Hazel pulled off to the side of the road by Calawit’s tent. Rafael unbuckled himself and glanced behind him at the five characters, with Hraktar cradling Quetzal. “Alright, we don’t have a bunch of time. It’d be nice to get this done and over with fast.”

They walked into the tent, Rafael holding Hazel’s hand. They were both dressed in complete white, with a black Oreo cookie on the back of their shirts. It was Hazel’s costume idea, and Rafael was happy to tag along.

Calawit climbed on the bookshelf, scanning the group. “Well, Rafael said you were all fine when he picked up Quetzal, but it’s good to see proof of it myself. Come to the desk. Return your items.” Calawit hopped over the bookshelves. Rafael didn’t expect this to happen, but the five characters fell behind him and Hazel as they walked toward the desk. Calawit flicked her wrist as a parchment and quill lifted.

“Place the items on the desk, and the quill will mark it. Any items still on the list you’ll have to pay for,” Calawit said.

Rafael watched as Milo, Ezekiel, Clarissa, and Hraktar pulled things out of their inventory. Grizzizzik leaned against a bookshelf, watching.

Calawit crinkled her nose before straightening her spectacles, looking at Rafael. “What are you wearing?”

Rafael gestured toward his clothes. “It’s the Halloween dance.”

“We dress in costumes and dance,” Hazel said.

“We’re double stuffed Oreo’s.”

Hazel placed a hand on Rafael’s waist and smiled, turning her body enough for Calawit to see her oreo cookie. “See?”

Rafael couldn’t help but smile at Calawit’s utter confusion at what they were doing. It was almost worth the trip to see the look on her face.

“I will never understand humans,” she muttered.

Milo patted toward the small of his back, eyes widening. “Ah, shit.”

Calawit raised an eyebrow in his direction. “What item of mine will you pay for?”

Milo pressed his hands on the small of his back, turning his wide eyes toward Calawit. The shopkeeper snatched the parchment, reading over the list. “Ah, you lost the goggles, did you?”

Milo kept staring at her. “The… the last thing I remember is… fingers. Fingers in my hair. She must have… moved them off my head when she….” Milo winced, rubbing his lips.

Calawit did not look happy. “Everyone else done returning your items?”

“Yes, Cal,” Clarissa said.

“Alright.” She read off the parchment. “A bottle of oil, night goggles, and a health potion. That comes to three hundred and one gold, three silver, and two coppers.”

Milo let out a shuddering breath, then pulled out all the money he had before dropping it on the table. He had a fair amount of coins, but nowhere near three hundred. Ezekiel glanced at Milo, surprised. Then he reached behind him and emptied every coin from his inventory, placing it on the desk. Ezekiel had far less money. It was fourteen gold and two coppers, but it was all he had. Clarissa and Hraktar followed suit, the coins clanging on the desk. Calawit snapped her fingers, the coins disappearing. She again looked at the parchment, her eyes hardening. “You still owe a hundred and seventy-six gold and one silver piece.”

Rafael couldn’t help but feel sorry for Milo, who squirmed under Calawit’s gaze. “I’ll… do whatever I need to. Even… make you a new pair of goggles. I’m close to a breakthrough.”

Calawit almost said something when Grizzizzik walked to the desk, reaching behind him. He pulled out his small chest, and it landed on the desk with a dull thud. He flipped open the lid, then reached inside, pulling out ten gold pieces at a time, dropping them on the counter. Everyone was silent, watching the rogue. There was a pile of gold coins by the time he reached in and pulled out the one silver, flipping it toward Calawit, who caught it in her palm.

“That enough?”

Calawit snapped her fingers, and the coins disappeared. She looked at her parchment. “That’s enough.”

Grizzizzik grunted, shutting the lid of his chest and slipping it back into his inventory. He glanced at his team, everyone staring back with a variation of slack jaws.

“If any of you bring this up again, I will deny it.” Grizzizzik turned around and headed toward the opening. “Come on, we’ve got to get back.”

“Where did you get all that money?” Clarissa asked.

“I deny it.”

Ezekiel raised an eyebrow. “You’re seriously not going to tell us?”

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

“I deny it.”

“How much do you have left?” Hraktar said.

“I deny it!”

“Grizzizzik!” Milo said. The rogue was almost out the door. “Thank you.”

The rogue froze, not looking at anyone. “Welcome.” It would have been impossible to hear, except no one spoke a word as the rogue slipped out of the tent.

***

It was Sunday evening, and Nick was in his room, reading the Cost of Mana. Evelyn finished it, and Derek dropped off the rest of the series to her on Friday, so she happily started book two. Nick had nothing else to do, and at least it was captivating. It was the weekend, which meant his parents were home, and he had no genuine desire to leave his room if he didn’t have to.

Evelyn enjoyed herself at the dance. She wouldn’t shut up about all the people she met, which made Nick happy and nervous for her. Some guys were a little too eager to be her friend. He needed to attend the morning session of CCNC club.

The characters, too, were upstairs discussing what to do next. The entire weekend Akshi didn’t appear, even when they dropped off their items at Calawit’s. Maybe Akshi wouldn’t follow through on his threat, but it was also Akshi. Eventually, he would. Even if it took days, or months, or years. He was a patient fellow. A man who tapped into immortality usually was.

