Page 60 of Lethal Legacy

Masha drops her wand on the ground and stops to pick it up. “Hurryup,Masha,” says Ofelia impatiently, looking around with a wariness that makes my heart catch. I bend down and pick the wand up, meeting Masha’s eyes. She pulls back, eyeing me carefully. I wave the wand in the air. “Open,” I say, just as Ofelia reaches the doors. They slide open and Masha’s eyes widen. I lean in. “Want to fly, sweetheart?” I whisper. She nods, her eyes widening even further. I pick her up, hand her the wand, and face her little body toward the doors. “What’s the magic word?”

“Super-cala-frocious,” she says, and I swoop her through the exit. She giggles, waving her wand in the air and trying to say the word.

“I told you, it’ssupercalifragilisticexpialidocious,” says Mickey, shaking his head with the weary air of someone who has clearly spent a lot of the flight explaining this particular point.

“Stop being so embarrassing,” hisses Ofelia. She points to the sedan. “There’s Luis.” Her eyes narrow. “Why’s Dimitry here, too?”

“Because he’s a sucker for punishment,” Dimitry answers cheerfully, taking Mickey’s bags as we approach the car. “And because Mary Poppins here is a serious flight risk.” He gives me the ghost of a wink.

“Itol’you she can fly,” Masha says triumphantly to Mickey.

“Well, I hope she can cook.” Ofelia gives me a rather challenging look as she climbs into the front passenger seat. “I’m starving.”

“Sit wiv me and Mickey.” Masha tugs me into the back, where I settle in between the two of them. A grinning Dimitry shuts the door and gets into the car behind us. The security guys are in the one in front.

“At least he didn’t send the limo,” mutters Ofelia. “It’ssoembarrassing getting picked up in that thing.”

“Lucia said the same thing,” says Luis as he pulls out into the traffic.

Ofelia twists around in the seat and pins me with another x-ray stare. “You argued with Roman?”

“Notargue, exactly.” I pull a slight face. “Maybe just... didn’t ask?”

“Woah.” Mickey speaks up for the first time, exchanging a glance with Ofelia. “Dude, you’re crazy.”

I lift a shoulder. “That has been said before, yes.”

“What are we supposed to call you?” Ofelia is still staring at me narrowly. “Poppins? Miss Poppins? Mary?”

“Poppins,” says Masha happily. “Poppins, Poppins, Poppins.”

“Up to you, really.” I cast my eyes up and to the side as if I’m considering it. “Although it’s probably safer for us all if you keep any obscene versions to yourself. It could get a bit awkward if we’re in your principal’s office and you’re calling meshitface swizzle sticks.”

Luis snorts, and Mickey gives a rather shocked laugh that he quickly muffles with his own hand. Ofelia stares at me for a long moment, then tilts her head. “Lucia, then.”

The small matter of my name out of the way, I give Luis directions to take us to the supermarket. “There’s almost nothing in the fridge,” I explain. “And I’ve no idea what you like eating. Probably easier if we do a shop together, if that’s okay?”

Mikhail exchanges another curious glance with his sister. “You want us to comefoodshopping?”

“Only if you want to. Otherwise you can just eat whatever Chef has made for—”

“No” comes an immediate chorus of certainty.

“Definitely shopping,” says Ofelia, sounding slightly less icy. “There’s never any decent stuff to juice with. I’m doing a juice cleanse,” she says loftily. “It’s good for my skin.” She gives me a rather disdainful look. “You should try it.”

“Oh, I’m more of abaking is therapykind of girl, to be honest,” I say cheerfully. “Then again, that’s possibly why you can wear spaghetti-strap tops and I need a loose dress.”

Ofelia gives me a considering look in the mirror. “It’s not abaddress,” she says quietly.

“So. Stuff for juicing.” I turn to Mickey. “What culinary delights do you require, Mickey?”

“Culinary delights.” Ofelia snorts. “You talk so weird.”

Luis is openly laughing in the driver’s seat.

“I believe we have already firmly established that I’m weird. Mickey?”

He pushes his hair aside and actually meets my eyes. “Snacks for when I’m gaming. There are neveranysnacks in that house.”

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