Ava did it again today. She got mad because she wanted a different type of cereal, and she threw her spoon across the room like she always does, but it wasn’t a harmless drop to the carpet. I felt her surge of power from the other room, and when I got out there, I saw the spoon stuck into the wall six feet away. Lots of children with magic in their blood display accidental power, but nothing like that. I have my theories about why she’s like this. I was pregnant before Lucius made me immortal. I knew I was, he knew I was, but neither of us knew our bodies would freeze completely—that the fetus would stay immortal as well for as long as I did. I never would have done it if I’d known. I thought she’d still grow and be born, and if she wanted to choose immortality later, then fine. I didn’t know that I’d never ever get to see her—that she’d stay a memory of a different life that was always inside of me. She was with me for every single performance, so what if she was collecting magic all that time as well? It’s the only thing that makes sense. She’s years and years of unused magic trapped in a tiny body.

We’ve already packed up and run again. Nobody’s going to notice a little magic, but if any true magicians were in the area and felt that, they’ll come. Last time, when Ava made her stuffed animal disappear, I spotted Julia in town. We locked eyes at the grocery store, and I knew. She didn’t come after me, though. She might be scared enough of him to obey some orders, but she still gave me time to escape.

Julia lied about that. She found us before—she just didn’t tell Lucius.

The next page is gone, but I know what it says. I’ve spent nights staring at it, wondering who the he is in it. I have it memorized:

I don’t know if he’s coming after her or me. Probably both.

I flip to the next entry.