His stomach hurt. God, his wife wasn’t gone even a day, and he was trying to work, trying to escape the pain in the garden, maybe. My heart seemed to darken as I quickly finished invoking the other two potions, capping them and setting them aside. It didn’t seem right to be doing this when Matalina’s ashes weren’t even cold yet, but Jenks seemed eager for anything to distract himself. I wouldn’t be doing this at all except that Trent was going to announce his candidacy for mayor tomorrow at Fountain Square. It was the perfect opportunity to return what we stole amid a media circus.

Jenks was frowning at the three vials, his gaze going to Ivy and Pierce as if wondering which one of them was going to be left behind.

“I don’t like this,” Jenks said softly from my shoulder as I fanned the faint burnt amber smell away. “Nick isn’t getting anything out of this. Not even notoriety.”

“I don’t trust him either,” I said, loud enough so everyone could hear. “That’s why Ivy is going with us. She’s going to babysit him.”

Ivy smiled, tipping her glass in salute, but Nick sputtered. Pierce’s expression became dark, a protest forming. Nick, though, was faster.

“Ivy is not coming,” he said hotly. “It will increase the risk of getting caught by eighty percent.”

Ivy bristled. “I won’t be the one to get us caught, you infected blood clot.”

“You’re not going into the belly of Kalamack’s fortress without me,” Pierce said. “His father was a traitorous, untrustworthy worm and Trent is the same.”

“She’s coming,” I said to Nick. “Make it work, genius.” And then to Pierce, “Tell me something I don’t know. You’re just worried Al is going to be pissed, and Al is pissed at you already. You’re staying. You reach too fast for the black magic, and though that has saved both Ivy and me, using it now will land me in an Inderland jail, or worse, in the ever-after.”

“I opine I know how to keep my magic to myself!” Pierce said indignantly.

Striding across the kitchen, I put myself right in his face, making Jenks dart away when I put my hands on my hips and leaned in. “No,” I said firmly. “I’ve put up with you for three days. Watched you for three very long days!” I said, then dropped my voice again. “You have saved my life. You have saved Ivy’s. I owe you everything. But you keep overreacting! Tell me I’m wrong, Pierce, that you like using black magic? Tell me that.”

“I do not overreact,” he said, suddenly unsure.