Page 52 of From the Edge

“Yes.”

“Is it adjoining?”

“Not yet. I know he’s angling for it.”

Aspen chuckled. “What’s holding you back?”

“Dignity? Self-respect? Will to live?” Rowan snorted and opened the door for Aspen.

Aspen inhaled sharply and said, “Oh, Rowan. You did an amazing job. This is perfect.”

“I have created a sound studio in the basement. You and Mira can still do collabs.”

Aspen turned to her with a smile. “You thought of everything.”

“I have tried. If you need anything else, I can set it up in a few minutes.”

“Rowan, how are you doing this?”

Rowan blushed. “I... have lost a lot of blood on the property. The binding to it is fairly solid.”

“Oh, Rowan.” Aspen carefully hugged her again. “I am so sorry, but I am proud you survived it.”

“Alora got me in touch with the people who could help me. She held my hand when I needed it. She doesn’t just calm alphas.” She laughed. “She had no idea we would have to do it all twice. The garden is now doing amazing.”

Aspen chuckled. “I can feel it from here. It’s like a prowling tiger in the back yard.”

Rowan smiled. “It defended me, pulled out the magic, and the bodies joined the maze in the back. We have some really well-fertilized box hedges.”

Aspen frowned. “Anything that can pop as human tissue?”

“No. They aren’t human. It reads as a weird mix of canine, feline, and avian, if it reads at all. It has been years.” She shrugged. “Did you meet Mell’s baby?”

“No, not yet.”

Rowan lifted her head and sensed all life signs in her house. “He’s napping but will be up when we finish in the basement.”

“Okay. This room looks great. How many of them are there?”

“Uh, total rooms are now twenty-four. I am adding them as I need them.”

“Dare I ask how?”

“It is part of me, and this feels like the right number.”

Aspen let her go. “So you are fused to the property, just like Mom said you would be.”

Rowan blinked. “Yeah. Grandma is good that way.”

“Are you a seer, too?”

“I only see what is needed for comfort. What can be done to correct a fault.” She shrugged. “This place is now being rented, and no structural changes have been made according to the blueprints.”

“But you have added a dozen pack-sized rooms.”

“And I have updated the historical blueprints every time. Just like when I put in the basement so I could have a nice gym without sweaty people in it, and now I have just invited them in. So I will set up a smaller gym for me.”

Aspen smiled. “Well, let’s see this gym.”