Page 22

Two days passed in a disorienting blur, and though my best friend had cheated death, I had still had a sour taste of what life would be like without her. After the resurrection, Nathan had insisted on taking Genie to the Infirmary and putting her on sick leave for the rest of the week. The medics on duty had asked what was wrong, but we were spared the need to lie; as it turned out, Genie had a legitimate fever and cough from shivering out in the rain for so long—enough of an illness to warrant being fussed over by medical professionals, a situation Genie loathed to her core. Being the perpetual tough nut, she claimed that being sick was almost as bad as being dead. Her words, not mine, and I’d scolded her for even saying them.

Since Genie was recuperating from her foray into the afterlife, I spent my Thursday and Friday going to lessons alone. The entire class had been shocked by the news that Genie Vertis, wunderkind and all-around heroine, had been downed by a trifling bit of flu. Even Marcel had done a double take when I’d told him, wondering if she was just “pulling a sickie” so she didn’t have to try flooring him again. Of course, I’d given her the breakdown of what she’d missed after classes were over, keeping vigil at her bedside until the medics chased me away. Nathan had been there a lot, too, since he didn’t have to spend hours at the mercy of instructors.

The weekend arrived, but Genie still hadn’t been let off bed rest. As such, Nathan and I had decided to go to the magical farmer’s market to rustle up some goodies that might cheer Genie up… and stop her from whining at the medics to let her out. I’d been granted permission from Victoria to go outside the Institute boundaries for this one excursion, since I’d have Nathan with me, and it was still magical territory. The market was held on the last Saturday of each month, with vendors traveling from every continent aside from Antarctica to set up shop in the designated interdimensional bubble located in the field just beyond the Institute. The jumbled mix of stalls with striped awnings, carts of all shapes and sizes, and walking sellers wielding baskets of produce probably would’ve fit, just about, inside a football pitch, with crowded paths cutting distinct lines between the rows of vendors.

I drank it all in as we entered the bubble. Golden pastries, rich with butter, were racked up on trays, the elegant lattice work restraining pockets of tart apricots and berries, sugary apples, impeccably sliced peaches, and decadent chocolate for those who didn’t care about clogging their arteries. Fresh breads, straight out of the oven, bloomed in wicker baskets, begging to be slathered thick with Irish butter. Cakes iced in mesmerizing, galactic mirror glazes adorned one stall, while entire statues of chocolate-carved monsters towered over a tiny chocolatier, who was hard at work melting more brown deliciousness into molds. Further along, I saw bronzed ducks, headily spiced with flavors of the Far East, glistening on rotisserie spits. The scent made my mouth water. Bubbly, cackling African women tossed frying sunshine-yellow squash in an enormous pan, throwing in bright green peppers and a purple-tinged root vegetable that I didn’t recognize. My stomach growled as we passed their stall. “I don’t think this place will ever lose its novelty,” I said.

“You just have to look at Marcel to know that.” Nathan grinned, looking more chipper than he had since his revelations. “He’s here every month, without fail. There’s not a single stall owner who doesn’t know him.”

A young woman stopped us on our path, holding out a tray of gelato. “Would you like a sample?”

“You don’t have to ask me twice.” I took one of the tiny cups, swallowing the cold goodness before Nathan had even reached for his. Tangy lemon melted on my tongue, refreshing and cool in the cramped heat of the market. I glanced at Nathan. “Do you think Genie might like some?”

He smiled. “I think it would melt before we got it to her.”

“Good point.” I dropped the cup in a nearby trashcan and pressed on, marveling at cupcakes with a sparkling halo of sugar crystals floating around the icing. Intriguing, but they weren’t special enough to bring Genie out of her bedridden funk. She needed the best comfort food money could buy, and maybe a gift too. And the market had it all: food, drinks, jewelry, clothing, and anything else you didn’t know you were looking for.

“How about this?” Nathan paused beside a stall selling sodas in old-fashioned, pop-cap bottles. “Sugar is good for a fever. They have moon-melon flavor!”

I snorted. “Pardon?”

“Moon-melons. They’re grown in a remote part of Iceland by a tribe of magicals. They’re exposed to the moonlight every night, and kept warm under blankets during the day,” he explained. “Apparently, because of the magic they’re infused with, they never lose their chill, so we don’t have to worry about it getting warm before she can drink it.”

“Sounds perfect!” I encouraged, pleased to see him relaxed and enjoying himself. He’d been even more awkward than usual after the Necromancy, no doubt worrying that we’d suddenly turn on him—or turn him in—because of who his father was. Sure, it had thrown me for a loop, but I understood better than anyone that having a bad relative didn’t make you bad, too. While he hadn’t chosen his father, he had chosen to distance himself from that awful legacy. And he’d saved my best friend’s life, which awarded him a whole deck of forgiveness cards, in my book.

Nathan bought a whole case of the moon-melon bottles and stowed them away in a canvas bag, where they clinked happily. I didn’t say so out loud, but if they came from Nathan, I knew Genie would love them—even if they tasted like garbage.

