the game.”

Penny starts to walk away. Behind her, Dylan sighs. “Hey.”

Her expression hasn’t changed, which makes the next word she says even more surprising:

“Sorry.”

Penny gapes at her. “For…?”

“You know what for.”

“Right.” Penny considers her. “You look like you’re in pain.”

Dylan ignores her as she opens her locker. Penny takes the hint: Their conversation is over.

But as she walks to her next class, she feels a little lighter. Because she has a feeling that Dylan will be on their side tonight.

Penny

LATER THAT DAY, THE BASS OF THE PREGAME MUSIC SHAKES THEground all the way to Idlewood Central’s parking lot. People are dancing and shouting as they walk in groups to the football field, taking selfies and talking trash on the Muncie team going up against the Idlewood Central Tigers.

Penny and Naomi walk side by side, the crowd carrying them forward. Around her neck is the pure silver chain with a tiny, cold glass vial of honey. The football stadium looms like Mordor.

“When is Milton getting here?” Naomi asks, her white heels clacking on the pavement. Her dark red eye makeup is flawless, but Penny can see the exhaustion in her eyes.

“Anytime now.” Penny considers her best friend. “Didn’t sleep?”

“I’m glad my abuela died without knowing witches exist. This is going to haunt me forever.”

“Excuse me,” a voice says, “but that’s offensive.”

Dylan is walking behind them, clearly eavesdropping.

“What god did we piss off to deserve your attention?” Naomi asks without turning around.

“You know, Naomi, I can’t believe we aren’t friends. You are a supreme bitch.”

Naomi almost looks flattered, and then something clicks. She looks to Penny with wide eyes. “Please explain why she’s here.”

“Because I’m a witch,” Dylan says.

“You?”

“Yes, me.” Dylan forces her way between them so they’re all walking shoulder to shoulder. “I’m weak as fuck, though, so you don’t have to be scared of me yet.”

Naomi’s brain might be short-circuiting, but she manages to ask, “Does Corey know about this?”

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