The knot of bodies around Achan unfurled, surging over to a cooler by one of the crates. They were laughing, grinning, unpacking food—cookies and muffins and a tray of veggies with dip.
Soleil pressed a hand to her stomach. She didn’t feel hungry at all. In fact, the idea of consuming food right now was abhorrent. She didn’t want anything to mar this feeling of perfect wholeness.
She and Achan were the only two left standing in the circle.
“They don’t feel it the same way we do,” he said.
She searched for words, but found nothing. There was no way to describe what she had experienced—none that wouldn’t sound ridiculous out loud, anyway.
“I’ve never felt it so intensely.” Achan’s voice was barely above a whisper. “Having you with us—it changed things.”
“In a good way?” she asked, tentative.
“In a very good way. Like, mind-blowing. What radiance level did they say you were, when you were tested for the Institute?”
“Mid-twenties.”
He shook his head sharply. “No. You’re at least high thirties, maybe even low forties. I haven’t studied the scale extensively, but I could feel your capacity for power and it was the most I’ve ever sensed, from anyone.”
“Yours too,” she said. “I felt it back in the woods, when I—”
“When you throttled me? Yeah, sorry about that. I didn’t want to threaten you, but hey, a guy’s gotta protect himself from beautiful feral witches.”
His gaze slid down Soleil’s body—briefly, but purposefully.
She turned her back, walking toward her clothes and bending over to pick them up.
“Oh god, don’t do that,” he groaned. He snatched his own clothes from the pile and stalked away, toward the treeline.
Soleil hid a smile as she tugged on her jeans. Angelou popped up, a plastic container in her hands.
“Muffin?” she offered helpfully. “Cranberry-orange?”
“I’m not hungry, but thanks.”
Angelou perked a neatly stenciled eyebrow. “You gotta carbo-load after a moon circle.”
“Says who?”
“Nobody. I made it up as an excuse to eat more carbs.” She grinned.
Soleil laughed. “Fine. Can I take one to go?”
“You’re leaving already?”
“I think so.”
“Not without giving me your digits, you’re not. I’ll text you the info for our private Discord server. We use code words for magical stuff—you’ll catch on quick.”
Soleil dug her phone from her purse, unlocked it, and handed it over. “Here. You can put in your number.”
“This was so great,” Angelou said, her thumbs tapping over the screen. “I mean, I’m just a sensitive, so I can’t do any actual magic without a lot of supplies and rituals, but the way it felt—wow! Best circle we’ve ever had. Achan wasn’t kidding when he said you were powerful.” She handed back the phone. “And he really likes you, too.”
Butterflies erupted through Soleil’s chest. “I kind of got that impression.”
“Girl. You should totally hit that. You two are perfect together—gorgeous, magical—”
“It’s enough to make a person sick,” grumbled Delaney, shouldering past them and snatching up her own clothes before marching back to the others.