Love Fortunes and Other Disasters

by Kimberly Karalius

  “We’re going to save you,” she whispered.

  The lights in the distance flickered like stars.

  * * *

  A string quartet always played at the Welcome Love Fair. Four of the best students in Grimbaud High’s music program tuned their instruments on a tiny stage. The snow went well with the white, pink, and red decorations coloring the lawn. A few of the shops around Grimbaud had donated decorations; wire storks cleaned their feathers between tables, and cupids of all shapes and sizes pointed their arrows at unsuspecting fairgoers.

  Grateful that the only mandatory uniform for the event was wearing Love’s colors, Fallon had arrived at the fair early in a thick magenta cable-knit sweater over a dress. Black leggings and boots kept her legs warm, along with the exercise that came with preparing the club’s table.

  “The charm-maker’s club,” Martin said, consulting his clipboard. “Your popcorn machine is right over there.”

  Fallon tried not to frown at him. “Okay. Thanks.”

  Martin opened his mouth, then closed it. “Take care of the machine. It’s doesn’t work that well.”

  “President,” Nico said, running through the snow. His tanned skin was at odds with his windbreaker and earmuffs. He pulled another matching pair of earmuffs out of his pocket and handed it to Martin with a smile. “Your ears are red. I thought you might need them.”

  Martin stared at the earmuffs and slowly took them. “Thanks,” he mumbled.

  “Treasurer,” Camille yelled, mimicking Nico’s previous inflection. “Don’t forget that your shift at the officer table starts at seven.”

  Nico shrugged. “I’ll be there.”

  But he wouldn’t. No one from the charm-maker’s club was sticking around. Fallon found the popcorn machine and pushed. The clunky machine rattled and its wheels got stuck in the snow. She passed other clubs setting up their tables. Part of her wished she could pretend that this was just another fair, that this day was no more important than any other. But the stronger part of her warned her to focus. Her skirt pockets contained the charms from the club: the anti-rose-colored glasses and Hijiri’s blinding charm. She had memorized the confidence charm. The fair was not for her. She had a more important goal to achieve than knocking down plastic bowling pins and eating chocolate-drizzled waffles.

  Sebastian arrived wearing a wine-red leather jacket and a button-down shirt underneath. He didn’t look warm, but Fallon couldn’t tear her eyes away from his clothes. “Hey,” he said, snapping his fingers. “You’ll grow icicles on your nose if you stand so still.”

  “You look…” she started.

  “Handsome?”

  “Not ugly.”

  “Whew. I was worried you had changed your mind about me,” he teased. “I should be wearing a scarf or something, but I’m actually burning up. Must be nerves.”

  “You’re the one with the connection to Zita,” she said. “That’s understandable.”

  Hijiri showed up a few minutes later with charm-theory and construction textbooks. They’d serve as props, another reason to steer the fairgoers away from their table. The twins wore black berets with their hair tucked inside, and sweaters with white cupid’s wings stitched on the backs. Mirthe reached into her pocket and dangled a rusty key. “Ms. Ward and Bram agreed to meet us at the entrance. We have fifteen minutes before we make our exit.”

  “That should be enough time for Anais to get here,” Fallon said. She’d promised to man the table.

  More than half of the town’s police force was in attendance. They watched the booths with their arms crossed, though a few of the younger officers broke down and ate cotton candy and fried dough when they thought no one was looking. Fallon wasn’t nervous. She felt safe knowing that the bachelors and the spinsters were patrolling the fair as well, ready to clear a path for the rebellion when the time came to leave.

  Burned popcorn poured out of the machine. A few children held out their hands for popcorn, only to spit it out and complain of the taste. The judo club was across from the charm-making club’s table; it gathered a sizable crowd as fairgoers watched the boys demonstrate thirty-five different throws on the plastic mats behind the table. Bear used his hips to propel his opponent forward, knocking him onto the mat with a dramatic smack. The crowded cheered and Bear waved bashfully.

