Instead it feels empty, and sad, like even though it’s a party, I’m in the wrong room, celebrating with the wrong people. And I just can’t ignore all the question marks still surrounding the deal. From what Gunn told Colletto, it sounds like these shine shipments are going to continue getting brewed. But who’s going to be brewing them around the clock? I sure as hell don’t want it to be me, or the troupe. Gunn also mentioned a monopoly on performance magic—does that mean he’s going to open other magic havens? So will we have competition? Will the Red Den not be the main show? What really waits for me on the other side of Thursday? Am I looking at a future of “thinking big picture” and helping Gunn build a shine empire—being attached to his side forever?
I’ve always focused on one step at a time—never really let myself think past the spell, then cracking the puzzle of our eternal shine . . . and then the D Street deal. Now that all our schemes are coming to fruition, cold, hard reality is settling in. I don’t want to be here, with Gunn, separate and apart from what I’ve come to love. I just want to keep performing. I want to keep making magic with my troupe.
You need to talk to Gunn. It’s time for some answers on what your future’s going to look like, regardless of whether he thinks you deserve them.
Gunn folds his map up. “Why don’t you check on the troupe, Win?” he says, like he can somehow read my thoughts. “I need a word alone with Joan.”
Win gives Gunn a knowing smirk, and then he leaves.
“I have something to show you.” Gunn flashes me one of those shifty half smiles, and stands.
“Mr. Gunn, I think we need to talk,” I say carefully, “for a minute, about some of the things that are happening. I want to know what’s next—”
“Later,” he interrupts. “There’s a surprise in your room. And it’s too important to wait.”
A surprise. From Gunn. In my room.
I’m always living on a razor blade of fear with Gunn, but something about his fake excitement right now feels extra cutting.
We head out of his office without another word. Gunn locks the door behind him, whistles a haunting little tune as we walk down the hall and up the stairs. When we get to my room’s door, he pauses. “Why don’t you do the honors?”
I have no clue what’s waiting for me in here—dread, nerves, anxiety, it’s all mixing inside me like a scalding stew. Still, my fingers find the door, I twist the handle open—
And I gasp.
Ben and Ruby. My cousin and my sister sitting on my bed. Like some mirage. Like someone plucked them out of my dreams and conjured them real.
“Oh my God.” I run to them, pull Ruby into a huge embrace, grab Ben’s hand and drag him in.
“What are you doing here? How did you, how—”
“Mr. Gunn sent for us.” Ben wraps his arms around me. He pulls away and takes a good look at me, and his face folds into a relieved smile. “Got us a big fancy town car, pulled right in front of the cabin, and carted us up here like movie stars.”
“It was crazy, Joan,” Ruby says, beaming. “We got new clothes and everything.” Ruby strokes the flapper dress that pulls tight over the little bulging belly she’s now sporting. She’s well. She managed to overcome Mama’s blood-spell. She’s well.
I pull her into another hug. “It’s so good to see you,” I whisper, my words catching.
Ruby pulls away from me, sizes me up like a parent sizing up her child, and then pulls me back in, like she, too, is making sure I’m real.
“So Jed’s back at the cabin?” I ask Ben slowly.
“Wasn’t up for the trip. He needs his rest.” Ben averts his eyes. “But Mr. Stone is gonna divide his time between his farm and our cabin for the next few weeks, make sure he takes care of Pop’s bills. I gave Stone a little of the cash you’ve been sending. He promised to keep the place up till we figure out where to go from here.”
I nod, grateful for our nearest neighbor, Mr. Stone. Even though I don’t give a rat’s ass about Jed’s welfare, I worked too hard for him to run that cabin into the ground.
“Thanks to you and Mr. Gunn here, the house is ours, though, free and clear.” Ben throws a huge smile back to Gunn.
“You’re here,” I say again. “I can’t—I can’t believe you’re both really here.”
I crawl my fingers into Ruby’s armpits and tickle lightly like I used to do when she was younger, and she blushes in front of Gunn, but laughs and squirms just the same. Then she collapses into me with a simple whisper, “Joan, you did it. You’re my hero forever.”
Gunn’s still standing in my doorway, leaning sideways against its frame with his arms crossed. If I didn’t know him better, I’d think he even looked somewhat touched.
“Thank you,” I tell him, regardless of everything else.
“Of course. DC is your home now.” He drops his arms and walks over to us, places his hand lightly on Ben’s shoulder. “It’s important to have what grounds you close by.” He puts his hand on Ruby’s cheek. The gesture isn’t tender, though, it’s almost possessive. “Nothing good comes about when people forget why they do what they do, what it’s all for.”
Gunn’s words pull something tight inside me, and then everything clicks into place like an engine. Of course.
This isn’t some kind gesture.
This is just another veiled threat, another way to keep me careful, watched, tethered. Gunn releases Ruby, who rubs her cheek and gives me a look like, What a strange bird.
But I just smile and ruffle her straw-colored hair. Gunn can think whatever he wants right now.