Page 29 (1/2)

"I think she likes you"

"If only erous--now, but she’s my favorite aunt She used to take me all kinds of places Whenever my parents didn’t want me around, she’d always take me in"

"I could’ve used a relative like that," Jason said, forgetting the usual self-edit

Leesha stood on tiptoes and brushed her lips across his cheek, nearly"Bye, Jason"

"Can’t you colanced over her shoulder "I’d better not" She’d see, as if she’d had too lad old Aunt Milli was there to serve as chaperone As she turned back around, he noticed that her face seerasped Leesha’s chin and turned her face up toward the porchlight She flinched and pulled away

"What happened to your face?" One side of it ollen, and he could see bruises under the makeup It hadn’t been apparent in the candlelit parlor

Leesha turned away froht "It was Aunt Milli She took out a wall in the conservatory I’ to have to put her in a home"

Were there homes for wizards with dementia? "Seems like you should slip some Weirsbane into her tea She’d be easier to handle if she wasn’t always setting things on fire"

"I’ve tried that She can always tell" She paused "Maybe to So else to do but leave, so he left

He walked hoh dark streets They’d been to the park twice that week already In really cold weather, they hung out at matinees, where they were unlikely to be spotted, or went back to Leesha’s house--er--mansion Usually Aunt Millisandra went to bed early, but lately she’d had inso around since he lived back at hoo It was hard to keep a secret in a small town He wasn’t exactly answerable to Nick or Linda or anyone else, except s He’d just prefer to avoid the lecture if he could Jack, Will, Fitch, Seph, Ellen--they all hated and mistrusted Leesha Middleton

So why didn’t he? Not that he totally trusted her, but there was a reckless intensity to their relationship that appealed to him She was the only spark in an otherwise dish the

Leesha’d had a hard life, in a way--she’d been an inconvenience to her aristocratic wizard parents until her escapades in the Trade made her an embarrassment She was a survivor, but still so halfway

He laughed You are so out of your league, he thought It was the story of his life

When he arrived ho ice cream into a blender

"Jason! You’re just in tiripped both his hands, war him all the way to his toes

"Milkshakes," he repeated stupidly "I’ot lipstick on your face," she said, reaching up and rubbing it off with her forefinger

He liked that about Linda She didn’t ask hard questions Then he noticed her suitcase sitting by the door "You going so Leander in Britain"

"Right Well Great" His face burned, and the words seeuess"

He went to turn away, and she gripped his ar anxiously up into his eyes "He’s been waiting for you He needs help with soht Probably wantsirritable and uncooperative, Jason went to find Seph

Seph sat next to the s reading in a puddle of light cast by a single table lamp Past the patio there was a strip of snon, then a wall that round, the waves crashed in a northind, clai the beach

Seph looked up and er "Jase! Where’ve you been?"

Jason shrugged "Here and there What’s up?"

No answer Seph satinto space, like he’d checked out co headphones or reading his e- the boundary

"What are you reading?" Jason asked, trying to break in

Seph looked up, a little startled "AP Physics We’re having another practice test next week"

Jason dropped into a wrought-iron chair "Can you really do both those things at the sas at the saht to himself

In fact, Seph looked bad, kind of hollow-cheeked and twitchy, and his eyes glittered and burned "You sound like Lin… two tallbowl of trail mix