I know! I’m going to find him.
Minotaur.
The fucking beast is nudging my brain with its fiery talon. Oh, wait. He thinks he can track Ludo.
Stupid human.
Yeah, yeah. Just point the way, then we’ll bust him out of here.
14
Holy shit.
We make it back to the basement without being spotted, and I collapse onto my bed with the almost catatonic little girl. Max immediately strips and gets into the shower. The stink of gasoline has to go.
“Call Willow,” I say softly to Alexis. “This poor baby might be better off having another girl around.” I hadn’t missed how she’d shied away from Max and Alexis, burrowing herself into my school sweater.
“OK, if you think that’s best,pulu.”
“I do.”
From outside my bedroom, I hear Max singing (loudly and off-key)Just Like Fireby P!nk.
The girl’s body is rigid with tension.
“It’s OK, sweetie, no one will hurt you here. We won’t let anyone hurt you ever again.” As I talk, Lumina dances around in my veins, eager to help.
Alright, Amirene. Let’s see what we can do for this sweet child.
I wrap my arms a little tighter around her.
She feels like she’s made of birds' bones—so light that a strong breeze could carry her back into the sky.
—Don’t fly away today, little bird. We’ve got you—
Closing my eyes, I reach inward, connecting with the energy inside me. My magic isn’t so erratic today; it flows like honey, warm and thick. I let it seep through my skin, a gentle, golden radiance that I hope feels like a sun-warmed blanket.
"See?" I whisper, letting a few lilac and golden sparks drift between my fingers like fireflies. "It’s just light. Just a bit of magic to keep the dark away."
The girl’s eyes track the sparks.
For the first time, her pupils aren't completely blown out with terror. She reaches out a finger, hovering just an inch from the glow. When she realizes it doesn't burn, her shoulders drop another fraction of an inch.
“Can you tell me your name?” I ask, brushing a matted strand of hair from her forehead. “It doesn’t matter if you can’t, but I’d like to introduce myself properly. I’m Theo. And my bestie Willow is coming to hang out too.”
The little girl shudders.
“No, no. She’s nice. You'll like her. I’ve never met anyone who makes better hot chocolate.”
Suddenly, my head thumps with a fuzzy, static-heavy message. It’s Cosmo.
—Theo. I’m in. Ludo escaped from his cell—
I stiffen, trying not to let the girl feel my anxiety. —So find him! Gods, Cosmo. Find my janitor—
—Simmer down, Wilso....whole base is… frenzy…dragon thinks…kid safe?—
The little girl is staring at me, her head tilted, as if she can sense the silent conversation humming in the air. It’s frustrating how broken up his thoughts are, but I get the gist.
