Page 119 of Go Luck Yourself
I give Coal a side hug, trying not to disturb Iris. “Going back to Christmas?”
My voice is rough from all the screaming, ears ringing in the heavy silence of the foyer.
“After I drop this lightweight in Easter.” He hefts Iris, who groans.
“She drank half her body weight in whiskey,” Finn pipes up. “While I dinna see you down a single drop. She’s officially Irish now, whereasyouare an interloper.”
“Fair point.” Coal salutes Finn. “It was nice meeting and then instantly going pub hopping with you.”
Finn waves him off. Siobhán whines into Finn’s shoulder, and the two of them make their way deeper into the castle.
Hex smiles at me. “You are staying here, then?”
“Wow.” I smirk. “Coal, you sure can throw your voice. That sounded just like Hex.”
Hex rolls his eyes. “I told him you would see through that.” He leans in to give me a quick hug. “I, at least, understand why you are staying. You are not alone in your pursuit of doing the right thing.”
“I’m not against him doing the right thing,” Coal whispers. “I don’t want him doingthe right thingfor thewrong guy.” He glances around, and even though we’re alone, Coal lowers his voice. “Wehave proof that the device we found in Christmas matches the one connected to their joy meter. Come back to Christmas, and we can strategize about how to approach both Loch and Malachy to get our joy back. You can be done.”
Hearing Coal say that, I know exactly what would happen: Malachy would pin it on Loch. Make him take the fall.
I exhale. “I told her about writing again.”
Coal’s eyebrows go up. “Told… who?”
I nod at Iris. “Toldher.That I’m—wait, what did you think I meant?”
Relief droops Coal’s stance. “Shit, dude, I was terrified for a second you were talking to Mom again. God, don’t do that to me.”
“I didn’t—no. Fuck no. I wouldn’t.”
“So you did block her number?”
My lips part. “I will.”
“Kris,” Coal groans. “Hex, would you do me a huge favor and turn my brother into a scarecrow so I canpummel him without remorse?”
“That is not even sort of something my magic can do,” he says.
“Block. Her. Number.” Coal adjusts Iris to punctuate each word with a finger in my chest. “Dad too. That’s my job now. That’s how I protect you. So let me protect you, dumbass. I can handle them.”
“And I can’t?” No, I can’t, but I can’t lethimknow that. Even if he already does.
Coal sighs. “I know you can. But you don’t have to. Block their numbers, Kris. Please. And whatever you do here—”
“I know. I’ll be careful. I won’t get hurt. I promise and swear and from henceforth do vow and whatever it takes to get you three out of this country.”
“Oh, woe is Kris.” Coal throws his head back dramatically. “He has people who care about his well-being!”
“Go home. Go to sleep.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Coal conjures mistletoe into his palm. “Yougo to sleep too. First,block their numbers.Then sleep.”
“I swear.”
“You’re such a dumbshit.”
I grin. “Love you too.”
