Page 26 of The Glittering Edge

“No.”

“Then what? You pissed that I won?”

Corey nods toward the dilapidated house. “Go tell your family that Anita Emberly is on her deathbed.”

For a split second, Alonso drops the tough-guy scowl, and his face goes blank. Dark satisfaction sends a chill through Corey.

“Anita Emberly,” Alonso repeats. “Penny’s mom?”

Someone laughs, and the sound is bitter and sad. It takes Corey a second to realize it’s coming from himself.

“All I want,” Corey says, “is to pretend I’ve never heard of you or your fucking family. Stay out of our sight.”

For once, Alonso doesn’t have a comeback. As Corey walks back to Meredith House, he hears Alonso’s footsteps retreat. The screen door of the De Luca home slams shut behind him, and in the quiet July night, it sounds like a thunderclap.

Alonso

ALONSO FLIES INTO HIS HOME, PROPELLED LIKE A ROCKET. HE WISHEShe could shed parts of himself, that he could spend the rest of his life floating in some great void. Instead, he’s stuck on Earth, with this new knowledge making his heart pound against his ribs like an angry fist.

The De Luca sisters are gathered around their circular dining table, holding hands like they’re about to do a séance. But instead of whispering spells to rouse the dead, their heads are bowed, and they’re silent. Aunt Emilia’s shoulders shake as she cries, but she doesn’t make a sound.

They’ve heard the news.

Alonso stands there, arms limp at his sides, waiting for them to acknowledge him. And when they don’t, he explodes.

“We have to do something!” he says, but it comes out as a scream.

Aunt Emilia jumps, thin hands gripping the arms of her chair. Aunt Donna narrows her eyes at him as she blows cigarette smoke out of her nose. But Alonso’s mother doesn’t move. Her head is bowed low, as if he didn’t say a word. As if he isn’t even there.

“It’s Penny’s mom,” he says, his own voice ringing in his ears.

“Indeed,” Aunt Donna says.

“We hoped you would hear it from us,” Emilia says, and then she dissolves into sobs again, audible this time.

If their dining room table wasn’t carved from a giant oak, Alonso would flip it. He’s vibrating like his body can’t contain him. He’s toobig. Too angry.Anchor image, he thinks, but he can’t even remember what his anchor image is anymore. All he sees is Penny’s face.

So many people have died because of Grandpa Giovanni’s curse. But somehow, even in Alonso’s wildest dreams, he never imagined Penny would be dragged into this. Because he’s naive. He somehow convinced himself Penny existed in a fantasy world where blissful ignorance about magic would protect her.

And now her mom doesn’t stand a chance unless they do something.

“Mom,” Alonso says, “you have to call the Council.”

Vera De Luca speaks in a low, threatening voice.

“You will not use that tone with us, Alonso Pietro De Luca. You don’t decide what we will and won’t do.”

“But—”

“No.” Vera is on her feet, hands slamming the table. Her eyes are bright red, whether from crying or being too stressed to blink, it’s impossible to tell. Alonso knows he should be afraid, but he’s never been that smart.

“I can’t stand by and let this happen. If you’re too much of a coward to call the Council, then I will.”

Donna and Emilia inhale sharply. Alonso expects his mom to scream at him. Throwing something would be a nice touch. He’s ready for it, too. He’s full of fight and he has nowhere to put it, and he’s aching for someone to say the words that will push him over the edge. He wants to lose control. Alonso is a sane person in an insane world and he can’t be held responsible for his actions.

And then, as Alonso’s anger reaches a crescendo, his mom deflates like a balloon. She curves in on herself, one spindly hand covering her face, catching strands of her blond hair.

“We went to high school together,” Vera says. “We were lab partners once.”

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