Bigfootloose and Finn Fancy Free by Randy Henderson

getting better, man,” Reggie said. “Thanks for asking. It helps that we are rooting out and tearing down the Arcanites one mad magus at a time.”
    â€œAny sign that Grayson is still alive?”
    â€œYou know if there was, you’d be the first person I’d tell. After I beat his ass to a pulp.”
    â€œYeah. Okay, thanks.”
    *   *   *
    I pulled into the driveway of my family’s home, the gravel crunching beneath the tires of the old hearse. The early afternoon sun shone bright but weak, having barely begun its descent toward the madrona and pine trees that screened our yard from the street and our neighbors. I climbed out of the driver’s seat and stood for a minute, looking up at the black and white Ansel Adams clouds of a distant storm.
    What mess had I gotten into now?
    Maybe I should have run away from magic when I had the chance, instead of sticking around and trying to start a magical dating service. But my family needed me. And even after being home for months, I still had no clue what else I could do.
    That worried me more than a little to think that, without magic, I had nothing. Nothing to do. Nothing interesting about me. No—
    â€œDon’t freak out,” a woman’s voice said behind me.
    I turned to find Heather, fugitive alchemist and one-time crush, standing in the shadow of the hedges. She wore a long black jacket, and she’d chopped her normally blond hair short and dyed it black, which only served to accentuate the dark circles under her eyes and the shadows of her sunken cheeks. She held a water pistol pointed at me, and I felt pretty sure it wasn’t filled with water.
    I freaked out.

 
    6
    Every Rose Has Its Thorn
    I spun away from Heather to run for the house—and banged my shin against the bumper of the hearse. “Ow!” I hopped and grasped at my shin.
    â€œWay to Harding yourself,” Heather said. “Didn’t I just say don’t freak out?”
    I flinched, but no potion splashed over me. I turned back to face her. “You’re an alchemist pointing a water pistol at me. And the last time I saw you, you tried to freeze me.”
    â€œAnd you shot me. I’d say we’re even.”
    â€œThat was an accident. And—never mind. What are you doing here?”
    She sighed. “I need your help.”
    â€œYou’re kidding, right?”
    Heather lowered the pistol. “Look, I understand why you wouldn’t exactly trust me—”
    â€œDid I mention you tried to freeze me?”
    â€œWe were also friends. And lovers, if only briefly. Do you remember that?”
    * I certainly do,* Alynon said. *Think she’d be keen for another round?*
    Don’t be a smeghead. “Are you still working for the Arcanites?” I asked.
    â€œI never worked for the Arcanites. I did things for Grayson because he was my boy’s father, and I needed to protect Orion from him. I couldn’t do that from the outside. I had to play along, do what he asked.”
    â€œIs Grayson still alive?” I asked.
    â€œI don’t know,” Heather said. “If he is, he hasn’t found me. And I haven’t looked for him. Finn, I was trying to protect you, too, you know that, right? Grayson had feybloods he would have sent after you if I hadn’t promised I could keep you … distracted while he did what he needed. And I only tried to freeze you so you wouldn’t get hurt in the fighting.”
    â€œThat wouldn’t have saved Sammy, or Mattie.” Anger swelled in my chest. “It didn’t save Zeke.”
    â€œI know. That’s why I’m here. I want to try and make up for my mistakes.”
    â€œThen tell the ARC everything you know.”
    Heather shook her head. “Orion knew more than me. I’m sure he’s already told them everything I could and more. I would just be sent into exile. And I can’t do any good in exile.