The Wicked Awakening of Anne Merchant by Joanna Wiebe Page A

win the Big V now. We can do this. Together.”
    “What’s in it for you?”
    “‘In it for’—Anne, whatever could you mean?”
    Guessing it’s something big, I pull back. “Forget it. If you’re gonna lie to me—”
    “Fine!” He stops me from leaving. And sighs. “I get something, too, if you win.”
    The only reward that could possibly inspire Pilot hits me. “It’s life, isn’t it?”
    “See? This is why you’re going to win! You’re razor sharp.” He smiles awkwardly as I roll my eyes. “Dia wanted to up the ante forus. The winning Guardian gets one wish granted, and, yes, that could include a new life.”
    “As long as there’s something in it for you, you’ll help me.”
    “Totally!”
    “That’s not something to be proud of, Pilot.”
    “I’m helping you!” he defends, throwing his hands out and tracking me as I veer away. “How can you find fault in my motivations? So what if I get something? You’ll get something, too. And, Anne, you can win this. I happen to know you’ve got excellent untapped skills. We just have to change your PT, and you’re good to go.”
    “We don’t just have to do anything. I’m alive, remember? I don’t need the Big V.”
    “But we could win. Easily. Cakewalk.”
    “I’m done with you, Stone! I wish I had Teddy as my Guardian again.”
    He stops cold as I march on. “You don’t know what you’re saying.”
    “Go to Hell. Again.”
    “Anne, there’s more to winning the Big V than a second life!”
    Now I stop cold.
    “It’s trivial stuff for most of us,” he continues. “But it could be big for you.”
    I turn to him. “Spill it.”
    “ Riches .” He drags the word out. “Everything you’d need for a great new life. Valedictorians have gotta set up a new identity, move somewhere no one will recognize them, buy a house, go to school, get a car, all that stuff. Money was nothing for Mephisto, and it’s nothing for Dia. These rewards are a little extra perk for the person destined to be a great success in this world. You’d get…a lot. As in never-worry-about-money-again a lot.”
    I could go to Brown.
    Buy a New York brownstone.
    Open an art gallery.
    My dad could start new, too.
    “Why is this the first I’m hearing of these ‘riches’?”
    “Like I said, it’s small potatoes to most of us. Life is our big prize.” He can see me considering it, and I wish I could pretend I’m not intrigued. “We’d need to change your PT, though, to guarantee your victory. See, I work with Lou Knows—the janitor—and he toldme something about you. About your soul. Something I don’t think you know, but you really, really should.”
    “What is it?”
    “I’m not sure if I’m allowed to tell you. Just lemme find out—I don’t wanna piss anyone off. But, Annie, truly, if we change your PT to one that’s more like Harper’s—”
    I should’ve seen that coming! Harper’s PT is to succeed by using her sexual desirability, which is possibly the most offensive PT ever committed in blood. Teddy spent his time as my Guardian trying to convince me that I was predisposed to such a PT, and now Pilot’s trying to do the same thing.
    “Do you find it hard to look in the mirror?” I snarl.
    His smile vanishes, and he grabs me by the arm. “Don’t make this worse than it has to be. It’s a simple win-win arrangement. You scratch my back—”
    “And you’ll stab mine?” I free my arm. “Pilot, be real. This ‘magical reward’ Dia’s promised you? It’s impossible. You don’t have any blood or sources of Pilot Stone’s DNA. You’ve only got your soul, which was barely enough to qualify you as a human before.”
    “He can make me human again.”
    “Even powerful demons—even devils—even Lucifer—can’t make a human.”
    The sunlight slips behind a cloud, and Pilot becomes a still, silent silhouette.
    “Look, I’m sorry to rain on your parade.” I shove my fists into my cardigan pockets.
    “You’re missing the