I almost died today, I think. I almost lost my best friends in the world beyond the Veil. It was terrifying, and awful, and I survived. And I can’t tell them any of that, so I just shake my head against them both.

“Nothing,” I say. “Nothing at all. I just missed you.”

Mom hugs me tight. “Are you hungry?”

“No,” I say. “Just tired.”

She pulls back to study my face, and shakes her head.

“Honestly, Cassidy,” she says, wiping at my cheek, “how do you always get so filthy?”

I look down at myself.

“Let’s see,” says Jacob, ticking the reasons off on his fingers. “A failed spell, a run through the Quarter, a ride in a hearse, and a battle on a bridge …”

“What happened to your camera?” asks Dad, horrified.

I wince, afraid to look down. I heard the crack, and the crunch, of course, but I hadn’t wanted to see how bad it was.

Turns out, it’s pretty bad.

The lens is shot through with cracks. The back has broken open, ruining the film. One corner has been badly dented where it struck the Emissary’s mask. The purple strap is fraying, the place where Jacob held on marked by his fingers, the violet faded almost to gray.

“I fell down,” I say, wishing I had a better answer, but the truth probably wouldn’t go over very well.

“Are you sure you’re all right?” asks Dad, clearly more worried about me than my poor camera.

I take a deep breath. “I am now.” I clutch the broken camera. It’s been with me through so much.

“It’s okay, Cass,” says Dad, pulling me close. “Things can be repaired. People are harder to fix.”

“Tell me about it,” says Jacob, sprawling on the floor near the open comic he’s been reading. He tries to turn the pages, but nothing happens. Not so much as a breeze. He groans, and rolls onto his back. Grim pads over and stretches out next to him, purring softly in sympathy.

“Well, filming’s done,” says Mom. “And we still have a full day. What shall we do tomorrow?”

“We could go for a drive,” offers Dad, “across the Causeway br—”

“No!” Jacob and I shout at the same time, but of course, they only hear me.

Dad holds up his hands. “It was just a suggestion. What would you like to do, Cass?”

I think long and hard, and then say, “I vote for beignets.”

“That’s my girl,” says Mom with a grin.

My parents sit down to go through the footage, and I take a very, very long shower, trying to rinse the Veil and the Bridge of Souls from my skin. Afterward, I fall into bed, so tired that when sleep folds over me, I drop straight down, and don’t even dream.

Chapter Twenty-Six

The beignets are just as good the second time.