Uneasy Alliance

us. The spell won’t make him want to move anymore.”

  Now Mom’s face goes totally blank. It’s weird because I have no idea what she’s thinking and I’m usually pretty good at guessing what’s on her mind. “Kira,” she says slowly. “Your father and I are divorced.”

  “I know, but that was because he wanted to move to Germany. He doesn’t need to anymore. I bet he doesn’t even want to move now. It was all just a spell and I broke it.”

  “Did Leena tell you that?”

  “Well…No, but it’s right. I know it is.”

  “Honey, your father and I…Well, it’s not just about him wanting to move to Germany. It’s not that simple. Relationships are complicated. Even if you’re right, you can’t expect him to come and live here with us. We’re still divorced.”

  The firmness of her voice makes my heart sink. “Don’t you love him anymore?”

  Her expression flickers. For a moment, just a moment, I see something that looks like hope and sadness all mixed up together. Then it’s gone again. “It isn’t always just about love, honey.”

  She does still love him. I know her and I know it’s true. And Dad still loves her. Relationships might be complicated, but if they love each other, there’s got to be a chance. “Well, so maybe he can’t live here with us, but he could still move closer and maybe come to visit sometimes.”

  Mom shrugs and now she just looks tired. “Maybe, honey, but I wouldn’t get your hopes up too high. Dad is…well, he’s always looking for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow and the closer he gets, the further away it seems. I’m not sure that it was only Leena’s spell that made him want to move around so much. It’s just who he is. Now, I’m going to bed. We’ll talk more in the morning, okay?”

  She kisses my forehead and then turns away and heads back into her room. I don’t care what she says, I know I’m right. The spell is broken and Dad will want to stay put for a change. He’ll want to be where we are. I know it.

  I go back into my room and close the door. Then I get my cellphone and call Dad.

  He answers right away. “Kira, sweetheart! I was just thinking about you. I’ve been meaning to call, but so much has been happening here that I haven’t had a chance. I have some news.”

  “Dad,” I say, interrupting him. “You don’t have to move to Germany.”

  He laughs. “I know I don’t. That’s part of the news.”

  “You’re not moving?” My heart pounds. I knew it. I knew I was right!

  “Nope.” I can hear the grin in his voice. “I’m staying right here in Portland.”

  “What?” I almost gasp. That wasn’t right.

  “Look, I’ve got something to tell you that might be a shock, but it’s going to be great, you’ll see. Sam’s fantastic. I can’t wait for you to meet her.”

  I’m not sure whether I’ve suddenly gone stupid or if Dad really is speaking gibberish. “Sam? Who’s Sam?”

  “That’s the news, sweetheart. Sam—well, her real name is Samantha, of course—is…Well, she’s my fiancé. We’re getting married!”

  Leena

  Later that night

  It was after visiting hours, but Leena used a little bit of magic to make sure that none of the nurses or hospital staff noticed her as she snuck into Barry’s room.

  He looked just like he had the last time she visited—like he was sleeping. But it was more than that. He had tried to go through the door exactly one week before, on the night her memories had returned. If only the Giant had woken her up earlier that evening it wouldn’t have happened. If she had known who she was, and what the door was, she never would have let him near it. Instead, she had stood by and watched him try to go through.

  And because he had no fae magic in him, the special protective spells she had placed around the door to prevent any unsuspecting humans from wandering into the Otherworld had thrown him back and put him into a magical sleep.

  Now she couldn’t wake him up again. She didn’t have enough magic in this world to undo what she had done.

  Pulling a chair over to the bed, she sat down and took one of his hands in both of hers. He felt so warm, so alive. The ache of the buried memory throbbed at the back of her mind, but she pushed it away again. She didn’t want to remember it, but it had reminded her how important it was to keep hold of the people she cared about.

  “I’ll find a way, Barry,” she told him. “I promise.”

  It would take a lot of magic, she knew. But there was magic in this world. She would just have to start gathering it. She would find enough, somehow. Enough to wake up Barry and then, after that, enough to hide the door again. She would protect them. All of them. The whole town.

  Because whoever she was, they were her people.

  Uneasy Alliance