Faire Exchange: Chapter 24

Martin turns the tables.

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Martin had a lot of trouble sleeping. He would open his eyes, check the alarm, and find that it was still four, three, two hours before he as actually supposed to get up. By the time he actually did, he was so groggy that he didn't notice he'd put his shirt on inside out until Grandma pointed it out over breakfast.

As far as Martin knew, Jeremy still had that bat-brained plan to get that Bangle onto Rina's wrist. Sure, Martin trusted it to sap her magic. He just didn't trust it to protect Jeremy before he got it on. Or Martin, for that matter. Even if it wound up with Mrs. Horn where it belonged, how was she supposed to even get close enough to use it?

He hopped off the bus and headed inside the school. Jeremy met up with him in the hall.

"You've got the Bangle?" Martin said.

"Right here." Jeremy patted his right pocket. "I'll put it on her before first bell."

"That soon, huh?" Martin had hoped he would at least have time to breathe and prepare.

"As soon as possible. It's gotta be, so she doesn't try anything during class."

"If you say so."

They went into Mrs. Horn's class, straight to their desks, and waited.

Rina appeared behind them, the same way Papu had disappeared the day before. One moment there was no one there. The next, Rina was stepping up and taking her seat.

Jeremy turned around. "Good morning, Lady Rina."

She said nothing, didn't even look at him.

"I got something very interesting last night." Jeremy waited for her response, but she didn't give one.

Martin looked ahead, pretending not to watch or listen.

Jeremy dug the Bangle out of his pocket and dangled it in front of her.

Rina immediately pulled herself back, shoving her desk back with her feet. "Where did you get that?"

"Got it from a friend." Jeremy opened the Bangle.

Rina seized her wrist back. " But who…" She jumped out of her desk. "Papu! She was supposed to—"

"We ran into each other, and I said I'd help her out."

No, Jeremy, don't do it like this. Half the class was watching now. Rina was only going to get mad. You're just making things worse.

"What do you want?" Rina said.

"Just for you to try it on. See if it works."

Martin reached for his friend. "Um, Jeremy…"

"No!" Rina darted toward the lockers. "You're not making me!" Her hands started to glow.

"Jeremy, that's enough!"

"I dunno," Jeremy said. "The way I heard it, you were supposed to have this from the get-go." Jeremy rose from his desk, toward Rina. "Either I'm gonna put it on, or Mrs. Horn's gonna do it later."

"Jeremy, are you crazy?" Martin said. "Look at her!"

"I'm not putting it on!" Rina thrust out her fiery hands.

Jeremy flinched. Martin turned away to avoid seeing the horror.

Except…

Nothing actually happened. Martin made himself look. Jeremy was still in one piece, with his eyes shut tight.

Rina lowered her hands. "No… Of course it wouldn't work…"

Jeremy laughed. "No way."

Martin was trembling with relief. So Jeremy was safe! The bluff worked!

But then Rina glanced at Martin, with the same look in her eyes as when she planted a flower on his nose.

Martin leapt out of his desk and snatched the Bangle from Jeremy's fingers.

A burst of light flew from Rina's fingers.

Martin held the Bangle out in front of him like an impossibly tiny shield.

The burst fizzled out just a foot from his face.

For a moment, the only sound came from the shifting of desks as classmates got up for a better look. Rina's hands were still glowing, but her face was pinched in with worry, uncertainty… possibly even defeat. She was already as good as powerless.

Martin grabbed her wrist, and pulled her arm, and placed the Bangle on Rina's wrist, and shut it with a click.

The hands stopped glowing. The shine in her hair, the sparkle in her skin… it all seemed to fade.

Martin shuffled back. Had he really done that?

"There," Jeremy said. "Now maybe we can get some peace and quiet around here."

The rest of the class erupted in cheer and rushed up to Martin to thank him, embrace him, give him a pat on the back, even kiss him. Fifth grade had a new hero, and it was the fat kid.

While Rina stood alone in the back of the room, arms still out, stunned in her defeat.

She dashed out the classroom door, past Mrs. Horn, who had just walked in.

"What's going on?"

But the class hardly heard. They were too busy celebrating Martin. A few congratulations even went Jeremy's way. By now Martin had dropped back onto his seat. Peace and quiet… Yeah, right.

He found himself haunted by something he'd noticed just before Rina ran off.

It was a streak on her face, left by a single tear.