Page 165 of Jinxes and Drumsticks

“Nah,” he says. “It will be nice to sleep in a familiar bed with my girl in my arms. Rejuvenating, even.”

“Yeah,” I say, smiling. “Come home for a little pick me up.”

He heaves out a sigh, and I realize he may have thought I was going to say no. There’s a sound of a voice in the background, Oren, I think. Then Damien says, “Yeah. Alright,” before talking to me again. “I have to go, baby. We gotta do some sound check and make sure all the multimedia is working right.”

“Alright,” I say. “I’m going to be working with Bash and Wren tonight, so I might not answer if you call me after about five.”

“We’re probably going to be swamped until well after midnight your time,” he says. “I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?”

I nod, despite him not being able to see it. “I love you. Kick ass tonight.”

“I always do,” he says. “Bye.”

“Bye.”

“It is Aemon! I am in the apartment! I am making myself known so I don’t startle you again!” Aemon calls from the living room, making me snort a laugh.

“So courteous!” I call back.

A few moments later, he appears in the doorway of my bedroom, leaning on the frame with his ankles crossed. “How are we feeling?”

“Like vomiting. You?”

“I can always rely on you for dramatics,” he says. “Moping in bed?”

“I just wrapped up a call with Damien,” I say in answer. Though I also don’t make a move to prove him wrong.

“Uh-huh,” he says, examining his fingernails. “And this has nothing to do with the fact that we have a make-or-break ritual to do in about four hours?”

I frown at him and sit up, leaning against my headboard and pulling one of my plushies into my arms, squeezing it and soothing myself with the cool density of its stuffing. “Do you have any twinges? I just can’t help but feel like something awful is going to happen tonight. I feel like everything came together too easy, and the ritual can’t possibly go as smoothly.”

“I don’t have any twinges. And Bastion and Wren both seem very optimistic. So, I think this may just be your nerves,” he says.

“Maybe,” I say, squeezing my plush tighter. “I wish we could just start it already. I’m ready to know for sure.”

“Why don’t we go down to The Buried City? I don’t think sitting around the house is going to make you feel any better.”

“Alright,” I say. “Let me get my life together, here.”

After killing an hour or so with getting ready and packing what few things I’ve consecrated and prepared for the ritual, Aemon and I make the walk to The Buried City together. He keeps chit-chatting with me about the inane. Or teasing me about my relationship. I can tell he’s trying to keep my mind from anything related to magic, and even though it’s only kind of working, I do really appreciate him for it.

In the past week or so, Aemon’s smarmy presence has become something of a comfort. A strange thing to realize after spending my whole life hating him. And the more I talk to him, the more I can see some of the similarities and differences between him and Satoshi. The more I can see how he kind of meshes with Wren’s personality.

Before long, we wind up at The Cat’s Cradle. I take a scarf out of my bag and tie it around my neck, trying my best not to look too conspicuous. I don’t want Daisy to ask me about the Subjugation spell, and knowing her history, I’m almost certain she’ll be able to call it out immediately.

When we walk in, Wren and Bastion are already sitting at one of the tables, talking animatedly about something. I can tell they’re disagreeing, because Bastion looks bored, and Wren keeps gesturing wildly with her hands.

“I’m telling you. Look it up. Right now.”

“We’re not in a library, Wren,” Bastion says.

“Well, then, go to one and look it up,” Wren says. “Or get a fucking smartphone, you old man.”

“I’m not doing that when I know you’re wrong,” he says. “When you’re making bold claims, it’s your burden of proof to satisfy, not mine. Also, I would only call you or Lillith, and I’d rather just speak to you in person.”

“What are we arguing about?” I ask, approaching the booth. Bastion scooches over to make room for me, and I slide in next to him.

“Bash thinks that Amethyst can be used as an amplifier,” she says. “But it’s a calming stone.”