I freeze, watching as she stares at my desk, taking in the mess of herbs and candles and oils and minerals and all kinds of other weird stuff she's not used to seeing—or at least not all grouped together like that—like they have a purpose—like the arrangement is far less random than it seems.

"Um, yeah. I had a headache. But it's no big deal." I plop onto my desk chair and swivel back and forth, hoping to distract her from the view. She glances between the great alchemical experiment and me, and is just about to speak when I say, "Well, I mean, it's no big deal now that it's gone. Though believe me, it was at the time. I got one of my migraines. You know how I get those sometimes?"

I feel like the world's worst niece—an ungrateful liar—an insincere babbler of nonsense. She has no idea how lucky she is to be rid of me soon.

"Maybe it's because you're not eating enough." She sighs, kicking off her shoes and studying me closely as she says, "And yet, in spite of that, you seem to be growing like a weed. You're even taller than you were a few days ago!"

I gaze down at my ankles, shocked to see that my newly manifested jeans have crept up an inch since this morning, "Why didn't you go to the nurse's office if you weren't feeling well? You know you're not allowed to just run off like that."

I gaze at her, wishing I could tell her not to sweat it, to not waste another second worrying about it since it'll be over with soon. Because as much as I'm going to miss her, there's no doubt her life will improve. She deserves better than this. Deserves better than me. And it's nice to know she'll soon have some peace.

"She's kind of a quack," I say. "A real aspirin pusher, and you know how that never works for me. I just needed to come home and lie down for a while, it's the only thing that ever works. So, I just—left."

"And did you?" She leans toward me. "Come home I mean?" And the moment our eyes meet, I know it's a challenge. I know it's a test.

"No." I sigh, staring down at the carpet as I wave my white flag. "I drove down to the canyon and just—" She watches me, waiting. "And I just got lost for a while." I take a deep breath and swallow hard, knowing that's as close to the truth as I can get.

"Ever, is this about Damen?" And the moment my eyes meet hers, I can't hold back, I just burst into tears. "Oh dear," she murmurs, her arms opening wide as I spring from my chair and tumble right in. Still so unused to my long gangly limbs, I'm clumsy and awkward and nearly knock her to the floor.

"Sorry," I say. "I—" But I'm unable to finish. A new rush of tears overtakes me, and I'm sobbing again.

She strokes my hair as I continue to cry, murmuring, "I know how much you miss him. I know how hard this must be." But the second she says it, I pull away. Feeling guilty for acting as though this is just about Damen when the truth is it's only partly about him. It's also about missing my friends—in Laguna and in Oregon. And about missing my life—the one I've built here and the one I'm about to return to. Because even though it's obvious that they'll be better off without me, and I mean everyone, including Damen, that still doesn't make it any easier.

But it has to be done. There's really no choice. And when I think of it like that, well, it does make it easier. Because the truth is, whatever the reason, I've been given an amazing, once in a lifetime opportunity. And now it's time to go home. I just wish I had a little more time for good-byes.

And when the thought of that brings a new rush of tears, Sabine holds me tighter, whispering words of encouragement, as I cling to her, held in the cocoon of her arms where everything feels safe—and warm—and right—and secure. Like it's all going to work out just fine. And as I burrow closer, my eyes closed, my face buried in the place where her shoulder meets her neck, my lips move softly, silently, saying good-bye.

Chapter Forty

I wake up early. I guess since it's the last day of my life, or at least the last day of the life I've built here, I'm eager to make the most of it. And even though I'm sure I'll be greeted with a full-on chorus of the usual Spaz! Loser! and the more recent Witch! knowing it's the last time I'll be subjected to that makes all the difference.

At Hillcrest High (the school I'm returning to), I've got tons of friends. Which makes showing up Monday through Friday a lot more appealing, if not fun. And I don't remember ever once being tempted to ditch (like I am pretty much all the time here), and I wasn't depressed about not fitting in. And to be honest, I think that's why I'm so eager to return. Because other than the obvious thrill of being with my family again, having a good group of friends who both love and accept me, and who I can be myself with—makes the decision that much easier. A decision I wouldn't even stop to think twice about if it weren't for Damen. But even though I can't quite wrap my mind around the fact that I'll never see him again—will never know the touch of his skin, the heat of his gaze, or the feel of his lips upon mine—I'm still willing to give it all up. If it means reclaiming the old me and returning to my family—then there's really no choice. I mean, Drina killed me so she could have Damen to herself. And Damen brought me back so he could have me to himself. And as much as I love him, as much as my whole heart aches at the thought of never seeing him again, I know now that the moment he returned me to life, he messed with the natural order of things. Turning me into something I was never meant to be. And now it's my job to put it all back.