We take the elevator up to my apartment. Calix's neck is still hidden beneath layers of bandage, and I'm carrying a bag with a bunch of medicines and ointments, but things feel almost normal.
"Wait, you said what?" Calix gasps, and I wince. I'm re-telling the argument I had with my siblings, and... well, I didn't realize how harsh I was being.
Staring at my reflection on the elevator walls, I nod. "Yeah... Do you think they'll forgive me?"
Calix snorts. "I wouldn't. But," he quickly adds as my face falls, "they love you."
I sigh. "That's not a good excuse."
"At least you know that. It'll be okay," he pats the top of my hood, "just be genuine."
The elevator dings to a stop and I step out—before quickly hurrying back in. "No, nope, I don't think I'm ready. Maybe we should go back to the hospital—"
Calix sighs and sticks his arm out to block the elevator doors from sliding close. "You're acting as if you've never been in a fight with your siblings before."
I run a hand through my hair, letting the sweatshirt hood fall down. "We haven't fought in a long time! And usually, when we fight, I always make sure someone's on my team! It's usually Rainbow, but, well, that didn't happen."
"I'm on your team," Calix grins, giving me a thumbs-up. "Now come on, I want to sit on your comfy couch."
Gulping, I step out of the elevator and raise my palm to the apartment door, but it swings open before I even get the chance to touch it.
"I'm going out to find her! It's too dangerous out there, especially with that witch—" Funneh cuts off as she turns and sees me. "Lunar?" She gasps, one arm in a jacket.
"Um... hi?"
"She's back?" Gold shouts, and I see a blur of brown hair as she runs over from the kitchen.
"I've come to—"
Funneh grabs my arm and leads me inside before I get the chance to start my apology. Calix follows us behind, unnoticed.
Rainbow is still sitting at the dining table, her chin resting on the back of her hands.
She raises one eyebrow at me as I take my sunglasses off and sit across from her, hands crossed in front of me.
I feel like a disobedient child—which, to some extent, I am.
"Well?" Rainbow asks.
"I, uh, am sorry."
"For?"
"Hurting your feelings," I mumble quietly. I can feel Funneh, Gold, and Draco's eyes on me.
"I'm sorry too, Lunar. I shouldn't have brought Calix up. It really wasn't my intention to have him hurt, you know?"
I smile. "Yeah, I know."
"Family hug!" Funneh yells. I sigh but still join the huddle.
"Not to break the moment, but do you guys have any food?" Calix's voice breaks the "moment" we were having.
"Calix! I—we didn't see you there!" Rainbow stammers, leaving the huddle. "Is your throat feeling better?"
"They've put some cooling stuff on it, and I think I'm also on some painkillers, so I don't really feel anything right now?" He rubs his neck-cast.
"Oh, you poor child!" Rainbow says, pouring a cup of orange juice for him.
I can't help but snort.
"While we're on the topic of apologizing," Funneh whispers, "where's my apology?"
"Sorry, Funneh."
Funneh grins. "It's all good; I just wanted to hear you apologize. Oh, that felt good."
I smack her, and she laughs.
"While you were away, Lunar, I was trying to think of a plan." Rainbow cuts in, and the atmosphere in the room turns serious. "She ran away when I arrived, right?"
Huh, now that I think about it, Abigale did leave when Rainbow came.
"What if there's something on me that has her afraid? What if my lucky charm actually works?" Rainbow's voice rises with excitement.
We all give her necklace a skeptical look.
"That thing? That necklace you found at a thrift store?" Gold asks, raising an eyebrow.
"Well, how else would you explain her sudden departure? She certainly wasn't losing." Rainbow crosses her arms defensively.
"Wait, Rainbow might have a point," Draco cuts in.
I shake my head. "But it doesn't work on me, and I'm a monster."
"But you're not evil, Lunar." Rainbow puts a hand on my shoulder and gives it a squeeze.
"'I've... never thought about it that way." I give her a grateful smile.
"Yes! We are so gonna win!" Funneh cheers, pumping her fist in the air.
"Not quite. We only know how to scare her away, but she can—and will—come back. We need something permanent." Gold has a determined gleam in her eyes that I've only seen her have during a fashion emergency.
"Gold, are you suggesting we kill her?" Funneh has a ridiculed expression on her face. "Is that even possible? She's been alive for... well, as long as humans have been alive!"
"And that ends now. Lunar," Gold turns to me, "where did she poison you again?"
"My forehead?"
"And you couldn't perform your magic after, right?"
"Well, she did try to suck my magic out of me, so it could've been that—yes," I add quickly as Gold frowns.
"Exactly! So foreheads must be your guys' weak points!" Gold slams her fist into her palm.
"Are you sure?" I ask, a bit skeptical—as usual. Frowning, I try to think back to the first day my ability faltered; I was sketching cats. Gold gave me a dress-over. I went to the washroom. I got invited to a party. No, I came out of the washroom and Gold invited me to the party. No, I bumped my forehead on the washroom door frame before Gold invited me to the party.
"Should we try it out?" Draco asks, twirling a fork between his fingers with an evil grin.
Where—and when— did he get that fork from?
"Sure, but you won't get the chance to," I crack my knuckles and neck. Rainbow cringes from beside me.
"Just don't actually hurt each other, okay?" Gold says as Funneh and Calix move the couches and coffee table, clearing a space for us.
"No promises!" Draco yells and jumps at me, fork raised.
"Why do I get the feeling you've been waiting for this opportunity?" I duck to the side, barely avoiding the fork.
"Don't worry, this fork is pretty dull. It's quite old." Draco spins around and resumes charging at me.
"Ew, rusty steel!" I laugh, but my delight is short-lived. My feet stumble over an abandoned pillow and I fall over on my butt.
"Aha! I've got you!" Draco says triumphantly, blatantly sitting on me, and points his fork at me like a sword. "Any last words?"
"Draco! Get off! You're so," I grunt with the effort of shaking him off, "heavy!"
"Do I just... stab her forehead with this?" Draco turns to ask our audience.
"No, we're not stabbing anyone today—or ever!" Rainbow goes over to the coffee table and picks up a book. "Try hitting your sister's forehead with this. Gently," Rainbow adds sternly as Draco takes the book from her.
"Are you ready, sister?" Draco asks, levelling the book above my forehead.
A weird feeling of fear washes over me suddenly, goosebumps forming on my arm. Before I have time to think, however, Draco's book comes crashing down.
What happened to "gently"?