“My parents are here,” Aysha continues. “They’re staying in town with the Khumalos. But they know running away isn’t going to solve the problem. They decided I was safer at school while the adults do what they think is best.” She doesn’t sound impressed. “MacCrone and some other teachers have been babysitting a few of us at Pilvitalo.”

“So, they don’t think MacCrone is in on it?” I ask.

“Apparently not,” Aysha says. “And since the Messenger piece, no one else has gone missing. No one except you and the O’Connors, of course.”

I wince but shake it off. It’s not too late for me to make things right. “So, where’s Sini?”

“She was one of the first to leave,” Aysha says. “We text all the time though. She wanted to stay for Natalie, but you know what her mom is like. Actually had a private driver come all the way from Helsinki to pick her up.”

Not kidnapped by a chaos mage then. I guess I’m relieved. “What about you?” I ask Ekaterina.

“My dad sent a ticket like he always does.” She sounds more bitter than usual. “I should be in Dubai or Monaco or something by now, but I stayed because that’s what friends do. We owe it to Natalie.”

“So, are you going to tell us what happened?” Aysha stomps her feet against the cold.

“Are you sure you don’t want to come inside?” I’m getting cold too.

Aysha huffs, but tentatively inches one foot across the threshold, wavers back and forth a bit, then commits to stepping inside.

Ekaterina hangs back, shaking her head.

“Oh, it’s fine. Stop being so dramatic.” Aysha grabs Ekaterina by the coat and drags her in.

With the door closed, I tell them everything that’s happened, starting with the tonttukivi in Kuusikylä and ending with me being a prisoner in my own home. When I’m done, Aysha and Ekaterina regard each other with wide eyes before turning back to me.

“This is…” Ekaterina struggles to speak. “This is just…”

“So unbelievably cool!” Aysha finishes for her, which is not the reaction I was expecting. “In a bad way. I mean, it’s scary—but scary cool. I mean, you’re related to Mervi the Magnificent? That’s incredible, but then I really don’t understand why…um…” Aysha looks everywhere but at me and I know exactly what she’s thinking.

“Why I don’t have magic?” I say and Aysha continues to look sheepish.

“You did talk to Natalie when none of us could,” Ekaterina says.

“And apparently you can talk to trees,” Aysha says with a grin. “So maybe you’re not completely without talent after all.” She gives Ekaterina a sideways glance.

“Guess not.” Ekaterina’s lips twitch with an almost smile and the glacier inside me sheds a little meltwater.

“Do you know what kind of spell your mom used?” Aysha asks.