Faire Exchange: Chapter 22

Jeremy decides to take matters into his own hands.

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The boys had plenty to talk about as they rode in the back of Mrs. Herron's car. Jeremy could hardly believe Zoe had really slapped Nadia and gotten sent to the office. If only he could have been there to offer Zoe some comfort. Frankly, it was a wonder Gregg was still friends with Nadia. At a time like this, you needed to know whose side you were on, and from the looks of things, Nadia had chosen hers.

But then there was what happened on Jeremy and Martin's end. Or rather, what didn't.

Gregg asked, "So what did Rina do?" He kept his voice in a low whisper, so his mom and brother wouldn't listen from the front seat.

"That's actually the weird thing, sorta," Jeremy said.

"She didn't do a thing," Martin said.

"She did kick my seat once," Jeremy said. "But it might have been an accident."

"Right, but it's not like she cast any spells. She was actually pretty quiet."

"No kidding," Gregg said. "Nadia told me she spoke to her, and she promised to do better."

"She did?" Jeremy couldn't deny that Rina seemed different after recess, at least a little. Nadia might be on to something. Jeremy would have to take back what he thought about her.

"You really think she's worth changing?" Martin said. "After what she did to you?"

Gregg shrugged. "I trust Nadia."

Jeremy trusted Gregg. He'd just have to hope his trust was justified.

Gregg's mom parked inside the garage and let the boys inside. Danny stayed outside to run to his friend's house across the street, and Gregg took Jeremy and Martin upstairs to his room.

He opened the door, and there was a girl standing on his bed. She seemed to have as little idea why she was there as anybody.

Jeremy recognized her yellow highlighter hair right away. "Papu?"

"Jeremy?" Papu looked around. "Is this your room?"

"You know each other?" Gregg said.

"She's the one I told you about," Jeremy said. "Remember, she came to my apartment the other night?"

"So why is she in my room?"

"It's not your apartment?" Papu asked Jeremy. "I suppose it's not Myra Horn's house, either?"

"No, it's Gregg's house." Jeremy touched Gregg's shoulder. "This is my friend Gregg."

Papu groaned, and hopped to the floor, and squatted beside the bed. "I can never get meggle right in this world," she cried. "I tried following the directions, but whenever I go meggle there's just too much stuff in the way, and too much steel."

"What the heck is meggle?" Martin said.

"It's a direction, I think." Jeremy said. "So, Papu, you were trying to get to Mrs. Horn's, and you wound up here?"

"That's right. I had something to give her."

Gregg's mom called from downstairs. "Gregg? Don't forget there's sweet tea if any of you are thirsty!"

Gregg leaned out the door and called back. "Thanks, Mom, we're good!" He shut the door. "Keep it down. I don't wanna have to explain how she got here." He gestured toward Papu.

"I don't mind explaining," Papu said.

"Yeah, Papu's cool," Jeremy said. "My mom liked her."

"She might think she's Rina," Martin said.

"Rina's actually why I'm here," Papu said. "Or why I'm out. I was told to give this to her teacher." Papu took a small cloth bag out of her pocket. "It's the Bangle."

"Wait—the Bangle? That Bangle?" Jeremy dropped down for a closer look. "That thing that's supposed to block her magic?"

"Right." Papu pulled the string, opened the bag, and turned it over. A metal loop dropped out onto the floor—dark, smooth, and featureless. "There it is. I don't like to touch it too much."

Jeremy picked it up. It opened on a hinge, and that was the only remarkable thing about it. "How does it work?"

"You put it on her wrist, and as long as she wears it, she won't be able to use any magic."

"Are there, like, spells on it?" Martin said.

"Only the most powerful magicks can even affect it, so it just has one. It can only be taken off by the person who put it on."

Jeremy turned the Bangle around in his hand. "It just looks like a piece of plain iron."

"It is a piece of plain iron," Papu said. "Anyone from Faerie, when shackled by cold iron, will lose their magic. The only thing we can do is go meggle. And we're already weakened by all the steel in your world as it is. Here, might as well show you." Papu held out her other hand, and it started glowing. "Put it on."

Jeremy closed the Bangle around her wrist, felt it click shut.

Her hand stopped glowing. Even the rest of her seemed to change. Her skin shone a little less. Her hair seemed less highlighter-colored and more ordinary blond. Even her clothes lost their sparkle. She tugged on the Bangle, but it wouldn't open up. She held it out for Gregg and Martin, and neither of them could remove it, either.

"You see?" Papu said. "Jeremy has to take it off. Here." She began to plead with her eyes. "Please."

Jeremy gave the Bangle a tug. It opened up and came right off so suddenly that Jeremy lost his grip, and had to catch it with his other hand.

The color and shine immediately returned to Papu's face, clothes, and hair. "Much better."

"And all you exchange students have one of these at your schools?" Jeremy said.

"Of course, so we don't misuse our magic like Rina's been doing. The idea is for the teacher to put it on for however long she thinks is necessary. I almost got one yesterday for raising my volume too high."

"But Rina's the only one who's never gotten it," Martin said.

"Right," Papu said. "I just need to take it to Mrs. Horn so she can give Rina a time-out next time she causes trouble. Could you put that in the bag for me?"

"Sure." Jeremy took the bag, dropped the Bangle inside, and drew the string, but hesitated before handing it to Papu. "Hang on."

"What is it?"

"Why don't I give it to Mrs. Horn? I'm in her class, so it'd be really simple. I can just put it in my backpack now, so I don't forget. That way you don't have to figure out how to meggle to her place, or whatever."

"Oh! Of course! Jeremy, that's a wonderful idea! You've saved me so much trouble!"

"It's nothing, really."

Papu hopped back to her feet. "Now all I have to worry about is finding my way home."

"You'll do fine. It was great seeing you."

"It was great seeing you, too, Jeremy." Papu gave him a bow, then did the same for Gregg and Martin. "It was nice meeting you two. I hope we can see each other under better circumstances soon. Perhaps you could come to the dorm sometime." And with that, she turned, and flipped, and disappeared.

The bag holding the Bangle hung from Jeremy's finger.

"She was really nice," Martin said. "Why couldn't we have wound up with her instead?"

"Don't tell me you're getting a thing for her," Jeremy said.

"Dude, shut up."

Gregg shifted his weight. "That was nice of you, offering to take it to Mrs. Horn."

"Yeah… but maybe not right away." Jeremy began to bounce the cloth bag from his finger. "I think we've finally got a way to teach Rina a lesson."

His friends looked at him warily.

Jeremy said, "I'm gonna put it on her myself."

The others backed away as if he'd sprouted wings, or fangs.

"Your funeral, dude," Martin said.