My parents exchanged a look, the kind married people share when they’ve already had the same thought.
“We should go into town,” my dad said. “If there are more mouths, we make sure the kitchens are prepared. We make sure Luna has what she needs, including yarn supplies to make blankets, gloves, hats. We—” He stopped, then looked at me. “We do something useful.”
My mother nodded, still pale but resolved. “We can help.”
The wordhelpsounded different coming from her now. There was no hint of guilt or avoidance now, only action.
“Go,” I said, and meant it. “I’ll go back to the Academy. The students—”
“The goblin,” Caleb supplied, deadpan.
“Yes,” I said, unable to help the smile. “The goblin. He’ll start a revolution if he’s left unsupervised.”
“I’m sure everything is going well inside.” Caleb’s expression softened. “Twobble’s fine. Stella’s there. Skonk too.”
“That’s what worries me,” I muttered, and Caleb snorted.
My parents started down the alley toward town, shoulders squared, moving with purpose like people who’d decided the past could wait because the present needed hands.
I watched them for a few seconds longer than I meant to before I turned back toward the Academy.
The doors stood open, as if the building had been listening and approved.
For the first time in what felt like days, my breath came easier.
But that hope didn’t last long.
A noise pinged through the air, not the usual sounds of students laughing or Twobble declaring a pastry emergency.
This was a scuffle.
Boots or claws scraping stone followed by a sharp, offended bark. Possibly someone hissing,
“You cannot just—”
I froze.
Caleb, who had followed me halfway up the path before turning back toward the perimeter, heard it too. His head snapped toward the steps.
“That’s not orientation,” he muttered.
We both moved at the same time.
A witch with braids half undone stood nose to nose with a medium-sized orc who looked equally outraged and equally determined not to swing anything.
Between them was one of Caleb’s wolves, and he wasn’t in human form.
He’d fully shifted and was a complete wolf.
Silver-brown coat bristling, tail stiff, ears pinned back in deep irritation.
They were bickering.
Not fighting.
Not attacking.
Bickering.
