“No, I told her it wasn’t wise to do it herself in case someone else comes out at the same time.”
“You meant Samantha. Right?”
“The witch? Sure.”
“Sure?” I repeat. “What do you mean, sure?”
“She didn’t come out,” Max says. “She stayed in the Veil.”
Jacob’s golden eyes snap to Max. “Yes, so you said. You also said a demon did get out.”
“I put him back in,” I tell him. I dust off my hands together. “Piece of cake. Is that what’s bothering you? That I was able to do it even though you specifically told Perry I wasn’t ready?”
“I didn’t say that,” he says smoothly, bringing his attention back to me. “I said you couldn’t handle it.”
“Well then, how does it feel to be wrong for once?”
Jacob lifts one shoulder in a light shrug. “I’m not wrong.”
I look at Max for back-up. He’s watching the two of us with interest.
“You’ve done something, Ada,” Jacob says carefully as he eyes me. “Something you don’t understand. Something that has consequences. For the both of you.”
“Me and the undead ginger?”
Jacob isn’t amused. But then again, neither am I. He’s famous for being excruciatingly vague.
“You’ll understand soon enough,” he says. “But that’s not why I wanted to speak to you.”
I shouldn’t let it go. I need to know what he’s talking about. What has consequences. But I also want to know why he really wanted to talk to me.
Jacob clears his throat and walks around the desk, having a seat on the plush leather chair. “I haven’t gotten a chance to discuss this with Maximus yet, but I figure it’s best to approach the both of you at the same time.”
I exchange another confused glance with Max and walk over to stand next to him, staring down at Jacob. If it felt like I’d been called to the principal’s office before, now it really feels like it.
“Well?” Max prompts impatiently. “If you don’t mind, there’s a party I’d like to attend. I’ve missed out on a few New Year’s.”
“Three, to be exact,” Jacob says, folding his hands in front of him. “Listen, I foresee myself being quite busy in the time to come. There’s been a disruption in the worlds.”
“A disturbance in the force?” I joke.
Max laughs, which I appreciate. Jacob remains serious.
“Yes,” Jacob says. “If you want to be glib about it. It’s just a feeling I have, and I know to trust my feelings. Anyway, I won’t be around as much going forward.”
“Where are you going?” Max asks.
“Nowhere for now,” he says. “Just that sometimes there are things I have to deal with. Don’t worry, I’ll come back. I know the both of you would be completely heartbroken if I didn’t.”
I narrow my eyes, wondering if that was a dig about Jay.
“But,” Jacob goes on, leaning back in the chair, “that means I won’t be able to train Ada properly. And before you say anything, yes you still need training. Whatever you did in that house doesn’t mean anything.”
“Hey, I’m right here,” Max says.
Jacob gives him a dry look. “I can see that. What I mean is that perhaps she got lucky.” I’m about to yell at him but he raises his palm. “And if it’s not luck, then we need to make sure to build on that. Take advantage. Anyway, all of this is to say that, Maximus, I think I need you to take over my job.”
Max and I stare at each other, both our brows raised to the ceiling.
“What?” Max asks, looking back to Jacob.
“Yeah, what? Him?” I jerk my thumb at Max.
Jacob grins at us. “You both seem so surprised.”
“Can you even do that?” I ask Max. “You’re not…I mean you very much retired. And then you died. So that’s like double retirement.”
“He can,” Jacob interjects. “But this time around, it’s not up to me. He’s a free agent.”
I look back at Max. He’s staring at his bottle of beer, brow furrowed. There’s no way he’s going to agree to this if he doesn’t have to. As for me, well, honestly, I would much rather have Max teaching me than Jacob. Talk about a no-fun teacher. Max at least is way more relaxed, even a bit of a joker. It could be a lot more interesting.
But what’s in it for him?
“Maximus?” Jacob prods him.
Max eventually looks up and then at me, shrugging. “Okay.” He finishes off the rest of his beer.
“Okay?” I say. “Just like that? You know you don’t have to do what Jacob says, right? He just said you’re a free agent.”
Max tilts his head at me and smiles. “Believe me. I know that. But what the hell else do I have to do?”
“That’s what I thought you’d say,” Jacob says, getting to his feet. “Then it’s settled.”
“But, but,” I say, raising my hand. “How do we even know he can? I mean, he’s just a…a…well he’s a normal dude, right? A mortal? Like he gave up all that shit for that—” I want to use an insult but I manage to rein it in, in case Max is still in love with the ingrate, “for Rose. How can he train me?”
“It’s not like I’ve forgotten,” Max says. “I’ve been doing it for all my lives.”
“He’ll be fine, Ada,” Jacob says, patting me on the shoulder as he walks past me. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, a glass of scotch is calling my name.”
I watch as Jacob exits the room, as if he’s about to celebrate being free of me. Not that I blame him.
And now Ginger Elvis is stuck with me. I give Max an apologetic look. “I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“For making you take a shitty job.”
He laughs. “Don’t sell yourself short, sweetheart. I’ll be fine.”
“Will you? Don’t you want to, like, do what you said and go to Mexico and open a beach bar? Instead, you’re stuck with me and apparently I’m a major pain in the ass. I mean, the last two teachers I had quit…” I
