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“I’ll take over here,” I said. “He needs you tonight. He needs Pack.”
Alexei nodded and rose and put the toy on a console table in the hallway. Eleanor of Aquitaine sat down obediently, waited for him to reengage. Seeing good behavior from her was just... spooky.
Alexei looked at me. “Don’t worry about him.”
I gave him a half smile. “I have to. It’s my job now.”
He nodded, smiled back. “That’s why he loves you. But worry isn’t going to change anything. Not where a challenge is concerned.”
“What’s all the—” Lulu stepped into the hallway, a book in hand, open like she was going to show a page to Alexei. “Oh,” she said. “Hi.”
“Hi.”
“Alexei told me about the challenge.”
“Yeah,” I said, toeing off my shoes. “It’s been a night.”
She nodded, and we all looked at each other awkwardly for a minute.
“I’ll get going,” Alexei said. He nodded at her, then offered me a wave and left us alone in more awkward silence.
“Hi,” I said again.
“Hi.” Then she turned and went back into the living room.
I followed her, noticed the stack of books on the coffee tablethat she became very busy gathering up. I moved closer, glancing at the stack. They were all books about demons and demonology.
“What are you doing?” I asked, looking up at her.
“Researching,” she said, and cleared her throat. “My parents can’t. Librarian and Paige can’t. There’s no one else. So I’m doing what I can to help.”
She cleared her throat. “I know the timing is bad, but with me fireballing you and all, and the odds things are going to get worse...”
I nodded, sat down on the couch. There was fear in her eyes, and I braced myself for what was coming next. And felt guilty that I had no intention of spilling my own secrets.
“I’m tired, Elisa. I’m tired of lying.”
“Okay,” I said.
She blew out a breath. “Here goes. The thing is—I don’t avoid magic because I’m embarrassed by my mother or because she did dark magic.”
“Oh” was all I could think to say, as that was the last thing I’d expected to hear from her. “Okay. So why do you?”
“Because dark magic is the only kind I can do. And I’m really, really good at it.”
SEVENTEEN
I’m not entirely sure what I thought she’d say. But it certainly wasn’t that.
I stared at her for a full minute, trying to think how to respond. “First of all,” I said, “I love you. So let’s just establish that and get it out of the way.” That had her tears already welling. “Second, what the hell, Lulu?”
“I know.” She pulled a pillow over her face, hiding it. “I know. I should have told you.”
“I mean, yes? How long have you known this?”
She lowered the pillow, winced. “Since I was like, I don’t know, fourteen.”
“Lulu Clarissa Hannah Montana Strawberry Shortcake Bell!” Only one of those was her actual middle name, but I needed the emphasis. “That’s nearly a decade!”
