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“This is not your matter to speak of.” The Council Keeper’s voice was rising, and the spectators were getting restless.

 

“Angelus, she is weak. She has no powers, no way to protect herself. You cannot punish a wet child for the rain.”

 

“I do not understand.”

 

“ ‘The one thing that doesn’t abide by majority rule is a person’s conscience.’ ” Macon was quoting Harper Lee. I never knew any of Marian’s quotes, but I remembered that one from reading To Kill a Mockingbird in English class last year. And from my mom.

 

John’s head was bent toward Liv’s, and they were whispering about something. When he noticed me watching them, he stopped. “This is crap,” he said.

 

For once I agreed with him. “But we can’t stop it.”

 

“Why not?”

 

There was no way he would understand. “I know how it ends. They’ve found her guilty of treason. She’s going to be sent back to the Dark Fire, or whatever happens after that. There’s nothing we can do,” I said miserably. “I was here before.”

 

“Yeah? I wasn’t.” John stepped forward, clapping dramatically. The whole room went dead silent. He squeezed Lena’s shoulder as he passed. “Well, doesn’t this suck?” John shoved his way to the front of the hall, where Macon was standing. I could finally see him. John held up his hand, like he was waiting for Macon to give him a high-five. “Nice try, old man.”

 

Macon was surprised but held up his hand. His cuff was pulled down a little too far, as though his shirt was too long.

 

What’s going on, L?

 

I have no idea.

 

Lena’s hair started to curl. I smelled a faint trace of smoke in the air.

 

L, what are you doing?

 

I think you mean what is he doing?

 

John wove slowly toward the Council Keeper, who was holding Marian on the balcony. “I’m starting to think you’re not really listening to this fine former Incubus brother of mine.” He jumped up onto the pew, shoving a robed man out of his way.

 

“You’re out of line, spawn of Abraham. And do not think The Caster Chronicles have been kind to you, Breedling.”

 

“Oh, I don’t think they’ve been kind. Since when are people kind to me? I’m a jerk. On the other hand, you’re kind of a jerk, too.” John jumped up above the pew, barely catching the bottom of the wooden balcony. His black boots swung back and forth in the air.

 

The massive gold drapes behind us exploded into flames.

 

John kicked a bald, tattooed man in the head. I recognized the tattoo. It was the mark of a Dark Caster.

 

Now John had climbed up onto the wooden balcony, above us all. He put one arm around Marian, the other around the Council Keeper. “Angelus, that’s your name, right? Man, who came up with that one? Here’s the thing. My friend Lena over there, she’s a Natural.” There was a murmuring around us, and I saw the crowd part around Lena as they backed a few feet away.

 

“Why don’t you show them?” Lena smiled at him, and the drapes closest to the altar caught fire. The whole room was beginning to fill with smoke.

 

“And Macon Ravenwood, he’s—messed up. Okay, I don’t really know what he is. It’s a long story. There’s this ball, and this fire, and some bad, bad Casters…. But you’ve probably read all about that, haven’t you?” John snapped. “In your little Caster spy book.”

 

Between Marian and Angelus, I didn’t know who looked more surprised.

 

“Anyway, back to Macon. Powerful guy. He likes to do this trick—come on, don’t be shy.” Macon closed his eyes, and a green glow flared above him. The crowd tried to rush back toward the walls, but there was too much smoke.

 

“Which leaves me. I’m not a Natural.” John nodded in Macon’s direction. “I’m not whatever he is either.” John grinned. “But the thing about me is, I’ve touched both of them. So now I can do whatever they can do. It’s kinda my thing. Bet you don’t have a Caster like that in your little book, do you?” As the Keeper tried to pull away, John yanked him even closer. “So, Angelus. Let’s go for a spin and see what a strange guy like you can do.”

 

The Keeper was furious and backed away, holding up his hand, fingers pointed at John. John imitated him, exactly.

 

There was a flash of light, like lightning—

 

 

We were all standing back on the other side of the Temporis Porta.

 

Even Marian.

 

 

 

 

 

12.13

 

 

 

 

 

The Day After Forever

 

 

Was that real?” Lena whispered. I pointed to the doors, where smoke was snaking out from under the bottom of the wood.

 

I grabbed Marian and hugged her, at the same time Liv did. I backed away, awkwardly, and Lena took my place.

 

“Thank you,” Marian whispered.

 

Macon clapped his hand on John’s arm. “I can’t decide if that was a brilliant act of pure selflessness back there, or if it was simply an attempt to collect all our powers for yourself.”

 

John shrugged. “I noticed you didn’t give me any skin.” I remembered the cuff of Macon’s shirt pulled down over his hand.