SPOILERS FOR MARJORIE DIAZ BOOK ONE

This is a re-imagining of the iconic ending scene. You have been WARNED.

“I wasn’t going to show you this,” Lucian said the moment she and Marjorie had come home from dinner with her parents after graduation, “but considering you managed to piss off the entire Watkins clan, I feel like I sort of have to at this point.”

Marjorie looked at her as if she had lost her mind. “Um, okay. But I’m really exhausted after today and whatever so can it wait until I’ve slept?”

Lucian crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. “No.”

Marjorie let her head fall back and she groaned. “Lucian, please.”

“It won’t take long and I’ll sleep better knowing you know and everything is right with the world because holy shit has it been hard not to tell you.”

Marjorie groaned again. “Fine, but can we at least have coffee?”

“We’ll buy some on the way, my treat.”

“On the way?” Marjorie asked, “You mean we have to leave again? I don’t think either of us is okay enough to drive.”

“I’m fine.”

Marjorie eyed her suspiciously.

“What? I am.”

“Fine, whatever, but if we die because you fall asleep at the wheel I’m going to come back from the dead and kill you. I don’t care if it isn’t possible. I’ll make it possible.”

“How do you know it’s not already possible?” Lucian said quietly with a wan smile.

*

Lucian drives them to a graveyard. It’s thick with trees and shadows and almost impossible to see from the road.

Marjorie looks absolutely pissed. “A graveyard?” Her voice is almost shrill, hands clenching and unclenching by her sides as if she isn’t sure whether she should punch Lucian or not.

“Yep,” Lucian said, “a graveyard.” She parked the car. “Come on.”

Marjorie complained, but she followed anyways. She was too tired to argue.

Lucian led her through a thicket of trees to a closed off area at the back of the cemetery. There were only a few gravestones. A few giant concrete angels, a few bronze plaques on the ground, with the rest of the space made up by a mausoleum.

“Why are we here?” Marjorie asked. She looked exhausted and annoyed. After the week she’s had, Lucian can’t really blame her.

“I’m going to show you a different kind of graveyard,” Lucian said, pulling a small black skeleton key out of her pocket.

“Please tell me you’re not going to unlock that mausoleum,” Marjorie deadpanned.

“No,” Lucian says, offering the key to Marjorie, “this is for you.”

Marjorie stared at her blankly. “Why?”

“Just take it,” she said, offering the key more insistently.

Marjorie rolled her eyes. “If I take it, can we leave?”

“Yes.”

“Fine.”

Marjorie takes the key and the entire world transforms around her.

In her hand the key morphs from the simple black skeleton key to an enormous golden sword. The cemetery was no longer empty. Ghosts floated all around them, friendly smiles on their faces.

“Huh. A sword,” Lucian said at the same time Marjorie flung it onto the ground.

“What. The. Fuck!” Marjorie shrieked.

Lucian smiled at her. “Welcome to the magical realm.”