Arthur stepped back, moving to stand beside Nick at the door. Eyes bright gold, Declan glared at Arthur while he went to Arwyn, crouching down to hand her the bottle and glass. She placed them on the coffee table and then took Declan’s hands in her gloved ones.
“I’m fine,” she murmured. “You know he’s just grumpy, especially when we ask him to leave work and come here.”
Arthur’s gaze was jumping between Arwyn and Declan, a small line forming between his brows. A moment later, his face cleared and a side of his mouth kicked up. He and Nick shared a look and then they both smiled.
I didn’t understand how people did that. I had heard the conversation earlier. I knew why the wolf was being so protective of his mate, but Arthur and Nick just got here. How did they figure it out so fast?
When Arwyn took the aspirin and Declan sat, Nick and Arthur seemed to understand the danger was over and they moved farther into the studio, both grabbing chairs and sitting by her worktable, a good ten feet away. Following their lead, I sat on a step, giving the couple room as well.
Arwyn looked around and spotted me before waving me closer, pointing at the reading chair adjacent to the couch. I looked warily at the wolf. Arwyn nudged Declan with her knee and he turned, smiling and gesturing me forward. Perhaps I was seen as less of a threat because I was female and an owl.
Uncomfortable, I sat on the edge of the chair, ready to take off if need be. Nick was watching me, his smile gone. There were undercurrents in the room I knew I was missing, but what I did sense was making me quite tense. Books were so much easier than real life.
“I think we should start with Orla,” Arwyn said. She turned to me and added, “You went back to the bridge last night, right?”
I nodded and explained what had happened.
Arthur stood and began to pace around the room while I spoke. “So, we think it’s killed at least two people: the backpacker and the driver?”
“That would be my guess,” I replied, leaning back in the chair.
“Are you okay?” Nick asked. “Did he hurt you when he grabbed you?”
I shook my head. “Not really. He pulled out some feathers and I have some bruises, but I’m okay. Just tired. I heal quickly.”
“When we arrived this morning,” Declan said. “We found Orla in her owl form perched on the gate waiting. She made it clear she wanted Arwyn to read her.”
“Why didn’t you just shift and explain what happened?” Arthur asked.
I shrugged. “I wasn’t sure how it worked. I didn’t know if shifting back and forth would lose his fingerprints—or whatever it is that Arwyn needs to see a vision.”
Arthur paused near the couch. “Did it work? Did you see something?”
Arwyn’s stomach quietly gurgled, but she was in a room with shifters. Declan was up and heading to her little galley kitchen.
“Muffin? Yogurt? I can make you some eggs.” He opened the fridge and searched for food. “There’s some leftover Chinese.”
“Ooh, that, please,” she said.
He opened cartons. “There’s some fried rice, some beef broccoli, and a little of the lobster garlic noodles.”
“Perfect.” She kicked off her paint-spattered sneakers and crossed her legs on the couch.
Declan looked over his shoulder. “Which?”
“All of them, please. Just chuck ’em in a bowl and heat it up.” She grinned at him. “Thank you.”
Arthur shook his head. “While he does that, tell us what you saw.”
She closed her eyes. “It was all very dark and murky. I don’t think that was the vision itself. I think it lives in the dark.”
“What is it? Could you tell?” Nick asked.
She rubbed her forehead.
“Let her think,” Declan growled. “She already has a headache.”
She opened her eyes and gave him such a soft look, I felt like a voyeur to have caught it. “I’m okay.” She went into the backpack beside the couch, took off a glove, and dripped more water from that little octopus bottle into her palm. She then put the wet, bare hand over her forehead and eyes.
