Winging It (21 page)

And she took my messenger until I was done.

Meagan, of course, was finished with everything by eight. She stayed with me and read, and was helpful when I needed it.

In our respective beds at night, we argued about Trevor and Jessica. Meagan thought it was a sign of Trevor’s sensitivity that he had seen the finer qualities of Jessica, even though she wasn’t flashy like Suzanne. She refused to condemn Jessica for getting the bonus prize that she had wanted herself.

Maybe she thought that one day, if Jessica and Trevor didn’t work out, Trevor would notice her. She certainly accepted every invitation from Jessica to include her in their plans.

I had deep dark feelings about all of this, but I couldn’t say much without sounding like more of a bitch than Suzanne.

After that topic was exhausted every night, we argued about her Halloween costume. Meagan was determined to be Mozart, even though that was the least likely costume to get her noticed by any guy alive. She thought it would make Trevor aware of the interest in music they had in common. I thought she should go with something more sexy. Meagan was sure she was right, though, and had a long silver wig, a brocade jacket from a vintage store, breeches, and buckled shoes. And a conductor’s wand.

Her glasses at least didn’t look out of place. And who knew— maybe she and some other hot guy with musical skill would hit it off.

Maybe there was a guy like Trevor out there for her who wasn’t an evil apprentice Mage.

I had to hope.

I had no costume, as I was determined I wasn’t going anywhere.

Despite Meagan’s entreaties.

Her messenger wasn’t chiming very often, a sure sign that Jessica had found something more interesting to do. I was angry that she was treating Meagan so shabbily, but I wasn’t sure what I could do about it. Meagan kept cutting her new friend slack, which made me even more mad. The guys kept me posted on their investigative progress, which was fairly minimal.

I had the definite impression that they were having more fun than me.

Derek was circling, not approaching unless I beckoned to him. All I needed was a foolproof plan to save the world.

Sadly, I hadn’t refined that one yet.

I got one stern message from my dad, informing me that we would talk when he got home. I knew what he wanted to talk about, and that message made me hope he’d stay in England for a while.

Maybe for good. A ‘talk’ with a pissed-off dragon is never a good time.

I heard from my mom every morning. She never said anything about the incident with the counselor, but someone must have told her something because she was more intent on asking questions. I’d put my nickel on Mrs Jameson. It was good to hear my mom’s voice, even though I couldn’t read one thing in her tone and she wouldn’t talk about my dad.

In bed, when Meagan was asleep, I tried to send visions to the
Pyr
, with no idea whether I was successful or not. The guys never mentioned having any dreams or receiving anything from me, but it was better than dozing off and meeting Urd.

By Friday, I was beat. I took one look at my English homework that night and thought I’d put my head down on the table and sleep.

Dostoyevsky. What joy was this. I’d be in a coma before I finished the first chapter.

Meagan finished early yet again, probably to starred reviews, and went to the piano to do her practice. She had her classes on Saturday morning for that, and I dared to imagine that I might have some free time.

She worked a scale, warming up. The Jamesons had a grand piano in their living room. In fact, it filled the living room with its glossy blackness. An imposing instrument. The sheer size of it made Meagan look petite and her hands seem small.

It was pretty much the only thing in the living room. This made a kind of sense for the piano to reign supreme, as Meagan’s dad was a concert pianist himself – she came by that talent honestly. And the piano got a lot of use. They’d had an enthusiastic discussion on Sunday morning about keys and timing and all the stuff she’d pulled out of Rick about the syntho drums.

I sighed and cracked open my required reading. It was even more boring than expected. I read the first page five times, Meagan’s aria tickling at the edge of my thoughts. The music was pretty. And it made me concentrate better, as if Meagan was sending me her scholarly vibes.

I read four pages before I made the connection.

Then I pulled my new ring out of my pocket and pushed it onto my finger.

The living and dining rooms were filled with dancing beams of light. They were joyous, not like the confetti that Jared had sung but more like ripples and waves of light. They reminded me of mirrored streamers, and they swirled around the room like a joyous whirlwind. They were all shades of red and purple and blue.

