Bitten in Two

Astral’s job was to play every file we’d entered into the Enkyklios that had to do with Cole, what we knew about his family and his work. Sterling said it would help him to see who he’d been when he was ful y human. I wasn’t so sure.

He’d gotten the crap kicked out of him a few times while I’d known him. Maybe he’d see this transition as a way to protect himself from that ever happening again.

Raoul, I whispered. Where are you? We could really use—

Sterling began to speak, arcane words I recognized only by the buzz at the base of my brain and the goose bumps rising on my skin. As the rhythm of his spel fil ed the room, I knew without a doubt that if he real y wanted to become a Bard, nothing would stop him. Already his magic felt like music, making us sway slightly from one foot to the other as we held tightly to our friend.

Cole began to convulse. It hurt to watch him, arching his back so high I heard his bones pop in protest a couple of times. When he lay flat again his legs began to tremble, but Vayl and Bergman held on, watching with me as the letters Kyphas had rammed into her heartstone transformed into a black, tarry substance that dripped into Sterling’s hand.

I’m not drinking that. Don’t even ask. But Sterling had other plans. He took Cole’s essence to the candles. Little by little he let the liquid from the stone drip into each flickering flame, until he’d walked the whole course of the room. By the time he was done the place had fil ed with grayish blue smoke.

Why haven’t the detectors gone off? Granny May was back at her tapestry, looking curiously at the sky.

Seriously? I’m inhaling Cole-juice and all you can think about are fire-safety rules?

What’s he smell like? asked my Inner Bimbo with an avid look on her face.

How can I take anything you say seriously when your lipstick is always smeared? I replied.

I’d like to know too, said Teen Me.

What, you’re all in this together now?

Granny May shrugged. He’s the one who could’ve been. So… we’re interested. Plus, we know who he ends up with, romantically speaking. Which gives us even more of a stake. So to speak.

We do? Who?

She waved her finger in front of her face and gave me that tch, tch noise that makes me want to throw pil ows.

Quit changing the subject. We want answers.

I sighed. He’s like… those french fries you can only get at the county fair. You know the ones I mean? Lick-your-lips salty with some sort of addictive secret flavoring that you know isn’t good for you but you don’t care because it’s so amazing.

They al nodded. Yup. That was Cole.

“Concentrate!” Sterling said, so sharply that I jumped and nearly lost my grip of Cole’s hand. I started to watch Astral’s projections but our warlock said, “Think of private conversations with Cole. Think of him at his most honest.

His most human.”

Almost at the same moment Vayl, Bergman, and I began to laugh. Sterling raised his eyebrows. “Real y?”

“He’s pretty funny,” said Miles.

“Good. Keep that in mind.” Sterling stepped away from the bed. I should’ve guessed what was about to come when he wrapped his arm around the bars that covered the windows. Three quick movements of his wand drew a sparkling white image in the smoke that faded as soon as it appeared. But it seemed to work as a catalyst, raising a wind inside the room that swirled the smoke in a circle, shoving more of it down our throats.

My curls began to dance in the air. Vayl’s shirt flapped against his broad chest. Bergman sneezed. Cole went perfectly stil as we remembered. His you-should-hug-me-now grin. The way his eyes lit when a woman, any woman, entered the room. And the love that spil ed out like concession-stand popcorn when he talked about his family, old girlfriends, the beach, bubblegum…

And then we could see it happening. The smoke clearing as our breath wafted out, looking winter-day frosty.

The cleansed air swirling into Cole, relaxing him more and more with each breath. The edges of his eyes fading to pink and then to white before closing. He began to snore.

Sterling left the window. “Astral can stop now,” he said.

I gave the cat her order and she closed the Enkyklios down, stepping off Cole’s stomach only to curl up beside him. “Good idea,” I told her. “Keep watch and let me know as soon as he wakes.”

We stil hadn’t let him go, though. It was like, having brought ourselves so close to the part of our team that brought us the most happiness, we couldn’t walk away.

Sterling said, “You did wel . I believe he’s been completely reclaimed.”

We nodded. Vayl stepped back. So did Bergman. I squeezed Cole’s hand. Then I placed it gently on