“Did he tell you anything?”
“Nothing. What’s the plan?”
“If he won’t talk, I’ll put him in a cell until Wade can interview him.”
Rhogun knew who Wade was. Wade Lombard was the powerfulwolvenCitlali for the entire region, and he hatedfoxen. It was theoretically possible that Wade could bind Rhogun and make him spillfoxensecrets whether he wanted to or not.
In the hallway, the sounds of the threewolvenmoved away from the room.
Canyon spoke to Rhogun one more time inruhi. I’ll be around. Ask for me if you need anything.
42—Magic Everywhere
Sage woke with a jerk, tired, but feeling more herself than she had in days. Her thoughts were clear and calm, telling her the demon was definitely gone from the Ula. The big bay room full of bunk beds was brightening quickly. The day had begun but most of her family, including Frannie and Paisley, were still sleeping, while Dex was pacing near the door, looking fresh and ready to go. Sage waved at him, and he dropped her a wink, then motioned he was leaving to get ready to escort Paisley to her grandma’s house. Sage nodded at him. He waved and plunged outside into cold sunlight.
Sage went to Paisley to wake her but froze when Paisley talked in her sleep.
“You’re funny, Daddy,” Paisley said, smiling slightly, eyes closed, body relaxed.
Sage felt suddenly irritated. Paisley’s father was not around, never had been. He was a human, an ex that she’d wound up with again for one night during a dark time in her life. When she’d discovered she was pregnant, she’d told him, and then she’d never seen him again. He’d left Serenity without a word to her. She’d been bitter about it for a while, but now she was just… over it.
“Paisley,” Sage whispered, touching her on the back. “Time to wake up.”
Paisley woke slowly, languorously, like she didn’t want to leave her dream.
“Come on,vi, today’s a busy day. You’re going to yourvihvee’s.”
Paisley sat up with a smile on her face and rubbed her eyes. “Yay,vihvee.”
Sage got her daughter up, dressed, and fed quickly, then, holding hands, they walked on a path to the flagpole at the front of the property. Dex was there, with his truck.
Sage stopped before they crossed the road and knelt. She hugged her daughter, then kissed her on the forehead. Paisley pulled away and looked her mama in the eyes, then she planted a kiss on Sage’s cheek, and hugged her fiercely with one arm. She let go, hoisted her backpack on her shoulder and ran across the road. Dex smiled at her and helped her into the back of the truck.
The front door to the main building opened and Nana White came out, wearing a lilac-colored wool suit, complete with lilac felt hat, lilac pants, and practical black shoes with gold buckles. She wore her fox stole around her shoulders and gripped her fox-pelt purse tightly in her hands. She walked slowly down the steps, holding onto the railing, then passed by Sage without looking at her. She reached Dex’s truck, and he opened the passenger door for her. She climbed in and stared straight ahead. She could dim out the entire vehicle if she was inside, and so she went with Paisley all the way to where Sage’s mom lived. Sage’s mom, Paige White, was mostlyfoxenwith some human in her bloodline. She could shift, she had arenqua, she could speakruhi, and she could go dim. She’d had a one-night stand with a human trucker in the bathroom of a bar, and Sage was the result. Sage didn’t even know her father’sname. Even worse, when Sage was born, Paige had abandoned her and moved two hours away, because somehow, Paige’s Tether had been broken when she’d given birth to Sage. A pure miracle from Rhen, somefoxencalled it.Straight-up bullshit,Sage called it, because her mother had left her in Illinois, withNana White to raise her. Sage had lived in creepy Kurzwell Manor until 15 yearsold, when she flat out refused to go home anymore. She stayed at Mina and Rissa’s, or friend’s houses.
Sage had done her best to get past her mother’s abandonment of her and cultivate a relationship between Paisley and hervihveeand she was so glad it had worked out because it gave her a place to send Paisley when Sage had to go to treatment. Paisley wasn’t born with a Tether, but she wasn’t in the clear yet. Sometimes it developed during the teenage years.
Dex ran around the vehicle. He tipped Sage a wink, then mouthed, “Don’t worry,” with his fox rippling over his features. Sage smiled, delighted.
He started the engine and they drove off. Sage blew kisses to Paisley and Paisley blew kisses back, even turning in her seat and waving madly to her mother out the rear window, until they were too far away to see anymore. Sage lowered her hand slowly, staring after the vehicle until it was out of sight, saying a silent prayer to Rhen that Paisley be protected.
Behind her, the door to the main building opened and Frannie bounced down the stairs, something clutched in her hand.
She reached Sage and the look on her face made Sage ask, “What?”
Frannie revealed what was in her hands: an oversized antique key. “Mina wants me to get the phones,” she said.
“They’re in the passage?”
“Yeah. I’m scared of the passage.”
“I know you are, vix.Hand it over, I’ll do it.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. I work today but I don’t start for an hour.” Sage was one of the many assistant managers of the Inn. She worked only four days a month, which was the minimum Nana White allowed. She’d been working there since she was five and could do every job with her eyes closed.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” Frannie chanted. She dropped the key in Sage’s hand.
