She shakes her head sadly, not believing me.
“Here.” With no one looking, I press a slip of paper into her palm. Emma’s fingers touch mine. Warm tingles rush over me. I try to ignore them. I give her a location and time for our next meeting. “This paper has instructions for sending me letters instantly through a magical mailbox. So we can stay in contact.”
Emma crinkles her brows and glares at my note, but she tucks it away for safekeeping.
“Stick to the plan,” I say. “Look for clues in your present, and I’ll search for them in my family’s past. Reach out anytime, and we’ll meet again soon so we can compare notes and figure out our next move. Okay?”
“For what?” Emma’s lower lip quivers as her brown eyes fill. She shakes her head, and one tear falls. “If she saw death, it means we can’t stop the Tether. It happens, and someone dies, Malcolm. There’s no hope. We should just give up.” More tears roll down Emma’s cheeks.
“Nah,” I say, wiping her tears away with a finger. “The future ain’t set in stone, Emma. Losing hope and giving up on our plan could be the cause of the death the psychic saw. Our plan can work. It has to. It will save us, and even if it fails, isn’t it better to go down swinging instead of waiting on fate to take us out?”
She nods, smiling despite her damp cheeks, and the light catches a fleck of gold in her big brown eyes. She moves closer, and my chest tightens. I want to hold her until her fear is gone. But as much as I want to, I pause, remembering the death Imani described. Emma’s a Baldwin. People with her last name kill people with mine.
“What we’re doing is monumental, Emma,” I say. “This is the first time in centuries that people from our families have tried to work together. Girrrl, we’re change makers. You and me can shape our destiny.” I try hard to believe my own words. “Our choices can change the future, Emma.”
Suddenly, she rushes forward, wrapping her arms around me and looking up at me with those big, beautiful eyes as we hug. I stare down at her lips. God, I wanna kiss her. Warmth spreads through my chest, and everything inside me feels light and joyful. I want to stay in this moment forever.
“Thank you,” she says. But her hug feels so good that I should be thanking her.
Our faces are so close that I can feel her warm breath on my lips. She smells like honey and flowers, and her closeness makes my heart thunder. Realization falls over both of us at once—this hug is going on a little too long to be friendly. We break apart quickly, avoiding each other’s stares like we try to avoid the attraction that’s undeniable. The weight of the Tether,the bloodlust it causes, our family feud, and Imani’s prediction all wedge between us.
A steamy breeze flows through Emma’s curls, lifting her hair so the ends kiss her high cheekbones and caress the contours of her full lips. She smiles in the amber light. The orange rays of the setting sun make her brown skin shimmer and glint against her dress, now a flirty crimson. Our eyes lock, and I smile, glancing at the maple tree by her parked car. I slowly open the door for her. Disappointment presses down on me as she settles into her seat, every inch of me wishing she could stay, that we could run away from this curse. I glance over my shoulder. In the distance the massive Ferris wheel spins, its carriages swaying in the breeze. I wish we were free to ride them forever. But I know I gotta let her go. I lean into the car and fasten her seat belt.
“See you soon, Emma Baldwin,” I say.
CHAPTER FOURTEENEmma BaldwinNEW ORLEANS, 1922
Thanks to the magic of time travel, I arrive home only one minute after I left. But I’m nearly caught by security while climbing the conjured ladder to sneak into my bedroom. I freeze as a neighbor’s dog barks, redirecting the guard to the other side of the building. The distraction gives me just enough time to escape to the balcony before the ladder vanishes, putting me back in my room before anyone notices I left. Still, I was too close to getting caught. I’ll need a different escape plan next time.
After, I relax in my bed, staring at the piano. Even half an hour later, my heart is still racing from my close call when a cone of amber light appears, spotlighting the lace runner on my creamy white dresser.
What the hell is that?
I’m a lightning bolt full of nervous excitement. A golden mailbox materializes, gleaming in the soft light.Malcolm must’ve written a letter for me… but what could he possibly want to say so soon? Has he changed his mind about working with me?I rush over, my fingers trembling.
The mailbox is small and beautiful. It’s carved from warm, honeyed wood, with delicate blossoms curling around the edges. Vines twist up thesides, and pink petals frame the tiny gold door, each groove catching the soft glow of the sun. I open it to reveal a miniature world inside: trees, cobblestone streets, and fairy-tale cottages that seem to hum with life. Tiny, shining fairies with skin in a rainbow of shades emerge from the box. Their dresses are fitted at the top and fall like bells made from silver rain. My mouth hitches open in surprise—who knew that creatures like this existed? As the fairies flit in circles around me, they leave glittering trails of stardust in their wake.
A pretty fairy hovers closer to me. Her silver hair matches her dress, and her wings seem carved from ice. Her tiny brown hands hold a glowing envelope. My heart thumps excitedly. As she approaches, the envelope grows in size. With a smile and a mischievous glint in her eye, she hands me Malcolm’s letter.
“Thank you,” I sputter. I watch as she flies back into the mailbox, the others soaring in behind her. The box slams closed, vanishing and taking away the magical world inside it.
I read:
Dear Emma,
I wasn’t sure if you’d be nervous about writing me after what the psychic said, so I figured I should get the ball rolling, just in case. I’m glad that you were brave or maybe just reckless enough to come see me today. And I’m thrilled that you want to take a chance and help me help us get out of this situation.
I was at Angelo’s Pizzeria in South Philly, eating one of their famous cheesesteaks and thinking about our problems. As the grease and cheese dripped down my fingers, I couldn’t help but laugh at how you’d probably handle it all with way more grace than I did. You have a certain elegance even when facing curses and our shared family drama.
I’ll be honest: This mission brings a bit of shine into these dark days. It gives me hope that the future can be brighter. You know? It’s amazing how we can share letters and small moments, even when we’re miles and years apart. It makes everything feel… well, normal. Like maybe we can get through this.
Maybe after this is over, we can go back to the Fair and spend hours laughing on the Ferris wheel. I love Ferris wheels… and funnel cakes. So I’d love to share them with you… Andtake you to Angelo’s and all the cool places in Philly. I know we’re fighting some pretty dark stuff, but stay hopeful. We’re the only two people in the world who understand what it’s like to be Tethered right now, at this moment in history. And we are the only ones who can stop it. So I can’t lose you to the Darkside… Or lose myself, because neither of us wants to end up going “hunter and prey” on the other because of this dumb curse. Hope you write back. I want to know you better.
And hearing from you would make this whole mess a bit more bearable.
See you soon, Emma Baldwin.
Malcolm
