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not so sure this is such a great idea.”
    Ever turned, wings
fluttering. She made a shushing noise and waved her hand at Mina. “Hush, before
I change my mind. Someone has to keep tabs on you, and it might as well be me.”
    Terrylin moved up to the top
of the chair cushion and beckoned Ever to come closer. “Hurry, girl, hurry!”
    Ever kneeled on the chair
before the house elf, and Terrylin raised a finger up in the air and whispered
a few words that only the two of them could hear. Her finger glowed brightly,
and, as she touched Ever’s forehead, a bright light emanated from the touch and
encompassed the room. When the light dimmed, Terrylin was gone, her chair
empty. Only a small silver ring sat in her place.
    Ever bowed her head in
respect. She reached forward and picked up the ring, sliding it onto her middle
finger.
    The ring was in the shape of
an infinity symbol. On Terrylin, the ring had been covered with diamonds. On
Ever’s hand, the Godmother ring was simple silver. She had noticed a gold ring
on Mei’s hand, but never before had she put two and two together. Ever had just
taken the Godmother oath and bound her life to Mina’s.
    She had just promised to
guard her with her life…forever.

 

 
    Chapter
4

 
    Charlie slept through the
night and into Sunday morning. Mina had taken the chair and spent an
uncomfortable night curled up with a blanket, checking on her brother every few
hours. Around four a.m., his fever broke.
    Brody slept on the floor by
the fireplace in a sleeping bag, so he could stoke the fire throughout the
night. Nan lay by Charlie’s couch in another sleeping bag, still snoring
quietly.
    Ever hadn’t slept. She paced
and patrolled the house.
    Each time the front door
opened, Mina woke up in a panic, but it was just Ever checking the wards. It
was odd to see their group, all piled into the living room like lost puppies.
Sometimes she felt like that’s exactly what they were. They had refused to
leave her and Charlie alone after just losing their mom. Mina didn’t know what
excuse they were giving their parents. Frankly, she didn’t want to know. But
there was something comforting in seeing their band. Their mini army.
    When sunlight streamed
through the curtains, illuminating the dust swirling in the room, Charlie
finally began to stir. Nan’s uber-sensors went off, and she sat up, watching
him intently. Mina uncurled herself from the chair, her leg muscles cramping as
she walked across the room. When she passed Brody, still on the floor, he met
her gaze and gave her a sad smile.
    Charlie opened his eyes and
looked up at Nan and Mina’s expectant faces. His alert eyes darted here and
there around the room. They noticed Brody and Ever, then continued, as if
searching for someone. When he didn’t find what he was searching for, he closed
his eyes, lay back down on the couch, and pulled the blanket over his head.
    “Oh come on, little buddy,”
Nan coaxed gently. “It’s time to rise and shine.”
    The blanket wiggled back and
forth in a negative answer.
    “Okay then,” Nan continued
teasingly. “You don’t have to shine. How about you rise and glower or grumble
and growl.” Her voice became soft. “Or how about just breathe. Rise and just
breathe. Like this—” Nan exhaled and was about to take another dramatic
breath in when the blanket launched itself up and wrapped around her in a hug.
    Charlie’s little shoulders
shook, and Mina crawled up on the couch next to him to rub his back. Nan had
always been the best at communicating with Charlie and reading his moods. Mina
didn’t know what to say to comfort him. How was she going to help him cope,
when she could barely cope herself?
    She glanced over and noticed
Brody watching her silently from his sleeping bag. He got up and started
rolling it and stuffing it back into its carrying bag.
    Ever came in, very somber,
though her outfit was unusually bright. Little pink flowers flecked her hair,
and her normal black attire