Cristox went down on his haunches, putting himself at eye level with our son, his tail curling around my calves—whether to maintain balance or just touch me, I couldn’t say. "Mama and I will be home waiting for you. Maybe we can have spaghetti for dinner tonight? Would you like that?"
That earned a small smile, the first I'd seen on his face all day. "Okay."
Bartholomeus appeared a moment later with Cuietsu and Lingse in tow, and Teddy joined them. I watched him walk away, my heart squeezing as he looked back once, twice, three times before disappearing around the corner with the group, his small hand clasped with Lingse's.
When I turned back, Mei's expression had hardened into something more official, more businesslike.
"Let's walk," she said quietly.
We followed her through the village in silence, past the cluster of homes and toward the small house that served as thepeacekeeper's office. The building looked somehow smaller and more forlorn than usual, as if it too was mourning its occupant.
Mei didn't speak until we were inside, the door closed firmly behind us. The office was in disarray. Papers scattered across the desk in haphazard piles, trash cans overflowing with crumpled notes and empty food containers, an errant coffee cup sitting on the desk with a ring of dried liquid around the rim. Craig's last cup, perhaps. The sight of it made my throat tighten. Craig liked neatness and order, I couldn’t imagine how much he’d hate the state of things.
Mei moved behind the desk but didn't sit, her hands bracing against the worn wooden surface as if she needed the support.
"I'll get straight to it," she said, her voice low and steady. "We don't have a peacekeeper anymore. Craig is dead, and whoever killed him is still out there. I believe it's the same person who tried to kill Ruby and Teddy."
My breath caught, the words hitting me like a slap. Hearing it said so plainly, so directly, made it real in a way it hadn't been before. Undeniable and terrifying.
Cristox's hand found the small of my back, a grounding touch that kept me from swaying. "What do you need from us?"
Mei's gaze shifted to him, assessing. "I need someone to step in temporarily. Someone I can trust. Someone capable." She paused, her eyes never leaving his face, studying his reaction. "I'm asking you, Cristox. Will you serve as temporary peacekeeper until the Alliance can send help?"
The silence that followed was heavy, oppressive, weighed down by what she asked. I felt Cristox tense beside me, his entire body going still, his tail freezing in that way it did when he was thinking hard about something important.
"The Alliance?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
Mei nodded, her expression grim. "I'm sending a priority message today. We need a permanent replacement for Craig, someone trained and experienced." Her expression softened slightly. "But that will take time. Days, maybe weeks. In the meantime, this village needs law and order. People are scared, Ruby. They're looking over their shoulders, jumping at shadows."
Cristox glanced at me, and I saw the question in his eyes. This wasn't just about him. It was about us, about Teddy, about the danger we'd be inviting into our lives.
My throat felt tight, but I nodded without hesitation. Someone tried to kill my son and me. Someone murdered Craig in cold blood. If Cristox didn't step up, who would? And I knew with absolute certainty there would be no one better to protect the people of this village than him.
He turned back to Mei, his jaw set. "I'll do it."
"Good." Mei opened a drawer and pulled out a worn badge. The metal was tarnished with age but still bearing the symbol of the Peacekeeper Corps—a shield with a five-pointed star crossed with an olive branch. She held it out to him with both hands, the gesture almost ceremonial. "This is temporary, but it carries full authority. You'll have access to Craig's files, his equipment, his contacts. Everything."
Cristox took the badge, his clawed fingers closing around it carefully, reverently. For a moment, he just stared at it, turning it over in his palm, and I wondered what he was thinking, what memories or emotions it stirred. Then his gaze lifted to Mei, and there was something fierce in his eyes—something dangerous that made the hair on the back of my neck stand up.
"I want to be clear about something," he said, his voice dropping to a growl that resonated in his chest. "Someone tried to kill Ruby. They tried to kill my cub." His tail lashed once,sharp and violent, the tip cracking like a whip. "I will find them. And when I do, they will answer for it."
Mei didn't flinch. If anything, she looked satisfied. "That's exactly why I'm asking you."
He pinned the badge to his jacket to the left of his heart, the metal glinting in the dim light.
Mei straightened, her expression shifting back to business. "There are some things I need to go over with you. Protocols, jurisdiction boundaries, how to access the database, who to contact in various situations. It'll take a bit of time."
I glanced at the window, noting how the afternoon light was already starting to dull, shadows lengthening across the floor. "I should get back to the guest house," I said, suddenly feeling exhausted. "Teddy will be home soon. I want to be there when he gets back."
Cristox turned to me immediately, his hand finding the small of my back. The warmth of his palm seeped through the thin fabric of my dress, grounding me. "Of course. Do you feel safe walking back alone?"
The streets were busy with the aftermath of the funeral and it was hours till sunset. I nodded and stepped toward the door, but before I could reach for the handle, he caught my wrist gently and pulled me back. His other hand cupped my jaw, tilting my face up to his, and then his mouth was on mine, soft at first, then deeper, more insistent as I responded. His tongue swept against mine, tasting, claiming, and I felt the rumble in his chest, a sound that was almost a purr. His tail curled possessively around my calf, anchoring me to him.
When he finally pulled back, his honey-brown eyes were molten, burning with heat and promise. "I'll be home soon," he said, his voice rough. "I promise."
My heart stuttered. Home. He'd said home, not the guest house or where you're staying, but home.
"Okay," I whispered, the word barely audible.
