“What!” Jenks shrieked, his wings clattering as he rose.

Too late, I realized what I had said. Shit.

I stared at Jenks, feeling my face go white. The room went deathly still. Ceri’s eyes were round with question, and David stared in disbelief. I couldn’t take it back.

“You know!” Jenks shouted. “You know what he is, and you didn’t tell me? You witch! You knew? You knew! Rachel! You … you …”

Disapproval was thick in David’s eyes, and Ceri looked frightened. Pixy children peeked around the doorframe. “You knew!” Jenks yelled, pixy dust sifting from him in a golden sunbeam. His kids scattered in a frightened tinkling sound.

I lurched upright. “Jenks—” I said, hunching into myself as my stomach clenched.

“Shut up!” he shouted. “Just shut the hell up! We’re supposed to be partners!”

“Jenks …” I reached out. I wasn’t sleepy anymore, and my gut twisted.

“No!” he said, a burst of pixy dust lighting my dim room. “You don’t trust me? Fine. I’m outta here. I gotta make a call. David, can I and my family bum a ride from you?”

“Jenks!” I tossed the covers from me. “I’m sorry! I couldn’t tell you.” Oh God, I should have trusted Jenks.

“Shut the hell up!” he exclaimed, then flew out, pixy dust flaming red in his path.

I stood to follow. I took a step, then reached for the doorframe, my head swinging to look at the floor. My vision wavered and my balance left me. I put a hand to my stomach. “I’m going to be sick,” I breathed. “Oh God, I’m going to be sick.”

David’s hand was heavy on my shoulder. Motions firm and deliberate, he pulled me into the hall. “I told you it was going to come back up on you,” he muttered while he pushed me into the bathroom and elbowed the light on. “You shouldn’t have sat up. What is it with you witches? Think you know everything and never listen to a damn thing.”

Needless to say, he was right. Hand over my mouth, I just made it to the toilet. Everything came up: the cookies, the tea, dinner from two weeks ago. David left after my first retch, leaving me alone to hack and cough my way into the dry heaves.

Finally I got control over myself. Knees shaking, I rose and flushed the toilet. Unable to look at the mirror, I rinsed my mouth out, gulping water right from the tap. I had thrown up all over my amulet, and I took it off, rinsing it under a steady stream of water before setting it beside the sink. All my hurts came flowing back, and I felt like I deserved them.

Heart pounding and feeling weak, I splashed water off my face and looked up. Past my raggedy looking reflection, Ceri stood in the doorway, her arms clasped about her. The church was eerily silent. “Where’s Jenks?” I rasped.

Her eyes fell from mine, and I turned around. “I’m sorry, Rachel. He left with David.”