MY PLAN

“How far are we walking?” I asked. “Where are we going? Oh, yeah. No Man’s Land, but isn’t that place, like, huge? Are you going to carry me the whole time so that I don’t run away, or do you have a portal spell? I’d make one, but I can’t.”

I paused briefly, but he still wasn’t in the mood to chat. Thankfully, I wasn’t easily deterred.

“Not that you asked, but I don’t really have any magic,” I said. “I can heal quickly, run faster than most of the witches, and my hearing isn’t too bad, but outside of a few sparks, magic isn’t really my thing. I’ve been told that’s probably why my parents abandoned me. Pretty fucked-up, huh?”

His jaw at least tensed at that last bit, confirming he wasn’t completely heartless.

“So, Atlas. I’m pretty sure you won’t answer any of my questions, but since you know a little about me, let me pretend I know something about you.” My voice deepened as I pretended that I was him, hoping to further annoy him into conversation. “‘I was an only child. I get my shit