Page 143 of Cold Curses

Lulu nodded. “That’s my thought. I’m calling it an antisundering spell.”

“Because it puts back together what was split,” Dad said, nodding. “Very nice.”

“You might feel different when it’s out,” Mom said, looking at me with concern. “I mean, physically. After its being there for so long.”

I might be weaker with monster gone. And I knew I’d miss its constant company. But none of that mattered now.

I nodded. “I know. But it’s time.”

* * *

A round of hugs and tears and milkshake tasting followed. And then it was time for whatever came next.

“We need to use the armory,” I said.

“Do you need help?” Aunt Mallory asked.

Lulu looked at me. “I think we need to do this ourselves. But more important, you need to stay out of the room. Just in case.”

“Just in case of what?” I asked, and heard panic in my voice.

“You turn into a half-dragon. Dragon face on your body, or vice versa.”

Her lips were twitching, and I nearly pinched her. But Connor took my hand, squeezed.

“Nothing bad is going to happen as far as monster is concerned,” Lulu said. “But we’re running up against Sorcha’s magic. And she is bad-news bears. I don’t think there’s any way she could affect things now, but…”

“But Black is eating demons,” I said again. “I don’t think he understands enough about the mechanics of monster or the Egregore to try to hit the House. But he’s not in his right mind, and it’s better if you’re outside on guard.”

“We will be,” Mom said with what I thought of as her Sentinel look. Ferocity and courage in her eyes and a little bit of a smirk at the mouth as if she were ready to leap into a dangerous fight and throw out some snark along the way.

“I’m not sure how I’ll feel afterward,” I said. “Probably weak. So, if you have blood ready, that might be good.”

“Or coffee,” Connor said with a smile.

“Do what you need to do,” Dad said. “But, please, don’t destroy the House. It’s having a very hard month.”

TWENTY-TWO

And then it was just Connor, Alexei, Lulu, and me in the armory. We’d closed and locked the door, just in case.

It was a new generation of Chicago’s protectors in the room this time. Not taking something out, but putting something back.

Alexei whistled as he surveyed the hundreds of weapons ready for use—from ribboned pikes to katanas to guns. The latter were rarely used unless the enemy was similarly armed.

“Can we take souvenirs?” he asked, gazing lovingly at a set of viciously sharp throwing stars.

I looked at Mom’s sword, which lay atop a table on its bed of silk, and felt monster’s excitement become palpable.

“Is the House vibrating?” I asked.

“No,” Lulu said quietly. “That’s the magic surrounding the sword. I can feel it, too, a little.”

But not just magic. There was hope, too. A promise very nearly fulfilled.

“How are you feeling?” she asked.

“Nervous.” I glanced at her. “Not about you. About the separation. About what I’m about to become and what we’re about to unleash.”