“You are.”
“I’m not. And don’t talk down to me. I may be younger than you, Adrien, but I’m not a child.”
“I know you’re not a child. Would I let a kid teach my class?”
I press my lips tight.
His expression softens. “I’m just worried. Genuinely worried.”
That unstaples my mouth.
“I care about you, Cadence. I care what happens to you. You’re the closest thing to a sister I have.”
Sister?My heart freefalls right into my boots. Silly . . . so silly, but I don’t want Adrien to see me like that. I bob my head, because what else am I supposed to do? Tell him he’s like family, too? He’s not.
I pick pieces of cheese off my plate, stuffing them way too quickly into my cheeks. I must look like a hamster. Whatever. It’s not like Adrien sees me as a woman anyway. As far as I’m concerned, rodent is a step above sister.
“Do you want to join us?” He tips his head toward Charlotte’s table.
I’d rather jump in the well and get cursed by a magical leaf.
“I need to get home, but thanks,” I add courteously, because that’s how Papa raised me.
As Nolwenn passes by the table, I touch her sleeve. “Nolwenn, can I get the check?”
She smiles down at me. “It’s already been taken care of.” When I frown, she adds, “That boy . . . Marseille. He covered it. Left some extra in case you wanted something more to eat and drink. Do you want anything else? A crêpe, maybe? I’m good at those.”
Slate paid for my meal? How . . . unexpected.
“Nothing else, thank you.” I drain my tea and get up.
Adrien watches me zip up my coat. “You no longer have to replace me tomorrow, by the way.”
The zipper whispers shut as I tug it all the way up, bumping the underside of my chin.
“Still need to go to class if I want to graduate someday,” I say before arrowing toward the door. When I burst onto the cold street, my rapid breaths coalesce into a thick white cloud.
I study the well, then stride over to it and peer into the darkness beyond the grate. I can’t tell what the bottom looks like, so I shine my phone, but the beam gets lost in the endless stretch of velvety black. I forage for a coin inside my pocket, find a heavy two-euro one. Hoping it doesn’t activate any curses, I drop it in, then hold my breath as it tumbles.
And tumbles.
I’m still holding my breath when the coin connects with something and generates a distinctive splash.
Water.
I jump back, because if there’s water, then it’s Slate’s piece. And if it’s Slate’s piece, then the leaf might not be too happy to be disturbed by someone who isn’t meant to go after it.
Something sloshes. The blood in my veins?
I hear it again, and this time, I know it’s not my blood, because it’s accompanied by successive slaps, like waves against rocks. The water’s either rising or something’s moving around down below.
I stumble backward, then whirl around, slipping and going down so hard I think my kneecap cracks. I shove back up onto my feet, and even though my leg is screaming, I run like I’veneverrun before. And I don’t stop until I reach our front door even though I topple over twice more on the way.
When I get home, my palms are bleeding. I lock our door, smearing blood over the frame and metal deadbolt. “Papa!”
What have I done what have I done what have I done?
A door snicks open.
