The Keeper's Curse (44 page)

Emmy
grinned purely on the grounds Breckin had actually uttered the
words “raw animal magnetism”. “Warning and pessimism duly noted,”
she said. “On the topic of Cyrus, can you do me a huge favour?” She
didn’t give him the chance to say no. “Mom is already pretty
overwhelmed you’re in my life, and she has no idea about Persy or
Cyrus. Will you tell her when I’m gone? It’ll give her time to cool
down.”

Breckin
looked like he would rather gouge his own eyes out with a rusty,
poorly constructed teaspoon.

“
Did I mention I selflessly carry around your life inside
me?”

He
groaned. “Fine, fine. But you can only pull that card so many
times.”

“
Once is enough for now.” She glanced at the town clock on a
building behind Breckin’s head. “I better get going. I have to be
signed in by five o’ clock, and it’s ten to.”

“
Alright then,” he said, pulling her into a hug. “Bye,
Lana.”

Damn, she
was going to miss the “Lana” thing so much. She saw the clump of
her loved ones over her shoulder, and suddenly a couple of weeks
seemed like a long time.

“
Bye, Breckin,” she said, pulling away from him. “See you all
later!” She added to the lot of them.

All of
them perked up, ending their conversations with each other and
waved at Emmy. She blew dramatic kisses at them.

“
I’ll keep you up on schoolwork!” Jade said.

“
And don’t get run over by pods!” Persephone added.

“
I will if you all don’t kill each other,” she said, giving
one last wave.

They all replied in different ways
in a muddled mess of words, making her smile. She took a mental
picture of them for safekeeping, and took her first step inside the
Ministrial Lodge, lost in the crowd before she even got
inside.

###