“Back home we call that a pub crawl.”

“I’ve lost whole weeks, Olivia.” I hated the way he said her name.

O-li-vi-a. Like he wanted to stretch out every syllable and take as long as he could.

“Does it happen all the time?” Now Liv sounded curious, but it seemed like it was more than the wheels in her scientific mind turning. Because she also sounded sad.

He nodded. “Except when I was in the Arclight. Nothing to remember in there.”

I cleared my throat and stepped into the room. “Yeah? Then maybe we should stick you back in that thing.” They were startled. I could tell, because John’s face went dark, and the guy who had been talking to Liv disappeared.

“Ethan. What are you doing here?” Liv looked flustered.

“I brought you some of Amma’s famous pecan pie. We missed you at dinner. I didn’t mean to interrupt.” Except I did.

Liv tossed her napkin down on the table. “Don’t be ridiculous. You’re not interrupting anything. We were just sitting down to a supper of somewhat questionable hen parts.”

“Hey. That’s our first Thanksgiving you’re talking about, sweetheart.” John grinned at her—and stared at me.

I ignored him. “Liv, do you think you can help me with something for a minute?”

She pushed her chair away from the table. “Lead on, Wayward.”

I could feel John’s eyes on me as we left the room.

Sweetheart.

I grabbed Liv by the arm as soon as we were out of Incubus earshot. “What are you doing?”

“Trying to eat my Thanksgiving dinner.” Her cheeks went pink, but she didn’t slow down.

“I meant, what are you doing with him?”

She pulled her arm free. “Are you looking for something in particular? Was there a reason you needed me?” We had made our way to the Lunae Libri and disappeared into the stacks, and I watched the torches light along the wall, marking the way we had come. She took one from the wall.

“Last I heard, he doesn’t eat anything but Doritos.”

“He doesn’t. He was keeping me company. Being… a friend.”

I stepped in front of her, and she stopped walking. “Liv. He’s not your friend.”

She was annoyed. “Then what is he? If you’re such an expert?”

“I don’t know what he is or what he’s doing, but I know he’s not your friend.”

“What do you care?”

“Liv, you could’ve come over today. You were invited. Macon and Marian were there. They wanted you to come.”

“That’s quite an invitation. I can’t imagine how I missed it.”

I knew her feelings were hurt, but I didn’t know how to fix it. I should’ve invited her myself. “I mean, we all wanted you to come.”

“I’m sure you did. Just as I’m sure I still have the bruises to show from the last time I saw Lena.”

“The Furor was a spell. And believe me, you gave as good as you got.”

She softened. “I know I could have come to your house today. But I didn’t belong there. I don’t belong anywhere. And, I suppose, neither does John. Maybe Mortals and Incubuses aren’t so different after all.”

“You do belong, Liv. And you don’t have to stay down here with him. You’re not a monster.”

Like he is.

Ethan? Is everything okay?

Lena was reaching out to me.

Yeah, L. Be there in a minute.

No rush.

It was Lena’s way of saying she didn’t mind me talking to Liv, whether or not I would ever get Liv to believe that. I wasn’t sure I believed it myself.

Liv was staring at me. “What are you doing here, really? Because I’m fairly certain you aren’t concerned about my social life.”

“You’re wrong.” I was still holding the pie tin.

She took it, opening the foil and breaking off a piece of pie. “Delicious. So there is nothing new I should know about?” She broke off another corner. Amma’s pie was a good distraction.

“What do you know about the Wheel of Fate?”

She looked surprised. “Funny you should ask.” And just like that, the subject of Liv’s personal life was closed, and we returned to her favorite subject—anything else.

“Why?”

“I’ve been thinking about it ever since we found the Temporis Porta.” Liv pulled out her red notebook and opened it to a page in the middle. There was a sketch of three perfectly formed circles, each divided by spokes set in varying patterns. “This was all I could remember from the door.”

“That looks right. You said it was some kind of code?”

She nodded. “I’m not certain, because you opened the door without using them. But I’ve been researching the symbol in Macon’s library.”

“And?”

She pointed at the drawing. “The repeated circle. I think it has something to do with what you’re calling the Wheel of Fate.”

“And the Temporis Porta?”

“I think so. But there’s one thing I can’t understand.”

“What is it?” Something Liv didn’t understand was a bad sign.

“The door opened by itself. You didn’t even touch any of the circles. I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes.”

I remembered the rough feel of the rowan wood beneath my forehead.