Page 43 of Fool Me Twice

And it’s not like she can tell Ez any of this. Even if she thought Ez could help, even if she thought Ez had theanswer,it would mean admitting that Bryant and Chester were the ones opening the mega-rifts in the first place.

Opening them under Roma’s orders, for the express purpose of earning Ez’s trust and bringing JJ back to the Sanctum. Roma doesn’t need to read minds‍—or memories‍—like Obie to know that Ez wouldn’t take that well.

She and Ez both stand in silence for a few seconds, tense and ready for the next mega-rift, but apparently, they hit a break. Those have happened on occasion‍—gaps of a few minutes or even a few hours when nothing happens, followed by another barrage of mega-rifts popping open all over Redwater. Gradually, Roma lets her shoulders relax, enjoying the reprieve while it lasts.

Ez, though, seems to be on a mission. She jogs up to Tacos Near Me, tapping gently on the side of the food truck. “Esteban? Esteban, are you there?”

“Yes!” Esteban peeks out from his hiding spot under the register before jumping up to his full height. “Esmeralda, amor de mi vida! That must’ve been the closest one yet. Nothing came out of it, right?”

“Nope,” Ez confirms. “Roma and I shut it down in time.”

Esteban shoots Roma a tentative smile, and she smiles just as tentatively back. While some of the food truck operators‍—Esteban and Falafel Nick notably included‍—are comfortable with hunters, that politeness doesn’t usually extend beyond idlesmall talk, and most of the others are decidedly standoffish with anyone from “the cult on the hill.”

They’ve all been a little more friendly since Roma started closing these mega-rifts with Ez, though. She wonders if it’s her visible service to Redwater or just Ez’s presence that’s smoothing over the tension.

“Gracias, señorita,” Esteban says now, giving Roma a small bow.

Roma bows awkwardly back. “Just doing my job, sir.”

“And, on that note,” Ez says, peering at the menu on the side of the truck, “our job requires sustenance. Is Lucia hiding back there, too?”

Esteban shakes his head. “She has jury duty. I’ll be working the truck alone until she returns.”

“Oh.” Ez frowns. “Maybe we should go somewhere else for breakfast, then.”

Esteban looks affronted. “I’m perfectly capable of cooking your breakfast burritos, Esmeralda!”

“I mean, I’m sure you are,” Ez says, and she looks pointedly at Falafel Express. “But I’m sure Falafel Nick isalsoperfectly capable of making us falafel bagels.”

Esteban’s eyes widen. “You would betray me forfalafel bagels?But they’re just regular bagels with cream cheese! The only difference is that they crumble falafel on top! I don’t even think it’sfreshfalafel!”

“Well, you see,” Ez says seriously, “if we get falafel bagels, then we can gossip with Nick about you.”

Esteban’s face flushes. “There is no gossip about me!”

“I heard him say he would climb you like a tree,” Roma offers.

Ez looks smug. Esteban huffs indignantly. “English is my second language. I do not know what that phrase means.”

Ez opens her mouth.

“And I do notwantto know!” Esteban adds, wagging a flustered finger in her direction.

Obediently, Ez closes her mouth. “Well, Isupposewe can forgive Lucia for not being here this morning. Can we please get two coffees, two churros, and two breakfast burritos, one vegetarian and one…” She raises her eyebrows at Roma. “Gutierrez?”

Roma’s heart does something fluttery. “One with sausage, please,” she says, and as Ez expertly teases Esteban about Falafel Nick and pays for both of their meals, Roma can’t help but think that hanging around Ez might just be good for her.

20

It could be a duplication spell,” Ez says. “Or a replication spell.”

Roma wrinkles her nose. “But neither of those makes sense in this context, Ez. Duplication and replication spells wouldn’t constantly change locations.”

“You know, I’m surprised that you even know there’s a difference between them.”

Roma throws a french fry at her. “Shut up.”

Ez dodges the fry, more than a little amused. She and Roma are sitting across from each other at a Lakeside picnic table, taking their reprieve from closing mega-rifts while they can. They’re going to start opening again soon, Ez knows, but‍?—

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