FIFTY: Delicious

FIFTY: Delicious

Alden had asked about the demons because hed been wondering if the big one that had made the trails in the grass, or others like it, might work differently than the bug-types. The grasshopper demons didnt respond to stimuli and they didnt seem to eat. If other types were attracted to loud noises or they were more intelligent and capable of seeking prey, that was something Alden needed to know for Plans 2 and 3.

Plan 1 had just become Plan 1 thanks to Kibbys explanation of chaos potential. Alden had maybe possessed high potential as a child, according to Hannahs theory about why her bubble spell wouldnt work quite right on him. Apparently he no longer did, according to Kibbys assurance that high chaos individuals would demonize very quickly when they encountered corruption.

Thanks, System. But alsoand maybe moresothanks, Gorgon. Being double stabilized was even better than hed thought on that first day, while he was dodging around the bugs.

Plan 1 now seemed a little more viable than the other options.

Alden, why are you cooking all my favorite foods?

Kibby sat at the kitchen table, completely bundled up in the lab coat with the deep hood pulled so low over her face that he couldnt see anything but her chin.

Because were going to be spending every single minute we can in the vault from now on, and we wont have the kitchen anymore. Alden smashed a bean burger into a pan full of oil with the back of a wooden spatula.

That was about ten percent of the reason. Theyd already been eating mostly from the stores in the vault. Alden was just scared that one or both of them were about to die way faster than they otherwise would, and cooking a last meal seemed like the thing you were supposed to do in that situation.

I have a secret, he said, pressing the button on the blender box to puree a bunch of Thunder Lettuce. Its a secret nobody knows about except for me and one other friend.

And the System. But the System wasnt really somebody.

Are you going to tell it to me? Kibby asked.

I am.

She hopped out of the chair. Ill get the ink, she said eagerly.

Alden rolled his eyes. No. No contract tattoos.

The day after shed first spotted his, she had disappeared into Joes old rooms and reappeared shortly afterward with magic ink and brushes. Periodically, she still tried to come up with reasons for them to use it on each other. Alden understood she wanted to look like a Real Wizard, but he was too much of a human to go along with it.

But its the best way to keep an important secret! she protested. Nobody will be able to take it from me even under torture.

The coat was so long on her that it was puddling on the floor. Melty mini reaper, thought Alden. One who needs to watch happier television.

Listen, he said, pouring the puree into a bowl, if someone threatens to torture you, you should absolutely tell them my secret. You should tell them anything and everything they want to know about me. You should even lie to them and tell them Im a horrible human who forced you to teach him magic against your willthat might be something you would get in trouble for. I dont really know how people will feel about it.

Never.

I doubt its going to come up. Since nobody knows my secret, they dont even know to ask you about it. As long as you dont bring it up yourself, itll be fine.

She didnt move to sit back down.

He sighed. Fine. I promise when youre older and you want to make your first contract, you can summon me, and we can get tattoos together.

Really?

I swear.

On our faces, she said immediately.

If its going on our faces then I get to pick the entire design. And the size.

Yes. She trotted back over to her chair.

All right, he said slowly. You can use the bowl. But you can only put a little bit of blood in it.

She marched over with the bowl and a sharp knife and set them in front of him. Then she started shoving up the sleeves of the lab coat to bare her arms.

One. Finger. Alden grabbed the knife. Or Ill just eat a piece of your hair, and well see if that works.

Pouting a little, Kibby gave him her right thumb.

Maybe we should chill it first? So it doesnt hurt as much. We could take something out of the fridge

She reached over and jabbed the pad of her thumb against the knifes point. She held it over the bowl.

How many drops? she asked.

Three?

Im sure it needs to be more than that. Im not a very strong wizard.

Yet, said Alden.

She smiled.

Three is fine, he added.

Ive already done twelve.

How? Was she bleeding fast on purpose? Twelve is a good number. Lets stop there.

He took the bowl away and made her wrap her finger with a bandage hed brought from one of the labs first aid kits. Then he made her sit on the floor, just in case she was going to faint from whatever was going to happen.

He would have, too, but someone had to sit at the decorated table, or all her hard work would go to waste.

Why do you look nervous? Kibby asked.

Because I dont know what will happen. Are you ready?

Yes.

Alden wished shed look away so he could sneakily take the single-drop-on-a-cracker route, but she was staring at him avidly.

Idiot. Just lick the blood out of the special bowl before you chicken out.

He closed his eyes and did it. It tasted a lot like his own blood, though it was unexpectedly acidic.

He set the bowl back down. His pulse was racing as he met Kibbys eyes.

He could tell she was holding her breath. He was, too.

Nothings happening.

It had always been a possibility. He thought it was even the most likely one. Just because Gorgon could do some arcane thing with an exchange of blood didnt mean Alden could, too. Its all right if nothing happens. We just move onto Plan 2.

Dimensions away, in the Artonan Consulate building in Chicago, Illinois, a gray hand froze as it was reaching out to lock the front doors for the night.

Oh my, said Gorgon, in a language nobody on the planet could have understood. I wasnt expecting this.