Brightly (Flicker #2) Read Free

“Filo’s twenty. Honest.”
    Mrs. Dawson looked unconvinced. “A bit young for a job like this.”
    “It’s just a summer job.”
    “That young man seemed to know an awful lot.”
    “This is his second or third time around. I’m not sure.” She tried to school her features into a less flustered expression. “I’m new. He’s showing me the ropes.”
    Mrs. Dawson frowned. “Do either of you need help?”
    “Oh, I’m fine,” Lee said. “And I’m sure Filo’s all right in the bathroom. It’s just a bite.”
    “That’s not what I mean.” Mrs. Dawson leaned forward. “I mean, do you need help? Because my daughter is a social worker, and she can—”
    “Don’t bother.” Filo’s voice cut sharply across Mrs. Dawson. He was standing just behind them, in the doorway. He’d changed into the clean shirt and had washed the blood off, though his jeans were still stained dark. His forearm was wrapped tightly in a small towel, and he had a bunched-up washcloth pressed to his forehead.
    He squeezed Lee’s arm, and her eyes watered from the clarity of his Sight. “It’s time for us to get going.”
    “Right,” Lee nodded, glad of the exit he’d provided.
    Turning to Mrs. Dawson, Filo went on, “I don’t do cleanup, but I can refer you to someone who’ll take care of it. They should even be able to get the smell out. Discreetly, of course.” Mrs. Dawson passed him a piece of paper and a pen; he scribbled down an address.
    Handing the paper back to her, Filo straightened and said, “Now, ma’am, if you could pay us, we’ll be on our way.”
    “Of course,” Mrs. Dawson said. “Now, the amount we discussed—”
    “That was an estimate,” Filo told her flatly. He raised his injured arm and pointed to the gash on his forehead. “All things considered… I think this is going to cost you a bit more.”
     
* * *
     
    For a moment after he opened the door to his apartment, Nasser just squinted at them—puzzled, but not exactly surprised. Lee supposed that Filo had probably turned up in worse shape than this before, so he was probably used to it.
    “What happened?” Nasser asked. His dark blond hair was slightly damp, like he’d just gotten out of the shower, and he was dressed in a faded, loose-fitting T-shirt and old jeans.
    “Bloody-Bones,” Filo croaked. He still had the washcloth pressed against his forehead, stained bright red. On the bus ride into the city, the gash on his forehead had continued to bleed, sluggish but steady. At least the bite marks on his arm had quit bleeding. They’d gotten some funny looks from the other passengers.
    “Well, come in, then,” Nasser said, ushering them inside. As she entered the apartment, he bent to kiss Lee on the cheek, just as he always did. “You can explain once I make sure Filo won’t bleed to death.”
    Since last fall, business had picked up for the Rew brothers. They’d been able to afford a somewhat nicer apartment in a somewhat nicer part of town. Two bedrooms, a larger bathroom and kitchen, and a more spacious living area—all of which made working out of their apartment as independent Seers much easier.
    Lee stepped around two large tables in the living room, heaped with all manner of objects: bundles of unfamiliar roots, flowers and grasses; glass bottles filled with red and purple potions; a bowl filled with animal teeth. Two bookcases were pushed against the wall, crammed with books, meticulously organized by some system of Nasser’s design.
    “Sit down,” Nasser said, pulling out a chair in the kitchen for Filo. “I’ll be right back.”
    He trotted into the bathroom and returned a minute later with a first-aid kit and a fistful of washcloths. He set them on the kitchen table, then went to the sink and squirted antibacterial soap on his hands.
    Without being asked, Lee opened the kit and removed supplies while Nasser scrubbed his hands. She knew what he’d need. When not studying magic at Flicker or working in the field