Page 68 of Fade With Me

Zeke shot me a playful look, wiggling his eyebrows before doing the same. His suit morphed effortlessly into black cargo pants and a tan T-shirt, the change smooth as if it were second nature.

Not wanting to be left out, I waved my hands over my wet hair, mimicking their motions as if I could fix it the same way they changed clothes. When nothing happened, I shrugged, a wry smile tugging at my lips. “Guess mine’s broken.”

Both of them burst out laughing, the sound warm and contagious. Izzy stepped closer, slinging an arm around my shoulders and pulling me into a quick, affectionate side hug. “I’ve really missed you, Bryn,” he said, his cheek resting lightly against my head.

By the time I finished getting ready, at a much slower pace than them, I might add, we finally made our way to the car. The engine roared to life, and as we started pulling away, Izzy leaned forward from the back seat, his head popping up between us like a jack-in-the-box.

“Is this really how you guys get around everywhere?” Izzy asked, eyes wide and eyebrows raised as he inched closer, clearly intrigued.

Zeke nodded, his hands firm on the wheel. “Yes. And you’d better do the same unless you want to cause chaos by fading in front of a human.”

I glanced at Zeke, surprise flickering across my face. “Wait…there aren’t cars in our realm?”

He shot me a side-eye, his lips curving slightly. “We don’t need them. Even the lesser witches can fade. Although…” His tone turned almost mischievous as his gaze drifted to the road. “I do enjoy this car. It’s fun.”

Izzy’s face lit up, his shoulders bouncing with energy. “Let’s go faster! Let’s see what this thing canreallydo!”

I shot my hands up, alarmed, and leaned slightly back in my seat. “Whoa, some of us are in a very fragile state right now. Probably not the best idea.”

Zeke threw me a knowing look, trying a little too hard to suppress his smile. “Yes, I agree.”

Izzy flopped back in his seat, crossing his arms, his pout ridiculously melodramatic. “Lame.”

When we reached the trail, Izzy glanced around, skepticism sharp in his gaze.

“This doesn’t look sketchy at all,” he said, sarcasm thick in his voice as his eyes darted like he expected someone to jump out and snatch him.

I arched an eyebrow, amusement tugging at my features as I tilted my head. “Since when areyouscared?”

Izzy let out an exaggerated laugh and leaned back. “Who,me?Scared? Never.” He waved the idea away with a shrug. “Besides, if there’s a bear or something...I’ll just fade out. No big deal.”

I narrowed my eyes at him, giving a small shake of my head. His bravado was almost convincing.

Then his face lit up as he struck a mock-heroic pose, bracing like he was preparing for battle. “Oooor, I couldstay and protect you from the bear. Obviously. I’m a good guy like that.”

Zeke rolled his eyes without sparing Izzy a glance and kept walking, his pace steady as he strode into the path ahead of us.

“So, are there any cute human girls around here who are single?” Izzy asked, batting his lashes like a cartoon character, hope plastered across his face.

I let out a quiet laugh and shrugged. “Probably, but considering you’re looking at my only two friends in this realm, I’m not much help.”

Izzy clutched his chest with a dramatic sigh. “Wow, that’s tragic.”

I hitched my backpack higher, a crooked smile tugging at my mouth. “Tell me about it.”

Zeke, a step ahead, glanced over his shoulder, his eyes narrowing. “Quit trying to use her for your dating life, Izzy. Besides, I doubt a human girl would even know what to do with you.”

Izzy gasped, pressing a hand to his heart. “Excuse me? I’m a prince! I have charm, I have looks—and a castle. Who wouldn’t want this package?”

He gave an exaggerated wink, then flicked a nonexistent speck of dust off his shoulder like it sealed the deal.

I blinked at him, then turned to Zeke. He shook his head, dry amusement tugging at his mouth. “And you thought I was full of myself.”

I couldn’t hold back a laugh. Izzy’s antics were over the top, but they had a way of being endearing.

We reached the cliff’s edge. The thunderous roar of the waterfall echoed in the distance, growing louder with each step.

Izzy froze as we stepped into the clearing, his eyes widening at the view. “Whoa,” he murmured, his usual humor slipping. “For a human realm, this is…incredible.”

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