Revealers by Amanda Marrone

of his flannel shirt. He pops a piece in his mouth and then throws one across the table to me. “Maybe if I get to know you better, I’ll let you in on my little secret. But right now I’m gonna give Evan the signal that Dani’s safe to pillage.”
    “What!”
    “Sorry—guy talk. Safe to date. But I think we can both agree it’s safe to leave them alone now. I have to change the oil in my grandmother’s car, and you can go home and, uh—boil fairies.
    Okay?”
    I scoff and shake my head. “You do know that boiling even the smallest of pixies would bring the wrath of the fairy court down on you so fast you’d be wishing I had turned you into a toad, right?”
    “Well, I guess I better go out and empty that jelly jar I filled last night, before Tinker Bell and her friends start kicking my butt, eh?”
    I laugh. “I’d say that would be a good idea.”
    “Thanks for the tip!” He gets up and takes his car keys out of his pocket.
    “Wait, how do I know Evan is safe for Dani to date? Maybe I should be warning her to stay away from him!”
    Finn tilts his head down and gives me an “are you totally without clues” look. “The guy would wear pocket protectors if he didn’t think he’d get beat up for it. He’s got the wild-haired Einstein poster hanging above his headboard, and he’s never looked at porn.
    “And no, before you ask, he’s not gay. He’s just the byproduct of overprotective, mega-nerd parents. I’d tell Dani if she wants some action she should make the first, and possibly second and third moves.” He winks and heads toward the ramp into the main library. “See you around, witchy-poo!”
    I watch him swagger down, his boots clomping, and know I should tell my mom about this.
    But there’d be too many questions I don’t want to answer. That Dani wouldn’t want to answer, too.
    And who knows, maybe Helena would do something to Evan and Finn. My stomach rolls nervously.
    Or me.
    What would she do if she found out I’d just been chatting about fairies with a mere mortal?
    I chew on my thumbnail and think maybe she’d decide that the idiot who didn’t deny being a witch could never be with Connor no matter what changes the coven makes.
    I pick up the book lying next to me and gently tap it on my forehead. “I-am-such-an-idiot,”
    I whisper between thwonks.
    As long as Finn keeps it quiet I should be okay. I think.
    I get up and walk toward the stacks. Just concentrate on things changing—and Connors house next week, I tell myself.
    Just the thought of us alone—in his room with no chance of interruption—makes me feel warm all over. A happy shiver runs down my spine as I put the book back on the shelf. I lick my lips and wish Connor were with me right now.
    I head out to the main part of the library and catch Dani’s eye. She beams at me. I point toward the door and wave. She nods and I wonder how she’s going to take the news that her would-be boyfriend knows she’s a witch.
    I smile. Maybe her fantasy wasn’t too far off.

9
    “My mom bought this great long underwear for flying. It’s really warm, but it’s not the ultra-thick bulky kind,” Dani yells.
    Dani keeps talking, but the wind is whipping around so much it’s hard to hear her, and really all I can think about is Sascha filling us in on the supersecret ceremony tonight after her initiation is over.
    “Are you listening?” Dani calls out.
    “What?” I say.
    “I said, at first I was mad—like she thought the bulky stuff would just make me look fatter, but then I figured I was being paranoid and she probably thought I’d just like some newer stuff, you know?”
    I’m about to tell Dani to just concentrate on not getting knocked off her broom instead of rambling on about long underwear, but we’re already heading lower toward the meeting spot and the wind is easing up.
    I tilt my broom down, careful to clear the tall pines surrounding the opening in the woods.
    “Shit!” Dani yells.
    I look back and see her