Page 21 of Up in Smoke

I expected a lot to go wrong.

Wednesday, June 3, 2043.

Texarkana, Texas.

The Boundary.

In most places,the boundary fluctuated often. On clear, sunny days, I could make out the shimmering field of clashing magic waiting to claim its next victim. I suspected Texarkana would have had a lot of clear, sunny days if not for the boundary itself.

Through the curtain, I could make out the ruins of Texarkana, victim to magic surges, more twisters than I cared to think about, and time. A storm brewed, held back by the boundary line, and judging from the green-gray hue polluting the clouds, it would be a doozy when it hit.

It would take us twelve to fifteen hours to hike through the boundary, assuming nothing went wrong.

I expected a lot to go wrong.

Ryleigh regarded the boundary with a hand on her hip and her eyes narrowed. “It’s grown lately.” She pointed towards an intersection ahead. “That used to be the line two months ago when we last surveyed it. This section of the boundary is fairly stable compared to the rest. It usually only creeps an inch or two a month. Don’t mind those clouds. They like to growl but they rarely bite. That storm’s been there for half a year now, and beyond some rain, some thunder, and some lightning, it hasn’t bothered anybody.”

“That’s definitely more than an inch or two a month,” I said, wondering if the choirs had managed to disrupt the boundary in addition to the weather within the Alley. “Why have you been tracking Texarkana?”

“It’s our preferred crossing point into the Alley when we go by foot. With train transit unreliable at best, we’ve been cultivating land-based routes. Mansfield isn’t the only group looking at making underground havens in the Alley. I’ve been thinking about making a gas station, underground garage, and a general travel point about three miles out from the boundary in the Alley. Three miles makes it viable to get through the boundary by vehicle, although we’d have to fix the roads. That part will be tricky, but there are enough people who can tolerate the boundary long enough to work construction equipment. It might become a good launching point for runs at Tulsa, too.”

I could see how a rest area, gas station, and general sanctuary right beyond the boundary in the Alley could make a big difference—if the Voodoo queens could manage to get it built. “You’ll need quadrant masters for in the Alley.”

“Or just a bunch of determined folks with shovels and cement layers. Magic need not be the solution to every problem.” The Voodoo queen waved her hand in the general direction of the ruins. “If you need to stop in the boundary, there should be a lot of open cellars. When I send folks up here, I ask they open up cellars for those who need to make the crossing and the storms do pitch a fit. You never know.”

Nothing was a guarantee within the boundary, although I would hold hope I could stash Sandro somewhere if all hell broke loose. “And the Florida choirs?”

“Several of my sisters are in a mood, and they’re going to pay Orlando and Miami a visit. I’ll spare you the details.”

“I appreciate that.” I meant it, too. The last thing I needed was a thorough understanding of how the choir’s various bits might show back up in New Orleans for later use. “And Sandro’s status the next time we wander back to New Orleans?”

“You’ll collar him because you like it, and you’ll leash him because you’re jealous. You won’t need to collar or leash him, but you’ll do it anyway.” Ryleigh gestured to Sandro’s necklace. “And it’s a gorgeous thing that should see the light of day.”

Sandro regarded his tags with a lopsided grin. “It’ll make the smarter people in the Alley think twice before crossing me, too. This thing screams that I’m a prominent songbird in New Orleans.”

“A good thing,” Ryleigh said. “I will begin spreading word that Jade is the Queen of New Orleans until further notice. That may protect her. It may also endanger her, but she is what she is, and the city and her spirits have made their desires known.”

I would regret my current status as the woman expected to keep a bunch of moody Voodoo queens in line for the six months Sandro would need to help them create a sanctuary. “Just make sure they know I like that suite at your house and intend on making good use of that tub.”

In the days since Sandro had reinforced the levees with crystal and laid down a great deal of the foundation work with his symphony, we hadn’t gotten up to much of anything other than eating and sleeping. We’d managed to get into the tub together, but we hadn’t gotten anywhere due to an unexpected nap.

Waking up to discover Ryleigh keeping an eye on us so we wouldn’t drown still disconcerted me, but she’d reassured me she only barged in on guests when her magic whispered of people sleeping in bathtubs, a potentially lethal combination.

We’d earned the rather ruthless teasing over our status as we rested.

“I’ll spare you the audience for the crossing. Do stay safe. You would be difficult to replace, and it would sadden the city.”

“Good to know you care, Ryleigh,” I replied in my wriest tone.

The Voodoo queen chuckled, waved her hand, and got back into her car before driving off, leaving us with a backpack of supplies each and my purse, which I’d refused to leave behind.

My stash of chocolate wouldn’t last long, nor would the other little luxuries we’d crammed in after we’d stocked up on base necessities, but at least I’d have a reward for getting us through the boundary alive.

“How long will it take us to cross through here?” Sandro asked, eyeing the churning storm clouds. “If I saw that near Tulsa, I’d be diving into the nearest cellar.”

“It’s the narrowest point, and as you’re a fainter, we cross through the narrowest point.” I shrugged, but I kept an eye on the clouds while settling my pack on my back and snagging my purse. As dawdling wouldn’t help us, I stepped through the shimmering curtain of energy marking the end of the South. “Maybe if you didn’t insist on fainting after a while in the boundary, we could take the scenic route.”

Sandro snorted and followed me through. “After about a week.”