Meagan glanced up at me and smiled, playing a little trill with her right hand. She looked so happy and at ease. I understood then that her destiny wasn’t with brainiacs and math geniuses.

It was with musicians.

Because the ribbons of light told me that Meagan was a spellsinger.

Crap.

I was suddenly very afraid that the Mages knew it, too. This put a whole new spin on things.

Was Meagan their real target, instead of me?

What could I do? I’d never manage to persuade her not to go to Trevor’s Halloween party, not without explaining everything to her. I was in enough trouble with my dad that I didn’t want to rush into breaking the Covenant again. I couldn’t even beguile her, because she knew the deal and would realize just who – and what – I was.

I had to admire that Trevor had accomplished his goal. He had ensured that I would be at his party. Despite my reservations, I had to go to protect Meagan.

From whatever the Mages were planning.

* * *

Of course, Liam and Nick didn’t see it that way.

We had an argument in old-speak Friday night. I was in Meagan’s room and supposedly drawing, but they were a big distraction. They would have gone on and on, but I finally just ended it.

Meagan had already gotten up to look out the window. ‘So weird that there’s thunder in a snowstorm,’ she said.

She turned to look at me, and I shrugged.

‘Maybe it’s an airplane flying low,’ I suggested and she looked out the window again. I wouldn’t have put it past her to figure it out, though – Meagan is smart and she was already looking for
Pyr
, armed with data about us. She had that Einstein look, which was trouble.

I had to end the old-speak.

And that meant inflicting a decision on the guys.

‘
I’ve got the ring,
’ I said, interrupting Nick. ‘
It cut the spells before and it’ll do it again. We won’t be trapped.’

‘It’s too risky
,’ Liam argued, ready to go at it again.

‘
It’s more risky for Meagan if we’re not there
.’

‘
I vote we stay away
,’ Nick said. ‘
You have no idea what they’re planning
.’

‘
But we have to defend our Wyvern
,’ Liam said.

‘
Suit yourselves either way,
’ I said, knowing exactly how they’d take that challenge. ‘
I’m going. Maybe it’ll be my chance to persuade the wolves to join us
.’

They mumbled and grumbled a bit, but agreed that we’d all go. We set a time to meet and the old-speak fell silent.

I wondered when Derek would turn up but wasn’t sure how to find out. School was over for the weekend and I didn’t know where he lived.

Would he just sense it?

How sharp was his sense of smell?

Could I find him with mine?

I watched Meagan at the window until she turned away. ‘Either way, the thunder seems to have stopped,’ she said, getting back into bed.

‘Maybe I’ll come to the party after all,’ I said as casually as I could manage it.

Her face lit. ‘Really?’

‘I need a costume, though.’

‘Why don’t you come to my piano lesson tomorrow, and then we’ll go shopping from there?’

‘Great idea,’ I agreed, knowing it would give me the perfect cover to guard her.

And maybe I could find Derek.

I should have known the harmony between Meagan and me couldn’t last.

We were in my fave vintage shop, One More Time. Normally, I could spend everything I had within moments of crossing the threshold, but on this day, I just couldn’t focus. I hadn’t found anything for my costume, because that particular concern didn’t have my attention. Compared to everything else that was going on, shopping for the perfect Halloween costume seemed ridiculously frivolous. I’m not good at keeping up appearances.

Mostly I was trying to figure out how to warn Meagan without breaking the Covenant again.

So, I was fingering this crimson feather boa, trying to imagine something really simple that wouldn’t look (quite) like I didn’t care, when Meagan got a call.

From the look on her face, I knew it was Jessica.

‘Sure,’ she said. ‘That’s great. Seven’s no problem. See you then.’ She ended the call and flashed me the stainless smile. Her eyes were sparkling in a way that didn’t make me feel good. ‘Guess what? I’m going to get a ride in Trevor’s MG!’

I dropped the boa. ‘What?’

‘Trevor and Jessica are picking me up. They have to come early, because he wants to be home before everyone arrives.’ She hummed a bit, poking at things as she practically skipped through the store. ‘Isn’t it nice of them to think of me?’

