“No, Jain Shin Hallow.” Wol said gravely, “You are the weapon.”

  I wish I had something witty in my repertoire ready to riposte. Unfortunately, I didn't. Mostly because that was not an angle I had considered.

  Hell, I’d been thrust into this whole other world just yesterday.

  Everyone I met had bombarded me with their opinions regarding my parents. That they were the practitioner equivalent of terrorists with their thumb on the proverbial nuclear bomb. Then there was the bounty on my head, not to mention the people who came to actually collect it.

  I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t considered the fact that people were telling the truth about them. I had reservations about taking it at face value but too many things lined up. My mom’s shady acquaintance, the level of preparation, my dad just disappearing on me…

  I just didn’t know I was the nuclear bomb, so to speak.

  What Wol was saying made sense.

  The ritual circle to summon Hwari and Wol, it only worked with my blood. Not Hallow blood, not Shin blood, but both. That knowledge had been given to me through Haruspicy: it had been meant for me. Hwari might have the nuclear launch codes, but in the end I was the one who had the final say-so.

  It was bad enough that I felt like a puppet dancing on strings; did it have to be my dead mom and deadbeat dad who were playing the tune?

  My head started to hurt again. Worse yet, I started feeling annoyed.

  “What else?” My throat felt dry again.

  “Check the inside of your left wrist.” Wol leaned in to take a look as well, Hwari floated over.

  A fresh tattoo surrounded by blistered skin: ????

  “Oh, hell no.” I rubbed it with my thumb to see if it was real.

  “You've already signed. You just haven't fulfilled.”

  “What the hell is this?!” I rubbed it harder, licking my thumb and everything.

  “It is the Cold Sickness' mark.” He answered the rhetorical question again.

  I glared at the Black Cat. “Not funny.”

  Wol put a paw on the first half of the tattoo “My Practitioner.”

  I kept scratching. “I can’t have this. I go to private school. If someone sees a tattoo, they’re going to–”

  “Jain Shin Hallow. Calm down and look at me.”

  Wol said my name with power. I stopped scratching but refused to meet his gaze, choosing to look at the tattoo instead.

  “...We must be very careful. He has not yet learned your name. But he remembers your voice. He will be listening.” Wol’s other paw covered the second half of the mark. “The inertia of yesterday’s events will only gain momentum. It's futile to stop it. But to control the direction? Possible. Do you understand?”

  Hwari swam by. ‘The Detritus approaches.’

  “We can talk more about this later. But it is not finished yet. Worry about this after the trials. Understood?” Then more softly, “You are not alone in this Practitioner. Hwari and I are here with you.”

  I finally looked at the cat. He was so small but… old. He spoke with certainty, an absolute belief that things were going to be alright.

  Hwari floated over, nuzzling my neck.

  It made me feel better.

  There was a knock on the door. The door opened a peek and Abigail pushed through a shopping bag. “I brought some clothes. Check if these fit.”

  The three of us traded glances.

  I skipped over to the door and took the bag. “Thanks, Abbs.”

  Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  There were toothbrushes, toothpaste, change of clothes, and all the other necessities I needed to get ready.

  Once I was ready, I finally joined my familiars who had gone ahead to the shared space.

  Abigail had changed her frilly dress to one reserved for night clubs with VIP guest lists and celebrity showings. For a guy like me, it was a little too tight for me to comfortably rest my eyes on anywhere but her face. In retrospect, maybe that’s the point.

  There was a round aluminum covered object on the coffee table.

  I lunged for the classic New York Bacon, Egg, and Cheese –on a Kaiser Roll of course, wouldn’t have it any other way– and immediately bit into it.

  “Ohmahgad.” I groaned. A bit of egg yolk mixed with hot sauce dribbled down my chin.

  Abigail gracefully ignored my outburst. “I can drop you off anywhere. Do you have somewhere in mind?”

  My thoughts went to the RV. “Brooklyn Mobile Home Park.”

  “If that’s your wish. But I feel obligated to tell you, it’s known to those looking for you” Abigail replied.

  Crap. My imagination gave me a nice picture of me relaxing on the couch while the Evocator Practitioner from yesterday started cooking the RV from outside. He wouldn’t even have to aim, just get it in relative close proximity to the engine and… poof.

  One well-done Diabolist, coming right up.

  “Wol, what’re our options?” I finally asked.

  Wol was toying with a ball of yarn. Did Abigail pick that up for him?

  “The girl briefed me of our situation.” Wol caught the yarn with one paw, stopping its momentum. “Is it true that the first trial is tomorrow?”

  “Truer than true.” I finished the sandwich. “Like royally screwed true.”

  “There are countless things to do.” He complained. “We must determine whether Conjuration is indeed your specialty, and how proficient you are at Abjuration. You must unlock Hwari and my Talents as your Familiars. Additionally–”

  “You guys have talents?” I interjected.

  “–all familiars have their own unique skillset, which changes every time we contract with a Practitioner. You don’t think we contract practitioners out of the goodness of our hearts?”

  “I thought you were in this for my sunshine personality.”

  ‘You should let Wol finish, Young Practitioner.’ Hwari said.

  I mimed zipping my mouth shut.

  “Additionally,” Wol emphasized, “We must ensure your basic skills are up to standard as to not instantly be killed on the morrow and prepare trinkets that will aid us in that goal.”

  I waited until I was absolutely sure he was done. “Ok, now can you list them in order of importance?.”

  Wol sat, quietly thinking. “First, we must ensure that your talent indeed lies in Conjuration and Abjuration. Then Hwari and my talents should be explored. Then the trinkets.” He let out a breath, “A staff would be best but we do not have time.”

  “I know a place where you can get a staff.”

  We all turned to look at Abigail.

  “Where?” I asked.

  “One of the Wickermen has a store operating in the city.” She said it was the most obvious thing in the world. “It’s how he supplies his men with staffs, trinkets."

  “You’re kidding me. The guy who tried to kill me?”

  “Not the Wickerman. His followers. Men with an e.” She shook her head, “But the location is known only to a few.”

  “Wol, how important is having a staff?”

  “A staff works best when crafted by the practitioner who will use it. And if it’s the same as the man from yesterday, it would be specialized for evocation. Still,” Wol allowed, “It would be a difference between having no staff and having one. Which is more than marginal.”

  I took a big breath, "Then let's make a bargain. Can you find out where those staffs are?"

  “I can.” Her eyes shone. “But I need time. And you will–”

  “Incur a debt. Yes.” I rolled my eyes. “I heard you and Wol talking. I know you two already have some kind of deal.”

  Wol shot Abigail an angry look. Abigail's expression never changed.

  “Not deal. Payment for saving your life.” Wol explained. "You are making this choice too easily without regard for consequence."

  “Either way, we need to figure out where those staffs are and how I can get one." I gathered my things. "Abbs?"

  “Done. It’s a deal.” Abigail whispered immediately, as if she’d been waiting for my confirmation.

  I felt the deal take hold, not as much as a ritualistic chant but just as present. This occult stuff wasn’t joking around, there had been nothing magical about my conversation. But it picked up on my intent and the meaning behind the words.

  My Third Eye sensed it too. I’d never forget this particular scene until the Obligation was paid in full. I was sure of it. Perhaps Wol was right, I was taking this all too lightly.

  ‘Are we leaving?’ Hwari asked.

  “Yeah. Abbs, you can drop me off?”

  “Where do you wish to go?”

  I told her.

  “...Really?” She asked.

  “Safest place I can think of.”

  I didn’t want to be late on the last day of school before everything went to hell.