“Oh, can he be a squirrel!?” Laila gasps, suddenly sitting up and clutching her hands beneath her chin. “We don’t have them in our world – but I saw them in that movie about the big hairy elephant in the ice world – and it was so cute! Oh, please let him be a little itty squirrel!” Her voice squeaks
The rest of the evening passes with a great deal of joy and joking. Drinks go around and Faiza really lights up after the alcohol loosens her lips, telling us her spy stories and having all of us basically rolling on the ground in laughter. But after the bartender leads the five of us (plus one squi
“I love having magical friends,” Laila says with a sigh as her laughter fades, her face still delighted. “Not sufficiently magical,” I grumble, still moody and with a bit of a headache after not sleeping. I slump back against the back of the chair, lifting my coffee to my lips. “After all, I still
Laila puts her coffee on the ground and catches the bag that I toss for her, eagerly spilling the contents in her hand. Blythe’s little squirrel eyes go wide when he sees the mouse bones and he squeaks, leaping off of Laila’s lap and dashing to me. I burst out laughing, gathering him close and pet
“Because they all have bonds,” Faiza says, rolling her eyes like I’m an idiot and taking a long sip of her coffee. “You and Laila don’t have a bond.” “Well then how did you get Life’s magic?” I ask, pushing. “I’m her Priestess,” Faiza mumbles, rolling her eyes again. “She just gives me access to
“Whoa,” Laila says, grinning widely at me and squeezing my hands as I sit back on my rump. “This is crazy.” “Can you feel it?” I ask, laughing a little as Laila – a bit absurdly – looks up, sensing something different on her forehead and trying to see it. I conjure her up a hand mirror and hand it
I sigh, turning my head to glance up at the temple, desperately hoping that Life has some answers. “Let’s get started, then,” Laila says, cheerfully gathering up her divination supplies and popping them all back into their little bag. “No time to waste! Let’s get that boy a body!” I laugh, getti
“Midnight!” Orion gasps, leaning forward to stare at her. “What – what are you doing here!?” “I swear to god, Orion,” Midnight snaps, holding up a finger towards him in warning. “If you try to kiss me, I’m going to flip out –“ Orion groans, leaning back against his pillows and covering his face.
“No!” she sputters out, stumbling a few steps towards me, shaking her head so hard her pretty blue-green hair flutters out all around her. “No, Junie, don’t make me go! I want…I want to stay here! And help! I mean…” she bites her lip. “It will be nice to be able to visit home. But I want to stay wit
“I’m sending you home too,” I say quietly, doing my best to look each in the eyes. “I’m sorry this happened to you. I’m sorry if you’re disappointed that you didn’t get the wish.” They murmur a variety of responses back to me, most of them relieved. One by one they step forward and I take their ha
“Does…” I whisper, my eyes still fastened to Orion as my eyes move over him, feeling the powers that radiate from him now. “Does that mean you have all of the powers of Darkness too? From…from the wish?” “No,” Orion murmurs, looking down at his hands and flexing them, experimenting with the feel o
Beatrice is the last to go, staring at me in shock, realizing finally that she bet everything on the wrong horse. I bare my teeth at her, fangs extended, and Beatrice’s eyes go wider as she trembles and finally submits, going to her knees and bowing her head. “Good,” I say, my voice returning to n
Laila’s knife sinks deep between Death’s shoulder blades and the final scream of a God fills the air as Death falls to his knees. The magic stops mid-stream, like a tap being suddenly turned off. I groan and tilt forward against Anton, who catches me and holds me against his chest. “Shit, June,”
“Just a little longer, June. She’ll do it.” But what if she doesn’t? What if…what if I’m inches from oblivion, and this is it? My heart strains in my chest, my wolf shaking like a leaf from snout to tail. But still, I will myself to hope. To trust in my friend. “I know,” I reply, letting my ey
I gasp, my shoulders trembling under the sheer weight of Death’s magic that flows over and around us, my shield barrier straining and buckling under its might. “June,” Anton breathes, eyes wide as he looks up at the magic streaming over us in an unending torrent. “Shit – are you –“ I crouch besi
The wish presses against Death for a moment and then sinks into him, dissolving into his chest. He sighs with happiness and what looks like ecstasy, tilting his head back to the sky as the magic disappears into him. Beatrice steps away, tucking her hands behind her back, beaming at the God she jus
Before I can get more than three steps after Laila, Anton lunges forward, his paws landing on either side of me as he snatches at the back of my gown with his teeth, holding me back. His fierce growl reminds me that I need to stay here – that Death took Laila because he wants me to come rushing onto