“And about four years of mandatory education,” the familiar voice of the Boston detective says.
I pull back to see Amherst sitting at one of the tables with Nai Nai and a pot of tea. I put my hands on my hips.
“When were you going to tell me you knew about all this?” I ask, gesturing around.
Amherst uncrosses her legs, changing sides. “When it was time to register you.”
“Oh, yeah, and Regie has some words for you about that,” I say, feeling justified in my indignance.
“I’m sure he does. It was a well-orchestrated plan to capture the last of the Zhao offenders, and I would have if you’d justwaited like I’d asked,” she says, then takes another sip of tea as if unbothered.
“You used me and my family likebait?” I ask, fury taking the place of indignance.
She sets the cup down with a resounding clatter. “Youused yourself like bait. I was hunting him and the others down.”
“Why did you take so long?” I demand.
“Jiahui, you’re speaking in a tone too shrill to address an elder,” Nai Nai says in Chinese.
I clench my teeth and push my anger down. “We’ve been here for two months, and Lei’s been here almost a month.”
“He wasn’t,” she says shaking her head. “The vehicle we recovered at the site of the incident yesterday was for moving between planes. They were hiding off Earth-realm, and I was in communication with the IBMA for weeks trying to figure out where. It was an undocumented transport.”
I scowl as the information goes in and bubbles around with everything else I’ve learned in the past few hours.
“Yesterday?” I ask, looking out the window to the twilight sky.
“Time moves differently at the IBMA HQ,” Jamie says.
Right, the timescale thing Regie mentioned…
My head is getting woozy again.
Ace grabs my elbow and guides me to a chair. Nai Nai pours me a cup of tea. My mouth is pretty dry now that I realize I went over a day without drinking or eating.
“I would’ve taken you sooner, but registering a witch was a lower priority than catching dangerous criminals. It had to wait,” Amherst finally says. “I wasn’t using you. Your registration wouldn’t have deterred him from getting to you.”
I look at Jamie, seeking confirmation.
She nods. “There would’ve been no way for him to know anyway. He was also unregistered—dodged it for years. In any case, I’m off for a few days, but call if you need anything.”
“Wait, doesn’t Nai Nai need to get registered too?” I ask. “She’s definitely a witch.”
Grandma and Amherst share a knowing smirk.
“I’ve been registered since 1976.”
“You were registered at age…” I pause for the math. “Fifteen?”
“Sixteen, but yes. Got myself in a lot of trouble,” she says with a secretive smile.
“I’m going to need that story,” Ace says as he sits beside me.
“A story I’m well versed in,” Jamie says as she moves toward the door. “I’m sure I’ll see you later.”
“Bye, Jamie,” Ace calls. “Thanks for saving my sister’s butt.”
She waves and I smile at her. When the door jingles shut, I look back at Nai Nai.
