“If you were thinking about him during all that, he must be pretty special.” Her musical voice echoed in the night.
The last thing Raya needed was to reveal her demon acquaintance. “Just someone I met at the convention.” Raya shrugged her pack onto her back, hoping Lizzy would let the subject go.
No chance.
“Good-looking witch in a black leather jacket? You better lock him down, girl.”
Raya winced at the irony of Lizzy’s assumption that Phoenix was a witch. “Well—”
“Oh! I know! You should bring him to the party at the end of the convention.” Lizzy bounced up and down.
Raya felt the color drain from her face and thanked the universe it was still dark. “I don’t think—”
“On the last night of the convention! Of course you should. Even Nathan is going.” She pranced over to Nathan and mussed his hair.
“Not willingly.” He allowed Lizzy’s touch without showing any sign of noticing it.
Raya’s gaze traveled between the two witches. What a weird dynamic they had. Her life would never be that complicated.
Not if she had anything to say about it.
The witches trooped down the stairs and into the woods. Disorientation, exertion, and lack of sleep took its toll—the dark forest emanated an unreal quality, made worse by the latent power leaking from their wands and spiraling away into the canopy.
A nap and two steaks sounded like a solid plan.
When they finally reached the edge of the forest, the witches faced each other.
Nathan, solemn as ever, said nothing. The streetlights lining the edge of the forest cast a yellow glare across his glasses.
“Thank you for inviting me,” said Raya. It felt formal but appropriate, and she was too tired to come up with anything better.
“Where are you staying?” asked Lizzy.
“In Paris?”
“No, silly. Here.”
“Oh.” Raya hesitated. “I’m not. I took the train from Paris this morning.”
“But it’s the middle of the night! No trains are running now.”
Raya opened her mouth to suggest she would find a McDonald’s, or the French equivalent, that was open 24 hours, to wait for the trains to start running. She didn’t get a single word out.
Lizzy threw her arms in the air. “Sleepover!”
“That’s not necessary, really—”
Lizzy didn’t let her finish. She hooked her arm through Raya’s and skipped down the sidewalk.
Raya nearly fell over from the sudden movement. To regain her balance, she had to start skipping, too. The absurdity of the situation hit her full force. A laugh bubbled out, which set Lizzy off—and they both doubled over, laughing like madwomen.
Nathan observed them impassively. “Are you two finished?”
Raya wiped tears of laughter from her eyes.
Lizzy caught Raya’s gaze and winked. “Come on, Nathan, you know you want to.”
They rushed him as one, seizing his arms and very nearly dragging him until he gave up the fight and lifted his feet in a reluctant skipping motion.
