In the Shadows

trunk, I’ll make you, so help me.”

“And then what?” Charles glared at him. “How are you going

to take care of the two of them? Where will you get money? Where

will you stay? How is running away with them any safer than stay-

ing here?”

Minnie twisted her arm, pulling free. Her huge eyes impossibly

sad, she shook her head, then went and sat next to Charles on the

sofa. Thom watched, glad that in the midst of all this, Minnie was

choosing his brother. He could see the pain in Arthur’s face, and it

filled him with a vicious happiness.

You have no one, Arthur.

“I can’t leave,” she said.

“Neither can I.” Cora dropped her hand from Thom’s

chest and, to his shock, took his own in hers. Her fingers were

long and soft in his.

“We’ll protect them,” Thom said. He looked from Cora to

Minnie, finally settling his gaze on Charles. “All of them. With or

without your help.”

Arthur left the room without a word.

Early that morning, so early the sky was still blushing away the

remnants of night, Thom made his way to Arthur’s attic room, case

in hand. He knocked on the door, but it swung open under his fist.

“Arthur? Listen, I wanted to say sorry, and ask —” Thom

stopped short on the threshold of the room. Sitting on Arthur’s

bed, holding a stack of letters, was the witch.

“Hello,” she said, smiling dreamily at him, her eyes flitting

around like a butterfly, alighting on his for only a second before

flying away again. “I came to see the Liska boy, but he’s not here.”

Her lip jutted out in a pout.

“Oh. I’m sorry.” Thom immediately felt like a fool. Here was