“What happened to Stone?” I asked.
“Who?”
“The gargoyle.”
Shamus’ smile spread into a grin. He looked like a kid who’d just taken a dive into a pile of cotton candy. “Hell of a thing. Awesome. Just.” He twisted his wrists so both hands spread open, palms up, fingers wide. “Magic. Don’t ever get to see that kind of thing anymore. Animation is part of the old ways. Not all that useful, a parlor trick, not much taught. I thought the knack had been lost. How’d you do it?”
“He was already animated, I just, uh. . gave him a boost and set him free.” There was more to it than that. I had used magic on him, and I was pretty sure my magic had triggered something more inside him, like oxygen to a flame. But since I wasn’t sure how I had done it, I didn’t know what more to say. “He’s okay, right?”
“Absolutely. Well,” he amended, “we couldn’t have him rampaging through the house. Knows how to mess up a place. Plus he seemed pretty upset when Mum woke him. Think he was looking for you. She stuck a Grounding Stone on his head to keep him quiet while we figure out what to do with him.”
Great. Now I not only had to survive the test, I needed to make sure they’d set Stone free no matter if I passed the test or not. I did not want him to be trapped here just because he’d come to my rescue.
“You should set him free,” I said.
Shamus laughed. At my look, he sobered. “Sorry. Didn’t realize you were serious. I don’t think they’ll let him free. A gargoyle loose in the city? How are we going to keep that under wraps? Plus, he’s too. . interesting, you know?”
“Anyone ask him if he wants to stay here?”
“You do know it’s not really alive,” he said.
“Yes. He’s not really dead either,” I said.
“A lot of that going around lately. That’s part of what makes him so interesting.” He pointed at my head. “Heard you saw Jingo Jingo. Let him look in your attic?”
“Yes.”
“What do you think?”
“Of Jingo Jingo?”
Shamus nodded, his fingers now folded together, index fingers steepled against his lips.
“I don’t trust him and I don’t like him.”
His eyes squinted in a smile. “He think your da’s in there?”
“No.”
“You believe him?”
“No.”
We sat there, neither of us breaking eye contact. I don’t know what Shamus had expected of me. For all I knew he was Jingo Jingo’s ears, a student and spy.
But I didn’t give a flying fig what he told Jingo Jingo. There was no way I could feel good about a person who wore the ghosts of children like a winter coat.
“What’s with all the children’s ghosts around him anyway?” I asked.
Shame blinked. “What?”
“When he uses magic, if you look at him with Sight. You know, those little ghost people attached to him?”
“How hard did you hit your head?” he asked.
“You can’t tell me you don’t see them.”
“I don’t see them.”
“But Zayvion? When he uses magic? Don’t you see the silver glyphs, the black flame. .?” From the look on his face, the answer was obvious.
“I know Hounds use all sorts of things to deal with pain,” he said, “and I’m not going to ask you what you’re using. But you might want to back off it a wee bit.”
“Never mind,” I groused. My tolerance for weirdness had come to an end.
“Is Jingo Jingo going to be a part of my test?”
“He’ll be there. A lot of people will be. Maintaining the Wards. While you’re pushed to your limit to see where you crack.”
“Nice.”
“Think you’re ready?”
“I’m always ready.”
He shook his head. “You are so full of shit.” He pulled his hands away from his mouth. “Zayvion will be there too, you know.”
Something about the way he said it, or maybe his carefully neutral body language, set off my warning alarms.
“Going to talk to me about that?”
He shrugged one shoulder. “Just thought I’d mention it.”
There was more to it, but it was clear Shamus wasn’t going to, or maybe wasn’t allowed to tell me.
“Thanks,” I said.
“Sure. You should get some sleep.”
“Wait. Could I use your phone?”
“If you tell me who you’re calling.”
“Why? Afraid I’ll call the cops?”
“Like I’d care about that. Just curious.”
“I’m going to ask Nola how Davy is doing. And tell her I won’t be home tonight.”
He raised one eyebrow. “Can’t believe you’re worrying about him with what you have going on in a couple hours.”
“He’s one of my Hounds. That means I look after him no matter what I’m dealing with. Besides, if I screw up and don’t pass the test, I might not even remember him, right?”
“It’s possible.”
“So I take care of him now.” It came out calm, confident, businesslike. I was really glad we weren’t still wearing the disk cuffs, because he’d feel how fast my heart was pounding. He’d know that I was scared and wanted to get the hell out of here and never look back.
He handed me a phone like Zayvion’s. Cased in metal and glass and glyphed to death. “Need privacy?” he asked.
I shook my head and dialed. Nola picked up on the third ring.
“Beckstrom residence.”
Her sunshine voice sent a wave of homesickness through me. Nola had always been there for me when my life was going to hell. This time was different, though. This time I had to do it alone.
“Hi, Nola, it’s Allie.”
“Allie, honey, I’ve been worried about you. Where are you?”
“I’m at Shamus’ mom’s place; she runs an inn.We’re talking business and investments. I’m going to stay late, maybe even overnight to finish up some things. How’s Davy?”
“I got a call from Sid Westerling a couple hours ago. Davy’s in ICU. He’s in critical condition, but stable.”
“Are any of the Hounds staying with him?”
“Sid said everyone’s gone home for the day, but they’re going to take turns looking in on him tomorrow. He also said they’ve done what they can to contact his parents; they don’t live in the area.”
“Okay, good. Any luck with Cody?”
“Yes. I got the call today. They’ve approved his release.”
That wasn’t much of a surprise. As soon as Zayvion had Closed him, Cody was free to go live three hundred miles away on an extremely magicless farm.
“I’m going to go pick him up in an hour or so,” she said.
“Alone?”
“Paul, I mean, Detective Stotts is going to go with me.”
“That’s really great, Nola,” I said. “Are you heading right back to Burns?”
“Of course not! You and I have hardly had a chance to talk since I’ve been in town. You’ll be home tomorrow, right?”
I glanced at Shamus. He didn’t seem to be paying particular attention to the conversation. And since he was not a Hound, he might not have heard what Nola asked.
“Hang on.” I palmed the phone. “Think I’ll be home by tomorrow night?”
“Who knows?”
I drew the phone back up to my ear. “I’ll try to be home tomorrow. If something comes up I’ll call.”
“Are you sure you’re okay?” she asked.
“Yes.” I put as much cheerfulness as I could into that lie. “I’m great. Just trying to take care of something for the Hounds. I’ll be home soon, promise. Please ask Sid and the other Hounds to keep you up-to-date about Davy, okay?”
“I already have. Take care.”
“I will. Bye.” I hung up. I hated lying to Nola, but didn’t want to worry her. I handed the phone back to Shamus. “Thanks.”
“Sure.” He tucked the phone in his pocket and headed toward the door. “Get some sleep, if you can. You’re going to need all the energy you can get.”