‘No!’ I was right behind her, close enough to see how startled she was by my reply. ‘I mean, why don’t you just get a ride with me and the guys, like we planned? I thought you wanted to see Liam again.’ I tried to not sound panicky. ‘Nick is coming at eight. That’ll give you more time to get ready.’

‘Oh, but I want to ride in Trevor’s car. It’s so cool.’

‘But Jessica is dating him. Won’t you feel out of place?’

‘I don’t think so.’ Meagan pivoted to face me over a rack of kerchiefs. ‘After all, she’s being really nice about it. She knows how much I like him, and she’s not trying to be mean.’

‘How can you tell? Sounds to me like she’s rubbing your nose in it.’

‘No, you’re wrong.’ Meagan was emphatic. ‘You just don’t know her like I do.’

There wasn’t much I could say to that. I was freaking, though, at what might happen to Meagan before I got to the party. I had zero data about the Mages’ plans but I do have an active imagination. I didn’t want her to be alone with Trevor – or Trevor and Jessica – for a whole hour. I flicked through the kerchiefs and seized a purple one, not really seeing it. ‘Let’s go.’

Meagan was skeptical. ‘That’s your costume?’

‘And this.’ I plucked a white plastic cowboy hat from a shelf. There was a plastic gun beside it in a cheap toy holster, lucky for me. ‘This too.’ Jeans, boots, a skinny shirt, and I’d be ready for the shoot-out at the OK Corral.

‘I think you could try harder,’ Meagan said.

‘I think Jessica could be nicer to you.’ I went to the cash register, wondering what I could do to change her mind.

Short of telling her the whole truth.

‘We had a long talk about it. It’s not her fault. She likes him, too.’ Meagan leaned against the counter beside me, checking out the bangles. They had a couple of sweet Bakelite ones, but I barely saw them. ‘She said when she tutored him, it just felt like magic between them.’ Meagan turned a smile on me. ‘Isn’t it romantic?’

I couldn’t believe it.

‘So, explain this to me. You’re Jessica’s friend and so you want her to be happy.’

‘Right.’

‘I’m your friend, so I want you to be happy.’

‘Okay.’

‘Why doesn’t Jessica have this concern, if she’s your friend?’

Meagan’s eyes flashed. ‘You’re still jealous of her.’

‘I think you deserve better friends!’

‘Oh, like ones who don’t confide in me?’

So, we were back to that. Meagan left the shop and I ran after her, jamming my acquisitions into my backpack. The hat had to go on my head. Nice bonus to look like an idiot while I was trying to be persuasive. ‘Meagan, we need to talk about this.’

She stopped in the street so abruptly that I nearly ran into her. ‘Go ahead,’ she said, a daring glint in her eyes. ‘Tell me what happened last spring.’

I was tempted.

I was
really
tempted.

But my back was hurting like hell after taking that thunderbolt and I could still recall the sting of the dragonsmoke on my hand. If I told everything to Meagan, when she wasn’t specifically in danger, it’d be exile city for me.

I dropped my gaze.

Meagan sniffed and walked away. I trailed behind her feeling like ninety-seven thousand kinds of loser.

It wasn’t an easy choice.

It also wasn’t one I didn’t question over and over again for the rest of the day.

In fact, I sent my dad a message, asking for permission to break the Covenant because I feared Meagan was in danger. I didn’t say what danger, because I knew he wouldn’t believe anything I said about the Mages, and I also didn’t want him reminding Mrs Jameson that I shouldn’t be allowed to go to a Halloween party at all.

This did undermine my argument.

The lack of those details was probably why he immediately declined my request.

But then, providing those details wouldn’t have done me any favors, either.

I was getting tired of no-win situations.

Meagan and I returned to her house in silence. I mostly was thinking about how nice it would be to catch a break once in a while.

Before the party would have been good.

The doorbell rang promptly at seven and Meagan practically flew to the door in her excitement. I was right behind her.

She’d made a change from her Mozart idea, maybe because I’d finally gotten through to her. She was dressed as Rapunzel, an idea of her mother’s, with long hair made of yellow yarn coiled around one arm. She and her mom had argued about her glasses ruining the costume and the immediate necessity of contacts, but Meagan had lost.