The Hidden

“You take what you can get.”

“So, wait,” I said. “Were you guys given the bus, or did you take it?”

They exchanged a look.

“A little of both,” Uri said.

“Is that because of the mind mojo thing?”

Cacey nodded, but Uri frowned.

“How does it work?” Caspian asked.

“Like all things wise and mysterious beyond your grasp,” Cacey said. “It just is. Accept it. Move on.”

“Do I have it?” he persisted. “Can I do mind mojo too?”

The waiter suddenly appeared, holding three cans of Coke and three glasses of ice on a tray. He sat everything down on the table with a flourish, and Cacey beamed at him. “Thank you, good sir.”

He stuttered a “Y-you’re welcome” before fleeing.

Cacey didn’t even bother with her glass, but chugged the soda straight from the can. “Deeeee-licious!” she crowed after a full minute’s worth of swallowing. “This really is the best stuff on earth. Trust me. I’ve been around.”

Caspian drummed his fingers on the table. “Cacey,” he said. “Mind mojo? Do. I. Have. It?”

“Why don’t you try?” she taunted. “Go ahead and lay one on me, big boy.”

I couldn’t help the snort of laughter that escaped me. Honestly, she was so ridiculous at times.

Caspian stared at her.

She stared back.

He screwed up his face and squinted his eyes. Nothing happened. Finally he wiggled his fingers. “Abracadabra?” he said.

“Nope,” Cacey replied. “You don’t have it.”

Uri leaned sideways and spoke to Caspian. “What were you trying to make her do?”

“I was trying to make her tell us that she’s a pretty, pretty princess.”

I laughed loudly. “That I would have paid to see.”

“Hey!” Cacey said.

“Paid. Like, a hundred bucks.”

“I am a pretty, pretty princess,” Cacey said automatically. “Pay up.”

“Doesn’t count. You already told us he doesn’t have it.”

Uri, Caspian, and I burst into laughter while Cacey crossed her arms and acted all pissy.

“Oh, get over it,” I told her. “Move on.” She stuck her tongue out at me, and I rolled my eyes. “Seriously, though. Is there a reason why Caspian can’t do the mind mojo thing?”

“Because he’s a Shade, not a Revenant,” Cacey said. “He’s not like us.”

“So only Revenants can do it?”

She shook her head. “Sorry. I can’t tell you how everything works. That’s the way it … works.”

I glanced at Uri and opened my mouth to ask him, but he shook his head too. “Sorry, kiddo. She’s right on that. No unfair advantages.”

“But this whole thing is like an unfair advantage,” I replied. “How many people know that they’re going to die?”

“Technically, everyone knows they’re going to die,” Cacey said.

“I mean, how many people know they are going to die soon? As in having-lunch- with-the-people-that-will-take-their-souls-any-minute-now soon.”

Cacey and Uri shared another look, and then Cacey shrugged. I was about to ask again, when she said, “Ooh! Here comes the food!”

The waiter made his way out of the kitchen with a loaded serving tray and then passed around the plates when he got to our table. My tofu scramble actually looked pretty good, and it smelled delicious. I felt bad that Caspian was going to have to just sit there and watch us eat, but he gave me a reassuring nod.

The food, as it turned out, was tasty.

Cacey barreled her way through her tamale while Uri demolished his burrito. “Wow,” I said, only halfway through mine. “You guys were hungry.”

“We’ve just come to appreciate fine food,” Uri replied.

Cacey sighed in happiness as she drained the last of her Coke and reached for Uri’s. “Sleepy Hollow doesn’t have any place like this,” she said. He patiently nudged his glass over to her.

I cleared the rest of my plate as they discussed ordering something to go. Ultimately they decided against it, and the waiter came back with our check. Luckily, I’d pocketed some money before I’d gone to the doctor’s that morning, and I pulled a ten from my back pocket.

“Don’t worry about it,” Uri said. “We’ve got it covered.”

“That’s okay. I don’t mind. Really, I-”

“You can give me the ten if you want, Abbey,” Cacey interrupted. “But I’d keep it if I were you. If Uri said he’s gonna cover it, he’s gonna cover it.”

“Are you sure?” I lowered my voice. “I didn’t know if you guys had any money.”

Uri pulled out a wallet and opened it, flashing a billfold stuffed full of hundreds.

“Oh,” I said meekly. “Sorry,”

“No big.” He left enough money on the table to cover the tab, and we headed outside.

We climbed into the car and pulled out of the parking lot. Cacey talked the whole way home about more weird stuff that they’d found in their circus mobile, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was some important question I needed to be asking, or something I should know the answer to.

I just couldn’t figure out what it was.

Chapter Five. REGRETS

… he had various ways of rendering himself both useful and agreeable.

– “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”

There were precious few days of summer vacation left, but Caspian and I settled into a routine that consisted of drawing lessons for me, perfume lessons for him (well, more like perfume watching sessions, where I made the scents and he told me stories from his childhood), and nights under the stars. It was an easy rhythm. Comfortable, and safe.

The little things were what surprised me the most. Like how awkward I thought it would be having him around all the time. How uncomfortable getting undressed every evening, or using the shower every morning with him in the next room, would be. But … it wasn’t. He was a perfect gentleman.

And a surprisingly good roommate.

“You don’t have to keep doing this, you know,” I said, turning back the covers to get ready for bed one evening, and finding a pair of socks tucked by my pillow.

I told him he didn’t have to do it, but a shiver of happiness went through me that he had.

“Your feet get cold at night. You’re always getting up to go get another pair.” He brought over an extra blanket, too, and placed it at the foot of the bed.

“You’re going to spoil me,” I said. “But while you’re at it, could you turn off the overhead light?” I climbed into bed and pulled the sheets up over me.

He obliged, and flicked the light off. A second later the bed dipped slightly under him as he came to sit next to me.

“I still don’t know how you can stay here with me when I fall asleep,” I murmured, trying to get comfortable.