The pact

Chapter 13

Lucy wakes up as Gullvi pulls up by Milady's basement.

"We're here, she says quietly."

Lucy glances at Milady. She's been sitting silently the whole way home, only speaking when she's talked to. Lucy doesn't know what the Wizard did, only that Milady changed after that. She's different, somehow.

Milady stumbles out of the car without a word, and Gullvi looks at Lucy.

"You can come with me if you want."

Lucy shakes her head.

"No."

She steps out and takes Milady's arm.

"I'll help you."

She's not angry any longer. Not even with Milady. Gullvi told her what had happened to her. She had met Milady before she became a magician; when she was still called Jenna. And Gullvi had told Lucy that Milady hadn't had any friends, and Rat had tricked her and some other street kids had tricked her too. Gullvi had found her huddling on the street one day, with no money and a bruise. They had taken everything from her. Gullvi had taken her home, but Milady had gone angry and left. The next time Gullvi met her, she'd told her she wasn't called Jenna any longer, she was called Milady.

Lucy didn't want that to happen to anyone, she didn't want people to be mean to each other.

She helps Milady through the window and sits her down on the sofa. She's scared of touching the stove, but she wants to make tea for them, so she plucks up the courage and puts a kettle on. The stove doesn't give her any electrical shocks and when the water is boiling, she hands Milady a cup. She still hasn't said anything. Lucy pats her hand.

"It'll be okay."

Milady bursts into tears. Lucy puts an arm around her.

"It's okay, I'll take care of you, Milady."

"I'm... Jenna..."

She weeps quietly as Lucy holds her. After a long while, she quiets and leans back on the sofa. Her eyes are closed and Lucy takes a blanket and wraps it around her and then climbs into bed.

She wonders what her parents are doing now. Probably working, like they always did. They never had time for her. She wonders if they've even noticed that she's gone. No one else will miss her either, she never had any friends. Only the books, and the movies. Those were the only friends she ever had. But she wanted to find real ones, just like in the movies. So she'd run away. She wonders if she will find any...

She wakes up before Milady the next day, and she's brave enough to make them another cup of tea. Milady stirs on the sofa and sits up. Or, she's not Milady any longer. She's Jenna, she said. She gets up and sits by the table.

"Thank you..., she whispers."

They drink the tea in silence until Jenna says,

"We need to close the portal. Now we can do it, the deal with the Shadow Man is gone."

"How do we close it?"

"The veil is still thin, we can do it from here."

Jenna prepares the room and, in the evening, takes Lucy into it. It's a magical room that Lucy hasn't seen, but Milady has been in a lot. Lucy is a bit afraid, but Jenna is different from Milady. She doesn't think she'll hurt her.

This time, Lucy can see the Guardians. They stand so tall in front of them, but she remembers what the Wizard said. Jenna is trembling beside her, but Lucy takes her hand and says,