Between Worlds

Chapter 9

Shadow could hear sirens too, getting close now. He stayed by Finch's side as a firetruck parked in front of the house.

The firefighters jumped off the truck as soon as it stopped, moving with practised efficiency. Just as they were getting the hose laid out, a window smashed and something too fiery for Shadow to look at directly screeched as it shot off into the night.

"What the fuck!?" one of the firefighters shouted over the combined noise of the truck and the fire.

"Phoenix!" Adin shouted back. He leant in to talk to Finch more quietly. "We won't be able to deal with that one ourselves, considering our current situation. Make sure you tell the police about it when they get here."

Finch nodded.

An ambulance arrived, and Shadow pushed attention away from himself just enough that anyone not specifically looking for him wouldn't notice him. Finch considered him for a moment, but it was Malyn, who was still coughing, who he ultimately focussed on.

"You need to get checked out," Finch told Malyn.

"I'm fine," Malyn said, his voice strained from trying not to cough. He tried to say something else, but it was too much and he started coughing again.

"Uh huh," Finch said as he took him by the arm and led him over to the ambulance.

Shadow didn't want to go over there, so he hovered next to Adin instead. Adin kept his arms crossed over his chest and his eyes on the strangers around them. His heart wasn't hammering like it had been during his fight with Katrina last night, but it was beating a lot faster than it did normally.

Shadow heard the sound of another large vehicle approaching and assumed it was another firetruck or ambulance, but when he turned to look, he realised it was a bus. Not a city bus. It was like... like a tour bus musicians and other performers travelled around in.

As it parked further down the road, Shadow took a step closer to Adin, but when the doors opened, it was Luther who stepped out. Shadow ran to meet him.

Luther put an arm around Shadow as soon as he was at his side, his gaze skipping between him and the burning house. "Are you okay? Is everyone okay?"

"Yes," Shadow said. "Well, mostly. Malyn keeps coughing."

"Katrina, I assume?"

Shadow nodded.

Luther raised his voice to speak to Adin as he approached. "I'm sorry. Genuinely. I didn't think she'd find you."

"I can tell you care about Shadow and you left him with us," Adin said as he stopped in front of them. "So of course you didn't."

"I wish..." Luther stared at the burning house for a long moment and then shook his head. "I wish a lot of things, but none of it matters."

"The problem with wishing to change the past is that changing the bad things often changes the good as well." Adin offered Luther a small smile. "And that it doesn't do anything, of course."

Luther returned the smile. "That last part is particularly problematic, yes. Well, then, what can I do now?"

"You can provide transport," Finch said as he joined them. He was holding Shadow's bag, and when he reached them, he passed it to Shadow. "My car's a fucking inferno right now. I'm going to take the bike and follow Malyn to the hospital. Can you take Adin and Tyla somewhere for me?"

"Yes," Luther said. "Just tell me where."

Finch's gaze cut to Adin and he gave him a significant look. "I'll meet you under the lemon tree. Okay?"