Warren shrugged. "I don't need a photo to remind me of Fletcher. Never have. "
He stared at the television, but I still spotted the sheen of moisture in his dark eyes. In that moment, I knew Warren missed Fletcher Lane as much as I did, even if he'd never admit it. And I knew the photo had to be one of his prized possessions. Because it was a symbol of
their friendship, of their childhood growing up together, and all the good times and hopes and dreams they'd shared.
I had photos of Fletcher, but none like this. None that showed him being so easy and carefree. None that showed him as he really was, without the calm mask he'd presented to so many people, including me, over the years.
For the first time, I felt like I was seeing the real Fletcher Lane.
And now Warren was giving the photo to me. His gesture touched me in a way nothing had done in a long time. I might have been an assassin for seventeen years, might have killed a lot of people, but helping Warren and Violet Fox was definitely one of the best things I'd ever done.
"All right," I said. "There's an empty spot on the wall at the Pork Pit. I think this will go nicely there. "
Warren nodded. I walked over, leaned down, and kissed his wrinkled cheek. He smelled of Old Spice and peppermint.
"Thank you for this. "
He didn't look at me, but a blush crept up the side of his neck. "It's nothing. "
"No," I said in a quiet voice, staring at Fletcher's smiling face. "It's everything to me. "
Embarrassed, Warren made some excuse about checking on the store, leaving me alone in the den. I sat there staring at the photo of him and Fletcher until Jo-Jo Deveraux came back in.
"What's that?" she asked.
I showed her the picture.
"Nice of him to give it to you," the dwarf replied, sitting on the sofa.
"Yes, it was. "
We didn't speak for a few moments. Finally, Jo-Jo broke the silence.
"You want to talk about it?" she asked in a soft voice.
"About what happened in the mountain? About your magic? About how you're stronger now?"
My head snapped. "How the hell do you know that?"
Her pale eyes were old and knowing in her made-up face. "I could feel it when I was healing you. Your Ice magic, it's stronger now, isn't it?"
I sighed and told her what had happened in the cavern.
About how I'd felt something give inside me and the fact the spider rune scars on my hands glowed brighter than a flashlight. I even gave her a demonstration.
Jo-Jo leaned over and studied my silvery palms. Then she nodded and sat back on the sofa.
"So what happened to me? Is it temporary? Permanent? Did I break my magic or something?"
Jo-Jo chuckled. "Nothing like that, Gin. But yes, I do believe it's permanent. " She gave me a steady look. "Have you wondered why your Stone magic is so much stronger than your Ice power?"
I shrugged. "Not really. It's rare enough to be able to control two elements. I always assumed my Ice magic was just weaker. "
Jo-Jo shook her head. "No, darling, your Ice magic isn't weaker. It's just been contained - until now. "
I frowned. "How?"
She jerked her head at my palms. "By that silverstone in your hands. You know as well as I do that silverstone is a magical metal, that it can hold and absorb elemental magic. "