Trying not to be obvious about my sniffing, I draped it over one of the amulet racks and turned to find Trent wearing the coat. The sleeves covered his hands but for his fingertips; it was clearly too long. The starkness of the black fabric looked bad with his complexion, but when I was done with him, it would be perfect.
Trent moved to take it off, and I waved for him to wait. Try this, I said, handing him a ley line charm to add about six inches of height. He could make up the rest with his shoes and it wouldnt cost him beaucoup bucks. The usual rate was a thousand dollars an inch, but here it was probably more.
He put the charm on, but I didnt wait to see the result, already back among the amulets and the more familiar earth charms. Longer, longer , I muttered. Dont they have these in any order? Ah. Here it is. Pleased, I turned, almost smacking into him. Trent backed up, and I extended the charm. This will add a few inches to your hair. Hold on. I shuffled through the clutter, found a finger stick, pricked my finger, and while Trent watched, invoked the amulet with three drops of my blood.
Now try it, I said.
Trent took it, his silver-enhanced hair growing the instant his fingers encircled the redwood disk. Unlike ley magic charms, earth magic needed to be touching the skin, not just within a persons aura.
Okayyou dont want a bulk-up amulet, I directed. You dont need muscles, you need mass. I turned with the proper ley line charm. Try this, I said, and he silently took it, his weight seeming to grow to match his new height. I smiled as I eyed my efforts. It was a delicate balancing act, one Id practiced with my mom for the better part of two decades before Id moved out. And having this much variety at my fingertips made it a real pleasure.
Rynn Cormels facial structure is kind of spare, I murmured, fingers dancing through the ley line charms. We dont want to mess with your weight-to-height ratio, so if we add a few years with an age amulet, and then add a complexion charm to remove the wrinklesI quickly chose the age ley line charm, then hesitated. If it were me, Id spring for the earth magic complexion amulet rather than a ley line spell of illusion in case someone touched my face. Then I shrugged. Like anyone would be touching Trents face at a party? And a second ley line charm joined the pile.
Your chin needs to be longer , I murmured, rifling through the labeled ley line charms. Get rid of the tan. A wider brow, thicker eyebrows. Shorter eyelashes. And earsI hesitated, my focus blurring as I brought the undead vampires face to mind. His ears dont have much of a lobe and are round. I glanced at Trent. Yours are kind of pointy at the top.
He cleared his throat in warning.
Here, I said, invoking the charms I had selected as I dropped them one by one into his hand. Now lets see what you look like.
Trent slipped them into a pocket, and I turned to the mirror. Slowly I smiled. Trent said nothing, but Quen swore softly, his steps unheard on the carpet as he came forward.
I went to a drawer marked GLASSES and, after shuffling around, pulled out a pair of modern wire-rims. I gave them to Trent, and when he put them on, Quen whistled low and long. Morgan, Quen said, shooting me a wary but impressed glance, that is fantastic. I am going to install a few more charm monitors in the hallways.
Thank you, I said modestly, beaming. I stood beside Trent and admired my handiwork. You need teeth, yet, I said, and Trent nodded slowly, as if worried he might break the spell if he moved too fast. Are you going with caps or a charm? I asked.
Charm, Trent said absently, turning his head to get a better glimpse of himself.
Caps are more fun, I said, inordinately pleased. There was an entire bin of teeth charms, and I went ahead and invoked the ley line spell and dropped it into his pocket.
And you would know that how? Trent asked slyly.
Because I have a pair, I said, refusing to show any pain about Kisten in front of Trent, but I couldnt meet his eyes.
Done, I stood beside Trent as he smiled at the illusion of longer teeth. Somewhere along the line, Id joined him on the stage. Not wanting to get down and look subservient, I quieted my sudden nervousness at how close we were. And neither of us was trying to kill or arrest the other. Huh. How about that?
What do you think? I asked, since I had yet to hear Trents opinion.
Standing beside me, Trent, who now had distinguished gray hair, a thin, almost hollowed face, six more inches, and fifty more pounds, shook his head, looking nothing like himself and everything like Rynn Cormel. Damn, I should have gone into showbiz.
