The Price Guide to the Occult(50)

“Jealous?” Grayson teased.

Savvy rolled her eyes. “Please. That statue should be jealous of me.”

“Oh yeah? About what exactly?” Grayson mocked, luridly sizing her up.

Savvy leaned in, as if she were about to share some great confidence with him. “My nipples are pierced,” she said. The expression on Grayson’s face was priceless.

“Um — when did you get your nipples pierced?” Nor asked after Grayson had pulled away.

“What? Oh, I didn’t. I just wanted to shut him up.”

Nor smiled. “I missed you.”

Savvy hooked her arm through Nor’s and grinned. “Right back atcha, babe.”

Nor sighed before collapsing facedown onto the couch in Dauphine’s basement. Bijou, who had been asleep on a pillow, grumbled in annoyance. “I’m sorry,” Nor muttered.

Outside, a chilly rain had descended upon the island. Savvy was on the staircase, trying to flirt with Nor’s new personal guard, whose job was apparently to follow Nor everywhere — even, to Nor’s mortification, to the bathroom.

“Well?” Nor asked as soon as Savvy came into the room. Reed followed quietly behind her, and for one exasperating second, he was all she could see. He’s like gravity, Nor thought. It didn’t matter what else was going on. Looking at him, she understood why the tides were so captivated by the moon. It was ridiculous.

“Didn’t even say hello,” Savvy replied. Nor’s new guard was far less agreeable than Pike; in fact, he made Sena Crowe look downright amiable. This guy wore a permanent scowl.

Savvy sighed dramatically and flopped down across the couch. “And I even brought him Red Vines!”

“That’s not what I’m asking about, and you know it,” Nor said.

“But don’t worry,” Savvy continued unnecessarily loudly. “I’ve got a plan. I’m bringing him gummy bears tomorrow.” Satisfied, Savvy then leaned in close to Nor and whispered, “Okay, no idea when they’re letting you out. You might have to plan on growing old down here. The only reason we were even able to come over is because we volunteered to get sleeping bags.” She looked around the crowded basement with interest. “There’s supposed to be a bunch down here somewhere.”

“Be my guest,” Nor said with a sigh. Savvy grinned, and they quickly lost her to the boxes and abandoned furniture piled everywhere.

Nor and Reed shared a small smile. Nor still couldn’t believe he was here. After everything Reed had heard, everything he’d seen, no one would have blamed him for turning around and running for his life, never giving Nor another thought. But he hadn’t.

That was something, wasn’t it?

“I’m guessing you have a lot of questions,” Nor said nervously.

“Savvy kind of filled me in,” he admitted.

“So you know that I’m —”

“A witch?” He chuckled. “Yeah, I know.” He brushed some hair away from her face. “But I already knew there was something special about you.”

“I don’t feel special.” Nor glanced outside, noting that the storm had intensified. “I feel afraid,” she admitted softly. Even if she tried, even if it mattered, she’d still lose. Hadn’t she proven it by not being able to save Madge? Wasn’t her skin covered with scars from every battle she’d ever fought and lost?

The room was suddenly lit by a bolt of lightning, and thunder crashed around them. The lights flickered. Savvy emerged from the other side of the room carrying three multicolored sleeping bags. A clock in the shape of a topless mermaid was tucked under one arm. “I cannot believe the amount of crap Dauphine has down here,” she said wistfully. “This place is the stuff of dreams.” She headed up the stairs, weighted by her bundle. “Don’t worry, Nor,” she called over her shoulder. “We will plan your escape from Azkaban tomorrow.”

“Stay here,” Nor begged Reed. “At least until you get kicked out.”

As the rain beat against the windows, Reed wrapped his arms around her, brought his mouth to her collarbone, and lightly kissed her there. “For the record,” he said before leaving, “I don’t think being afraid is necessarily a bad thing. It means you’re smart. Besides, being afraid doesn’t seem to stop you. You’re still here. You’re still fighting. And I’m pretty sure that makes you the bravest person I know.”

A few hours later, Nor’s little room was lit by a solitary candle. Nor licked her finger and passed it over the flame. The flame danced. It was beautiful; so beautiful it was easy to forget that it could be dangerous as well. Or perhaps it seemed beautiful because it was dangerous. Just like the storm that raged outside her room. Just like her mother.

Nor blew out the candle and pulled the blankets up to her chin. Fern was just as frightening to her now as she’d been when Nor was a child. Could there be any truth to what Reed had said? Her skin was marked with scars, but maybe they didn’t have to be reminders of all the times she’d let fear win, but rather of when she’d found the strength to keep fighting in spite of fear. Nor’s eyes grew heavy and closed before she could answer herself.

Nor found herself standing in a bathroom of a derelict and abandoned hotel. The marble sink was slick with slime. The floor sparkled with shattered glass. The rain beat upon the dilapidated roof.