Free Starbound by J.L. Weil Page A

hers and pulled me to the circle.
    Elena stuck her finger in her mouth, making gagging noises.
    Everyone ignored her.
    We all sat around the circle, candles lighting our faces. Seth and Elena sat on the opposite end, obviously to put as much space as necessary between them and me. I tried not to show the irritation I felt. There was this absurd voice inside me that wanted to stomp across the circle and claim my stake on him. I didn’t want another girl near him.
    What the flip is wrong with me?
    Instead I folded my hands in my lap and clenched my jaw.
    Elena sat practically on top of Seth, and she was constantly finding ways to touch him. I ground my teeth and seethed. It was pitiful how evident she made her desire for Seth. I couldn’t decide if she was turning up the flirting because of me or if she was just that much of a skank. I had an inkling she was just a skank. But if she put her hand on him one more time…
    My eyes narrowed as her black painted nails rested on his shoulder.
    I wanted to puke. I wanted to gouge her eyes out.
    Glancing at his face, he didn’t seem to care what Elena was doing or saying. He was far too busy staring at me. A shudder ran through me. I couldn’t look away if I tried.
    “Seth!” Elena shouted, and we both dropped our gazes as if we’d been caught stealing from the cookie jar.
    He wrestled a hand through his dark hair, and Elena pressed her leg against his. I tried not to let my irritation show. If I ever needed a poker face, it was now.
    “So what should we do?” Olivia asked the group after we all were seated.
    “I think we should do something special—you know, now that Katia is back,” Zeke replied, smiling beside me. I grinned back.
    “I got it.” Olivia all but jumped up. “This is our last All Hallows’ Eve before we go off to college. Let’s do a starsoul spell. I’ve always wondered if my true love is out there.” She got all dewy-eyed, fluttering her long lashes.
    Seth’s eyes slammed into mine. “No,” he quickly shut her down.
    “I think it is a great idea,” Elena purred, completely disregarding him. Her leg was basically in Seth’s lap now, and she gave him a pointed look. If she kept looking at him like that, I was going to blind her.
    “Come on, guys,” Olivia encouraged. “It will be a fun. Haven’t you ever been curious if you’ve met your soul mate?”
    Maybe it was more a girl thing, kind of like planning your wedding, something little girls dreamed of. I wasn’t sure guys were wired the same way.
    “Olivia, you know that spell is inaccurate. It only works if you have had some form of contact with the person,” Seth argued, clearly against the idea.
    She shrugged, not deterred. “I know, but it’s worth a shot. And so what if it doesn’t work? No harm done. We will be left to still wonder if they are out there.”
    “Hell, why not?” Zeke replied. “What else do we have to do tonight?” He gave me a sideways half-smile.
    “I can think of plenty,” Seth grumbled.
    Zeke eyed Seth across the circle. “What’s the big deal, Seth? Afraid of what you’ll see?” he asked, arching a brow at his best friend. There was a glint of challenge in his eyes.
    Something was definitely going on between those two. I glanced between them, wondering what was going through their heads.
    Seth folded his arms. “Whatever. Fine. If this is what you guys want…” He stretched out his long legs, appearing blasé, but the tightening of his jaw said otherwise.
    “Well, I vote yes just because Seth doesn’t want to do it.” I gave him a glaring-smirk.
    Zeke chuckled beside me.
    “I’d be careful what you ask for,” Seth warned, his eyes sharpening.
    My mouth thinned. “What is that supposed to mean?”
    He shook his head. “Nothing. Let’s just get this over with.”
    If I wasn’t mistaken, Seth was uneasy. There was something he was hiding, and this spell was making him edgy. Maybe he already knew who his starsoul was. The thought made my