curls at Mab’s feet. Poe watches. Kitty kitty Lilith walks fire burns in her eyes two coal eyes brimstone sulfur burning Lilith walks past the troupe Senchan stops talking. Lilith. Get back inside, sweetie. Mab says. Please. Lilith walks to Senchan. You hurt him. You hurt Kingston. Fire burns fire blood fire blood faerie fire fair faerie blood Yes. Senchan says. I hurt him. And I will keep hurting everyone you love. Until you come with me. Or until this show is in flames. Lilith, please. Get back inside. Mab says. No. Lilith. Let her play. Senchan says. Let her see what happens when those she loves get hurt. Senchan reaches down He picks up Poe. Poe hisses growls spits Senchan holds the cat by one leg with one hand the other Don’t — Don’t — s n a p s the cat’s leg in half Lilith burns fire fire fire fire fire breathes fire eats fire fire screams fire fire fire howls fire fire burning fire blood and flame Senchan screams fair faerie blood on fire Senchan burning fire flaming blood Lilith, stop! Fire fields fire burn corn burn smoke burning faeries burning Lilith on fire eyes bright blood in darkness fields burning Lilith burns everything burns. “Vivienne, please, wake up. wake up. wake up.” Chapter Thirteen: Amnesia
If I wasn’t one hundred percent certain we didn’t have animals in our show, I would have blamed the elephants for trampling over my head. There’s no other explanation for the pounding in my temples and the fact that every joint in my body feels like I’d been sent to boot camp. I roll over in bed, and try to visualize happy, healing light spreading all over me, easing away the pain. Then someone puts a hand on my forehead, and that’s exactly what happens.
My eyes flicker open. There’s Kingston, leaning over me, a sad smile on his face. No sign of tears or blood, just his usual shadow of stubble and a tiredness in his eyes. I wish I could kiss his exhaustion away.
“You got your magic back,” I mumble. His touch is ice water over flame, the perfect dose of Vicodin.