I look just like him, he said, clearly impressed.
Almost. More pleased than I wanted to be by his approval, I invoked and handed him one last ley line charm.
Trent took it, and my breath caught. His eyes had gone pupil black. Hungry vampire black. A shiver rose through me. Holy crap, I said, pleased. Can I play dress-up, or what?
This isimpressive, Trent said, and I got off the stage.
Youre welcome, I said. Dont let them overcharge you. There are only thirteen charms there, and only the two for your hair are earth magic and not pure illusion. I glanced at the plush surroundings, deciding that they wouldnt sell temporary ley line spells with a reduced life. Maybe sixteen grand for the entire outfit if they put it all in two charms. You can triple that considering who youre buying them from. Doppelgänger charms were legal on Halloween, not cheap.
Trent smiled, a truly vampiric smile, charismatic, dangerous, and oh-so-seductive. Oh, God. I had to get out of there. He was hitting all my buttons, and I think he knew it.
Ms. Morgan, Trent said, his suit rustling as he followed me off the stage. I do believe youre betraying yourself.
Swell. He totally knew it. Dont forget to pick up a charm to change your scent, I said as I went to get my shoulder bag. You wont be able to match Cormels individual smell, but a generic scent charm ought to fool everyone. I plucked my bag up, then turned, taking one last look at him. Damn. Everyone except those who know his scent, of course.
Trent glanced at Quen, who was still staring in disbelief. Ill keep that in mind, Trent muttered.
I headed for the door, my pace faltering when Quen said, Rachel, please reconsider?
My good mood crashed, and I stopped two feet from the door with my head bowed. Quen was asking, but I knew he was asking for Trent. I thought of Ceri and the happiness a healthy child would bring her, the healing that could come of it. Trent, I cant. The risk
What would you risk for your child to be healthy? Trent interrupted, and I turned around, surprised at the question. What would any parents do?
Tension pulled me stiff, and hearing the accusation of cowardice in his voice, I hated him more than I ever had before. Id never thought about children much until I met Kisten, and then it had always been with a melancholy sadness that they wouldnt have his beautiful eyes. But if I had a child? And that child was suffering as I had in my past? Yeah. Id risk it all.
Trent seemed to see it in my eyes and a hint of victory quirked his lips. But then I thought of Al. Id been his familiar once. Sort of. And it was hell on earth. That was assuming he wouldnt outright kill me. I wouldnt chance it. I was going to think with my head this time and not be goaded into a stupid decision by Trent pushing my buttonsand I wasnt going to feel guilty about it either.
A shiver lifted through me and was gone. Lifting my chin, I stared until the disgust I directed at him made his eye twitch. No, I said, my voice shaking. I wont. I go in the ever-after, and Al will pick me up three seconds after I tap a line. After that, Im dead. Its that simple. You can save your own damn species.
We dont need Morgans help, Trent said, his voice tight. But I noticed hed waited until I refused before he said it. Ceri wasnt the only stubborn elf, and I wondered if Trents new desire to prove his worth came from his trying to impress her.
This isnt my problem, I muttered, hiking my shoulder bag up. I have to go.
Feeling ugly, I opened the door and walked out, bumping Jon in his gut with my elbow when he didnt get out of my way quick enough. I had never cared about Trents grand plan to save the elves before, but this wasnt sitting well with me.
I consoled myself that Ceris child would survive whether they had a thousand-year-old sample from her or a two-thousand-year-old sample from the ever-after. The only difference was the amount of tinkering that they would have to do to the child.
My mouth twisted into a grimace as I remembered my three summers spent at Trents fathers Make-A-Wish camp for dying children. It would be stupid to believe that all the children there were on the roster to save. They were a living camouflage for the few that had the money to pay for a Kalamack cure. And I would give anything to have escaped the pain of making friends with children who were going to die.
