, a dry, painful sou

extbook, the

t pay the medica

would, if I a

that was the pla

died, it was

r, strong, then

as a quiet thief i

ve, full of kids with

nd a part-time jo

sn't

big physics exa

d since kindergarte

y, a nice house, no

et it, but she was

se friend, was pro

p spot as much as

but friendly,

, the exam was don

tting through the

seen around, Silas

trinkets, carv

ike he saw more than the d

koned

id, his voice raspy.

gged, tired

th," he said, holding up a small, w

a bracelet this mornin

me. For luck." It was on my

slowly. "Not luck, so

laughed.

s it to another. Takes th

. "That boy, Jake, he

we bo

ill become yours. Your good score, his. And it binds

, the weird trinket s

not possibl

ld mine. "The magic is o

ly one way to pass it on without harm to yoursel

. Maya

as a cold sto

ht?" I asked, but my

at me, his expre

y, Ethan. Watch your sc

to his trinkets

acelet suddenly feeli

s Charm. R

of unease h