Page 31 of Wings of Ebony
My magic? It’s not answering.
Again, dammit!
The orbs on my wrists don’t even warm this time.
Oh my god, we’re gonna die.I bite down, bracing for his wrath.
He tilts the gun sideways. “You…”
Police sirenswoopand my heart stutters.
The walls around us flicker from red to blue and back to red. I don’t know whether to be relieved or scared. Sirenswoopagain and someone shouts, “FREEZE!”
Gunman’s blue eyes burn into mine for a split second longer, full of a fire I don’t understand. He takes off, knocking over the old salon lady as he sprints down the alleyway. A cop takes off past us, chasing him down. I brace for the sound of bullets, but they don’t come.
I guess they don’t shoot first ask questions later for everyone.
His partner walks up, her dark pixie cut rustled by a gust of wind. The badge on her chest is hard to read in the shade. I squint. Resendiz.
“Are you okay?” she asks.
I nod, my whole body shivering. My magic isn’t working, but I can’t tell this lady that.
“Was anyone hurt?” she asks.
“No.”
Her eyes pinch together. “Are yousureyou’re okay?”
“Y-yeah. Just shaken up.” I call for Tasha and she joins my side. I hope she didn’t see me saying that spell. I can’t tell her I’m broken. Magic is myentireplan. The weight on my chest is heavy, so heavy, each breath is a fight. How do I save us without magic? How do I protect us from Ghizon or just any ole creep trying to do us harm?
I don’t know.
FUCK.
We explain everything from the coffee shop to him following us into the alley. We tell her about the way he almost hurt the salonowner lady. I give the best damn physical description possible. Officer Resendiz writes it all down and asks me if I’m okay ten more times at least.
“These last several weeks the crime—especially in East Row…”
That’s where I grew up. That’s home.
“… has beenbad.Multiple shootings, robberies, every other week.” She looks between us. “And don’t get me started on cartel arrests. You two should get home. It’ll be dark soon. Can I give you a ride?”
She’s nice and all, for a cop, but that’s a bit too far. “Nah, we’re good.”
“Okay.” She tucks away her tablet and smiles. “I mean it, off these streets, right now. It’s not safe out here—worse than I’ve ever seen it.”
“Yeah, okay. My aunt lives just up the road.” A half lie. Aunt Melba’s been dead, but her houseis’round the corner. I’m anxious to get there. I need some time to think. Who was that guy? And what’s wrong with my magic?
I gotta figure this shit out before we both end up dead.
CHAPTER 10
LAST TIME I SAWMoms, she was slipping on a white lab coat. She’d said something about a new job down at the Medical Center. Some kind of way this job was supposed to make it so that she could eventually drop her weekend hustle. Tasha had a fever that night.
Moms didn’t want to leave, but she also wanted us to eat.
If she’d stayed home, maybe she’d still be alive.
