Page 23 of Bewitched By the Djinn
“It depends,” Bennet says, cutting into the pancakes with precise, practiced movements. “To break our fast, we might have bread and cheese. Or pork and kippers with eggs.”
“Kippers?” Jackie asks, wrinkling her nose.
“It’s a type of fish.”
She makes a face. “For breakfast? Ew. No thanks.”
I walk back to the stove, making up my own plate. “People put salmon on bagels sometimes.”
“People are cringe,” she says.
I can’t argue that.
Bennet lifts a bite of pancake to his mouth, chewing thoughtfully. His brows rise slightly. “Hmm.”
“Good, right?” Jackie grins. “Way better than fish.”
“It’s not bad,” he admits before taking another bite.
I settle next to Jackie, watching as she continues to poke at her food instead of eating it. “How’s your stomach?”
She shrugs. “It’s fine.”
It’s not fine.
The way she says it, the way she avoids my eyes, it’s an old dance. One we’ve been doing for too long. Me fretting and fussing, Jackie pretending she’s okay so I don’t worry, and me worrying anyway.
“Did you sleep okay?”
“Yes.”
Her eye twitches. She’s lying.
I take a few bites, but my appetite wanes as I watch her struggle through small forkfuls.
After another couple of minutes, she sets her fork down. “I have to log in for school.”
Frustration tightens my throat. “Okay. I’ll take your plate. Go ahead.”
As soon as she’s gone, Bennet sets his fork down and lowers his voice. “How long has she been ill?”
I rub my temple. “It started before our parents disappeared.”
Bennet stills. “Disappeared?”
“Yep.” I shove a piece of bacon in my mouth.
He frowns like he wants to ask more, but I don’t want to talk about my parents. Not now. Maybe not ever.
Time for a subject change. “Tell me about your sister.”
He wipes his mouth with his napkin. “What would you like to know?”
“I’m not sure exactly. Something that might help us find her.” An object or image that I can use to focus my magic would be nice. “Do you have any of her belongings? Maybe an item she’s touched?”
“Only the lamp. I am not sure if she actually touched it though or only used magic on it.”
I straighten. “There’s only one way to find out.”
