“Ms. Evelyn says I have too much imagination.” She wrinkled her nose at the accusation. “But she just doesn’t understand Fae law.”
I shook my head. “Well, I think that’s a pretty serious oversight on her part.”
Winnie grinned. “Right? I mean, the Hollow’s territory only goes up to the hopscotch line. Everybody knows that.”
I nodded solemnly. “Obviously. Boundaries are important.”
She beamed. “Exactly.”
The street finally cleared ahead, and I eased into the late-day traffic with one hand still resting near my pocket where the littlestone sat, warm from the sun and her palm. It was nothing. A simple rock, but I couldn’t stop thinking about it.
I wasn’t her dad or her stepdad. I wasn’t anything, really.
Except maybe something she counted on.
That thought settled somewhere deep inside me, quiet and unfamiliar. The kind of weight that didn’t feel heavy, just permanent, like a key left in a lock.
She pointed up ahead. “Can we drive past the pink house again?”
I smiled. “The one with the cat in the window and the mailbox shaped like a mushroom?”
She nodded. “That’s where I think Queen Esmerelda’s hiding until the trial.”
“Then absolutely,” I said, flipping on my turn signal. “We can’t let her get away with a hostile takeover.”
Winnie raised her water bottle like a toast. “To the Resistance.”
I reached back to tap my knuckles against hers. “To the Resistance.”
And we drove on.
By the timewe pulled into the driveway, the sun had dipped low behind the tree line, turning the sky a dusky watercolor of plum and gold. Winnie kicked off her sparkly sneakers at the bottom step and darted up the stairs with an energy only children seemed to store in endless supply. I followed at a slower pace, the weight of the day settling into my shoulders, the slight ache in my knees reminding me I was pushing my limits.
I looked out at the carriage house. I couldn’t hear the muted click of Selene’s keyboard, but I could see her. Her back windowglowed with warm light, casting her silhouette in motion—shoulders hunched slightly, one hand braced against the desk, the other moving fast as she typed. She worked like she lived—quietly focused, with no room for distraction unless someone needed her. When she realized we were home, she dropped everything without hesitation.
Winnie flung open the back door. “Mom! We’re home! And guess what—Austin says Queen Esmerelda is totally overstepping her boundaries!”
I watched as Winnie flopped onto the couch, already unzipping her backpack and pulling out a tangle of worksheets and a crumpled granola bar wrapper.
A minute later, Selene padded in barefoot, glasses sliding down her nose and a pencil tucked behind one ear. Her hair was up in a twist, and she wore a soft oversize T-shirt that hit just below her hips, paired with leggings that clung to the curves I still hadn’t gotten used to seeing this close.
“Thank you for picking her up,” she said, leaning down to press a kiss to the top of Winnie’s head before looking at me.
“Anytime,” I said, rubbing the back of my neck. “She’s excellent company. Gave me the full rundown on the fairy kingdom’s legal system.”
Winnie pointed a crayon at me. “He agrees with my interpretation of the treaties.”
Selene gave me a mock-stern look. “So now you’re a diplomat?”
I shrugged. “Apparently.”
She shook her head and smiled, a small, tired thing that tugged at my chest in a way I wasn’t prepared for. Her glasses slipped lower, and she pushed them back with the heel of her hand.
When her phone buzzed again, she sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. “This is a call I should take. You mind hanging out for five more minutes?”
“I’ve got her,” I said. “Take your time.”
Selene’s hand brushed my forearm briefly—barely there, but enough to spark heat under my skin. “Thanks,” she murmured, already backing toward the hallway.
