“Nothing noisy or bright?”
“No.”
I searched her eyes. The fear was leaving, and she was already sneaking peeks at the pony. I think waking up with a police officer holding her and not knowing where her dad was, had been all that had scared her.
Which meant we didn’t have to come up with a better cover story or do any actual memory manipulation. Every once in a while, we had to change someone’s memory, and I never liked doing it. I was glad we wouldn’t have to do that now.
“All right. If you and your dad want to get some ice cream, you can tell the parlor that Myra Reed said the treat’s on her. You’ll both get a single scoop for free.”
“Oh, no, I really couldn’t,” he said.
“You’d be doing me a favor,” I said, patting my stomach. “Peggy over at the shop has a different special flavor every day, and she’s always looking for people to try it.”
“Well, then, thank you. Thanks, Officers.” The guy nodded toward all of us, though he sort of avoided eye contact with Death and his pony.
Smart.
They started across the wet sand to the drier sand. The crowd was already disbanding, all of them coming to some personal conclusion as to why they were here on the sand.
Thank goodness for the human ability to ignore what was right in front of our eyes.
“Could have been worse,” Jean said strolling up to me. She was covered in wet sand from head to toe, and the shirt she’d tied into a knot squirmed and croaked.
“They’re still frogs?” I asked.
“Yep. Why did the vortex turn them into frogs?”
“I have no idea. Did you get them all?”
“Yes.” She frowned. “I think.”
We both scanned the sand. Nothing croaked or jumped.
“We’re going to have to figure out how to turn them back into people,” I said. “Not here, though.”
“Maybe the frog thing will wear off?” Jean suggested hopefully.
I looked over at Bathin. He shook his head and stared at me as if he were absolutely fascinated. There was a slight crease between his eyebrows that hinted at a deep confusion. “Frogs were a side effect. Opening a vortex correctly isn’t as easy as it looks.”
“You know how to change them back?” I asked. And wasn’t there something in his look? Something warm and inviting. Something that made me want to take a step just to be nearer him?
“No.” He looked away from me and stared at Xtelle.
She snorted.
His eyes narrowed. “You.” He inhaled, exhaled. “I’ll take Xtelle back to your place and then meet you at the station, or wherever you’re taking the frogs. We can compare notes.”
“I don’t think—” I said.
“Good talk.” He patted my shoulder like he couldn’t get away from me fast enough and stormed toward the unicorn who was back to looking like a small brown horse again.
“I’ll take this,” Bathin plucked the bottom lip and tongue from Than, wrapped it around Xtelle in a makeshift bridle.
I stared at his hands for a little longer than I should.
“Soft but firm. I likey,” Jean said.
I sniffed. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
