Canyon started the truck and pulled back out onto the road, saying, “Maybe I heard the name before.”
Sage shook her head, finding it hard to believe they didn’t know the name of their own representative guardian in Rhen’s Meadow, but maybe it made some sense since they hadn’t had a mom. Allfoxenknew the story of Canyon and Timber Wheeling. The poisoning that’d killed thevod’sfemales had taken their mother when Timber had been five and Canyon, only a few days old. Timber’d kept Canyon alive for a week, until thevodfound them, and then they’d gone to live with Burton Risson, thevod’smoonstruck Chief of Police.
They pulled into a small apartment building. Sage found an SPD cap in the back of the truck and she put it on, tucking her hair up into it.
“Park over there,” Timber said, pointing to a private stall. Canyon parked and they got out. Timber unbuckled the robot and put it on the ground. Canyon got out and opened Sage’s door, helping her out, then grabbed the food. Sage grabbed her purse and the bag she’d packed before they left, and they followed Timber, even the robot. Timber went to a door and fished a key out of his pocket, then let them inside. Just across the entrance was a bathroom. Down the short hallway was a living room with two old couches. One couch was blue, the other was gray. A tv sat on a shelf across the room. There were no hangings on the walls and no houseplants. She didn’t ask whose place it was, but if she had to guess, she would say the apartment belonged to a human female.
“Make yourself comfortable,” Timber said. “A friend of mine owns this place, but she lives in Chicago and only comes here once a month.”
Sage peeked into the kitchen and saw a table with wooden benches for seats, plus a bland kitchen.
“There's no bedroom,” she said.
Timber pointed to the far end of the kitchen. “A bed folds down from that wall.” He gestured to himself and Canyon. “We'll sleep on the couches.”
Canyon set the bags of food on the table and began pulling out containers.
“I’m ah, going to the bathroom,” Sage said, backing out of the kitchen, not waiting for a response.
She needed privacy.
74—Millions of Miracles
Sage hurried inside the bathroom. She used the toilet and then freshened up, then sat on the edge of the tub with her phone. She held the power button down and still it wouldn’t turn on. Irritated, she put it back in her purse, but luckily, she’d asked Mina to use her phone, and Mina had handed it over. It had buzzed with one silent notification on the drive over. She pulled it out and checked the notification, her focus narrowing as she saw a message from Bristol.
She opened the message, her heart hammering in her chest when she realized the message was written in a cipher allfoxenwere taught in school, based on the Vahiy.Shit was getting real.
Sage worked her way through the translations slowly, picking up speed as she went, excitement and fear building in her chest in equal measure.
Bristol agrees. We are spreading the word, but only to the trustworthy. We are behind you, vixie. The vod are up the bluff but have not found the Inn.
Sage recited the message again, her mind a conflicting whirl of thoughts and corresponding emotions.
We are behind you,vixie.
Bristol agrees.
Sage had always had a hard time memorizing prophecy, but she knewvodandfoxenwere foretold to join forces against Khain. The problem was,foxenwere also foretold to overrun thevodwith Khain’s help. Conflicting prophecies had always split her mind in two, rendering her unable to recall either. She’d asked Bristol about it once and Bristol said eachfoxenhad to choose which prophecy they believed, and what happenedbeyond that, no one knew. They each had to choose, and then trust, and then destiny would play out as it always did.
We are behind you,vixie.
Bristol agrees.
Bristol was her most reliable aunt, a lawyer, the only one able to sway Nana in any way. If Bristol agreed with Mina…
Sage listened to the murmur of Canyon and Timber talking outside. Bristol and Mina knew she was with thevod, andthey werebehind her.She was thevixieof prophecy. Excitement built inside Sage, but it stuttered and faltered, too. Her family was so big, and so opinionated, and so hating of thevod. And what about Paisley? Would thevodaccept her daughter? Would Canyon? The first time some arrogantvodsaid one bad word to Paisley, Sage would lose her shit, she knew she would. Was it even worth trying?
We are behind you, vixie.
Bristol agrees.
The balloon of excitement popped, and she was left feeling flat. How could this ever work? She would need a miracle—they all would. They would need miracle after miracle after miracle. Thevodwould have to eat their words and change their ways beforefoxenwould ever fit in with them, and that would takefive million fucking miracles. Didvodeven show remorse? She’d never seen it. Tears spilled from Sage’s eyes. There was no way it would ever work and she should face it now because it would mean less heartache for her, and for Paisley.
Thoughts of Paisley made her wonder what her daughter would think of Canyon. Sage thought Paisley would like him… if he liked her. She thought Canyon would like her, but would he love her? Or would he move in like a lion and kill what didn’t belong to him? He could kill with words and daily contempt even if he never struck her down. She considered Canyon, and no, he wouldn’t do that. He would love Paisley as best he could. But if…if Sage had young with Canyon… then what? Would he still love Paisley? Would she be second best?
Sage dropped Mina’s phone into her purse. She got up and fixed her face, breathing deeply, once again feeling emotionally worn out, unsure and unsteady.
She looked at herself in the mirror, then remembered she needed to call her daughter. She ran the water and put herself in front of the closed door, then video-called her mother’s phone, which rang several times before Paisley answered.
