“He’s afraid you’ll destroy him.”
“Why? Why does everyone think I destroyed Adalwolf—I didn’t,” she insisted with wide eyes, and Fin pursed his lip.
“Everyonethinksthat, because Adalwolf went into your bedroom when you were a child… And then he exploded.”
Staring vacantly at the pavement, Hailey wondered how long it would take Cobon to figure out she was harmless.
Fin patted her bum and led her inside, where he ordered a bucket of chicken.
“Why did Cobon come see you?” she asked after he paid.
“Because he’s a perverted, psychotic maniac. Here.” He shoved a fried chicken leg into her hand. “Eat.”
Hailey nibbled her chicken leg, and with no further talk of exploding Envoys or her almost certain death at the hands of a perverted psychopath, they reached the bottom of the bucket and headed out.
“Where to first?” Fin asked, slapping her leg.
He started the truck, and Hailey ticked off her list.
“Clothes, shoes, boots, pillow, blankets, robe, towel, toiletries, winter coat, cell phone.”
“Mall,” he said, putting the truck in gear, “and you don’t need a cell phone.”
“Yes I do.”
“No you don’t.”
Haileypointed south. “Mine is in a sticky swamp somewhere, and I lost it whenyoupushed me out of the Luftzeug—I need a cell phone.”
“I never pushed—youfell,” he said zipping into the parking lot, “and you don’t need a cell phone; there’s no signal at Bear Towne.” Fin claimed a spot near the entrance and threw the truck in park. “Don’t worry about your winter gear. I’ll take care of that while you get all your other stuff. And Hailey—do not forget…” He paused, raising his eyebrows as he faced her, and Hailey’s mind raced.
What? What could be dangerous about the mall? Unmarked in-betweens? Cobon? What?
Fin sighed. “—a razor.” He smiled playfully, and she slugged his arm.
“Meet back here in an hour, okay?” he chuckled as they made their way inside.
Within forty-five minutes, Hailey had everything, including a razor, and she met Fin at the exit. He took her bags for her as they walked to the truck.
“You wanna do some skating while we’re here?” he asked, tossing her things onto the back seat.
Hailey shook her head. “I’ve never been on ice skates. I wouldn’t even know how to put one on.”
“Then I’ll show you,” he said using his professor’s voice, and he steered her back inside.
“I usually try to avoid embarrassing myself in public, Fin.”
“No you don’t,” he reminded her as he pushed her into the ice arena. “You wait right here while I get our skates…and don’t talk to strangers.”
Hailey waited obediently with her hands folded in her lap for Fin to return with two sets of skates. One was already installed on his feet, and he fitted the other onto her little feet in a way that made her feel like Cinderella.
“Let’s go.” Grabbing her hands, he pulled her toward the rink.
“No-no-no-no-no-no-no-no,” she pleaded, walking stiff-legged like the tin man, but Fin lifted her onto the ice anyway, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind and holding her tight against him.
“Come on little penguin,” he sang as he skated across the rink with her. “Time to spread your wings and glide.”
“Penguins don’t spread wings and glide,” she said on wobbly legs. “They flop and slide.”
