Page 3

“If I have my way, that won’t be the first time you throw up tonight, baby brother.”

When he was done, he walked back over to me. I slipped the amulet into my top and took a deep lungful of city air. It was different, out here. Dirtier. Grimier. I didn’t mind it. That tang in the air meant I was free… for a while, at least.

“Where are we?” Max asked.

“We’re here.”

“And where’s here?”

“A nightclub I like to come to sometimes.”

“Sometimes? You’ve been here more than once?”

“I have.”

“And you’ve never been caught?”

“As long as I move through the Ether, I can get past our family’s defensive spells. All I have to do is make sure I don’t use the amulet near mom and dad, just in case.”

“In case?”

“They’ll probably notice me using it if I’m too close to them.” I shrugged. “Anyway, enough of that. Let’s go get you that drink.”

I started walking toward the mouth of the alley, where the people were. Already I could hear the thump of the bass coming from one of the side doors into the building to our left. I could’ve snuck us in through that door, but I felt it was better for Max if I gave him the whole going out in public experience.

When I realized he wasn’t standing next to me, I turned around. “What are you waiting for?”

He was standing where we had been a moment ago. He had a smile on his face. “Have I told you you’re insane yet?”

“You have.”

“Have I also told you what an amazing sister you are?”

“That one, no. Not yet.”

“Well, you are,” he said, approaching. “This is crazy… but I appreciate it.”

I placed a hand on his shoulder. “Save the mushy stuff for now.”

Max frowned. “Why?”

“Because in about an hour all that mushy sentiment is going to ooze out of you, and I need to get at least one colorful drink in me before that happens.”

“Alright, fine,” Max grinned. “Let’s do this.”

“Atta boy,” I slapped him against the shoulder. Grinning, I added. “Welcome to Boston.”

Chapter

Two

You’re dangerous, Beatrice.

I could almost hear my father’s voice in my head, stern, flat, and unmovable. If you go out there, among them, before you’re ready, you could get someone killed. He never gave me an explanation beyond that, and never explained when I would be considered ready.

It was always no; we stay away from them.

I had to admit, the first time I snuck out of the mansion, I felt a little fear. The way my parents had set things up, I was convinced I would accidentally turn someone to dust if I so much as bumped shoulders with them. It took a few trips and crashing almost face first into someone busily looking at their phone, to get that concern out of my head.