Magic's Child by Justine Larbalestier

Author:Justine Larbalestier
Language: eng, eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Penguin Group USA, Inc.
Published: 2007-06-17T16:00:00+00:00

18

Morning After

Tom woke to the smell of something clean and damp roaring in the distance, and a hard, cold floor under his back. He shivered and sat up, blinking to unglue his eyes. He was on Jay-Tee’s bedroom floor. He rubbed his neck and turned to look at her, asleep, sprawled across her bed.

He grinned.

The roaring was getting louder. Rain, he realised. Drops were hitting the glass doors that opened onto the balcony. The clean, damp smell was ozone. He tried to remember the last time it had rained. Must have been when he’d shown Reason the cemetery and old lady Havisham and the Cansino family monument, but that shower hadn’t lasted long. He hoped it’d last longer this time.

The phone rang. Tom jumped up, groaning at the effects of a night spent on the floor. There wasn’t a phone in Jay-Tee’s room. Was there one in Reason’s room? He opened the door, and just as he found it on a small table in the hall, the ringing stopped.

Tom thought about lying down on Reason’s bed and getting more sleep. He was tired. Somewhere outside someone was playing loud dance music. He smiled, thinking of the two of them dancing last night, of all their kissing. He wondered how late it was.

A different phone started ringing. His mobile. He lunged back into Jay-Tee’s bedroom, to his backpack, fishing it out and answering softly as he slipped out into the hallway.

“Tom?” It was Esmeralda.

“Yes, it’s me.” The music was a lot louder out in the hallway. He wondered where it was coming from.

“How are you and Jay-Tee going?”

Tom glanced at the door to Jay-Tee’s room. His cheeks went hot. “Good. We’re good.”

“Really? Jay-Tee hasn’t been acting strange at all?”

“You mean about her magic being gone?”

“Yes.”

“She’s cool about it. She’s fine.”

“You’re sure?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Can I talk to her?”

“I, er,” Tom stammered. “I just woke up.”

“I thought she might be with you. She didn’t answer when I rang my place.”

“Huh,” Tom said. “Have you found Reason’s mum?”

“Not yet. Reason’s looking. We haven’t given up hope. Has the social worker phoned again?”

“Not yet, but we’ll call the second she does. How’s Reason?” Tom asked. “Jay-Tee said she was getting kind of weird. Glowing or something.”

Esmeralda didn’t say anything.

“Is she okay?” Tom asked again, wondering how powerful Reason had become. Turning Jay-Tee’s magic off was intense. He wondered what else she could do.

Behind him he heard Jay-Tee yawn. She came out of her room still in her pyjamas and sat on the floor beside him, leaving enough space so that they wouldn’t touch. He wondered why.

“She’s changing,” Esmeralda said at last. “It’s hard to describe. Listen, I should go. If anything happens, let me know. And keep an eye out for Jay-Tee. I’m worried about her.”

“Of course.” He pointed at the phone and mouthed, “Esmeralda.” Jay-Tee put her hand out for it.

“Thanks, Tom. I’ll talk to you soon. Oh,” Esmeralda said, as if suddenly remembering. “Where were you?”

“Oh, you know,” he said, wondering why he didn’t just tell her.

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