Bethany Frenette

“Rule #47 of living with a superhero. Don't mess with her costume.”

“And still the light kept coming. It poured out of me, boundless and violent. But even as it swelled, it didn't leave me. I felt myself moving with it, a part of it, moving through earth and air, soaking up shadow. And I felt connected to everything. I felt the city, the motion of engines and tires and feet, of doors opening, of throats trembling with sound. I smelled soil and snow, grease, garbage, sweat, breath, heat. I felt the earth, and everything beneath and Beneath.”

“I loved Granny Belmonte, but she didn't need a costume to look undead.”

“But...he's a demon. Isn't that sort of the main category of Things to Smite?”

“Remind me again why I put up with you?" ''Cause you sold me your soul for five bucks, and now you must submit to my will?' I still had the sheet of paper, written in his untidy fifth-grade scrawl. Gideon David Belmonte. One soul.”

“I glowered back up at him. "Did you need something?"He didn't move. "Where are you going?""To plot your downfall," I snapped. I bent to retrieve my bag and then sneaked beneath his arm. It wasn't the most dignified exit, but it worked.”

“You're Gideon's friend."I laughed. Gideon's friend, of course. "Only because his mother pays me to hang out with him.""Can she pay me?" Elspeth asked.Iris, moving into the room, rolled her eyes at her sister.”

“Torture by maths should be a felony.”

“I already made icing. I told you not to buy any.""Oops," I said, taking another scoop. "Looks like I messed up again. Guess I'll have to eat this."He glanced toward me, giving a pointed look to the two containers I had set beside me. "All of it?" he asked."Maybe if you're nice, I'll share...But considering you've already met your niceness quote for the year, I wouldn't bet on it. And you can't have any sprinkles.""There goes my reason for living.""I thought that was to make me miserable.”