Continuing our browsing mission, we picked up some samples of South African dried fruit, chewing on the tasty, if somewhat leathery, strips of dried mango as we walked. Swallowing a chunk, I mustered the courage to say some things that I hadn’t been able to say sooner.

I cleared my throat. “Thank you, by the way.”

He turned, a splinter of dried mango sticking out of his mouth. “Hmm?”

“I never got to say thanks for saving Genie. If it hadn’t been for you, I’d be in an asylum somewhere, crazy with grief.” I lowered my gaze, feeling tears prickle. In the days since it had happened, the thought of how differently things could’ve turned out kept bombarding my mind. And every time I dwelled on it, the tears came. “I know you took a massive risk, revealing everything to us. I just wanted to make sure you know how grateful I am. She means the world to me, and a world without her isn’t one I want to live in.”

He chewed discreetly on his mango. “Sometimes, when faced with the worst possible scenario, you have to do things you’d never normally do. She was my exception. I saw her on the ground and I knew I had to do everything in my power to ensure that she lived, even if it went against my ethics.”

“I suppose I chucked a lot of my ethics out of the window, too, when I beat the crap out of that bastard,” I muttered. My knuckles were still bruised, and they ached every time I moved my fingers. But, given the chance again, even knowing that Genie would survive, I’d still have gone to town on him.

Nathan laughed. “I confess, I didn’t know you had a secret boxer hiding in there.”

“Neither did I.” I ripped off another piece of mango and munched on it thoughtfully. “There’s something else I wanted to talk to you about.”

“Go on,” he replied, a hint of tension creeping into his face.

“Do you remember much about your dad?”

He sighed, as though he’d been expecting the question. “Not really. He left when I was three, and he didn’t leave many pictures. I suppose he wanted to cover his tracks. Everything I know about him I’ve learned from my mum or his Grimoire. Neither version is particularly flattering.”

“But… you do know what happened to him, right? Or did you mean it when you said you had no idea?” My mom and uncle had told me many a tale about old Davin Doncaster, with my Auntie Ryann chiming in with some stinging sass. And they hadn’t been particularly flattering, either.

He paused. “No, I meant it.”

“Do you want to know?” I tested the waters. He’d given us complete honesty, and if I could help him put any lingering ghosts to rest, then I would. Plus, it had always been my uncle’s favorite story.

He hesitated. “Yes, I think I would.”

“Lux imprisoned him in the center of the Earth,” I said. “Everyone thought he got locked up in Purgatory after the Atlantis thing, but that was a lie, told by the authorities who were in Antarctica at the time. I guess they thought it would have made them look bad or something, if a Child of Chaos had dispensed with him instead of using the proper avenues for justice. In my opinion, she delivered the best justice possible. He’s going to have to spend eternity with no one for company but himself, and there could be no worse punishment than making him hate the sound of his own voice. That’s what my mom says, anyway.”

Laughter pealed out of Nathan’s mouth, taking me by surprise. “You know what, I think your mum is right. Ah, Persie, you’ve just made my childhood self ridiculously happy. You see, I always hoped he’d met a more creative fate than just Purgatory.” He grinned at me. “If I ever meet Lux, I’ll have to bring her the biggest gift basket I can find.”

“I figured you ought to know.” I smiled, pleased that I’d been able to brighten his mood.

Still beaming from ear to ear, he carried on down the aisles of the market, and I fell in step beside him. “You must have heard some incredible tales in your time, I imagine,” Nathan said thoughtfully.

“And some that still haunt me.” I laughed, recalling the story of Davin being eviscerated by Murray. My mom had banned Finch from telling it to me for years. I briefly wondered if I should tell Nathan that one, but figured it might be a little much. Davin had continuously wriggled his way out of death and many maulings without a scratch on him, and Nathan clearly had no love for the guy, but it didn’t mean he’d want to hear all the gory details.

“Have you used your ability much, or is it something you avoid?” I asked, eyeing an array of jade bangles.

Nathan puffed air through his teeth, as if trying to remember something. “I don’t think I’ve used it since I was eleven, maybe twelve. I saved a friend who completely destroyed his spinal cord after hitting a rock. Besides you and Genie, only my mum knows about my ability.” A small smile tugged at the corners of his lips. “Before that, I mostly used it to bring back my hamsters. They had a tendency to die on me.”

“Maybe that was the real start to your love of monsters,” I teased. “Syrian hamsters can be cute and cuddly, but those Russian ones are savage to the core. I wouldn’t be surprised if it turns out they’re actually monsters in tiny, fluffy disguises.”

He chuckled. “Sounds like you had a bad experience.”

“One bit me in a pet shop, and I hold the entire species accountable.” I stopped to look at some silver rings, but none of them screamed ‘Genie.’ She didn’t wear jewelry often, aside from her barrette Esprit, so it had to be something truly unique if I was going to fork out major Euros for it. “By the way, how are you feeling about revealing your ‘ability’ to us? I know it couldn’t have been easy, and we didn’t exactly give you much choice.”

He put the last of his mango in his mouth, his forehead creasing. “It’s… strange. I shared a piece of myself that I’ve never shared with anyone but my mum. I think it’ll just take some getting used to.”

