Page 146 of The Glittering Edge

into a binding unbreakable

until to dust he returns.”

As they speak, they move from north and south to east and west. Like they’re turning a giant key in a lock.

Nobody told Alonso that it would hurt. The pain is like having his insides compacted into one of those tiny garbage cubes. Alonso feels himself scream, but he can’t hear anything anymore.

Until the spell ends, and his magic is sealed away.

Alonso is slumped over on the floor, gasping for air. A part of him has become unknowable, even to himself. From this moment on, there will be before and after. Alonso will live the rest of his life in the after. He already misses the buzz of magical energy under his skin.

He didn’t realize it was there until it was too late.

Penny

EVERY DAY THAT GOES BY FEELS LIKE A YEAR.

Penny’s phone becomes a weight in her hand. She tries to call Alonso. No answer. Then Corey. No answer. Finally, she tries Naomi, but the call goes straight to voice mail. It takes Penny two more tries before she realizes Naomi blocked her number, and Penny spends an hour sobbing. When she gets a notification that Naomi’s new tutorial is up on YouTube, Penny watches it and sobs some more, but hearing the voice of her best friend—or ex–best friend—is her only comfort right now, besides bear hugs from Ron. When he asks what happened at the gala, Penny tells him that she and Naomi have grown apart.

“You really expect me to believe that?” Ron asks, but he doesn’t press her too hard. They’re preoccupied, because the reality of Anita’s health is becoming impossible to avoid. Ron doesn’t know about the curse, but he’s growing more afraid of the non-answers from the doctors. One nurse even mentions hospice, and Ron is almost kicked out of the hospital for yelling at her. Penny begs security to give them time, promising Ron will calm down, which feels like a ridiculous thing to say. Why would either of them calm down? What is there to be calm about?

But that’s not the only thing making Penny’s panic attacks come back in a way they haven’t since she started taking medication.

I’m sorry, Alonso said.We tried.

He hasn’t contacted her since.

On the fourth day after the Barrions’ gala, the silence is louderthan the crowd at the café. When Ron lets her know it’s break time, Penny runs out of the café and into the back parking lot, trying not to cry. Her anxiety wells up as she checks her phone—no new messages.

A sob breaks free from Penny’s throat. The heat beats down on the parking lot, and Penny has to alternate between wiping away tears from her cheeks and sweat from her brow. She’s positive that she’s never been this disgusting. She’s also positive that, if she doesn’t see Alonso in person, she will explode.

So she gets in her car and drives to Village Blues Records.

By some miracle, Alonso’s Shelby is in the parking lot, and he’s leaving the store as she parks. He doesn’t notice her car at first; his head is hanging like he’s exhausted, and car keys dangle weakly from his hand.

Penny opens the car door. “Hey.”

Alonso whips around. His face is haggard. The blue is back in the ends of his hair, but it’s less vibrant. He looks sun-bleached.

“What are you doing here?” he snaps.

Penny suddenly wishes she had changed out of her work uniform. She knows how she looks: hair wild, dark circles under her eyes, coffee stains on her white skirt (why do they evenhavewhite skirts?). But it’s too late for that now. “I’ve been calling you.”

Alonso glances at the phone in his hand. “I know.”

“I wanted to see if you were okay.”

“Is that a serious question?”

“Yes. No. I don’t know. I needed to see you.”

“Well, now you have.” He fumbles with his key, trying to get his car door unlocked.

“Why won’t you talk to me?” Penny whispers. “Were you going to give me this silent treatment until—”

“Until I left Idlewood?” Alonso says without turning around. “Pretty much.”

Penny’s stomach drops. “You’re leaving?”

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