Page 58 of XOXO

“Here,” he says and turns down an abandoned aisle. We come to a large series of sliding doors.

“What size do you need?” he asks.

“You know what size we need,” Brynn grumbles.

“I want to hear you say it anyway. It’s fun. Ask me for nine inches.”

I sigh. “Please give us nine inches and some cyanide.”

Edo shakes his head and chuckles, but he releases us to punch in a code to the drawer.

As he does, I reflect on how there was absolutely no circumstance in which we could have done this without him. Even if we could have gotten through the entrance, we’d never be able to pass the guards, find this room, get past the door, figure out what drawer we need, and plug in the code.

I begrudgingly admit that Edo has earned his favor.

The man in question withdraws an oblong rock roughly nine inches long. Flecks of purple glitter on the surface.

When I reach for it, he holds it out of my reach.

“Ah ah. Still have to add the wishes.”

“Excuse me?” Brynn grounds out.

“The wishes fade once the intention of them are gone. Most people’s wishes aren’t as permanent as they think. In fact, it’s best that multiple people add to the charge.”

I could argue with him over it, but I’m tired and just want to go home.

“What happens to our wishes?” I ask.

“Nothin’ much. It isn’t gonna curse ya’. You just have to feed it a real wish, one with intention.”

Brynn snatches the rock from his hand. She holds it half an inch from her mouth to whisper her wish.

“May our evening’s purpose be fulfilled.”

She places a small kiss on the stone, and when she does, the shimmering purple briefly flares in an eruption of color.

She hands the rock to me.

“May our evening end happily,” I add and peck a kiss on the surface. A similar effect illuminates the stone.

Edo leans over the rock in my hand. He hovers close, his face inches from mine as he breathes against the rough surface.

“May I find the two of you again,” he murmurs and adds his own kiss. The stone illuminates his smirking face.

After carefully wrapping it in the linen scraps, I nestle it in my duffel bag.

At least I remembered something to protect it with.

Edo ushers us out of the bars and quickly escorts us through the winding halls.

As we reach a side door, a siren goes off.

We both whirl on him.

“Ah, one thing,” he says. “There are cameras in the storeroom and I’ll be tellin’ ‘em you spelled me.”

“Shit,” Brynn spits. She grabs my wrist, jerks me through the door, and we sprint out into the cool night.

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