“You know your secret is safe with us, don’t you?” I assured him, a bit of mischief lightening my tone. “Plus, after being her hero, I’m one hundred percent sure that Genie will accept your offer of a date now, if you’d just get your ass in gear and ask the girl out.”

Nathan almost choked on his mouthful. “How did you know?”

“Because I’m not blind.” I smiled at him. “So, just ask her, okay? She’d kill me for saying it, so you should probably keep your ability primed, but she’s waiting for you to make the first move. This time without being disturbed by naughty pixies.” I grinned.

His eyes bulged. “She told you about that?”

“There are no secrets between us, which is why your secret will be safe. Nothing escapes our covenant.” I paused. “Well, aside from that little tidbit that I just told you, but that’s different—that’s to make my friend happy, and so the two of you will stop making goo-goo eyes at each other in front of me and actually do something about it.”

We walked on in silence for a few minutes. I could hear the cogs whirring in his mind as he processed what I’d just told him. He had to know that Genie felt the same way he did, right? If he didn’t, then perhaps he needed his prescription changed, because he wasn’t seeing what was right in front of him. His features began to relax, and he smiled. I hoped that meant he’d come to some kind of conclusion about what he was going to do, but I didn’t pry. If he had a plan in mind, I didn’t want to know about it… because then I’d have had to tell Genie, and that would ruin the surprise.

“Do you think my kidnapper meant what he said about not meaning to kill anyone?” I changed the subject as I browsed some sparkly cookies that seemed to embody happiness itself. The aroma of sugar and butter and magic that wafted up, mingling with the hypnotic twinkle of crystalline sparkles, inspired memories of a farmhouse kitchen that I’d never been to and lazy summer afternoons on a countryside veranda that I’d only seen in movies.

Nathan’s expression hardened, reflecting my own feelings on the matter. “I imagine so, but that doesn’t change the facts. He launched that blast intending to do harm, at the very least. Whether or not he was in control of what he was doing… it’s a tricky topic. Curses often make people behave violently, taking over their faculties completely, but I still hate him for what he did. Either way, he’s a danger to himself and those around him.”

“I keep wondering who would do that to a person, though.” I attempted to play devil’s advocate for a moment. “Don’t get me wrong, I detest him, but the real root of his evil is whoever put that curse on him in the first place. I’d like to give them a piece of my mind, too.”

“If he doesn’t know, I doubt anyone else will.” Nathan came to a halt in front of an aromatic noodle stall that smelled beyond incredible. Sweet and intense Chinese five-spice mingled with peppery gochujang, along with the rich scent of soy sauce. I sniffed, needing a deeper inhale. Beneath the power players, I smelled the mouthwatering tang of garlic and the subtler hint of young green scallions, plus a sneaky sprig of fresh red chilis to round everything off.

“This is it. This is the healing soup she needs!” I professed, watching as the seller stirred the glistening broth and thick, slippery udon. Genie would love it, and if that hearty creation didn’t fix her cold, I didn’t know what would.

Nathan licked his lips. “I was just thinking the same thing. I might even get some for myself in case she wants some company to eat with.”

“Okay, okay, I get the message. Infirmary date with Nathan and Genie, third-wheels not welcome.” I chuckled to let him know I wasn’t being serious.

“Oh… I can get some for you, too, if you like?” He really needed to read that book on sarcasm again.

I waved him away. “I was joking. You and Genie should spend some quality time together. Who knows, maybe it’ll give you the courage to ask her on a real date. You know, when she’s not in a hospital gown, cursing every medic who comes by to check her temperature.”

“Are you sure?” He sounded guilty.

“I’m positive. Besides, I’m full from the samples.” A chalkboard sign down the aisle caught my eye, claiming to have “bespoke silver jewelry, direct from Denmark.” Maybe the Scandinavians would have the unique gift I was looking for. “I’m just going to head down there for a bit, to see if they’ve got anything Genie might like. Call me back when the noodles are ready.”

Nathan nodded. “Will do.”

I strolled toward the Danish goods at a leisurely pace. The noodle-maker looked like a perfectionist, making sure everything was intricately layered and ladled, so I figured I had some time. Genie would have loved to be here with us now, taking in the sights of the market, pointing out all the tasty treats and pretty things. Resurrection took some time to get over, and Nathan had warned that there’d be aches and pains and weird sensations as the spirit settled in again.

Tears jabbed at my eyes as my brain decided to play a gut-wrenching slideshow of Genie getting hit by the blast and crashing to the ground, clawing at her throat before falling still, her body lifeless. For as long as I lived, I would never forget the vacant expression in her dead eyes.

“I need some air,” I mumbled, heading straight past the Danish jeweler and out of the bubble’s nearest exit.

Gasping for breath, I walked a few yards across the field, staring out at the clear azure sky. A cool breeze caressed my flushed cheeks and I closed my eyes, letting my surroundings envelop me.

I was just getting my breath back and feeling calmer when the hairs rose on the back of my neck. A subtle burning sensation, as though someone was watching me. My eyes snapped open and I whipped my head around as a familiar figure darted through the wall of the market’s interdimensional bubble and out of sight.

Oh, you bastard…