Chapter Thirteen

The magic district was bustling and vibrant, but I felt detached from it as I mulled over my conversation with Naranthe while I headed to Gideon’s shop with Kana, Toji, and Ashe, who was receiving enough stares for her agitation to reach me.

I’d been so blown away by everything I’d found out I hadn’t remembered to ask Naranthe about Erasure or Gideon’s soul-less resurrection. I’d definitely have to make another trip to Quivess.

We were walking down a wide avenue that made up the main road of the district. It was paved with smooth, coral-colored blocks, and the sidewalks were clustered with vendor tables. Behind them I noted quaint stores like a crystal shop where the colors of rough-cut gems made a beautiful window display. Next to it was a Tamer’s plant shop where I spied pothos and monsteras as well as plants I hadn’t seen since the time period I was born into. The area was buzzy with conversation from the many people taking a stroll and gander at the goods.

We passed by the table of a paper Shaper, and I glanced over her cut paper masterpieces, origami, and other three-dimensional works of art like paper plants and small pieces of furniture. Next to her, a Wind Conjurer had a group of kids captivated by their ability to blow sand across a piece of paper and create a beach scene.

Amid the intense emotions I was under after the revelations at Quivess, I felt a pang of sadness as I looked around and thought about Callan. As much as people lauded me as this “Changer of Worlds,” none of this would have been possible without Callan. If I hadn’t been able to step through his portal back to Mixuné, the world would have been ravaged by dark magic.

And now Callan had to remain in a specific place or he would cease to exist. Something as simple as walking through the magic district with me, buying things we didn’t need, was something he could no longer do. And it was so fucking unfair, even though the fear of Callan’s nonexistence was stronger.

Why couldn’t we save the day and live happily ever after? Why was there always a price to pay and heartache to endure?

My thoughts felt like a weight pressing against my skull as we turned a corner and walked down a quieter block to Gideon’s shop. I had been surprised to see that the block was very similar to how it’d been in the Before Times; the ice cream spot was even still there. It would be interesting to see what other areas were similar to how they were in the other timeline.

This block and Gi’s shop gave me the same sense of familiarity that Kiabi Park did. I was thankful for these bits of “sameness” from the Before Times. They were much needed anchors amid all the new; reminders that the world I had fought to save wasn’t completely gone.

As we approached Gi’s shop, I saw people milling around outside, some holding a plastic champagne flute. When Ashe and I approached, all eyes were on us. It was a near thing that I didn’t outwardly grimace at the attention. I gave out nods and brief greetings before heading inside after I waited for Ashe to Morph smaller, since her bulk would make it an uncomfortable squeeze in the tiny shop.

Inside, people were standing around chatting, sipping, and nibbling on hors d’oeuvres being passed around by a waiter dressed in a burgundy suit. The ambiance was cozy and inviting thanks to the glass sphere string lights hung across the ceiling. To accommodate the silent auction, Gideon had rearranged things to make it easy for people to walk through and write down their bids. More heads turned our way, and several people came over for a meet and greet, which I hoped I handled with more of a smile than a grimace.

“Finally, you made it.” Gideon’s eyes landed on us as he came in from the back room. I could see straight through to the backyard. The store had a modest yard and people were also out there mingling. Gideon was dressed in a patterned button-down and dark jeans, and his braids were still neat.

“Where’s tall, dark, and handsome?” he asked as he gave Ashe, who’d jumped into Toji’s arms, a scratch.

“He’s okay,” I replied, dropping my voice low. Kana had momentarily turned away to greet someone. “But I have some things to catch you guys up on once we can talk alone.”

Gideon and Toji looked concerned, but we all rallied our expressions when Kana turned back to us.

“Well, look around and bid on things,” Gideon said, making a shooing gesture at me. “The more money I make, the more there might be for you in my will.”

I rolled my eyes. “What a crooked line from A to B.” I walked around, checking out the items Gideon had chosen. Several of my jewelry pieces and figurines were available. One item in particular, a wood carving of Ashe, had two people heartily engaged. Almost as soon as one of them wrote a bid the other would hustle back over to bid again.

I had no doubt the event would bring in a lot of money. Gideon had been wise to capitalize on people’s interest in the Before Times, and owning something from that timeline was clout a lot of people would want. Even the way-off-the-mark replicas of Diviner cards were racking up bids.

Some of the most popular items were the maps. Gideon hadn’t offered his originals, but the high-quality copies had garnered a lot of interest. I felt a pang of nostalgia as I spotted a map of the New York City subway lines. The highest bid was over two thousand. Nova Celes had a subway system, but it was very different from the one we’d known.

I moved on from the map and paused when I saw the next item. It was a candid picture of me wearing my armor, standing in front of the weapons wall in my apartment. I had put my armor on soon after I’d come back to the present day to show it off to the boys but hadn’t realized Gideon had snapped a photo. I frowned as I read the paper in front of it. Gideon happened to be passing by, so I not so gently grabbed him and pulled him over, pointing at the paper.

