Ella scowled. Blackwell pressed the heels of his hands to his eyes. But once they were back in their respective cars, there was, at least, no awkward silence between her and Ella anymore.
“I can’t believe this,” Ella said, hitting the glove compartment with both hands. “I thought I knew every way in which we’re treated like second-class citizens, and I can’tbelievethis. How are you so calm?”
“Well,” Beatrix said, feeling the wild laughter bubbling up again, “this time I was actually relieved to be suspected of prostitution.”
That got a snort out of Ella. “While we’re looking on the bright side, I’m pretty sure that officer will think twice before stopping women under such a pretext again.”
It was so good to have her best friend back. To sit here with her, twisting the bad things that happened to them into a humorous shape.
But that made her think of the worst bad thing of all. There was no laughing at the danger her sister was now in.
“How are we to guard Lydia while she’s on campus?” she asked. “Meg would be logistically ideal, but …”
She didn’t say it. Ella did: “That would be a monumentally bad idea, yeah.”
“So that leaves Rosemarie, given our schedules.”
Ella sighed. “It’s too bad about Meg. She never struck me as the sort to fall apart like that.”
“You never know how someone will react in a moment of terrible stress.” Beatrix bit her lip, staring at Blackwell’s taillights a few car lengths ahead. “I never thought I’d do what I did to her.”
“It was very unlike you.” The mistrustful edge was back.
She swallowed, throat tight. “I was so afraid of what might happen to Lydia—to all of us—if Meg wasn’t under a Vow.”
“Was that the only reason?”
The words smarted. “Isn’t that reason enough? Look, I’m not trying to justify it. I’m ashamed of myself.”
“That’s not what I meant,” Ella said, tone softer. She put a hand on Beatrix’s arm. “I’m sorry. I won’t be so jumpy after I’ve seen the contracts.”
Beatrix took this at face value until it occurred to her that the two things could be directly related. “You think Omnimancer Blackwell made me do that? You think I’m a—a puppet he’s manipulating through my Vow to him?”
Ella didn’t answer, which was answer enough.
“I’mnot.” Beatrix laughed weakly. “And OK, fine, that’s exactly what I’d say if I were. But you’ll see this Vow doesn’t allow for that sort of ickiness.”
The otherone would have. The other one would have allowed for nearly anything. She shivered at the memory of what she’d so recently escaped.
CHAPTER 28
Ella reviewed the contracts without comment and merely said “mm” to Blackwell’s pointed, “See?” The thought of how much he’d done in the last twenty-four hours and how little he’d received for it brought on a pang of mingled gratitude and regret. Beatrix had the impulse to reach for his hand before she was reined in by the thought offordest—and the ominous way he’d talked about the wizards in charge. So she simply said, “Thank you, Omnimancer,” as sincerely as she could.
“Let me see you home,” he said. “I’ll feel easier when you have what you need and get back on the road.”
Ella shook her head. “We can manage.”
“You think there won’t be a wizard lying in wait?”
“We’re not defenseless, you know.”
He grimaced. “No, but you don’t want to give the game away and end up in prison!”
Ella glared at him.“Youdon’t want to end up in prison, you mean.”
“Please,” Beatrix said, a headache threatening. “He’s right—let’s get this done and get out.”
She navigated the car down his sharply angled driveway, Ella silent beside her, Blackwell again invisible in the back. She wished she were alone with him so she could ask what he was doing—really doing—in town. And most of all, why he cast a restricted explosives spell over and over each day.
