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"You have to, Paige. Any minute now that house is coming down. Would Eve rather you let her daughter die in there? Yes, it's wrong, but it's justified. We'll never tell Savannah the truth. You're giving her one last moment with her mother, Paige. I know you understand how much that means to her."
"Oh, God." I rubbed my hands over my face. "O--okay. Do it. Hurry, please."
Cortez cast the spell. It seemed to take forever. Twice he fell into a coughing fit, and my heart seized. How badly was he hurt? What if he--No, I couldn't think of that. I couldn't.
Finally, he finished. When I opened my eyes and looked down, I saw my own short fingers, my own silver rings.
"Did it--" I glanced up at him. "Did it work?"
"If you need to ask, then you won't see it. The illusion depends on the viewer's inclination to believe."
I closed my eyes and forced myself past my own doubt. I needed this to work. I needed to become Eve.
When I looked again, my fingers shimmered, then lengthened, nails growing long and manicured, rings disappearing. I nodded and got to my feet, expecting disorientation but finding none. My body moved as it always had. As Cortez said, the illusion was in the eye of the beholder.
Since the front door was now inaccessible, I jogged around to the side entrance. As I swung through, I saw Cortez limping along, using the side of the house for support.
"Go on," he said. "I'll meet you downstairs."
"No," I said. "You need to stay here."
"I won't let Savannah see me, Paige. The illusion will be complete. I'm only coming along as backup, in case of an emergency."
I hurried to him and put my hand against his chest, halting his progress. "Please. Stay out here. You're hurt."
"I can still cast--"
"No, please." I met his eyes. "If something goes wrong, you'll never get away in time. I need to know you're okay. I'll be fine."
The house creaked. Shingles slid off, one striking me on the shoulder. Cortez nudged me toward the house. I didn't need a second hint. With one backward glance, I was gone.
I raced down to the basement. From inside the furnace room, Savannah continued her pleas, voice rising and falling. I pressed my hands to my face and inhaled deeply, fighting to control my hammering heart. I had to believe. She had to believe.
When I rounded the corner into the room, Savannah stopped. She went still, completely still, as if sensing me there but fearing to turn and face disappointment.
"Savannah?" I said.
To my ears, my voice still sounded like my own and, as she turned, I nearly broke and ran. Instead, I held my breath and waited. Her eyes met mine. She blinked, then rubbed her palms over her eyes.
"Mom?"
"I heard you calling," I said.
"Mom!" She leaped from her knees and ran to me, arms flinging around my chest. Burying her head against my shoulder, she started to sob. "Oh, Mom, it's such a mess. I ... I did everything wrong."
Instinctively I reached to stroke her hair, forgetting who I was supposed to be and speaking as myself. "You didn't do anything wrong. Nothing at all."
"Yes, I did. I made Paige stay here with me, and now she's gone." Her voice broke in a sob. "I--I think she's dead, Mom. It's my fault. I made her stay and they killed her."
"No," I said sharply, putting my hand under her chin. "Paige is fine. You need to get out of this house, Savannah, before it collapses."
As if to emphasize the point, the house began to shake. Splinters of wood popped from the beams overhead.
"I--I didn't mean to do this. I just kept casting and casting and things kept coming, but they weren't you. I only wanted you."
"I'm here now." I kissed her forehead, realizing as I did that, for once, I had to bend to do it. "But you have to go, Savannah. I love you very much, but I can't stay. You know that."
"Oh, Mom. I miss you so much."
