“Do you want me to ask him if he’ll take you through?” I was joking and didn’t expect her thoughtful silence.
“Do you think he would?”
“Mom, you can’t leave Earth. What would you do there? They have magic. They don’t need trackers.”
“Retire.”
“I’m sure they’d take American Express and put you up in a nice villa.”
“I suppose that’s…”
A crash came from up the hill, and I didn’t hear the rest. I sat up, grabbed my weapons, and said, “I’ll call you later, Mom.”
I unzipped the tent and stepped out into the shadows, listening for more noise. It was about ten, so not too late, but full darkness had arrived. A few motor boats buzzed out on the lake, their owners not yet willing to end the day. But the noise had come from town, from the grassy park Marador had tried to torch.
A familiar pun