  Fallon checked her watch. Then she looked up just in time to see Anais Jacobs push through the crowd. Golden ringlets sprang from her head, her lips glistening with bubblegum-pink gloss. The green dress she wore matched the one she’d worn as a child on Peak & Brown’s tins with ruffled sleeves and crystals along the bodice. There were shouts of “Oh, look, the biscuit-tin girl” and “Hurry, take her picture,” but Anais remained stubbornly trained on Bear. His teammates must have seen the determined look on her face because they stepped out of the way.

  “Thom Janssens!” she shouted, her face scrunched up in concentration. “How could you abandon me?”

  “Is that an apology?” Sebastian whispered.

  Fallon shushed him.

  Anais dug her fingers into her dress. “There’re mosquito bites all over me. I got rained on because you weren’t there with an umbrella. Walking home alone sucks because you’re not there. Who told you to leave?”

  Bear flinched with each accusation.

  “I heard you. You said you hate Peake and Brown’s biscuits because of what happened with your mother, but I’m not that biscuit girl. I’m normal. Worse than normal. I work at a sticky drugstore and man the cashier in sweats.”

  He wiped his face with his sleeve. “You lied to me,” he said softly. “That’s what it comes down to. I wasn’t worth your honesty.”

  “I thought I’d lose you if I told you the truth. Being with you made me feel special. I never wanted that feeling to end.”

  The crowd went absolutely still. No one breathed, waiting for Bear’s answer, but Anais surprised everyone by continuing.

  Her cheeks burned underneath her heavy blush. “I-I’m sorry. Please forgive me.”

  The hurt and anger fled Bear’s face. He gathered her up in his arms and swung her around, pressing kisses to her face.

  Fallon grinned so hard her face hurt. She clapped with the other onlookers, bursting with pride for her friend.

  “What a distraction,” Mirthe said, coming up behind her.

  “It’s time?”

  “Couldn’t ask for a better way to leave unnoticed. Good for Anais.”

  The club split up, weaving through the fairgoers toward the exit. Fallon’s heartbeat drummed in her ears. She caught sight of Nico in the other row, pushing his way through clumps of people. The teachers stationed at the entrance worried her, but as she approached, she snuck behind a group of college students leaving the fair. She stood straight and acted like she blended. Somehow, it must have worked, because the sights and sounds of the fair faded away. She joined the others about two blocks away.

  “Where do we go from here?” Nico asked.

  Mirthe took out the rusty key again and held it in her fist. “Follow me.”

  They crossed a footbridge and walked through the streets. Fallon stuck close to Sebastian. When they reached Verbeke Square, Femke and Mirthe led them around the back of the lace shops. Although the square was clean, the backs of the buildings wore grime and some of the brickwork was cracked. Lace hung in the dark windows.

  “You said to meet here,” said an annoyed voice. “But I don’t see any secret doors.” Bram emerged from the shadows. That night he looked like a parody of Hard-boiled Hal in a fedora, black trench coat, and faded jeans.

  “Show some patience,” said another voice. Ms. Ward’s glasses were fogged over as she approached; she must have been waiting indoors until they arrived.

  The two adults glared at each other.

  “Where are the others?” Femke said.

  Three bachelors emerged from behind Bram, wearing sweat-stained coats and torn jeans. Four spinsters joined the group as well; Fallon recognized Helena by her
lace parasol swinging in the darkness. She couldn’t recall the other two women’s names, but she’d know Yasmine anywhere with that blue hair.

  Mirthe appraised the group. She rubbed her chin. “Let’s take care of the entrance first. Bram, do you have that silencing charm?”

  Bram reluctantly tossed it over.

  Each building had a set of stairs that led down to a kitchen door. “The one in the middle is the entrance,” Mirthe said.

  Bram snorted. “That can’t be. Unless you’re planning to break into the shop.”

  “Look closer,” Ms. Ward said. “That middle door doesn’t belong to either shop.”

  Fallon squinted. The darkness made it hard to see clearly, but she thought she saw the change in brickwork where both buildings met. The line went straight down, pierced by the middle door. If anyone tried using the door, they could end up in either shop, but more likely, neither. It was the kind of detail you wouldn’t recognize on your own. The front of Verbeke Square was what mattered to most people.

