Cedric scoffed. “Please. If I’d wanted to be agenuinemenace, I’d have managed a better ambush thanthat. That whole debacle. I’ll have you know, it hurt me more than it did you.”
“In what fucking way?” Grim demanded.
“Aside from getting my neck snapped,” he said, “I didn’t know the mirror wraiths would do what they did. In that moment, because of my vast array of talents, I managed to keep my devilish mask in place, but… I didn’t relish your obvious pain. Quite the opposite.”
“That’snot why your scar bled,” said Grim, shoving Cedric back even as he released him.
I didn’t know what scar he was talking about, but Cedric did. An uncomfortable smile flashed across the wizard’s face as he cricked his neck.
“If I didn’t care about you, Grim,” said Cedric, “I wouldn’t have tried to pretend to want to murder your lady love so voraciously.”
“I should punch your damn lights out,” muttered Grim, even as his anger, at last, began to abate.
“Ill-advised,” said Cedric as he smoothed his robes. “Given that I now have access to your substantive music collection and coveted memorabilia.”
Grim brandished a finger at him. “You’d better not touch that guitar.”
“When you’re settled,” said Cedric, “and officially out of my hair, so to speak, I plan to hand deliver it. Until that time, you’ll simply have to trust I will handle your effects with care.”
“So… that’s it?” I asked, again squeezing Grim’s hand. “You’re just… going to let us go? Grim, too?”
“You really have no choice,” said Cedric. “I’ve already credited the life that assuming this role grants me… to you, Grim. I told you I had plans for it. That life, if my plan was going to work… I had to save it for you.”
“This is really happening?” asked Grim as he glanced to Flora, who dabbed at her eyes with a leaf-embroidered handkerchief. Johann, in the meantime, smiled wistfully at Cedric—a bit like a proud grandfather.
“This,” said Grim, swallowing hard, emotion straining his voice. “Why does it feel like another fucking bait and switch?”
“You,” I said, interrupting Cedric before he could answer. “You love Grim, too, don’t you?”
“Abrasive as he is,” said Cedric, “he’s a bit hard not to hold some affinity for, isn’t he?”
A smile broke onto my face, and I beamed up at Grim, who could only look down in response.
“I always hated you,” said Grim.
“See,” said Cedric, “I don’t think you did. Not truly. Even when you scythed me and snapped my neck. In fact, I would wager you’ve never hated a single soul in your entire existence. None, perhaps, butyour own. But… Helena helped you with that, didn’t she? And Flora and Johann, too. Maybe me as well, albeit backhandedly. You’re welcome, by the way.”
Grim didn’t answer. Swallowing again, he just looked away.
“I’m free to leave and Helena, too?” he asked at last. “I’m not bound to my oath anymore, and Helena’s no longer a Fated. Do I have that right?”
“She’s still technically a Fated,” said Cedric. “Though none but The Few know for what. Her fate, as everyone’s in this room has for one reason or another, has simply… changed. Sir White made some adjustments, swayed by the realization she had far more important work to do here.Youare her fate now, as I understand it… and she is yours. The rest? Well, that will come one day, won’t it? When I do. In the meantime… I think you two have some particulars to sort out. By the way, I should probably let you know that you’ve also been left with a few of your… tricks. Being a wizard of my standing, I didn’t need to take your powers. Also, The Few know you have enemies—Mephistopheles, for one. Rumor has ithe’sthe one who gave you that striking white streak in your hair.”
“Yeah, well,” said Grim, “you should have seenhim.”
“Just like a demon to put flair in your hair,” announced Pluto.
Goodness.Mephistopheleshad put that shock of white in Grim’s dark locks?Thatwas certainly a story I was going to have to get out of him later.
“Aside from Johann’s demon friend,” added Cedric, “there’s also a vampire or two in the mix from what I understand?”
I narrowed my eyes on Cedric. Because… did he seem anxious?
“Fuckin’hatevampires,” muttered Grim through clenched teeth before tilting his head and rolling back a shoulder, as if the thought of them gave him the heebie-jeebies. Likehemight have even been bitten once.
“Um,” I ventured, suddenly nervous as I traded a terrified glance between the two of them. “V-vampires?”
“There’s also that one witch from Florida, is there not?” asked Cedric.
