Page 80 of Jinxes and Drumsticks

“Well, look who the cat dragged in,” a familiar voice—not Lillith’s—says.

I look toward the sound, finding Wren standing at the start of a cobble-stone. Bastion Bumpkinfoot stands next to her, examining his nails and looking bored. “You told them we were coming?” I ask Lillith.

Lillith looks up at me and grins. “Nope,” she says. “Wren’s got some pretty sick precognition powers. Passed down to her through nine generations.”

“And then she dragged me here too,” Bastion grumbles.

“Oh, shut up,” Wren gripes. “You wanted to come, you fucking loser.”

“To see Lilipad—not—” he makes a clicking sound with his tongue. “Daniel.”

“Feeling’s mutual, Branmuffin,” I say, giving him the middle finger.

Lillith snorts before cackling.

“Wait: did you just call him Daniel?”

“That’s what Lillith said his name was,” Bastion says. “Is that... not...”

Bastion’s mouth drops open and he gives Lillith an affronted glare. “Did you give me a fake name?!” he asks, scandalized. “Lilipad. Come now. I know I can be a prick, but did you really think I would cast a baneful working on him? You should know better than that.”

She looks mildly embarrassed. After a moment of confusion, something finally clicks in my head.

She didn’t give Bumblesquash a fake name because she was embarrassed to be seeing a drummer. She did it because my name was something that left me vulnerable to other people. She did it because other witches could use that name to harm me.

“I know your opinion about me being with anyone other than... well... you,” she grumbles. “I didn’t want to risk it.”

“Yes, the preservation of magic and The Buried City is very important to me, but I’m not so desperate for it that I’d intentionally sabotage your happiness. What kind of family friend do you take me for?”

“The kind that treats me like a goddess while you’re fucking me ritually, and then immediately hosts an orgy a week later...” Lillith says under her breath. “The kind who takes my virginity, calls it a casual hookup, and then tells me hookups don’t cuddle.”

“I’m sorry, what?!” I say. “Cuddling after a hookup is the best fucking part!”

“Oh,” Bastion says blandly. “He’s perfect for you. And for the record, I did cuddle for a little bit.”

“Under duress,” She grumbles.

“Oh my gods, I don’t like to laze in bed. So hex me. What’s the big deal, you have your little—” Bastion blinks at me. Then he squints. “Oh. Oh my fucking—Lilipad, you did not.”

“What?” Wren asks.

“His aura. Wren.” His words are clipped.

Wren tilts her head, also squinting before she claps her hands over her mouth and squeals. “LILLITH YOU LITTLE SKANK,” Wren screams. “YOU MARKED HIM?”

Her fingers twitch before squeezing mine. Her face glows bright scarlet even in the dim twilight as she chews on her thumbnail. I realize for the first time that the nail on her index finger is missing. I wonder when that happened.

“I wasn’t just going to bring him down here and leave him vulnerable to glamours or enthrallments,” she mumbles. “And Damien wanted to see some of my magic.”

“So you gave him the equivalent of an engagement ring?! Lillith, he has some of your power now,” Blingmoney says.

“Oh, shut up. She has plenty to spare,” Wren says, swatting his chest with the back of her hand. She bounds over to us and pulls me into a big hug. “Welcome to the family, big guy!”

“It’s—damn it all, it’s the principle,” Bastion Blustertwat says. “I’ve been asking to do this for years, Lillith!”

“And I’ve told you that I only intended on performing that rite with someone that actually means something to me—not as a way to share power with each other,” she says, still holding my hand as I try to catch up with this whole conversation and reciprocate Wren’s hug.

“So, wait—I have some of your power now?” I ask. “And... it’s like an engagement ring?”