  Mirthe descended the stairs and turned the rusty key in the lock. The door creaked when she pulled it open, revealing another wall of red bricks. “See? Someone had this entrance sealed off, just like the other ones around the square.” Mirthe smirked. “But whoever it is didn’t plan on being challenged by weather charm-makers.”

  Femke took a vial out of her bag and shook it up. “Everyone stand back.”

  Fallon gripped Sebastian’s arm as they waited. Mirthe used putty to stick the silencing charm on the wall beside the entrance. She ran her fingers over the sewn-up lips and tied the thread at the corner. The area filled with silence. Fallon couldn’t hear her own breathing.

  After Mirthe jogged back up the stairs, Femke threw the vial against the bricked-up entrance; the glass shattered on the bricks, releasing sparks and smoke. The ground trembled, growing more intense by the second. Sebastian wrapped his arms around Fallon, holding her steady. The bricks fell loose, one by one, like broken teeth, until the entryway cleared.

  Mirthe removed the silencing charm and untied the thread, ending the charm.

  Femke met everyone’s astonished faces with a humble shrug. “Tremors aren’t normally used that way, but it worked.”

  “Mom’s going to kill us,” Mirthe said.

  Nico looked slightly green. “You don’t seem too upset about that.”

  Bram took back his charm. “Looks awfully dark in there,” he said, peering into the abyss beyond the fallen bricks.

  “I brought a flashlight,” Ms. Ward said.

  “Resourceful,” Bram muttered.

  “Is everyone ready?” Mirthe said. “We’re going to find Zita now.”

  “I am,” said a familiar voice.

  Camille calmly approached the group as if she had been invited; her shiny pink suit jacket and black pants gave the impression that she’d just arrived for an interview. “Like my outfit? I think it’s appropriate for meeting my boss.”

  Nico curled his hands into fists. “You don’t belong here.”

  “Oh, I do.” Camille examined her nails. “I overheard your plans that night of the student-government meeting. If you’re so clumsy about keeping secrets, then maybe I should invite the whole town to join us.”

  Mirthe paled. She shot Femke an apologetic look.

  Fallon looked behind Camille. “Did you come alone?”

  “That would be stupid,” she said, snapping her fingers. Martin emerged from the darkness, his hands tucked in his pockets. He still wore the ear muffs Nico had given him, but his glasses sat crooked on his nose, his mouth slack from the perfume. Camille wrapped her arm securely around his waist and said, “He goes where I go. That’s what good boyfriends do.”

  Nico made a strangled sound in his throat.

  For a second, Fallon thought she saw Martin’s gaze flicker to Nico, but it could have been her imagination.

  “Don’t let me stop you. I can follow any time I want, since you broke the entrance open,” Camille said.

  Femke sighed. “We can’t waste charms on her.”

  Camille flashed a smug smile.

  Helena twirled her parasol. “You sure you don’t want us to come too?”

  Ms. Ward smiled. “We need you out here. Someone is going to notice that these kids are missing. If there’s anything you can do to delay the search, that will be a big help.”

  “And we’ll need to protect the ladies,” said one of the bachelors. He scratched his belly.

  Yasmine ignored the man. “The minute we hear anything suspicious, we’ll come running. No matter what.”

  Mirthe nodded and took out her own flashlight. “Everyone, let’s stick together. This is uncharted territory.”

  Pipes snaked along the walls as the group headed down a longer set of stairs. The stench of mildew and moisture hit her nose immediately. The twins had their flashlights, but Ms. Ward passed around portable book lights for everyone else. Fallon wore one pinned to her sweater. Its firefly-like glow was a small comfort. She felt guilty for sinking her nails into Sebastian’s leather jacket, but the cryptlike atmosphere scared her.

  The stairs finally ended, leading to a deep, cavernous space. Some of the pipes dripped water; spiderwebs hung between them. Mirthe aimed her flashlight ahead, finding another, smaller entrance leading deeper into the sewers. Fallon stomach twisted at the thought of going farther.

