Something had changed. The connections around the city, the tone of things. It was like the world had been cast in a stark contrast before, and it was only now letting up.
Even the connections that radiated from and to me were less intense.
Conquest’s champions knew he was bound, and they weren’t acting.
Goosh and Joel arrived, Joel carrying food. Freezer pizza.
Freezer pizza sounded damn good, frankly.
Alexis, Ty and Tiff arrived not long after we did. I had the kitchen sink filled with warm water and a drop of dish soap, and Evan was doing his best to give himself a bird bath.
“Hey,” Ty said. “Hey little bird. I’ve got my console and some games in my backpack. Blake said that this next stretch might involve waiting?”
“It might,” I said, “It could just as easily arrive in the next minute. A Sphinx crashing through my window, or an arrow, or the building burning down…”
“I’m… not sure I want to hear this,” Joel said.
I nodded. “Sorry.”
“Do you have Salv?” Evan asked.
“I do, as a matter of fact, have Salv,” Ty responded.
“Do you have a save file at the crash?”
“I do.”
“Are- are you willing to watch a bird struggle to use gamestation thumbsticks and press buttons when he says?”
“Willing? I don’t think you could convince me not to.”
“Sweet!”
Maggie had settled in at the end of the table, her arms folded.
I had questions, but… even now, was it time to ask?
Beyond her, practically everyone I trusted was here.
Which made it very concerning when I heard a knock at the door.
Only the people I didn’t trust were left.
I opened the door.
“Paige,” I said.
“Hi, Blake,” she said.
I looked at the woman behind her.
“And Isadora?”
The Sphinx nodded. “Everyone else will be on their way soon. May I?”
Too speechless to respond, confused, I nodded and stepped out of their way.
7.09
Isadora looked much as she had when I’d seen her on the balcony, but she’d taken more measures to make it look more like she was human. More of the winter clothing including scarf and hat, fashionable in a way that suggested she wasn’t paying that much, but still had an uncanny awareness of what would suit her and go well together.
Paige was different from the last time I’d seen her. The clothes weren’t a new style, but I had the uncanny impression that she’d taken one step along the road to being more like Isadora. Same thing with the clothes. Her hair was styled differently. She stood straighter, more poised.
They stopped at the entrance to the living room. Paige’s eyes roved over everything. Ty and Evan were sitting on the floor, Ty unwinding cables he’d neatly bound with twist ties, and Evan perched on the game controller that had been set on the ground, one foot on each thumbstick, wings extended for balance.
The others were on the couch or in the dining room.
“Your T.V. sucks,” Evan said. “My mom and dad have a better T.V. in their kitchen, and it’s as old as I am and it’s smaller than the…”
He trailed off as he saw Isadora and Paige.
“…microwave.”
The appearance of strangers changed the tone of things right away. Only some of my friends had seen and met Isadora.
“I remember you,” Joel said.
“Yeah,” Paige said. “Thank you for being so patient with me and pointing me in the right direction.”
“Not a problem,” Joel said.
Others, including Alexis, Ty, Tiff and Evan, were looking at me for a cue.
“I suppose introductions are in order,” I said. “But before I launch into those… I have to ask, Isadora, does she know?”
“She knows some,” Isadora said. “Almost enough.”
“That’s pretty vague,” I said. “Dangerous, even.”
“I know,” Isadora said. Then, after a pause, she prompted me, “Introductions?”
“Most of you know Isadora. Joel, Goosh, this is the woman who cut me open the other night, nearly killing me.”
I saw Paige’s eyebrows go up. She glanced at Isadora.
Isadora didn’t offer an explanation.
“Beside Isadora, we have Paige. My cousin. Last in line to be heir to the Thorburn property and all its misfortunes. No, I don’t know why she’s with Isadora. Isadora, Paige, these are my friends and allies. Alexis, Tiffany, Joel, Goosh, Maggie, Ty, and Evan.”
I pointed to each in turn. Evan flew up to my extended finger as I finally reached him. I moved him to my shoulder.
“Isadora told me ‘there are no coincidences’,” Paige said. “Evan? As in the kid you were accused of murdering?”
“Your cousin is sharp,” Ty said.
“That means I’m right? It’s not a coincidence?” Paige said.
“Not helping, Ty,” I said.