“It might not be a great idea for all of us to go,” Aysha says. “What if something happens? No one will know where we are or where to look. Maybe it’s better if we stay here. We can keep trying to find out more about MacCrone. We’ll stay connected of course.” She holds up her phone.

Good. Let them chicken out.

“Maybe you’re right,” Morgan says.

Aysha gives him an angelic smile and Ekaterina exhales in what I think might be relief.

“There’s a bus in an hour.” I stand up, ready to be anywhere but here. “We’ll check in regularly. If you don’t hear from us, then we’re in trouble.”

“Can you find my sister and let her know?” Morgan asks, and Aysha nods.

“And my mom, if you haven’t heard from us after two hours,” I add.

“Your mom. Are you sure?” Aysha’s manicured brows lift.

“No, but I’d rather be in trouble with her than with a chaos mage.”

“Got a point.” Aysha nods. “And a deal.”

They watch while Morgan and I get ready. We pack light, taking only a flashlight, the folklore book with the map, water bottles, a bag of trail mix from Morgan’s personal stash, and two bananas from Aoife’s.

“Be careful,” Aysha says as Morgan shoulders his backpack.

“Ready?” he asks, and I nod, not able to speak around the lump of doubt and worry lodged in my throat.

“Let’s do this,” he says.

We can do this. For Natalie, for Hannah. We will do this!

19

The scenery sweeps by in a monotonous blur of forest and lakes and fields. Most of the trees have lost their leaves, all the bright reds and golds turning a dull brown like the whole world has a sepia filter over it. At least it isn’t raining.

Morgan sits with the book on his lap, reading, while I’m doing my best not to puke thanks to motion sickness.

“Peikko,” Morgan says, going through the list of magical creatures native to Finland.

“Troll or goblin.” Not that these things always translate very well.

“Mörkö?” His accent adds a dozen extra r’s to it.

“Like a bogeyman, a bogle even.”

“Keijukaiset?” Morgan has to say it twice before I understand.

“Oh, those are like fairies. Cousins to your Tuatha Dé Danann.”

“Hiisi?”

“That one is more complicated, but it’s a forest creature. Sort of.”

“Mennin—okay, I give up with this one.” Morgan’s Finnish pronunciation isn’t great but it’s awesome how hard he tries.

“Hey, you ever heard of Tumultua or egregore?” I keep my voice low. The bus is hardly full, but I’d rather not risk anyone overhearing us.