Devon Monk - Magic in the Shadows

“No.”

“It’s probably Zayvion,” I said. “I have a. . meeting to go to today.”

I recited a mantra and walked over to the door, clearing my mind. I wasn’t going to call on magic unless I had to.

The locks were not set. I leaned forward and looked out the peephole.

Zayvion Jones stood there, staring right back at me as if he knew I was watching him. He had traded his slick leather jacket for that ratty ski coat thing, had a forest green beanie pulled tightly over his dark curls, and his jeans had been worn down to threads and a couple holes in the thighs.

Street drifter, Zen master, killer, magic user, Zayvion Jones.

I let go of the breath I’d been holding and opened the door. “Hey.”

“Afternoon.” His gaze took me in, from wet hair to soggy shoes. “Are you ready?”

“Almost. Come on in. I need to change. Do you want some soup?”

“Smells fantastic.” He stepped in and shut the door. Then he purposely set the locks, holding my gaze with that calm, Zen look of his.

Yeah, yeah. Let’s see you go through my day and remember every detail, smart guy

, I thought. “You have something to say?” I asked.

“No.”

“Good. Have some soup.” I wandered down the hall, stopping in the bathroom to take one or three painkillers. I listened to Nola and Zayvion’s pleasant greetings as I walked into my bedroom and dug for dry clothes.

What did one wear to the first class of secret magic training, anyway? Nonflammable jammies, perhaps?

I doubted it much mattered. So new jeans, a gray sweater, and black boots. I brushed my hair back and put a hat over most of it, then strolled out to the living room.

Zayvion sat at the table, in the same chair I’d been in just moments ago. He was slouched back a little, his long legs stretched out, smiling that shy-boy smile at Nola. He looked comfortable there, at my table, in my home. Sexy.

An electric tingle warmed my stomach. I liked seeing him here, at that table, my table. I like the idea of being with him. But with my dad in my head, Hounds to baby-sit, and secret magic classes to attend, it seemed like the chance for that, for us, was still a long way off.

“Hey.” I tried for bright and cheery, but it came out a little too soft. Like maybe I’d just realized I’d lost something.

Zayvion straightened in his chair, and Nola, on the couch, looked over.

“Ready?” I asked.

“I am.” He stood. “Thanks for the soup. It was wonderful.”

Nola stood too, exposing the old-fashioned manners she’d been raised with.

“It was great catching up with you again.” Here she shot me a mischievous look.

“Wait a minute.” I scowled. “You two weren’t talking about me, were you?”

Zayvion shrugged into his coat. Zipped it. “Your name might have come up.”

“Have a good meeting.” Nola gave me a quick hug. I shot Zayvion a questioning look, over her shoulder.

He blinked and poured on the Zen.

“Promise I didn’t tell him all your secrets,” Nola said.

“Better not. Two can play that game, you know.”

“What? With whom? Oh.” A rosy blush fanned across her freckled cheeks. “You’re horrible,” she laughed.

“Remember that,” I said with a straight face. “You do not want to play boyfriend chicken with me, missy. I aim low.”

I tugged my wet coat off the back of the door, rolled the locks, and opened the door. “I should be back in a few hours. I have a dinner date tonight with Violet, and I’ll talk to her about Cody. Don’t worry about cooking.”

“Is her number around here in case I need to get a hold of you?” she asked.

“On the computer, in the address book.” I so had to get a new cell phone. Kevin had told me he might have a suggestion for a phone that would work longer than fifteen minutes, and Zayvion had said the Authority might be able to supply me with something. I pulled my notebook out of my coat pocket, flipped to a blank page while I was walking out the door, and scribbled

Ask Kevin/Zayvion about cell phone.

I clipped the pen on that page, so that every time I put my hand in my pocket I’d know there was a note waiting for me to take care of it.

Zayvion paused, still one step inside my apartment, and said something so quietly to Nola even I couldn’t hear it, before he walked out the door behind me.

Nola shut the door, and I slowed my pace until I was sure I heard her set the locks. “I didn’t realize you two were such good buddies,” I said.

Zayvion tipped his head but did not drop the Zen act. “She and I had some time to talk,” he said evenly. “When you were in the coma.” He said the last part quietly, as if there wasn’t quite enough air to fill in the words.

“You like her?” I asked.

“Yes.”

We didn’t say anything more as we tromped down the stairs to the parking area behind the apartment building.

Zay unlocked the passenger’s-side door, and we both got in the car.

“Dinner with Violet?” he asked once we were on the street and heading northwest.

“I need to talk to her about a couple things. Business things,” I said, “and about Cody Miller.”

“What about Cody Miller?” Zay suddenly seemed very interested. Odd.

“Nola’s trying to foster him out on her farm. Away from magic. She’s running into red tape. Something about psych tests.”

Zayvion was impeccably calm. Blank. Zen.

“You already knew about this, didn’t you?” I asked.

“Yes.”

“Whoa. A straight answer. Are you feeling okay?”

“I’ve been worse.”

“So, about Cody?” I asked.

“The Authority is involved with clearing him so that he can be fostered by Nola. I haven’t been. . updated on the details.”

“Now, there’s the obscure, subject-dodging man I know,” I said. He gave me a look I pointedly ignored. “What should I tell Nola?”

“You can tell her that you found out Cody should be released soon. As soon as the psych eval is done.”

“Psych eval? Is that the story?”

He took a deep breath and let it out. “Allie, if you are going to become a part of the Authority, you are going to have to learn how to keep a few secrets. So, yes. That is the story until we hear otherwise.”

“And that’s all the story you’re telling me?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t think I like that.”

“Too bad.”

I scowled at him. I not only didn’t like being in the dark, I didn’t like that he was comfortable keeping me there. “Is there a list of who I can and cannot talk to about the Authority? I work with the police on occasion,” I said. “Can I talk to them?”

“The police don’t know about us. Detective Stotts shouldn’t either.”

“Shouldn’t?”

“We are fairly sure he doesn’t know about the Authority.”

“Why?”

“Because he hasn’t done anything to try to stop us.”

“You know, that makes it sound like you’re on the wrong side of the law.”

“You can talk to Violet if you want.”

“Way to avoid my observation,” I said.

“She knows about the Authority.” He continued like I hadn’t even spoken. “But she doesn’t know everything. And there are some things that would be best not to tell her. Things that would put her in danger. Like Cody being under evaluation with us.”

I rubbed at my face. “I give up,” I said into my palms. “One slip of conversation and someone’s going to get hurt? How do you keep track of it all?”

“Spreadsheet.”

“Right. So how do you know who knows what?”

The clouds grew darker the farther north we headed to the Fremont Bridge. He was silent awhile, maybe thinking about how to explain it to me, or maybe just paying attention to navigating the thicker traffic.