The chatter of the people up front changed when they caught sight of me, and I waved so theyd leave me alone. I stormed to the door, not caring if Jon thought his boss had gotten the best of me. I didnt stop or slow down until my feet reached the sidewalk.
Street noise hit me, and the sun. Slowing, I remembered where I was and did an about-face. My car was the other way. I didnt look up as I passed the front window, hiding my eyes as I dug my phone out of my bag. Bothered, I hit the return-last-call number to tell Marshal I had a friend emergency and Id let him know if I couldnt make Fountain Square by three.
I had to talk to Ceri.
Eight
I cut a sharp left into the carport, taking it fast because of my lingering anger at Trent. Habit alone kept the paint unscratched. I loved my car, and though I was jamming the gearshift like an Indy 500 driver, I wasnt going to do anything to hurt my mobile icon of independence. Especially after finally getting my license back and the dent I didnt remember putting in the car repaired. Fortunately the church was in a quiet residential area, and only the sixty-year-old oaks lining the street saw my ugly temper.
I hit the brakes sharply, and my head swung forward and back. A perverse sense of satisfaction filled me. The grille was four inches from the wall. Perfect.
Grabbing my bag from the backseat, I got out and slammed the door. It was edging two. Ceri was probably still asleep, seeing as elves kept the same sleeping habits as pixies when they could, but I had to talk to her.
I heard the dry clatter of pixy wings when my feet hit the walk, and I swung my hair out of the way for whomever it was. My money was on Jenks; it was his habit to stay awake with the few kids on sentry duty, sleeping odd hours when everyone else was up.
Rache, Jenks said in greeting, his swooping dart to land on my shoulder shifting at the last moment when he saw my sour expression. Hovering, he flew backward in front of me. I hated it when he did that. Ivy called you, huh? he said, his attitude one of affronted righteousness. Its in the eaves in the front. I cant wake the damn thing up. You need to use a spell or something.
My eyebrows rose. Its in the eaves? Whats in the eaves?
A gargoyle, Jenks said angrily, and my alarm vanished.
A clumsy-ass, pimply-faced, big-footed gargoyle.
Really? I said as I stopped right there and peered up at the steeple, not seeing the gargoyle. How long has it been here?
How the hell should I know! he shouted, and I realized that was where his anger was coming from. Someone had slipped through his lines, and he didnt like it. Jenks saw my smile, and he put his hands on his hips as he hovered backward. Whats so funny?
Nothing. I pushed myself into motion, making a left on the sidewalk to go to Keasleys instead of the church. Jenkss wings hummed when I took the unexpected direction, and he hastened to catch up. Well talk to him or her tonight, okay? I said, wanting to get Ivys take before we made any sweeping decisions. If its young, its probably just looking for somewhere to hang.
They dont hang, they lurk, he muttered, wings clattering aggressively. Somethings wrong with it, or it would be with its kin. They dont move, Rachel, unless they did something really bad.
Maybe hes a rebel like you, Jenks, I said, and the pixy made a tiny huffing sound.
Where are we going? he asked shortly as he turned to look at the church behind us.
Immediately my bad mood returned. To talk to Ceri. I ran into Trent trying on costumes.
What does that have to do with Ceri? Jenks interrupted, as protective of the small but self-assured woman as I was.
Toes edging the drop off of the curb, I pulled myself to a stop so I could watch his expression. He got her pregnant.
Pregnant!
The shrill shout was punctuated by a flash of dust I could see even in the strong afternoon light. It gets better, I said, stepping into the empty street and heading for the tired, sixty-plus-year-old house Ceri and Keasley shared. He wants me to go into the ever-after to get a sample so their child will be born without any effects of the curse. Tried to guilt me into it. And it almost worked.
Pregnant? Jenks repeated, his angular face showing his shock. I gotta smell her.
The scraping of my boots on the pavement faltered. You can smell it when someones pregnant? I said, somewhat appalled.
Jenks shrugged. Sometimes. I dont know about elves. He darted to the sidewalk, then back to me. Can you walk a little faster? Id like to get there before the sun sets and that thing in the eaves wakes up.