All Wounds by Dina James Page B

stand out of the way of the pale morning sunlight coming in the frosted glass of the foyer windows around the door.
    “Be vigilant,” he warned. “The portal has just been recently opened, and as I said, your light shines like a beacon, even now. Also, remember what I told you.”
    He nodded toward the living room and released her.
    Rebecca remembered what he’d said about not worrying Nana. But...
    “I...I don’t suppose I need to lock the door today, do I? For Nana?
    She’ll be fine now, won’t she?”
    “She’ll be fine,” Syd assured her. “It’s not her welfare that concerns me. You know, you should really consider finding a helper. Is there anyone you trust—a friend from school, perhaps—who could lend you a hand...?”
    “A what?”
    “A helper,” he said again. “Someone who isn’t a part of the Otherworlds, but helps you in the mortal realm. For instance, there will be times when you aren’t going to be able to make it to school, and so on. When I first met Martha, she had a helper called Loughman.”
    “I remember Mr. Loughman. He used to live next door,” Rebecca said.
    “He was her helper for many years,” Syd replied. “Until he died. Helpers are hard to find because it has to be someone you can trust implicitly, as they’ll have to keep your secrets, but who also has the strength of spirit to be able to participate in your world. For instance, they may have to assist in holding down a werewolf while you administer medicine, or feed a healing herb to a goblin. You should at least begin to think about someone you could ask.”
    “Well, there is...someone. She’d be perfect. She can definitely keep a secret,” Rebecca said. “She’s been helping me...um...keep the secret about Nana for more than a year now. Sometimes when I have to stay home because. .something’s happened.. Robin hands in notes to the principal’s office excusing me. She’s gotten really good at forging Nana’s signature.”
    “So Ryan has said,” Syd replied. “And speaking of missing school, you’re going to if you don’t hurry.”
    With that, Syd gave Rebecca a little push toward the door and disappeared from the foyer.
    Rebecca didn’t have time to think as she sprinted to the bus stop half a block away and just barely made it. She found a seat near the middle and flopped down in it with a deep sigh.
    Robin was waiting at the school door—her bus always seemed to get there before Rebecca’s, even though it had farther to go and more people to pick up.
    Before Rebecca was even off the bus, Robin was shaking her head.

    “Look at your hair! And is that the same pair of pants you wore yesterday?” Robin clucked her tongue. “Another bad morning, huh? You want a soda or something?”
    It had been a morning all right. Rebecca wasn’t quite sure if it she’d consider it “bad.” All Rebecca could do was nod, and reached for her backpack to get out change for the vending machine.
    Robin didn’t bother waiting for Rebecca to give her quarters as she went to the Coke machine and fed it a handful of coins from her purse.
    “Thanks,” Rebecca mumbled as Robin opened the bottle and handed to her. Rebecca took a deep drink of the soda before offering it back to Robin. “Will it ruin your diet to share it with me?” Robin rolled her eyes and took the bottle. “Off the diet,” Robin replied before taking a long sip. “Bryan broke up with me.”
    “Oh, Ro, I’m so sorry!” Rebecca said. “I know you really liked him.
    What a jerk, breaking up with you! Why?”
    “Marla Thompson,” Robin said with a grimace. “I really hate that skinny blonde bitch. Just because she has big — ” The warning bell cut off what Robin was about to say. She looked at Rebecca and smiled.
    “So a few sugar calories won’t kill me,” she went on. “Neither will the caffeine.”
    Rebecca held up a finger and dug into her bag, coming up quick with a bag of small candies. She offered them to Robin with a smile.