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Alan stood silent for a moment, and then he said, “You’ll see”
Nick usted sound and jerked his head sharply in a suain and followed Nick as he made his way down the stairs
He hadn’t said , but he had insisted on leaving the attic, and access to the roof, to Alan and Mae That would give the out
The icians’ Circle ns of a rushed and recent icians’ house The place was filled with charood price at the Goblin Market There were protective sylass of some s There was a chandelier in the shape of a drea the pale noon light Nick walked under it and along the corridors softly as a cat, glancing occasionally backward to make sure that Jamie was close behind him and not about to cause any trouble
Once when he turned around, Ja so on a table
“What are you doing?” he snapped, but quietly
“What’s this?” Jamie whispered
He picked up the little glass shape in his hands, turning it over, and the glass, which had shown a flurry of golden autuht
“It’s a season tetrahedron,” Nick said “Like a snow globe, but depending what side you look at, it shows a different season”
“It’s beautiful,” Jaot drifting white snowflakes
“Yes, it’s lovely,” Nick agreed flatly “And co at toys to keep an eye out for et left behind Don’t think I will not leave you to die”
Jalass chinking against the marble tabletop He took a step backward, toward Nick, and shoved his hands in his pockets
“Don’t worry,” he said “I know you would”
Nick was lanced over at Jamie, whose face was pale above a dark hooded sweatshirt Nick took aHe’d never blend into the shadows if they had to hide That little glint would catch anyone’s eye
“I can’t work you out,” Jamie felt the need to infor He seeh, so Nick didn’t even try to stop him “You’ve been okay to me sometimes, but I can’t tell if that means you like me I don’t know if you like anyone, I don’t know if you can like anyone I thought at least there was Alan, but then you hit him”
Jamie was furious with him, Nick realized He supposed it made sense Jamie hated violence so much
“I’ve never thought about you enough to dislike you,” Nick said “I just think you’re useless”
“And I think you’re scary,” Jamie snapped “So we’re even”
There was not a sound, not even the creak of a floorboard, but Nick popped the knife from his wrist sheath all the same He felt more comfortable with a knife in his hand
“We’re not even You’re causingyour pointless life”
“You wouldn’t have lifted a finger to help us if Alan hadn’t insisted Alan’s the one ants to help people You don’t want to help people I don’t think you even see most people as people You remind me of — so as well”
There was ashadon the hall, but after a moment of observation, Nick saas a tapestry fixed to the wall only by the top It was fluttering in a breeze and covered with symbols to attract wealth and power
“You only do the right thing because Alan wants you to,” Ja furious “Without him, I’m pretty sure you’d be a monster”
Nick bared his teeth at Jamie “So I’m a monster,” he murmured “Are you scared?”
Below the footsteps, sudden and clear Ja a sainst the wall, a hand over his mouth
“Shh,” he hissed “Try to remember there are monsters here Besides me”
Ja far too fast as they waited, both tense, for another sound, for a door to open or a voice to speak
Nothing came After a moment he released Jamie
“Sorry,” Jamie whispered “I just wanted to talk to you I wanted to say — that I think you should forgive Alan We all have our secrets”
“You certainly do,” Nick sneered, and Jaain
He almost wanted to talk to Jamie about that It was obvious that Jaician as Nick did For days all Nick had been able to think of were ies of Black Arthur and demons and death
It was ih Nick could ask him, perhaps, how he controlled his power If Nick could find some way not to be like Black Arthur, Alan would be pleased
Except that it would be i, to be like Jamie And Alan was a liar
“I don’t want anyone to talk to me,” Nick snarled “What difference do words make? He’s not my brother”
“What does that matter?” Jamie demanded “Don’t you understand—”
“No,” Nick growled “I understood being brothers I understood that word, but now I don’t understand anything and — Shut up and get behind me!”
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Alan stood silent for a moment, and then he said, “You’ll see”
Nick usted sound and jerked his head sharply in a suain and followed Nick as he made his way down the stairs
He hadn’t said , but he had insisted on leaving the attic, and access to the roof, to Alan and Mae That would give the out
The icians’ Circle ns of a rushed and recent icians’ house The place was filled with charood price at the Goblin Market There were protective sylass of some s There was a chandelier in the shape of a drea the pale noon light Nick walked under it and along the corridors softly as a cat, glancing occasionally backward to make sure that Jamie was close behind him and not about to cause any trouble
Once when he turned around, Ja so on a table
“What are you doing?” he snapped, but quietly
“What’s this?” Jamie whispered
He picked up the little glass shape in his hands, turning it over, and the glass, which had shown a flurry of golden autuht
“It’s a season tetrahedron,” Nick said “Like a snow globe, but depending what side you look at, it shows a different season”
“It’s beautiful,” Jaot drifting white snowflakes
“Yes, it’s lovely,” Nick agreed flatly “And co at toys to keep an eye out for et left behind Don’t think I will not leave you to die”
Jalass chinking against the marble tabletop He took a step backward, toward Nick, and shoved his hands in his pockets
“Don’t worry,” he said “I know you would”
Nick was lanced over at Jamie, whose face was pale above a dark hooded sweatshirt Nick took aHe’d never blend into the shadows if they had to hide That little glint would catch anyone’s eye
“I can’t work you out,” Jamie felt the need to infor He seeh, so Nick didn’t even try to stop him “You’ve been okay to me sometimes, but I can’t tell if that means you like me I don’t know if you like anyone, I don’t know if you can like anyone I thought at least there was Alan, but then you hit him”
Jamie was furious with him, Nick realized He supposed it made sense Jamie hated violence so much
“I’ve never thought about you enough to dislike you,” Nick said “I just think you’re useless”
“And I think you’re scary,” Jamie snapped “So we’re even”
There was not a sound, not even the creak of a floorboard, but Nick popped the knife from his wrist sheath all the same He felt more comfortable with a knife in his hand