Page 127 of Alchemy of Souls

Maggie glances at Grayson and her lips quirk up like she’s plotting.

“Before you eventhinkabout answering that,” Grayson says. “Here.” He reaches into his pocket and pulls out not one but two cell phones. He plunks the first one down in front of Maggie.

Her eyebrows shoot up and for a full ten seconds she doesn’t utter a word. “That’s a phone, that is. But I know you didn’t justgiveit to me.”

“Actually, that’s exactly what I did,” he says.

Maggie stares at it like she doesn’t know what to do. If I didn’t know better, I’d say she gets a little misty. “Ye are bribing me, prince. That’s for certain. Because yer rightfully terrified of me. But in this moment, I’m not having a laugh. Becausethis”—she gestures at the phone and sniffles—“this means something. And I want ye to know that I’m right and truly grateful.”

I’m so moved that she’s moved and that Grayson thought to do that for her, that by the time Grayson hands me mine I’m already overwhelmed.

“I thought you needed one of your own, Claws,” Grayson says. “So you can call your family anytime you want.”

My eyes fill at the thought of speaking to my mom, and I pull the phone to my chest. I know that no matter how many Naomis there are in the world, no matter how many battles we have to fight in the coming days, that I can face them. Because my family’s safe. Because I have Maggie and Grayson. And like Maggie said, this cell phone is more than a thoughtful gesture—it means something. That our world is changing. That we did something to change it.

“Nothing less,” I breathe, and Maggie echoes it.