[crow]

That wasn't what Bastien was getting at though. One of the first signs that a Contact got was the dreams. Sometimes that was even where they formed the pact--- you work out that the spook haunting your dreams is benign, and you work something out. Not the best way to do it, since most people don't have their wits about them in dreams, but not nearly the worst thing that could happen. Not even close.

Sometimes the things in your nightmare are the real deal, and you don't figure it out fast enough. That was how Mals happened, sometimes.

[crow]

When she didn't immediately answer, Bastien said, "Put it another way. You been having any strange dreams? Maybe not lately, but for a long time. Or seeing shit that ain't there. Hearing things at night." He ticked them off on his fingers. "Weird shit happens that you can't explain. Maybe your sink freezes over, or..." What had he noticed around where they'd found her? "Something catch fire, and you ain't sure how it happened."

As he spoke, he watched her face carefully. She looked surprised, but it was hard to tell whether it was just because he'd said something strange, or if he'd struck home.

[crow]

And then, there, again, with the smile. "You're not about to tell me I'm getting my letter from Hogwarts, are you?" she said. "It's a little late for that now."

"No," said Luke. "Not Hogwarts." His expression had gone grim, and Bastien recalled how they'd found out in their teens, the trouble it was--- the way Luke started blaming himself for all the little accidents that had been happening ever since they were young.

"Who are you?" the girl asked again, but this time the question felt as though it had more weight to it.

[crow]

Luke gave her a smile that was more fierce than friendly. "Name's Luke. That's Bastien." He fumbled around in his pocket for a card, then slid it over to her--- crumpled at the edges, but still legible, white font on black with a subtle iridescent design that shifted in and out of visibility with the light. It read, Paulownia Industries, Western Investigation Division.

"Paulownia?" said the girl.

"We can give you more details, but not here," Bastien said. "Finish eating, then we'll talk." He took another sip of his tea, which was already beginning to cool.

[crow]

The girl tucked the card away under the tray, and turned her attention back to the soup, eating a ginger spoonful, and then another. Soon she was eating with enthusiasm, as if the first bite had awakened an appetite that she had forgotten. Bastien's expression didn't change much, but he watched her with some satisfaction at seeing her take in something warm. Her wrists, when the sleeves of her jacket fell away from them, were much too thin.

He nursed his tea along until she had drunk most of her hot chocolate, and was stirring the rest without much interest. Then, almost as if on cue, Bastien and Luke rose together. "Come on," said Luke, throwing his own jacket over his shoulder and heading for the door.

[crow]

Bastien picked up the girl's tray. "Oh, no, you don't have to---" she began, but by then he was already walking to the counter to return it. Her hand stayed where it was for a moment before she retracted it. When Bastien glanced back at her, she was staring at him again.

"Well?" he said, and made his own way toward the door. By the time he reached the car, she wasn't far behind, though she had broken into a trot to catch up.