Timber put his hands behind his head. “I like it so far. Plenty of room for me and my mate to make out. She’ll be here any day now, you know.”
The road opened and Canyon stepped on the gas. Sage leaned forward in her seat, watching the passing neighborhoods, wondering if any otherfoxenknew Boeson was in Serenity.
Canyon pulled into a rancher’s subdivision with weathered fences and show horses. He drove through, almost to the end, onto a manicured street with contemporary single-family homes.
Rogue’s was easy to pick out because the driveway and yard overflowed with police cars and diesel trucks.
“How…how did Boeson end up here?” Sage asked, her breath fogging up the window. She rolled it down, studying the house, looking in the second story windows.
“Rogue stumbled across him in the woods last September,” Timber said. “She took him home and let him stay with her. She hadn’t met Mac yet.”
Canyon drove behind a parked car, over the sidewalk, into the yard and stopped, reaching over to rub Sage’s neck. “He’s had awolvenguard, but they mostly leave him to himself. He bakes cookies and reads books.”
“Reads books?” She stared at the house, sliding out of the truck to the ground.
Timber got out and got in front of them. “I don’t see Bruin’s truck but let me make sure Conri’s not here.”
“Yeah, go,” Canyon said. Timber jogged to the house.
Canyon grabbed Sage around the waist and pulled her close, saying, “I didn’t mean to… I didn’t want to scare your family. I don’t know why I went after Conri… and I can’t guarantee it won’t happen again.”
She nodded. “I guess that’s life with thevod,” she whispered.
“Maybe,” he whispered back, his eyes dark.
Timber came out of the house and jogged back to them, saying, “Conri’s not here, only Rogue and Mac.” He pointed at Sage. “They’ve got a job for you.”
“Me?”
“Boeson’s holding Khain’s power of omnipresence and when he dies it goes back to the demon. He says only afoxencan hold it and everyone thinks thatfoxenis you. Go, go, go.” He quickly waved her that way.
Canyon grabbed her hand and they hurried inside together. Sage walked in the room slowly. It was full of so manyvod—and sisters, too, but her focus was on Boeson. He lay on the pillow, frail with closed eyes, a blanket pulled to his chin. Rogue sat on one side of him, holding his hand, speaking softly to him, saying, “I’m here, Boe.” Mac stood next to Rogue, his hand on her shoulder.
Sage pushed past everyone, feeling like all eyes were on her. She chose a spot near the bed on the other side of Boeson, not quite daring to take his hand like Rogue had. Boe’s eyes were half open and he was staring at nothing, plucking fingers in the air like something was there, murmuring. Sage bent forward to listen.
“His very presence was enough to make me feel awful,” Boe wheezed, his voice strained. “It made me want awful things… butshespoke to me, too, the sweet one. She could crowd him out and make me want to do good and noble things. It was hard in his den to do anything good, hard to do anything noble, but I tried. I tried so hard.” Boe lifted his head and looked around, his eyes landing on nothing. He tried to sit up, managing to get up on one elbow, craning his neck. “Look at that meadow,” he said. “It's so pretty—so perfect in the sunlight.”
Sage covered her mouth with her hand, tears threatening. Canyon moved behind her and put a hand on her shoulder. She grasped it, drawing strength from him.
“It’s another meadow,” Boeson said, his voice soft. “I've never seen a pink tree before.” He was quiet for several moments, then said, “Oh, that one has a little pond. I wonder if anyone fishes there… that meadow is so big… and there are houses." He squinted, peering off into the distance to the other side of the room. “Could that be a library? I see books through the window."
Awe shone clearly on his face and Sage’s tears spilled, her heart wrenching.
“The books are floor to ceiling,” Boe whispered. “…like every book that’s ever existed. Mistress Rogue, it's so beautiful," he said, turning toward Rogue. "I can't describe it."
“Go over and pick out a book,” Rogue said, her voice softer than Sage had ever heard it.
He didn’t respond. His eyes traveled around the room, but then he pulled back into himself, saying, “Oh, the people! I'll just go over here and be quiet. Maybe I'll find another meadow.”
Sage panicked. She took Boe’s hand, meaning to tell him to talk to the people, but Rogue spoke.
"Boe, you should go see the people.”
“Oh no, Mistress, they won't want me.”
“They do. They want you. Go… go talk to them,” Rogue said, her voice breaking.
Sage’s heart ached. She’d been ready to dislike Rogue, but the care the female showed thisfoxenhero made Sage look at her with fresh eyes.
