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My coffee, instant prepared from water warmed up over the open fire, was cold I’d ht wake Trent, and I’d just as soon have hi Landon’s spelling party to was iuide these days

I was tired of trying to overco raw energy at them--as effective as it was Earlier today Trent and I had made and imbibed potions to make ourselves almost invisible, to temporarily hold our breath for five h to climb walls, and to coat an attacker in a spiderweblike net But after ato have second thoughts They all tasted like crap I didn’t kno Al stood being his own spelling cupboard I felt ill, as if I’d eaten bad yogurt And what if I forgot the word of invocation?

But if Trent would stay asleep for ten more minutes, I had one more spell to craft, one I’d rather finish before he woke

The soft hus pulledused as a sink Dust glittered in the sun as Jenks landed on the narrow sill I slammed down a third potion as Jenks leaned over his knees, a stick of yew as tall as he was in his grip

"Is this long enough?" he asked, panting as he glanced at the sleeping Trent in envy

I nodded, carefully setting the four re the table My pulse quickened It wasn’t as if Trent would beto count on the deet them to help us stave off the elven trickery IWhy wouldn’t they help expose him? But to talk to the collectives

"Thanks, Jenks," I said as I took the plates with their crumbs of cheese and crackers to the ainst the side of the openfra bark, and I sed it off the plant

Jenks followedto rest on my cold coffee cup as I swabbed the teak doith a salt water–soaked rag Apparently teak was spell resistant I hadn’t known, and it felt really weird to be spelling on it "Can I help?" he asked, and then a draft sent his dust into the fireplace to flame up with a hiss

"Ah, sure" Brow furrowed, I shifted a footstool out of the path of a protection circle It was inlaid right into the floor,hut, and it was a fairly large circle for most casual users "Keep an eye on Trent’s aura and letup"

Jenks snorted, and I shot him a look to behave as I settled myself at the table with the hand mirror, bottle of wine, salt from Trent’s stash, and the rest The charm would temporarily stripthened y was a jolt instead of the usual calm flow, and my eyes started open The line was only six feet away, but there was a raw, serrated feel to it that I’d never felt before I had a bad feeling that it was the otten used to the s ley line

"Okay, let’s get this started," Iat Trent as I set the protective circle Jenks was inside it with itation as thefor the knife to pare down the yew stick to a proper stylus when the silver bell over the fireplace le, beautiful peal of sound

My heart see to an alarmed silver as he turned to that tiny slip of ley line that crossed the hut’s corner

I spun to a stand Al! The dereen crushed velvet, his nose wrinkled and disdainfully brushing at his coat "Al!" I alain! At least he wasn’t drunk this time "Get out!" I exclaimed softly

Jenks took to the air when Al seemed to shake his foot free of the line and stepped closer to the fire His sleeve brushed the edge of my circle and it fell with the sensation of winter snow, our auras being identical thanks to Newt "I should have guessed you’d be here," he said, a white-gloved hand reaching for the chrysalis he’d once given s," he finished bitterly

"I’m not collected," I whispered "And put that down It’s , Al succinctly put the black chrysalis into his front pocket, daring s squeaked as Trent shifted on the cot, and my pulse quickened Damn it, I’d wanted to talk to Al, but not in person, and not here! "Outside," I de him to the door "Now, before he wakes up"

"Like I care," he ot behind hiain noticing he didn’t s Jenks bristle

Al let himself be shoved out, but I think it was only because Jenks was having a personal issue with the "alone" comment "Rache," the pixy protested once ere outside

"Stay here," I de Al down the path "I mean it Justkeep Trent safe"

"Trent!" the pixy yelped, releasing a burst of gold dust rivaling the sun

"Do this for me!" I exclaimed, voice hardly above a whisper "Al, ith me"

The demon snorted "Walk withinto the little kingriped "I hope he turns your underwear to slugs!"

Jenks wouldn’t follow hta deardens "How did you knoanted to talk to you?" I said, pulse fast as I slowed down

"I didn’t" Al’s voice was low, distant alracefully unrolled with the sound of green "I ca a ht that heme But then my brief elation died "It’s not aLandon’s curse to dust"

Al’s steady pace faltered, and I stopped in the

"Rachel, you can’t shift the elven curse The best you can hope for is to survive it But it doesn’t matter You must co Trent to do this alone We could do this if the rest of you would help," I accused, glad ere out of earshot of Trent’s hut

Al reached forback before it touchedsureness "Trent has overestimated himself, and you won’t come out of this alive if you bind your fate to his"

My brow furrowed "I didn’t know you cared"

Fire exploded against my cheek, and I stuht ht He’d slappedto shift the elven curse will get you killed!"

He’d slapped me! "Hey!" I exclaimed, almost afraid He had struck me because I’d used his pain to hurt him "You walked away from me You don’t have any say in what I do any to so I tensed, but he turned away, his back bowed as he went to a cement bench I hadn’t even known it was there, so covered in a ra rose vine it was Head down, Al waved his hand, brushing aside the vines to find a clear spot to sit The scent of disturbed roses wafted out--one last bid for beauty before the autumn chill pinched the petals free

He looked broken as he sat there with his elbows on his knees and stared at nothing My cheek throbbed, and guilt swaainst him was cruel

"We need your help," I said, and he looked at h the leafas I shifted closer There’d been a clearing here once--a patio maybe--and I went to sit on a broken statue It looked as if it h admittedly not a very sunny one