He just needed to read through the rest of Burnside’s manual.
Will was going to miss the old porter. His only consolation was knowing that he could and would visit him again. He was already looking forward to that.
“Didn’t Burnside tell you what to do with the stone?” Will asked.
“Not exactly. When I asked him if he was planning to give the stone back to the mermaid, he said that Ondalune was expectingme.”
“It seems like the obvious choice then.” Will nodded. “I mean, it is her stone, right?”
“But…” Zani hesitated nervously. “Hear me out, Will. I promised to bring the stone to Cosimo. There wouldn’t be any stone to bring without his help. And for all my knowledge, maybe he wants to be the one to give the stone back to Ondalune. Maybe heneedsto give the stone to her.”
“From what I’ve seen, he’s got no intention of returning the stone. He’s Hecate bent on destroying it, and he doesn’t seem to care who gets hurt in the process.” Will tapped his smoothie cup against a side table to get rid of air bubbles.
“That doesn’t feel right.” Zani frowned. “I think he cares, in his way. I just wish we could ask Amrita what to do.”
“You already know what she’d say.” Will ran a hand over his forehead and brushed back his hair. He stifled a yawn. He really needed to sleep. The last three ports had taken a lot out of him.
“She would say that she has sixteen existential crises of her own to deal with before breakfast and that we should figure it out ourselves?” Zani guessed.
“Ding, ding, ding! We have a winner!” Will tapped his nose. “And then she would say she has faith and confidence in us.”
“That vote of confidence should feel so much better than it actually does. Why don’t I feel qualified yet?” Zani groaned, and flipped to her stomach on the couch. She yawned as she held her head up. “You just made me yawn, Will.”
“I’m sorry.” He slurped the last of his smoothie and joined her on the sofa, rubbing her shoulders.
“My grateful gods, William Porter, why haven’t you been giving me back rubs nonstop from the moment I met you?”
“Because you never asked me to?” He blushed when she groaned with pleasure. If he’d known she would react this way, he would have offered sooner.
“Your hands are magical.” She hummed happily as she flopped forward, resting her head on her forearms.
“So I’ve been told,” Will said.
He didn’t bother arguing with her that this was just an Ordinary talent. He knew he used some of the same skills for working out knots of tension that he used for untangling ley lines. Both activities required a certain level of sensitivity and focus that Will had in spades. But this awareness, this ability to connect and untangle complex relationships, wasn’t something Will had been born with. It had taken effort to learn and grow his abilities to connect through time, space, and touch. He still believed it all hinged on the ability to pay close attention to the natural world around him and the beings in it. One needn’t be genetically blessed with magic to notice and appreciate its presence all around them.
With one hand, Zani reached into her bag on the floor beside her and carefully drew out the bloodstone. She held it up and examined it as Will continued to work his magic.
“You’re not afraid of the curse?” Will asked.
“Not especially,” Zani answered, tossing it back on top of the satchel. “I don’t want anything from this stone, so it doesn’t need to take anything from me. Plus, there’s myrather excellentwarding skills protecting me.”
“Do my ears deceive me? Are you saying I was right?” Will teased. He could feel the tension in her muscles releasing as he worked them. It was so satisfying to tackle another knot.
“You know what?” Zani conceded. “I do think you are right, Will. Curses require complicity. You have to believe in them in order for them to work. If anything, I think the stone has brought me good luck. I mean, after all, it’s brought us together.” She buried her head in her arms again. “Awkward alchemy! That sounded awfully cheesy.”
“I couldn’t agree more.” Will leaned forward to brush a light kiss on the nape of her neck, enjoying the slight shiver this produced. “And I’m with Minerva and Zephyr. I like cheese.” He paused for a moment. “Just the same, I’ll be happy to hand that thing off.”
“It’s very strange holding the weight of the world in your hand like this.” Zani picked up the amulet again and rotated it, admiring the way it caught the light with peculiar flashes of blue fire that peeked out from beneath the stone’s dark red color. “It’s just such a huge responsibility. I’m not sure I’m ready for it.”
“You act like it’s a child.” Will shook his head.
“Oh, come now, it’s nothing that serious,” Zani said.
“Sure. It’s just a small natural entity with the potential to untether all the ley lines and usher in an era of unprecedented darkness and despair.” Will stopped massaging and stretched.
“Or…” Zani said, “it could be healed and bring everyone back together.” She rolled over and propped herself up to face him. “Don’t stop that massage now,” she complained. “It was just getting good.”
“Fine. Give me your feet,” Will ordered. “I have to warn you, this part might be extra blissful. You’ve been warned. Brace yourself.”