  “You go on ahead,” Sebastian said, suddenly stopping. “I need to tie my shoelaces. Fallon will keep me company.”

  “Really?” Camille’s voice. “How old are we?”

  “Hurry up,” Femke warned.

  After they left, Fallon took a step toward him. “You’re not wearing sneakers.”

  Sebastian looked away from her. He spoke softly, fear tugging at the edges. “I don’t know what will happen once we find Zita. We’re so close. I know she’s here, Fallon.”

  Fallon steeled her shoulders and raised her chin. She was scared too, they all were, but they couldn’t turn back now. “We’re going to end your fortune.”

  Sebastian’s head snapped toward her.

  “I promised that I would take care of your heart,” she said, coming closer.

  “Like a set of precious china plates,” he whispered.

  “Like a rose wrapped in tissue paper,” she said.

  “Like your favorite sweater,” he said, a warm smile spreading on his face.

  Fallon laughed and stood on her toes. She brushed her knuckles against his cheek, savoring the heat from his skin. “You can trust me.”

  Sebastian leaned into her touch. After drawing a shaky breath, he said, “I love you.”

  Fallon stared up at him. Her book light illuminated his steady gaze and the curl of his lips.

  “I love you,” he said again, louder, as if he were a little boy daring to say something forbidden. “There. Magic words, just for you. I’ve never said that to any girl.”

  Sunlight from somewhere inside her filled her veins, warming her. She knew it was because of him. “I love you too.”

  His lips inched closer to hers. Then, Sebastian inhaled sharply and drew back, rubbing his chest.

  “What?”

  “Nothing. I just…” he trailed off. “We should catch up with the others.”

  Fallon nodded, taking his hand. They plunged through the second entrance.

  chapter 23

  DEAD END

  Instead of darkness, Fallon’s eyes adjusted to the chips of stained glass on the sewer’s ceiling, lit behind with electric bulbs. Someone must have installed the lights years ago because the dusty glass remained undisturbed. There were no pipes. A series of stone walls unfolded before them.

  Bram climbed an abandoned pile of cracked stone and scanned the area. “It’s a labyrinth,” he said.

  Camille tapped her foot and looked at her watch. “How can there be a labyrinth underneath Verbeke Square?”

  “How would I know?” he snapped. “The center’s lit up.”

  The twins climbed
up after him to confirm what he saw.

  “It’s true,” Femke said, puzzled.

  “We’re not high enough to see what path will take us directly to the center,” Mirthe said. “This could take awhile if we get lost.”

  “Not a problem.” Femke took a pen out of her bag and placed it on the floor. She asked the pen to show her the best answer; it spun, too fast to be natural, and aimed its sharpened edge northwest.

  “It’s like a compass,” Ms. Ward said, impressed.

  Martin squinted through his glasses and whispered, “Cheating charm.”

  “That’s right,” Mirthe said. “Even the most addled student government officer should know it. Femke and I found Grimbaud High’s legendary cheating charm a long time ago. We think this is certainly the occasion to use it.”

  “Full of surprises, those two,” Hijiri said.

  Ms. Ward took off her backpack and dug around in the back zippered pocket until she pulled out a stamp and and ink pad. “If I know anything about cheating charms, it’s that they stop working once they’ve found the answer. We want to avoid retracing our steps when we leave, right? I always carry stamps with me in case I want to continue working after school’s over. This one says OVERDUE. The ink’s bright red, so it should be easy to see if I stamp each dead end so we don’t go back that way.”

  “That’s a brilliant idea,” Fallon said. No one had come prepared to face a labyrinth, but as a seasoned traveler, Ms. Ward’s backpack was probably full of useful items of the non-charm variety.

  “Not bad,” Bram admitted, shifting his weight.

  They entered the labyrinth with the twins in the lead, Femke balancing the pen in the palm of her hand while turned in the right direction. Stained-glass chandeliers hung from the ceiling, burning shades of pink, orange, and blue. Rusted mirrors covered the stone walls. Fallon saw her hollow-eyed, watery reflection again and again as they turned and twisted along through the paths.