Mae, Na Ri whispered.
My witch, Brimstone murmured in a voice equally full of wonder.
Hellreaver trembled on her chest.They have magic!
Mae’s mouth went dry when she detected the tiny cores inside Rose and the puppy, and the bright bond that tied them. “Oh.”
She almost fell back when Rose slammed into her. Her arms closed automatically around the little girl.
“Rose, be careful!” Samantha warned.
The little girl ignored her mother, her chubby arms locked tightly around Mae’s neck.
“Mae!” she whispered tremulously.
Mae squeezed her eyes shut, the familiar warmth of the soul belonging to the woman she had long considered her sister filling her with peace.
When Rose let her go, she looked like a little girl again, and Balkin a mischievous puppy.
Mae watched the mother and daughter leave after they parted ways, confident this would not be the last she would see of Rose and Balkin.
A man approached as she stood lost in thought, the carry bags she had dropped in her haste in his hands. “Here, I believe these are yours.”
“Oh.” Mae took the bags and smiled. “Thanks.”
“Did you see what happened to that ambulance?” The guy scratched his head. “It was the weirdest thing, wasn’t it?”
“I totally missed that, I’m afraid,” Mae lied.
She thanked him again and resumed her walk to the garage, her pulse still racing and her chest light.
Wait till I tell Nikolai and the others about this!
Mae’s stomach grumbled a moment later, reminding her that it was well past her breakfast time. A grimace twisted her mouth when she peered inside the carry bags. Their contents were slightly flattened and had started to grow soggy.
“We better eat these the minute we get home,” Mae muttered. Her hand froze. She stopped abruptly. “There are four giant meatball subs in here. Where’d the other two go?”
A gulping sound had her and Brimstone’s gazes switching suspiciously to Hellreaver.
The weapon quivered innocently against her chest.It’s a Christmas mystery, my witch!
Mae scowled. “Okay, first off, it’s not Christmas yet. Second, you should wipe that cheese off your teeth before you tell a barefaced lie, you sandwich thief!”
Hellreaver vibrated self-consciously.Dammit!
* * *
