Page 40 of Marcus-stiltskin

I suck in a breath of surprise. Here I am at 27, accidentally burning people alive, and this little girl can turn paper into living things at 17. I look up and find myself staring into Darla’s eyes. She nods as if she can read my thoughts.

“That was amazing,” I whisper. It’s the first time I get a good look at Alyssa. She’s wearing an old faded t-shirt that is a few sizes too big and the hem of her jeans seems worn. Her long, dark hair covers her face as she works.

She turns to me and shrugs. “Daddy says it’s a waste. If only it was something useful, like turning paper into food.”

“Magic doesn’t work that way,” I tell her.

She sighs. “Oh, I know,” and goes back to her paper.

I wonder how useful her daddy finds this class.

The six of us baby witches work on our blessings until Darla is satisfied and allows us to copy them down in the front of our journals. We end the class with a quick practice Choracle reading with our partner and then it’s time for everyone but me to go.

Alyssa, as usual, is the last kid to finish packing. We are both caught up in packing up our belongings when I hear Alyssa suck in a breath.

A tiny woman close to my age with short brown hair and a nose piercing enters the yard. She’s a little on the gothy side, butlooks fairly normal as far as people go. She is wearing a tank top, jeans, and Docs and has full tattoo sleeves on both arms. Darla greets her with a smile and they begin to talk, ignoring us.

“Do you know her?”

Alyssa nods, awestruck. “That’s Esmer Rodriguez.” Alyssa looks down at me. “She’s, like, the most famous fire witch in the state.”

“Oh.” Why did I expect a matronly woman my mother’s age?

Alyssa smiles. “What’s wrong?”

“Darla wants me to start working with her instead of coming here.”

“So you won’t be coming to class anymore?” she asks.

I shake my head.

“Oh,” she says, then after a long pause. “Well, it was nice knowing you.”

I look up at her and smile. “It was nice knowing you, too. Here–” I tear off a piece of my notebook paper from my blessing rough draft and write my name and number on it. “If you need anything, don’t be afraid to call or text. I live next to the old fire station and if no one’s there, my, uh, friend lives in the fire station. He’s usually there. His name is Marcus. He’ll know where to find me.”

She folds the paper up and slips it in her jeans pocket. “Thanks. Good luck.”

“You, too.”

Alyssa hurries off past Darla and Esmer, who wave as she rushes past.

“Sarah,” Darla says as she walks over to the table, followed by Esmer. “This is Esmer.”

Esmer reaches out and shakes my hand with a bright smile on her face. “I’ve been dying to meet you. It isn’t everyday I get to meet someone burning men alive right out of the gate.”

Chapter Sixteen

In Which We’re Back on the Subject of Journals Again

“It was an accident,” I respond without thinking. I don’t mean to sound so defensive, but it comes out that way.

Esmer holds up her hands. “Woah, no one’s accusing you of anything. Honestly, I find it incredibly impressive. I’ve been a fire witch for fifteen years and I’ve never come close to a spell like that without some major prep beforehand. Can you tell me how it happened?”

I look at Darla. She nods encouragingly, so I begin retelling the story of that night. Esmer listens to the entire thing, nodding along. “That is insane, girl. You have so much control! I would have wanted to take him out.”

“I almost did. If Darla hadn’t been there…”

Esmer waves it off. “Yeah, well, it’s good not to have murder charges against you, I guess. Darla’s good like that, always watching out for everyone. Though if anyone deserved it, it was that guy.”

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