“That’s them? Noah and Dante? Are they all right?”
“Yes. They will be.”
She breathed a sigh of relief, then realized he was much smaller than earlier when he’d shown her his bird form. “He looks different than he did when he shifted before.”
“He was full grown. He’s a baby bird again. They both are. They’re flying home.”
“Home? Where is that?”
“The family home in the South End. I’m not at liberty to share anything more.”
“That’s all right. As long as I know they’re okay.” She let out a breath in a whoosh. “I know where to find them. Thank you.”
Brandee nodded, and they reappeared in an unfamiliar kitchen.
“Where are we? Is this their parents’ house?”
“No, it’s mine. I want you to see where the other book is hidden now.” With a flick of her head, she indicated that Kizzy should follow her. “Since we all agreed the books are safer kept apart, Nick and I are guarding it with our very long lives, right here in our own home on Beacon Hill.”
In what looked like a library, Brandee pulled a certain book’s spine, like a lever. A hidden door sprang open, revealing a small panic room.
“My husband built it before we got together. Now that he has me, he doesn’t really need it, but we have it to use for a sort of paranormal underground railroad or, when necessary, when the kids need a time-out.”
Kizzy’s brows shot up.
Brandee burst out laughing. “Kidding! They don’t even know it exists.”
“That’s wonderful. I’m grateful to you, but I also really want to see Noah. I have to know he’s all right.”
“Yes, you should explain events—to the best of your ability—to their parents. Leave out the part about the books, of course. The Fierros will know what to do for them, but I imagine they’d like to know something about what happened to their sons.”
“Can’t the guys shift back and explain it themselves?”
“Not for a few months.”
“Months!”
“Well, several weeks, at least. I’m not sure exactly how it works, but the Fierros can fill you in. Do you have their contact information?”
“I was supposed to go there this weekend for Sunday dinner. I guess I can look them up online.”
“Good. Then I’ll leave you to it.”
In the blink of an eye, Kizzy was in her own kitchen again.
* * *
Mallory hadn’t been able to reach Dante all afternoon. Maybe his phone’s battery needed to be charged. She had hoped to talk to him before he went in to work at six. She hated to call him at the station, but she really wanted to talk about her parents coming home and let him know what he should and shouldn’t say to them. She probably had a few days, it wasn’t an emergency… But she didn’t know how many days he would be on duty.
“Shoot. I really wanted to talk to him.” Who else could she talk to? Maybe Mrs. Fierro—er, Gabriella, Dante’s mother? Would she understand? She certainly knew what it was like to be a parent of someone with a paranormal secret. Maybe she’d be the perfect person to talk to.
She took a deep breath, remembering that Dante programmed their phone number into her contacts as well as his own and Noah’s personal numbers. Maybe she should call Noah. No. He was on the same schedule.
Don’t be a chickenshit, Mallory. Call Gabriella.She brought up her name and connected.
“Hello?” Gabriella answered in a musical voice.
“Hi, Mrs.—I mean Gabriella,” Mallory said. “I was just wondering if you were busy.”
