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Madison hunched her shoulders like she could disappear into her coat "They’re not co other places," Ellen pointed out "Kidnapping sorcerers to help in the war Stockpiling weapons"

True But Madison jerked her head at the motley army "If the Roses do co to do? Do you really think you’ll be able to hold theretted it Her mother, Carlene, always said Madison’s ue

Like Carlene was an exalances again "We have to try"

"Maybe you should buy soested sarcastically "And rocket-propelled grenades"

"Assault rifles don’t work against wizards, unless you take them by surprise," Ellen said She’d been raised by wizards, outside of the usual teen social circles, so sarcasht by her "Their shields can totally turn non-ical battle on a level playing field"

"Well, I think it’s a waste of…" Sensing a presence, she swung around The buckskin-clad warrior was right behind her, rudely eavesdropping on the conversation "Did you want soed a creditable little bow "My name’s Jeremiah Brooks, ma’am," he said "I don’t believe we’ve been introduced"

Madison squinted up at hiunpowder

"I’m Maddie Moss"

"Pleased to make your acquaintance, irl in town" Jere, slow, droop-lidded smile

"Jeremiah lived near here in the 1780s," Jack explained "He was kidnapped by the Roses and died at Raven’s Ghyll in 1792"

"Is that so, Mr Brooks?" Madison asked, for lack of anything else to say Of course it was so Mr Jere hit on by somebody who’d been dead for s were a dime a dozen in Trinity, Ohio

Brooks dismissed his death with a wave of his hand "Miz Moss, if you’d care to go dancing with ht, you’ll see there’s some life left in laring at the ghost warrior "That’s where I draw the line" These ghosts were just a little too substantial as far as she was concerned They ate, drank, fought… and danced, apparently Except for their odd mode of dress and the weapons they carried, you couldn’t tell therinned "Better watch yourself, Brooks Maddie’s going out with my cousin The most powerful wizard I know"

Brooks paled under his stubble of beard "I’m sorry, ma’am No offense meant You didn’t see that…"

"We’re not going out" Madison scowled at Jack, who shrugged and raised his eyebrows at Ellen

Madison tried again "I mean, we’re just…friends Good friends To be honest, I’ve barely seen hi on at the mouth Stop it

Brooks lifted an eyebrow "Well, watch yourself, Miz Moss I don’t know that you can be friends with a wizard They’ve been known to take advantage of young ladies If you take ave him a look, then turned to Jack and Ellen "Anyway We were supposed to o You haven’t seen him, have you?"

Jack shook his head "I don’t see hiht up withthe boundary"

While the warriors played their war games, the wizards of Trinity had established an invisible barrier to suppress attack ic within the sanctuary The y And tiet e need a special boundary noe never did before," Madison said

"Well, the ban on attack uess now nobody knohether it’s in force or not," Jack said, "or when D’Orsay s are kind of up in the air"

Madison sta that her fancy boots were not ainst the cold "Well, I was supposed to help him with an art project, but he didn’t show"

Jack and Ellen shifted their feet in the beaten-down snow, obviously eager to get back to their scri for him," Ellen offered

Madison ja to waret to work See you"

The clatter of fighting resu