They headed down the hill to the river walk and Brody bought some bread to feed the geese in the river. Mina couldn’t help but glare at the geese angrily and refused to throw them bread.

“You got a grudge against geese?” Brody joked.

“You bet I do. Stupid birds,” Mina snorted. She was boycotting all geese for leading her into danger. Now, even though Mina wasn’t the one throwing the bread or even holding it, the geese waddled out of the river and seemed to be pecking their way toward her. Mina jumped back and kept walking backward but it was as if they had heard her call them stupid. They kept following her until Mina stumbled and landed on her butt in the grass.

Screaming, Mina held up her hands as the swarm of geese started to crawl over her.

“Get out of here. Scram!” Brody yelled, kicking and pushing the flock away from Mina. Reaching down, he grabbed her arm and pulled her up, and out of the reach of the geese. The geese kept following. Laughing, Brody physically lifted Mina up out of their reach and over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Mina’s feet swung in the air, her hair hanging over her face upside down. Brody moved away from the river and away from the attacking flock.

Brody turned around to look at the geese and burst out laughing. The whole gaggle diligently followed them in a V formation. “I think you underestimate these geese. They are definitely not stupid,” Brody laughed.

“They are too. Put me down!” Mina cried out, hitting Brody’s back playfully.

“No way, not until you are out of danger. I won’t abandon you again.” He held on tighter, walking faster.

Mina rolled her eyes at the geese, which never actually bit her, but certainly startled her. She tried making shooing motions over Brody’s shoulder, to no avail. Finally she whispered between clenched teeth. “If you don’t get lost now, there won’t be a happy ending. I happen to be friends with a restaurant owner who would love some fresh goose.”

The geese immediately turned and headed back to the river. Mina stared in amazement, while Brody, realizing that the threat was over, put Mina down. “That was the strangest thing I’ve ever seen.”

Mina snorted. “Not for me.”

“Are there a lot of strange things that happen around you?”

“Haven’t you noticed, I’m cursed?” Mina meant the words as a joke but as soon as they left her mouth, she felt a tingle of apprehension through her bones. The words were too close to the truth.

Brody shook his head. They spent the evening on the river walk, watching the different street performers and musicians entertain guests. “I’ve never been down here before.”

“It’s like the wrong side of the tracks for your kind.”

“What do you mean by ‘my kind’?” Brody stopped and looked at Mina carefully.

“Well, you know...” she shrugged her shoulders.

“No, I don’t know.”

“The rich kind.”

Brody rolled his eyes. “Mina, you don’t get it. I don’t care about money or fame or social status. I would rather have been born without it. My family is hardly ever home because of it. My friends are only my friends because they think that I can do something for them. Everyone is always watching me, judging me, trying to see if I’m going to fit into the box they want me in; whether it’s spoiled rich kid, or reckless heir. In a way, being rich is its own curse.”

Mina pondered his words, letting them sink in. They were both the same in many ways. “I’m sorry, Brody. You're right.”

“No, don’t apologize. I mean, I was that person, for a while. I was what money had made me into, but not anymore. I’m trying to change. I’m trying to be worthy of you.”

Mina blanched in surprise. “Funny. I feel like it’s the other way around. I feel like I need to pinch myself, or wake up from whatever dream I’m in, because I can’t understand why you want to be my friend.”

“You really don’t get it do you?” Brody turned Mina toward him, and held tightly onto her shoulders. “I don’t want to be your friend.”

Chapter 13

Mina felt her stomach drop into her shoes. She looked at the ground in dismay. She knew this was too good to be true. She tried to turn away but Brody gripped her shoulders harder. She looked up in surprise just as Brody kissed her gently on the forehead. “I want to be more.”

Mina felt her knees go weak, and for once had no snappy retort.

“But I have a feeling, if I pressure you, you’re going to run for the hills,” Brody continued. “So I’m willing to wait until you’re ready.” Brody had pulled her into a hug and was whispering into her soft brown hair. “See you’re already shaking.” He pulled away from her and she felt an immediate sense of loss. That one brief moment had felt…right.

Mina sighed wistfully, but didn’t feel totally abandoned as Brody continued to hold her hand. He walked her up the stairs to the door of her flat. Mina fumbled for the key and dropped it. She reached down sheepishly and was about to insert it when the door opened on its own.

“That’s strange,” Mina said, leaning past Brody and pushing the door further open until it finally hit something solid. The little view they had through the opened door was enough to make Mina’s heart race with fear. Their kitchen was destroyed.

Panicking, Mina pushed on the door harder, but it didn’t budge. Sensing her fear, Brody helped her push, and got the door open, but grabbed Mina’s arm just as she was about to run headlong into danger. A chair had been knocked over in front of the door.

Brody shook his head and held up one finger to his mouth. He entered first, silently, and moved through each room looking behind curtains, under beds, and in the closets. When he was sure it was safe, he motioned for Mina to enter her family’s apartment.

The sparse furnishings were knocked over, dumped out, and looked to have been rummaged through, but nothing actually damaged too badly. When you didn’t own a lot, a thorough search wouldn’t actually take too long. “No one’s here.”

Mina needed to see for herself. She followed the same steps Brody took and noticed nothing was terribly wrong. She could probably put her home to right before her family got home. She was about to enter her bedroom, but Brody stopped her.

“Mina, it doesn’t look too bad except for that room. It’s been destroyed.” Mina peeked into her own bedroom and felt her cheeks burn with embarrassment. It looked exactly the same as before, except her dresser drawers were left open with clothes hanging out. But Mina wasn’t about to admit it. She closed her bedroom door and walked back to the kitchen, and began to put drawers and utensils back where they belonged.

Brody went to the living room and helped pick up the potted plants, even sweeping up the dirt. Mina was secretly impressed that he hadn’t once urged her to call the police. She was now doubly thankful that she had taken the Grimoire to school with her, despite what she’d told Jared.

Wait a minute. Could he have done this? She thought. Could he have followed her home and trashed her house while she was out with Brody? He knew who she was, he knew about the Grimoire, and he’s specifically asked if she’d left it at home. Maybe he was in league with this Grey Tail, and simply trying to gain her trust?