Free The Passage to Mythrin 2-Book Bundle by Patricia Bow Page A

kidding. Then what are you, Ammy — a Honda Civic?” Ike punched Simon in the arm and the two of them snorted with laughter.
    â€œA firebird,” Amelia said haughtily, “is a bird that burns itself to death, and then comes back to life again.It gets born again out of its own ashes. And I...” She twirled to show off the shiny black plastic jacket that she’d stuffed herself into after pulling on two sweaters, and the headband trimmed with black feathers that she’d fastened around a black toque. “I’m the Raven Nevermore. So watch out!”
    â€œNevermore. Right, we took that. Poe.” Ike focused on Mara and clicked. Then he frowned at the image display. “Darn it.”
    â€œWhy aren’t you dressing up?” Amelia asked.
    â€œI’m on assignment. How ’bout you, Simon?”
    â€œMe? I’m just here to keep an eye on Ammy.”
    â€œ
Amelia
. And I don’t need a babysitter!”
    â€œCeleste said we’re to stay together and I’m to watch out for you. So that’s what I’m doing. Like it or not.”
    In spite of Simon, it was fun. Amelia had to admit that. She bought light sticks for all of them and used hers to write her initials in big, glowing letters in the air. She bought cardboard glasses with prismatic lenses that turned all the lights into rainbows. (Mara tore hers off after one look.) Simon paid for cups of steaming sweet cider, and Ike, with silly bows and flourishes, handed around little paper bags of roasted chestnuts. Mara would have eaten hers whole if Simon hadn’t showed her how to pry the white nuts out of the smoking husks.
    There were clothing vendors to browse, too. Boomer Heaven had a booth across from the town hall,with fringed suede vests, macramé belts, and strings of love beads (according to the sign) for sale. And there behind the table was Celeste, with reindeer antlers on her head and a glowing Rudolph nose, making change for a customer.
    Amelia took Mara by one arm and Simon took the other and they hurried her across the street before Celeste could spot them and start wondering about the tall girl in the vintage red-sequined coat.
    Once they were out of sight Simon dropped Mara’s arm and walked away a few steps, glowering at the pavement. “This feels rotten,” he said.
    â€œWhat does?” Ike joined them, camera in hand. “I just got a good shot of your grandmother in her antlers. Wish I could get one of Ammy’s friend, there, but look.” He held out the camera. “She keeps moving or something. All I ever get is a blur.”
    Simon gave Mara a suspicious look. She smiled at him.
    â€œIt’s not like she does it on purpose,” Amelia said.
    â€œNo?” He stepped into a doorway, out of the stream of people, to peer at Ike’s camera.
    â€œLook at that guy!” Ike pointed with his chin. “Over there — this side of the stage. That’s some mask! I better get a shot of him.” He squirmed through the crowd to find Simon.
    Amelia looked where he’d been pointing. It was the scary mask again. It was the eyes that did it, she figured.In the shadowy sockets they sparkled as bright as the edge of a knife blade. A phrase sidled into her head:
Kill you soon as look at you.
    Below the mask was a long, thin body dressed in greyish stuff that looked like he’d scrounged it out of a dumpster. He was watching her, she was sure of it. Or watching... “Mara? I think ... There, he’s gone again.”
    â€œI know.” Mara glanced in that direction. “He follows us since we come outside.”
    â€œYou knew? Who is he? Oh, wait. It’s that guy your brother sent, right? The messenger.”
    â€œNot messenger. I have been searching for the word for him. I hear it today on the radio. It begins
Ah
.”
    â€œAssistant?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œAdvisor?”
    â€œNo. Now I have it! Ah...sah...sin.” She