“Brendan!” his mother scolded. “You don’t have to be rude.”
“I have a social studies project due the end of the week!”
“Brendan… ” his father began, but Charlie interrupted him.
“Brendan is right, certainement. I ’ave also to be going.” She stood up. “I ’ope I ’aven’t imposed?”
“Never!” Brendan’s dad was on his feet in an instant, taking her hand and grasping it.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Mrs. Clair assured her. “But you have to come back for a proper dinner sometime soon. Not leftovers.”
“If this is the leftover, I don’t want to miss a real meal!” Charlie laughed.
“Where do you live?” Delia said suddenly. She’d been quiet the whole time, watching from the doorway as Charlie worked her magic.
“Pardon?”
“I said,” Delia enunciated slowly and clearly as though she were talking to a child or an idiot. “Where… do… you live?”
“Oh… ” Charlie stumbled for the first time. “I don’t know the city so well. It’s um… in the West End… ”
“Trinity Bellwoods.” Brendan found himself jumping to the rescue. He didn’t know why he was bailing out this interloper, but he saw the look in Delia’s eye. He had a sudden fear that allowing Delia to look too deeply might be just as dangerous for him and his secret as letting Charlie outstay her welcome. “They have a townhouse right on the park.”
Delia narrowed her eyes and nodded. “How nice for you,” she said a little snottily. Without another word, she turned and went up the stairs and didn’t look back.
“Don’t mind our Delia,” Dad said apologetically. “She isn’t big on the social graces.”
Brendan took the opportunity to get Charlie out of the house. “I’ll walk you home.”
He had to make a big show of politely taking her arm as they left his parents standing waving on the porch. As soon as they were around the corner and out of sight, he dropped the facade.
“What’s the big idea?” Brendan spat.
“Such a nice family you ’ave. Even if they are Humans.” She sounded sad. Brendan wondered why. “You’re very lucky to ’ave a family. I think they like me, too.”
“Don’t get too attached to them,” Brendan said flatly. “You won’t be seeing them again.”
“You’ve got a lot to learn about relationships,” Charlie said. “You should’ve dumped me before I met the parents.”
“Just cut it out, will you?”
“You won’t be getting rid of me so easily.” She grinned.
“I don’t want you coming around again,” Brendan snapped. “You have no business coming to my home. The place is off limits to your kind.”
“My kind? And what are you, mon ami? You are just like me. Are you gonna kick yourself out, aussi?”
Brendan pointed an angry finger at her. “And you can cut out the crappy accent, all right? You’re about as Quebecois as I am.”
Charlie quirked the corner of her mouth in a half smile. When she spoke again, all traces of an accent were gone. “Okay. Have it your way. For your information, I am from la belle province. I’m what the French Canadians call a lutin.^ 31 I really did come here from Montreal. Ever been, mon ami? It’s fun. Not like tight-assed Toronto.”^ 32
“No, I’ve never been to Montreal,” he said. “But I wouldn’t mind if you just went back there right now. Besides, Toronto is awesome if you get to know it. But never mind. You can cut the girlfriend crap, okay?”
“That’s your fault. If you had made if easier, I wouldn’t have had to resort to drastic measures,” Charlie said heatedly.
“Fine! Tell me then. What are you really doing here?”
Charlie didn’t speak for a moment. They had just entered the park at the foot of Brendan’s street. She spread her arms and took a deep breath. Exhaling in a frigid cloud, she looked up at the sky. “I don’t really like cities. No stars!” She waited for a couple of joggers to pass them on the path before addressing Brendan’s question. “I’m here for the Clan Gathering. As for why I am coming to your house, I just wanted to get a look at the strange Faerie Prince who’d rather live with Humans than with his own kind.”
“Well, you’ve seen me, so get lost!”
“Not so fast.” Charlie smiled, watching the runners huff away into the night. “I kind of like it here. It’s nice to see how the other half lives.”
“You aren’t welcome here,” Brendan growled. “I’m warning you: you’d better stay away or… else.” Brendan clenched his fists and took a step toward her.
She laughed her infuriating laugh. “First of all, I really doubt you could make me do anything. Second, if you try, I’ll tell your parents your little secret. Understand?”
“I’m warning you… ”
She stood up so swiftly that Brendan barely saw her move. “NO! I’m warning you!” She raised her arms.
The tattooed animals on her arms stirred and came to life, one by one. The creatures leapt from her skin, swelling in size as they fell to the ground, growing until they ranged before her, dark, shaggy, and steaming in the cold night air. There was a wild boar with wet nostrils and razor-sharp tusks, its massive shoulders hunching as it leaned toward Brendan. Beside the boar stood a stag, its antlers almost tangling in the branches of a tree overhead. Finally, a bear reared up on its muscular haunches, pawing the air with massive claws. All three of the tattoo creatures were an inky, featureless black.
The animals crowded around Brendan, looming over him and forcing him to backpedal until his back pressed against the rough bark of a tree. He felt their moist, hot breath gusting in his face. The most terrifying feature of the beasts was their eyes. They had no pupils or corneas. Their entire orbs glowed a fierce ruby red. Brendan stole a look at Charlie and saw her eyes blazing with the same eerie crimson. She saw him looking at her and smiled. In her arms she held a black animal with a long, sinewy body, short legs, and a pointy, quivering nose. Its eyes were as bright and red as blood.
“Well?” Charlie whispered. “What do you say? Are we going to be friends?” She grinned, baring her teeth. The three shadow creatures leaned closer. “Or not?”
Footsteps sounded on the path.
As quickly as they had grown, the creatures shrank back and scampered up Charlie’s legs, scrabbling and clawing up her clothing and leaping back into her skin like divers into a pool. Her skin rippled before settling into its former solidity. Only the creature in her arms remained, nose twitching. Another lone jogger approached. He saw Brendan pressed against the tree and slowed slightly, asking Charlie, “You all right, miss? Is this guy bothering you?”
“I’m fine, thanks.”
The runner nodded and, with a stern look at Brendan, continued into the park.
“What is that?” Brendan whispered. “A weasel?”
“Ferret,” Charlie corrected. “Though he does come from the weasel family. Don’t you, Tweezers?”
The thing blinked once and the red eyes shifted to a more natural yellow, staring at Brendan with obvious suspicion and dislike. The ferret suddenly scuttled up Charlie’s arm and coiled around her neck.
Recovering from his fright, Brendan grunted, “He was asking the wrong person.”
“You’re afraid of little me?”
“Shouldn’t I be?”
Charlie shook her head. “Non. I’m here to help you. If you’ll let me.”
Brendan shook his head. He didn’t know what to say. She’d keep hounding him until he let her have her way. He turned his attention to the creature on her shoulders. “Ferret, huh? I guess he’s kinda cute,” he conceded. “If it is a he?”
“Oui, un petit homme,” Charlie said. “His name is Tweezers.” The animal in question chittered loudly as Brendan gently scratched him between the ears. “I think he likes you.”
“I can see that,” Brendan said. “Where did he come from?”
“He comes from me. He’s one of my spirit animals. But I will explain all to you some other time. You should be getting home.” She smiled and started to jog off through the park, stopping after a few steps and looking back at him, her eyes slightly sad. “You have a nice family. You should feel very fortunate.”