Clarissa suggested she remain with Evelyn now, and Ezekiel wanted to stay with her, since the full moon was approaching. Hraktar wanted to stay wherever Ezekiel was in case he needed to keep him pinned, and Milo didn’t want to be left alone. Especially with Pippa out there.

So, after a long conversation, they stayed. They would reassess the situation once the full moon happened. Which, according to the calendar, was Friday. And they still didn’t know what to do with the bar of silver. Despite it happening a few days ago, Nick was still floored that they successfully stole Akshi’s sword.

Nick got up at a chapter break, feeling hungry. It was almost nine at night, and he forgot to have dinner. He walked into the kitchen, seeing Walt on the phone with someone, as Lydia was on her laptop. If he was quiet enough, they would carry on whatever they were doing without noticing him.

Nick opened the fridge, deciding what to eat. There were a lot of ingredients, but not a lot of already made meals.

Walt hung up the phone, placing it to one side. Nick tuned them out as he shuffled through the options of what to eat. He didn’t want anything that he’d have to cook, because he wanted to get back to his room. That narrowed it down considerably.

“Good god, Nick. Make a choice and close the fridge door. The point of a fridge is to keep the cold air in, not let it out,” Walt said.

Nick shot the back of the fridge a glare before gathering some sliced turkey and condiments. Decision made, apparently. He closed the fridge and placed the items on the counter.

“So, everything’s ready for the first?” Lydia asked.

“Yes. I’ll take the old car in on Tuesday night and do the switch for the new one,” Walt said.

Lydia nodded. “It’s really nice of them to do this on Halloween night.”

“Well, I mean, your little girl only turns sixteen once.”

It was that phrase coming out of Walt’s mouth that made Nick pause in the middle of spreading the mayonnaise on his bread. He glanced up, setting the knife and the bread down. “Car?” He realized the other big thing happening before the full moon. Not just Halloween, but Evelyn’s birthday on the first of November. “You’re… getting Evelyn a car?”

They glanced at him. Lydia’s eyes shot to Evelyn’s room as Walt kept his gaze. “Trading in the old one for a better one. Got it all scheduled. Actually, it’s best you know. Once Evelyn gets her driver’s license on her birthday, she’ll be the one in charge of the car. You’ll have to ask her for it, and it still must be approved by me.”

Nick looked at Walt, not sure what he expected. Of course Evelyn would get a car. Walt’s eyes darkened as though reading Nick’s thoughts. “As I recall, we also got you a car when you turned sixteen.”

Technically, Walt was right. Nick got the keys to Walt’s old car while he bought himself a better one. A car with the stipulation that Walt would still keep the keys whenever Nick wasn’t using it. When Nick turned sixteen, he got his license and a job. One Walt was clear would be with Mr. Morgan, and he’d be keeping track of everything he did. His first day of work was on his birthday, fresh after getting his driver’s license. When he came home from his first day at eight-thirty at night, Evelyn gave him a cupcake and a card. It was his only other present. His parents were working late that night.

The only reason he had a seventeenth birthday celebration at all was because Evelyn specifically planned one for him. It was obviously Evelyn’s planning, as it was over the top and slightly ridiculous, though he secretly appreciated it. If Evelyn hadn’t planned anything, he was certain nothing would’ve happened that day.

Nick dropped his gaze from Walt’s, picking up the butter knife again. It trembled in his hand as he spread the mayonnaise on his sandwich.

“Are we clear about Evelyn’s car?” Walt asked.

“Crystal.” Nick dropped the knife and pulled out the sliced turkey. No one expected Evelyn to get a job. Her parents gave her the impression she didn’t have to worry about it until she graduated high school. They had a lot saved for her college. They never talked about college with Nick.

Nick moved his head around his neck, anger burning in his gut. He needed to stop. Stop comparing how he and Evelyn were treated. If he was going to survive until April, he needed to stop. He’d drown if he didn’t.

Walt gestured toward the sandwich Nick made. “Are you eating that in your room?”

“Yes.” Nick grabbed some lettuce to put on it. He sure as hell wouldn’t sit at the table and listen to them plan Evelyn’s birthday celebration.

“Bring your dishes back to the sink this time.” Walt’s focus returned to his phone.

Nick did his best not to slam the other piece of bread on the sandwich. He picked up the plate and headed toward his room, pulling to a stop when he noticed Grizzizzik standing there, no doubt watching the whole thing. Nick stared at the rogue, seeing his yellow snake eyes studying Nick with annoyance.

“Coward,” Grizzizzik said.

Nick’s eyes darkened, his voice dropping. “What am I supposed to do?”

“Deities above, do anything. It’s better than allowing him to treat you like this. It’s so painful to watch.”

“You’re the one doing nothing. You haven’t leveled up in weeks.” Nick’s face tingled with anger.

Grizzizzik shook his head, turning around and walking up the stairs. Nick continued down the hall, passing Evelyn’s room as he got to his own. Her door opened and Evelyn stepped out.

“God, yes, I was thinking the same thing. Crazy good book series, right?” Evelyn asked. Nick glanced at her, and the joy on her face evaporated. He probably didn’t have the most approachable look on his face right now. “Nick?”

He opened his door, staring at his room. “It’s nothing,” he muttered, slipping into his room and shutting the door behind him. He didn’t know why he was so annoyed. Or surprised. His sister always got the princess treatment.