“Hazel, your map might still come in handy,” Natalie says.
“Itwasyou,” I say. “Hazel, that map was brilliant.”
“Didn’t work, though,” she grumbles.
“It helps us track all the chimeras’ last-known locations,” Natalie says. “We can still use it to hunt them down.”
Hazel flushes, and a dimple appears in one cheek. “Then I’ll keep working on it.”
I let out a shaky breath, overwhelmed by their support. “Thank you. Both of you.”
“Get some sleep, Katie.” Natalie steps forward and pulls me into a hug, her strong arms encircling me.
“Chimera-hunting tomorrow?” I ask.
She presses a kiss to my temple, her lips lingering against my skin and her soft hair tickling my face. “First, I need to make a plan with Sky for rescuing Dad. Just settle in, help Hazel get ready for her new job—”
“Settle?Job?” I exclaim, pulling back. The thought of doing normal things is baffling.
“There’s not much you can do until we find Dad. I’ll call you, okay?”
I blow out a breath. She’s right. I should try to uphold the normal life I’m fighting so hard for—and I can start researching chimera sightings in the meantime.
I nod, and she pulls me in again. Her familiar earthy scent wraps around me, and I let myself melt into her. Her heartbeat pulses against me, and her breath catches ever so subtly when I press closer. The solidness of her body grounds me like nothing else can—and for this moment in her arms, I’m completely safe.
Hazel has already turned her apartment into a sanctuary. It smells like home-cooked food, her belongings are unpacked and tidy, and music streams from her laptop. Warm light pours through big windows that overlook the buildings across the street, and there’s a glimpse of the ocean between them. Ethel scampers to the windowsill, apparently having found her favorite spot for birdwatching.
In the center of it all, blooming bright on the kitchen table, are the flowers from Natalie.
My throat tightens at the thought of my best friend and girlfriend working together to free me from that cell. I reach for the wall to steadymyself, light-headed as the reality of my situation crashes over me again. Five years in prison. A formative era of my life, gone.
Hazel must sense my anxiety because she puts her hands on my shoulders and guides me toward the bathroom. “Hot shower and cozy PJs. I’ve got stew in your slow cooker and will make buttermilk biscuits while you shower.”
My stomach clenches hungrily, and I moan. “You’re the best.”
“Figured you’d want comfort food. Now go.”
I do what she says, soothed by the sound of her in the kitchen—clattering baking sheets, a beeping timer, the occasional gasp or curse as something hits the floor. The aroma of fresh baking fills the apartment, making my mouth water.
“I owe you a new sweatsuit,” I say as I shuffle back out to the kitchen, running a brush through my wet hair. Steam follows me into the hallway. “We’ll add it to the tab of Things Katie Owes People—right below fifty-six chimeras.”
Hazel grimaces as she ladles steaming stew into ceramic bowls. “Don’t worry about it.”
“Come on, first thing we can do when I’m out of this mess is go shopping on Robson. It’ll be fun.”
A dimple appears in her cheek. “Well, I won’t say no to that.”
As we settle on the couch with our giant bowls and golden biscuits, Ethel purring between us, last night’s imprisonment feels like it happened to someone else. Like if I focus hard enough on this normal life with my best friend, the rest will fade like a bad dream.
I take a bite, sighing as the flaky, pillowy biscuit melts on my tongue. Through the windows, the bay sparkles, and the North Shore mountains are still dusted with snow from the long winter. But even as I try to stay in the moment, that dank prison cell remains burned into my retinas.
Natalie is right. The coven’s dark side must have been there all along.
I gaze at the flowers from her and let out a slow breath, trying to relax. My hands are trembling. I set my spoon into my bowl and settle deeper into the couch before Hazel notices. “Looks cute in here, by the way. How was your first day in Vancouver?”
She splutters mid-bite. “There wasn’t a lot of time for tourism.”
“What about getting ready for your new job? Downloading a dating app? Calling your parents?” My throat tightens, and I force a small smile. “Come on, I can’t think about my own life right now or I’ll completely lose it. Can we focus on you for a bit?”
