Page 48 of Ozma

Before Ozma could respond, Tik-Tok shoved Jack to the side. Instead of moving toward her, Jack stood frozen. An oddly dull texture—the color of slate gray—seeped up his skin, hardening him to stone. A statue.

“What did you do to him?” Ozma spat, keeping her voice low as not to alert anyone or anything. She ran up to Jack and placed her hands against his rough cheeks, begging his worried expression to move. “Come on, Jack!”

“He’s a distraction.” Tik-Tok was suddenly behind her, his breath at her ear. “But don’t worry, he can hear everything we say, see everything we do. And if you try to harm me, I won’t change him back.”

Ozma pushed the pirate away, her gaze catching on the gold of his wrist again—his skin wasmetal. “What happened to your arm?”

“It was a gift.” He clenched his jaw and tugged his sleeve down. “Now, hand me your satchel.”

She slowly removed the strap over her head and tossed the bag at his face.

He caught her satchel before it struck his nose. With a smile, he leaned his back against Jack’s statue and motioned a finger at her to come closer. “Join me.”

“No.” She watched as he undid the clasp to her bag. “So that’s your magic? Turning things to stone?” It seemed like a useful power—one she wished she had.

“I can do a lot of things.”

“Then why didn’t you stop us before?”

“I prefer to watch. But then I was impressed, and it wasn’t hard to sniff you two out. I have a wicked sense of smell that’s very useful in finding whomever I want.” His nostrils flared when he inhaled. “You smell as though you havenomagic.”

Damn it. She couldn’t even pretend to have power if she wanted to. “The Wizard is absorbing my magic. For the time being.”

As if he wasn’t listening, Tik-Tok slipped his hand into her satchel and started flipping through it. He tossed things to the ground, piece-by-piece, like they held no value. Loose papers flew through the air, fruit rolled across the grass. He lifted something up, glinting red, and stared at the heart-shaped stone that Ozma had taken from Mombi’s cloak after Jack had killed her.

Tik-Tok arched a dark brow. “This can be part of the trade.”

“Why ask? Couldn’t you just take it?”

“I could.”

“Fine.” What did it matter? She didn’t know what it was used for anyway. Linked to Mombi for protection? A magical amplifier?

“The Wizard refuses to return an object that belongs to me, hence why I’m open to other deals. I will helpJackget what is needed to break into the Wizard’s house, then give you something that will allow you to share your lover’s magic, but that’s all. If the Wizard kills you both, I’ll do nothing to save you.”

“Why haven’t you turned the Wizard to stone?” Perhaps she could find a way to persuade him to do just that.

Tik-Tok tossed the stone up, caught it, and tucked it into his pocket. “Oh, darling, my magic won’t work against him. It was part of my trade with Mombi.”

“And what was it you traded?”

He rested the back of his head against the stone of Jack and peered up at the sky. “That's rather irrelevant now that she's dead, don't you think?”

Ozma wasn’t going to press further—he wasn’t going to answer anyway. “What is it you want from me, then? A palace? Money?”

“I didn’t know you had either of those things before I approached you, did I?” He pushed off Jack and took a step toward her, arms crossed. “There’s a prophecy about a female with silver hair and dark eyes who hasn’t been born yet. She’ll be able to open portals through the sea. I will take her when I say it’s time, and you will allow it. The female wouldn’t be of your blood.”

“Why would I let you kidnap some poor female?” she scoffed, knowing what it was like to be trapped herself.

“Yes? No? Or we're done here.” There was a finality in his tone, and she knew she wouldn’t be able to question anything else.

This was tricky. Too tricky. On one hand, Ozma would be sacrificing an innocent’s life. On the other, she could potentially save the entirety of Oz by agreeing to this bargain. Images of Reva and Thelia slid into her mind, as did the few other good fae she’d met along the way. To save them all, she would have to agree to the deal. Even though she didn’t know what he would do with the female, or with access to the portals.

“I agree.” She pursed her lips, not knowing if she truly did the right thing. But it was the right thing to do in that moment. As a queen, she would have to make many more difficult decisions.

Tik-Tok waved his hand in the air, and a scratching sound came from Jack, like rocks rubbing together. The gray stone across his skin faded lighter and lighter until his flesh was pale and soft once more.

Jack stirred, and a choking noise came from his throat. Ozma started for him when Tik-Tok grabbed her by the arm, turning her to face him.

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