Sorcerer's Secret (45 page)

“Thanks, Father,” Nicholas said, grinning. “From you, that means everything.”

Smiling, Rory turned his attention to Lincoln and Simon, who were exchanging war stories by the fire.

“You're crazy,” Lincoln was saying. “Of course you'll miss being a god!”

“Not one bit!” Simon replied. “It's too much work. Do you know how much a stack of plates weighs? It was torture!”

“I don't know,” Lincoln replied. “For a few hours, I got to be Teddy Roosevelt. Everyone cheered and fought harder when I rode by. I was pretty much a god, and it felt really good.”

“You weren't a god,” Alexa said, strolling up. “You were an idiot who was lucky he wasn't killed. But you were both very brave.” She raised her glass, saluting them. “To the brave members of the Rattle Watch!”

“To the Rattle Watch!” Simon and Lincoln chorused, raising their glasses. Nicholas walked over, his own glass raised as well as he shared a satisfied smile with Alexa.

“To the Rattle Watch,” he said, and turned to face Rory across the way, his glass in the air. The rest of the Watch turned to salute him as well. Rory nodded his thanks, his eyes stinging as he blinked away tears.

As they all went back to their conversations, Rory felt suddenly alone. Looking around at all the gods and Indians, spirits and creatures, he realized that he couldn't stay in this place. He was still a mortal. He had a life waiting for him in the real Manhattan, and there was no place for battle roaches and albino alligators there. He had to go to school, and do homework and one day get a job and live a normal life. He couldn't be the crazy guy going on about talking statues and invisible ships. He had to go and be normal.

“Why are you hiding over here, Pretty Nose?” a lightly mocking voice said behind him. Soka sat down next to him, intertwining her arm with his. “You saved the day. You should be in the center of it all, soaking in the accolades.”

“I'm fine out here,” he said, sighing.

“You don't look fine,” Soka said. “In fact, you look like you're moping! It's not a good look for you.”

“I'm just taking it all in before I have to go back,” he said sadly.

“Back where?” Soka asked, furrowing her brow. “You live up the street.”

“Back to normal life. I can't live like this forever. Straddling two worlds, one of which no one else can see.”

“They can if you show them,” Soka reminded him.

“But I can't do that,” he replied. “It's too dangerous. I've got to stay the only one who—”

“Oh, just stop it!” Soka said, shaking her head. “You are not alone, Rory Hennessy! You have a sister who loves you, a mother who would do anything for you, and a father who's returned from the dead! You have friends who care about you, even if you can't take them outside the city limits. You belong in Mannahatta, and you belong in Manhattan. People straddle two worlds all the time. Look at me. I'm a Munsee girl in love with a pale-faced Irish boy. People think I'm crazy! But I know it's definitely worth it.” With that, she leaned over and kissed him, and as he folded her into his arms, Rory knew that he'd never be alone again.

I
t was close to midnight when Rory and Bridget finally reached their house. They'd stopped by the cave in Inwood Hill Park, but while Bridget's body was still there watched over by a jubilant Tucket, their mother's had disappeared. They weren't worried, however. They knew the Lady would keep her promise. Bridget had to let go of her paper body (which was pretty much toast, anyway). As she leaned over her mortal face, she realized she'd grown so used to being strong, to being Malibu Death Barbie, that she was scared to be the normal, everyday Bridget. That was why she couldn't leave her body before. Because she couldn't let go.

But she didn't want to stay a child forever. And she was tired of not being able to cry. So she leaned over her body and let go. Her mortal eyes fluttered open and she was home. As she watched, her old paper body collapsed in on itself, falling into a pile of ash and burned paper. She felt a pang in her heart, but she was ready to move on.

Now the two of them burst into their apartment, running for the bedroom with Tucket on their heels.

“Mom!” they cried. “Mom, we're home.”

No one answered and their hearts were in their mouths until they flung open the bedroom door to reveal their mother, eyes blinking from sleep, sitting up in her bed.

“I've had a real humdinger of a dream,” she said, rubbing her eyes. “I'm glad I'm awake.”

Rory and Bridget ran to the bed to envelop her in their arms, a family again.

“Me too,” Rory said. “Me too.”