“Gideon Anthony Tophe, what the hell is this?” I barely remembered to keep my voice low. Gideon gave me a toothy grin as he disengaged from my hold.

“That, my dear Penn, looks like a rather healthy high bid, and the auction still has an hour left to go.”

“Gideon,” I said warningly. The bid was for an hour-long fighting lesson with me. Not only would I teach them to use a weapon of their choosing that was within my skillset, I’d also put on a demonstration using the Divine sword. The highest bid was fifteen thousand.

“You put me up for auction without asking?” I hissed. “How about I do a weapons demonstration on you?”

“Save the aggression for your session with the winner,” he said, unfazed by my heated expression. “It’s for a good cause after all. My bank account.”

I narrowed my eyes, and he rolled his up to the ceiling.

“Okay, fine, I apologize for my sneaky ways. But I knew something like this would bring in high bids. A one-on-one with the Changer of Worlds and her Divine sword? Total windfall.” He looked entirely too pleased with himself.

I groaned as Kana and Toji came over.

“The auction seems to be very successful, love,” Toji said, circling his arm around Gideon and giving him a kiss.

“Yes indeed,” Gideon preened. “I predict the session with Penn will be the highest earner.”

“You didn’t warn me,” I said to Toji accusingly.

“I was threatened,” he said, pretending to look guilty.

“With what, a good time?”

“Gideon knows how to keep my mouth shut.” Toji smiled like the cat that got the cream.

“All I gotta do is keep mine open.” Gideon gave Toji a cheeky wink.

“Oh my,” Kana giggled.

“All right, spicy boys.” I shook my head then speared Gideon with a look. “I’m not happy about this, to be clear. After I spar with the winner, you’re next.”

“No worries, my stacks of cash will provide a comfortable resting place to recover from my thumping.” Someone called out to him and he turned away from my disgruntled expression and gave them a wave. “Now if you’ll excuse me…” He started walking away.

Then a sudden popping sound rang out and Gideon disappeared.

He…disappeared.

I startled. Toji and Kana startled. Everyone in the shop startled. Ashe yelped.

Silence fell over everyone. My eyes widened and my brows tried to meet my hairline.

“What… What the fuck?” I blinked. Took a step forward. Gideon had just been standing there, but between one step and another he had completely vanished.

“Gideon?” Toji’s voice was strained. Kana’s eyes were wide, and her hand was on his forearm as Toji staggered, reaching out to the space where Gideon had been standing. He whipped his head to me. “Penn? Where did…”

Murmurs started up in the shop. People looked at us nervously.

What in the entire fuck had happened? Where did Gideon go?

The first thought that crossed my mind was Erasure, but based on what I’d learned about it, Gideon shouldn’t be subject to it.

Did it have to do with his missing soul?

My heart was hammering. Ashe was pacing a circle where Gideon had been.

“Where did he go?” Toji’s voice trembled. “Why would he disappear? Where did Gideon go?” His voice was rising to hysterics.

I gathered myself. Tried to shake off the shock. There were too many shocks being laid on me lately. Now Gideon had disappeared?

“Ashe, can you track him?” Ashe was still in her fox cub form, and I sensed her frustration as she parsed Gideon’s scent. She trotted around the room and people swiftly moved out of her way. Many people had already exited the store. The atmosphere was quiet, tense, and confused as hell.

“What could have happened?” Kana’s voice was stunned. “I’ve never seen someone disappear like that. I’ve seen Temporals vanish through a portal, but that…”

“That wasn’t Temporal magic,” I said. That fear that had been clenched around my heart regarding Gideon being brought back to life without his soul resurfaced.

“Gideon? Gideon?” Toji’s voice was anguished. Ashe trotted outside so we followed her. Her Morph magic rose and she transformed back to her Circoux form and continued scenting the area. People were making themselves scarce.

“Any new scent?” Gideon’s scent, which Ashe knew well, would be a constant around and inside his shop, but Ashe would be able to parse an older scent from a fresher one. Not that I had much hope that him blipping out all of a sudden would lead to a fresh trail right outside.

Ashe raised her head and gave it a shake, the growl in her throat an expression of her frustration.

“Ashe can’t find a new scent, but I’m gonna search the area. Maybe she will pick something up.” I turned to Toji, whose expression sent cracks all over my heart.

He had already witnessed his husband dying right in front of his eyes. Now, Gideon had disappeared before him.

Heartache. It was always heartache finding the people closest to me. Usually because of my actions.

I shook those thoughts aside and gathered my strength as I pulled Toji into a hug. “Stay here in case he reappears. Call me if he does. I will do my best to find him, Toji, I promise.”

“Please, please…” The tone of his voice was breaking my heart. “Gideon, come back…please.”

Kana put her arm around him. “I want to scout with you but I think it’s better if I stay.”

I nodded and gave her arm a quick squeeze, then jumped on Ashe’s back.

She broke into a run, and I hoped with everything I had that I’d be able to bring Toji’s husband back to him.