Canyon grinned, feeling like his life was suddenly complete.Is it a star?
Mmmhmmm, and a planet with three lines between.
Turn around, Peanut.
He pointed her to thefoxenshe’d frozen. “You bound him.”
Paisley covered her face with her hands. “Oh no!”
Rosenvelt and Sage walked near, Sage’s eyes on her daughter, her expression stunned.
“It’s ok,” Rosenvelt told Paisley. “You didn't mean to. All you have to do is say, ‘I release you.’”
“I release you,” Paisley repeated.
The male moved suddenly, gasping, then he backed away from Paisley.
“A job well done,” Rosenvelt said, smiling.
“Can you shift, Peanut?” Canyon asked.
“No Daddy,” She shook her whole body. “But maybe I can now that Mommy can.”
“How do you know I can?” Sage asked, kneeling in front of her.
Paisley’s eyes and fingers went to Sage’s choker necklace. “Ooh, pretty.”
Sage touched it, smiling, then looking up at Canyon. He winked at her. She hugged her daughter, saying, “Thanks. Your daddy bought it for me a long time ago.”
Paisley giggled and looked up at Canyon. Canyon winked at her, too. “How do you know Mommy can shift now, Peanut?”
“You smell different, Mommy, you smell like a fox now.” She looked at the ground. “I didn't know whether to try to shift before,” she said, her sophisticated speech contrasting with her innocent voice. “I decided I better not. I'm not strong enough to fight Khain if he comes for me.”
Sage looked at Paisley, her expression grim, and Canyon growled deep in his throat, his wolf joining him. Sage took his hand.
Paisley patted Sage on the cheek. “He won't come if Mommy's here.”
“He won't?” Rosenvelt asked, looking at Sage, then Paisley.
“He’s scared of her,” Paisley said, her tone light. “He knows Mommy has lots of prophecy.”
The adults all exchanged glances. Sage shrugged like she didn’t know that.
Paisley squinched her face tight and grunted. Then she dropped to the ground on all fours and grunted again. “I still can’t shift,” she said, shrugging.
“Hold on, Peanut.” Canyon dropped to one knee next to Sage. “It’s not easy sometimes. We’ll help.” He winked. “Watch.”
He sprouted hair on his face, partially shifting, then made it disappear. She smiled and laughed. Canyon looked up at Rosenvelt. “Can you keep an eye out?”
Rosenvelt motioned for his team to move in and they encircled Canyon, Sage and Paisley so no one driving by could see them.
Sage smiled. She shifted into a fox inside her clothes, then shifted back. “Try again, Paisley, your daddy’s right.” She smiled at Canyon when she said ‘daddy’ and he smiled back.
“I don’t know how,” Paisley said, her sad amber eyes looking from Canyon to Sage.
Canyon tapped his head. “It starts here,” he said. “You let go.”
“You let your fox take over,” Sage added.
