I call his name when I step into the apartment…but I’m greeted with silence.
He’s gone.
I sigh, realizing he must have flown out the owl door—not that I blame him. There’s not much for him to do up here.
I glance outside. The rain is coming down in a steady drizzle, and I can’t seem to rein it in. I hope he’ll be okay out there.
“Worrying won’t help,” I tell myself, and then I go downstairs.
“I’ll walk with you to the livery stable,” Ryder says, holding the umbrella over us as we leave the cover of the teashop’s protective entry awning.
“I left my bike in the rack outside the rock shop,” I tell him.
“I can hurry home and get my cart so you don’t have to ride in the rain.”
“No, that’s okay.” Shielding my eyes from the persistent drizzle, I peer into the nearby trees, looking for Rowan. “It won’t be the first time.”
We walk in silence for a few minutes, listening to the sound of the rain on the cobblestone streets. There are a few tourists out and about, but most everyone has found shelter in one of the shops.
“I can’t believe Rowan’s a shifter,” Ryder says when we’re almost to the rock shop. “All that time, we had no idea.”
“Do you think that’s why he was so determined to harness metamorphosis magic?” I ask. “Because some part of him craved the change?”
“Maybe.” Ryder shrugs. “We’ll probably never know.”
Ryder is just reaching for the rock shop door when Hazel appears through the glass on the other side. He quickly opens it for her. “Morning, Hazel.”
She stands under the entry awning, fighting with her umbrella. “Is it still morning?”
Ryder hands me our umbrella and then extends his hand to Hazel, offering to help. “It’s been a long one, hasn’t it?”
She gratefully transfers the umbrella to him. “Has it ever. The rain is making the kids stir-crazy, and they’re driving me mad. Speaking of my children.” She turns back inside. “Sable, I told you not to touch that. Come on, you two. Hurry up.”
Ryder wins the umbrella battle and returns it to her.
The fox shifter gives him a thankful smile and calls to Rosalie, “See you later, Rose.”
She then herds her children onto the walkway, doing her best to keep them under the umbrella.
“When you get a chance, do you think I could talk to you?” I ask her.
“Of course—Sable, don’t jump in that puddle.”
“Jeffrey just did,” the small girl whines, looking adorable running through the rain.
“You wanted to wear that dress today. I told you to wear pants. We don’t jump in puddles while wearing dresses.”
Sulking, Sable returns to her mother and takes her hand.
Hazel looks back at me. “Sorry. What did you want to talk about?”
“We can talk later. You have your hands full.”
She laughs. “I always have my hands full. It’s not a problem.”
“Oh, it’s not—” I almost say it’s not a big deal, but I catch myself. Rowan being stuck as an owlisa big deal. “Rowan accidentally shifted into an owl again, and he’s not sure how to shift back.”
Her face softens with sympathy. “I’m afraid I know nothing about mage magic. My uncle married a mage, but they live in North Carolina, and I don’t know her well.”
