His tone had been more startled than mocking, but Nancy’s mother swelled with indignation. She shook off her mate’s arm, drawing herself up to her full height.
“Isupposeyou think it’sfunny?” She jabbed a finger at the alpha male, all outraged dignity. “Tennessee fainting goats aretenaciousandloyal, I’ll have you know. So what if there’s a harmless little quirk in the bloodline. Any shifter should be proud to be one!”
“But I’mnota fainting goat!” Nancy protested. “I’ve never fainted in my whole life!”
Her dad cleared his throat, looking somewhat uncomfortable. “Well, it is in your genes, honey. And there was your seventh birthday party?—”
“That doesn’t count! I told you, I just tripped!”
“Sweetie, you fell face-first into the cake. It took two uncles to pull you out again.”
“It was really delicious, okay?” Nancy folded her arms, scowling. “Anyway, it was Cousin Matt’s fault. He shouldn’t have yelled ‘surprise!’ like that.”
“I don’t knowwhathe was thinking,” Nancy’s mother said, hands fluttering again. “Your aunties took out the whole buffet. And I’d spenthourson that Jell-O centerpiece.”
Estelle was looking fascinated. “Hang on, so some of your family are fainting goats, Nancy? Like, they go stiff and topple over at unexpected loud noises, even in human form?”
“Yeah, sometimes.” Nancy glared at her mother. “But I’mnota fainting goat. Okay, so I can’t help jumping when I’m startled. That doesn’t mean I’m gonna randomly start keeling over.”
“Honey, I know it’s frustrating, but you have to accept your heritage means it’s just not possible for you to do everything the other kids do,” Nancy’s mom said earnestly. “We love you, and we want to keep you safe.”
“Stopping me from doing anything fun isn’t keeping me safe, it’s smothering me!” Nancy’s chin lifted defiantly. “At least here at camp, people aren’t constantly telling me to be careful. In fact, Conleth’s promised to take me mountain?—”
“Bathing!” Conleth yelped, grabbing Nancy’s shoulder. “Mountain bathing. Like forest bathing, only with…mountains. Yes.”
“Mountain bathing?” Nancy’s mom said dubiously. “That doesn’t involve actuallyclimbingany mountains, does it?”
“No, of course not.” He felt Nancy take a breath as if to argue, and tightened his grip on her shoulder in warning. “We just…contemplate them. From a distance. Very soothing. Excellent for calming the nerves.”
“There now, dear,” Nancy’s dad said to his wife. He patted her arm reassuringly. “See? Letter or no letter, the counselors are keeping our little girl safe. No need to get upset.”
“Hetta, Nancy, perhaps you could show your families around the cabin,” Conleth suggested. “And Nancy, make sure to tell your parents all about theperfectly safeactivities you’ve enjoyed at camp so far.”
To his relief, Nancy seemed to take the hint. She did give him a rather betrayed look over her shoulder as she led her family away, though.
His pegasus gave him a mental nudge, barely in time. He just managed to brace himself before a solid weight cannonballed into the backs of his knees.
A small, somewhat sticky face beamed up at him. “Uncaleth!”
“Hello, Otis.” Relieved that at least one thing was going to plan, he scooped his nephew up into his arms. “Escaping as usual, I see. Where are your parents?”
Otis giggled, snuggling against Conleth’s shoulder. In any case, the question was answered a few seconds later—at least in part.
“Otis?” called a familiar voice, sounding somewhat more harassed than usual. “Otis! Come back here this instant!”
Beth stood on tiptoe, waving. “Uncle Conleth’s got him, Mom! We’re over here!”
“Oh, thank goodness.” Diana hurried up, out of breath. She gave Beth a quick but heartfelt hug before turning to her runaway son. “Otis, what did I tell you about holding onto Mommy’s hand?”
Otis pouted, looking remarkably unrepentant. “Uncaleth.”
“Yes, yes, I know you sensed your uncle. You still can’t go charging off like that.” Diana pried Otis off Conleth’s neck. “Thanks, Conleth. I don’t know what we’re going to do once this little imp starts shifting. At this rate, you’re going to be the only one who can keep up with him.”
“You know I’m always happy to babysit.” Conleth looked over the top of Diana’s head, fruitlessly searching the area behindher with both mundane vision and his pegasus sense. “Where’s Callum?”
Finley was looking around as well. “And where’s the rest of the crew? I thought you’d all be traveling up to camp together.”
“Oh.” Diana put a hand to her mouth. “Conleth, didn’t you get Callum’s message?”
