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about her. “She’s kind of unmissable ,” I say.
    Connor pierces me with his look. “Yeah, she’s quite a handful.” He sips his coffee again. I think the cup is just a prop so he can gain time and examine my reactions. “She’s independent : she doesn’t answer to the Mothers, doesn’t belong to a c oven, and I couldn’t get her to cooperate. And with her attitude and her Intimidating Charm… ”
    “Are you sure she’s not the Singularity?” I ask.
    “She isn’t,” he says with authority.
    “That’s why you need someone else at Greenwood High.” I try to sound business-like, but I can see in his eyes I’m failing. I carry on . “Any news about the Singularity?”
    He looks away with a concerned expression on his face . H e must take this assignment seriously. “No. She is still blocking her magical energy somehow . S he might have some kind of shie ld up . She must be even more powerful than we ’d guessed, to erase her magical signature completely . I hope y our True Sight can spot her. I f she ’s around your school .”
    A little vulnerability shows beneath his controlled façade. He says, “We’re almost out of time, Skye. The Singularity must be seventeen now. If she’s living a regular life, she’s almos t finishing school. She might leave soon, to college, or a job . O r just to run away : s he knows we’re looking for her , or she wouldn’t be hiding her energy . She might even already be gone. ”
    H is sincerity moves me , but then I remember his other Charm is Trust. Everybody believes him and wants to help him. It’s not his fault : he can’t turn the Charm off . Still, I can’t help but feel manipulated a little. As I did when we were together.
    We are back to Savery Hall, and I spot t he girls that surrounded Connor when I arrived. They linger around, like crows that don’t scare easily. “Nice harem.” I jerk my chin to his gathering of admirers.
    He doesn’t even look at them. “Oh, jealous much?” He smiles the devilish smile I remember. “Oh, come on,” he says when he sees my face. “It was a bad joke . Sorry. ”
    Maybe he’s changing. The old Connor would never say he’s sorry.
    He never did.
    I always assumed it was over between us . But his apology sparks something—something I didn’t realize was still inside of me. Is there a chance of us being together again?
    I don’t know, and I will not find out today. I ’d better leave.

Chapter 7: Drake
    “ D a - ad! That’s so unfair!” Mona is chanting her mantra.
    My sister is still in ninth grade, and I’m glad in our district this means we go to different schools. Neither of us want s the other lurking around. We have nothing in common.
    Mona and I came out of different assembly lines: I’m wiry and lanky like Dad; she is round and short like our mother . The only thing Mona and I share is eye color : hazel.
    She has gained considerable weight in the last few months. Since she’s so sensitive about everything, neither Da d nor I have had the guts to bro ach the subject. We don’t know if the change is caused by stress, a hormonal thing , or a natural development . Dad wants to ask her about her health and if she’s okay, but he doesn’t want to upset the precarious balance of Mona’s psyche. Me too . I mean, of all things I could point out, I imagine this is the one of the biggest no- no s in a brother-sister relationship.
    Dad and I also didn’t mention the black mini-skirts. Her body changed but she still wears her old clothes, which causes the mini-skirts to look… mini- er . Nor have we asked about the excessive highlights that look more like yellow stripes than blonde, giving the impression she’s going for a tiger motif. Nor the heavy make-up. Nor the oversized jewelry. But, hey, no piercings yet!
    So, through the gift of silence, Dad and I keep harmony in our house.
    T hat’s why Dad is so cautious when explaining things to her. “You can’t even get a permit yet , Mona,” my father