Maybe both.
She knows. She knows I saw her in the well and she didn’t run screaming. Already that’s a miracle. And she wasjealouson top of it? Things are finally looking up for Slate Ardoin.
Unless my confession shocked her into a lie. Or maybe, she’s just as messed up as I am and is falling too hard and too fast for someone she barely knows. I want her so bad it hurts, but I know not to push. She needs to set the pace.
We step out into the permanent soup of fog, and I drop Cadence’s hand to lock the door of the house.
Adrien’s bouncing on the balls of his feet, probably trying to keep his blood from congealing. “Finally.”
My phone vibrates:Bastian.
As we crunch over the snow down the drive, I answer. “Yo, little bro.”
“Guess where I am?”
“Euro Disney?”
“Close but no. I’m in Brume!”
I stop walking.
“The train’s just pulling into the station.” He says this with the satisfaction of someone who’s just cleared out Carrefour’s entire stock of madeleines for his sugar-addicted brother.
For the first time in a long time, I can’t even speak. A thousand thoughts crash into my head. Bastian can’t be here. He could get hurt. No fucking way in hell am I letting my little brother close to dark magic.
Adrien motions for me to keep moving. Cadence lifts her eyebrows at me as if to ask what’s going on. Somehow I find the wherewithal to put one foot in front of the other.
Cadence removes my jacket and hands it over. I clutch it tight but don’t put it on.
“Uh . . . Slate? You still there, man?” Bastian’s voice rings in my ear, or maybe it’s my ear that’s ringing.
“Who’s watching over Spike?” I bark.
“Well . . . he’s a cactus, so . . . I figured he can go a few days—”
“He’s not just a cactus. He’s anEve’s Needle, and he needs care. Turn around, Bastian. I asked you to do one fucking thing: watch Spike. Go back and do it.” Fear brings out my inner asshole.
He isn’t fazed, too used to my moods. “Nope. I still have two weeks until school starts. There’s no way I’m going back to Marseille until I see Brainy Slate sitting in a classroom. I want proof that you’re bettering your life and not heisting anyone.”
“Heisting isn’t even a verb.”
“Actually it is. Train’s stopped. I’ll be getting off now. Should I wait here, or do you want to send me your dorm address?”
I sigh. “Shit. Fine. Just sit tight. I’ll be there in ten.” I hang up, then slide on my coat. “You guys go on. I’ve got to head to the train station to pick up my little brother.”
Now it’s Adrien’s turn to stop walking. “Brother?” His voice is as tight as his brow.
“Yeah. Brother.Fosterbrother,” I add, so he doesn’t go thinking Bastian’s fair game for the next round of this merry hunt.
“It’s not a good time for visitors, Roland. With us trying to put the Quatrefoil together—”
“Don’t you think I fucking know that?” I refrain from punching him and speed up. “He just showed up here. And he’s not leaving without seeing me.”
“It’ll be fine.” Cadence touches Adrien’s forearm, and even though I know it’s to calm him, it pisses me off. “We’ll walk with you.”
Adrien huffs but nods.
It dawns on me that Bastian’s presence puts a wrench in the plans I had with Cadence.
