But working the Aplacando itself actually felt kind of… strange. Natividad hadn’t actually done it before – of course she knew how, of course Mamá had shown her, the Aplacando was the most important magic of all and every Pure girl learned it early. But actually working it felt strange. Almost, Natividad thought, like lifting a stone that was actually made out of paper, or stepping off a step that wasn’t there. She might be doing it wrong… but she didn’t think she could have made a mistake doing it now, when it really mattered.
She did the Aplacando for Amira first – maybe it just felt strange because the little girl was so young or because Amira didn’t resist. But then it was exactly the same for Keziah, and Natividad just didn’t believe Keziah should be especially easy to work magic on. Stepping back, she frowned at Keziah. “I think… I think maybe that wasn’t the first time anybody ever did the Calming for you. Was it?”
Keziah smiled, though without much humor. She shrugged. “All the Pure know how to do the Beschwichtigend, so why not? Anything to make Dimilioc happy. We found a Pure woman as soon as we could, as soon as we came to this country.” Her voice was smooth and mocking, but she also put out a hand to gather her little sister close to her side.
Amira bowed her head and rubbed a thumb along the scar on her face, glancing covertly at Natividad through her lashes. Natividad smiled at her, and though the little girl didn’t exactly smile back, she almost seemed to want to.
Alejandro said unexpectedly to Keziah, “No one will touch your sister, you know. You think you don’t like the Pure, but Natividad would be very upset if anyone harmed your sister – so no one will harm her. That is what the Pure do for black dogs. If you become part of Dimilioc, you will learn that.”
Keziah opened her mouth, but shut it again without making the cutting response she probably thought of first. Her uncertainty made her seem suddenly younger and less… sophisticated, or something. She looked at Natividad as though it had occurred to her for the first time that she might be a real person even though she was not a black dog.
“And you won’t harm Natividad,” Alejandro added. “Because everyone else would be very upset if you did.” His gaze met Keziah’s, and neither of them looked away. After a moment, Keziah said, still not breaking that stare, “Yes, that part was clear enough.”
“Well, then, how nice we have everything settled,” Ezekiel said briskly. “I’m sure Grayson will be ecstatic. And even more so if we are all still alive in the morning, so please keep that in mind if you choose to fight. Also, please, not indoors. Grayson is liable to be quite annoyed if the furniture gets broken.” He glanced at Natividad and tipped his head toward the door, an invitation she accepted with alacrity, though not without a quick backward glance at her brother, who, surprising her, showed no inclination to follow.
“They are going to fight,” she said uneasily, as soon as the door closed behind herself and Ezekiel. “I should–”
“I suspect not today or tonight,” Ezekiel interrupted her smoothly. “No, Natividad, trust me for this. After your Beschwichtigend? She may posture, and so may your brother, but neither will actually want to fight for some time. I only warned them because the furniture can suffer merely from posturing and Grayson really would be annoyed.”
Ezekiel sounded uncharacteristically relaxed himself. Natividad gave him a sharp look, but didn’t say the first thing that came to her tongue, which was, “You don’t want to fight now, either, do you?” She wondered if a really big clue to why Ezekiel was so determined to have her had just hit her between the eyes.
“Now, where shall I escort you? Plenty of time left for packing the paltry few tools of my trade…” Natividad didn’t even want to know what those might be, “and with Benedict haranguing the airport into a convenient flight time on my behalf, I’m entirely at leisure. Shall I show you the rest of the house? Alas, the gardens are not very scenic at the moment…”
“The kitchen?” Natividad suggested diffidently. “Do you think Zachariah would be offended if I made bread or something? Cinnamon rolls? If you have cinnamon?” She added, at Ezekiel’s raised eyebrow, “I would like to. I would like to… to do something with my hands.”
Ezekiel nodded soberly. “I think I can safely promise you that no one will be offended if you make cinnamon rolls.”
He helped her find mixing bowls, and then the flour and sugar – the canisters were hidden in a cabinet. The cinnamon was in the spice rack, but the levadura was in the freezer, which Natividad would never have guessed. It took her some time to remember the English word – yeast – but then she was pleasantly surprised to find that Ezekiel knew where it was kept. Waving away the offer of measuring cups and spoons, she began to scoop things together in the largest bowl. She asked, tentatively, not looking at him, “So, how long ago did Thos Korte make you his executioner?”