Abigail nodded sharply. “Go then.”
Rissa ran off.
Abigail turned to Mina. “I need to change your memory.”
Mina nodded and bent her head, fully compliant.
Abigail splayed her fingers and held them almost touching where Mina’s head met her neck, making connection with Mina’s recent memories. She focused her will and pulled an iridescent strand of memory out of Mina’s skull, like yarn out of a dispenser, then she scraped at the strand with her nails, peeling off pearly bits of memory that dropped into the grass. These were recollections Mina would never get back, but it couldn’t be helped. Abigail scraped and smoothed with her fingers, then pulled the strand taut like a rubber band. She released it, and the strand sucked back into Mina’s head like an electrical cord into a winder.
“Ouch!” Mina cried, snapping a hand to the back of her neck. She shook her head, then her expression filled with frantic emotion, like she’d just remembered what happened.
“Paisley!” she cried, collapsing on Frannie’s chest, then sitting up and looking confused.
“Get it together,vixie,” Abigail hissed, grasping Mina’s chin. Mina pulled away, but Abigail held her in place with will and magic. She gestured to Frannie. “This is the girl’s mother. You think she collapsed but you didn’t see it.”
Mina nodded emphatically.
“Some guy took Paisley right from the yard. You heard her yell and you heard a man grunt, and you sensed someone, but you never saw him. And you’re scared, you’re terrified. Cry all you want, but don’t be scared of thevod, and don’t tell them anything you don’t have to, anddefinitelydon’t tell them anything you aren’t allowed to. Got it?”
The sound of the sirens came from the south, directly below the entrance to the street. Thevodwould arrive soon.
Abigail caught Mina’s eye and raised her eyebrows. Mina nodded grimly at her, then stalked to the front of the house, taking huge gulps of air, her tear-stained face grim.
Abigail said a quick spell and sent a blast of scent-clearing air Mina’s way. It ruffled her clothes and almost pushed her over. Mina regained her composure and kept walking.
Abigail turned away and went in Mina’s back door. She said another spell, a quick and simple one, andvvystwhipped up into a tornado around her, then left her and whipped through the house, gathering scents and smells, then taking them right out the back door.
Abigail shook her head, knowing it was a poor job, but it was all they had time for. With luck, the precautions would hold until Mina was able to get away.
Leaving the back door open, Abigail left the house and hurried back to the golf cart as fast as she could manage.
She had to get to Ethedra.
8—Timber
Timber grabbed Canyon by the hair and yanked his head up.
“Bro!” he shouted.
No response.
Timber dropped Canyon’s head back on the desk, where it thunked like a cantaloupe.
Timber spoke directly into Canyon’s ear, “Are we drinking today?”
Canyon didn’t move or respond.
“Hm,” Timber said, arms crossed, one hand rubbing his stubble, surreptitiously looking around the room with his peripheral vision. “Is it a joke? Am I on camera?”
He swiped a pushpin off a corkboard on the wall and stuck it in Canyon’s arm, ready for Canyon to get up swinging.
Canyon didn’t move. A small spot of blood pooled on his shirt.
“Shit!” Timber shouted. “Sorry, bro. Damn.” He tossed the pushpin in the garbage, then swiped at the blood. “Shit,” he repeated.
Timber scanned the room again, speaking out loud. “Were you shot with a tranquilizer dart? Punched in the head? Who got the drop on you, man?”
Canyon only snored.
