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Anyan and I stalked about the backyard, his big nose twitching as he smelled the air

"Seems clean," he rumbled as alked the borderline between the rass that constituted the rest of the country property

I nodded ave way to trees I could have sworn I saw so "Anyan, there’s a path"

And so there was, cutting through the brush It appeared to loop back into the trees behind the house

The barghest took the lead, using both ical probes and scents carried on the wind to scout our way down the slender trail

"Water," he s I couldn’t yet see that made sense only e rounded a corner and suddenly, in front of us, there was another s a pond It was obviously a swi out of the water streith pool noodles and two fancy floaties It was a beautiful spot, unn of our friends

We sighed and I walked toward the dock I was starting to realize that I really, really wasn’t brave I was the girl who always sat in the back of the theater, eyes hidden under her coat, thinking at the heroine of the horror film, Don’t open that door! Don’t you dare open that door! Why would you? Oh the door…

And yet, there I was, creeping out onto the wood of the dock, waiting for so, Why a out on this dock? Why would I do this? Who walks out on the dock?!

But nothing happened, and I was safe Not least because Anyan watched th into

He could probably s the warrior

I finally crept out to the end of the dock and slowly, carefully peered over the edge There was nothing: no bodies, no Conleth, no nothing Just a ard floatie, half inflated

"You’re doing great, Jane," Anyan’s voice ruheart as I turned to find hiave hest’s control broke and he chuckled "Sorry Can’t help it Used to walking quietly"

"Yes, well, Mr McCreeperson, let’s not sneak up on Jane Or Janeto yourself in the third person? That’s weird"

"You’re weird"

We paused, and then se I liked the way the skin around his eyes crinkled into crow’s feet when he s my reverie

"H his head toward the opposite side of the little glade

"Crap," I said, et there, Anyan grabbed my arm

"Jane, I just want to tell you that I’reat I know you’re scared, but you’re fighting it That’s all any of us can do"

I blushed, ducking my face "Thanks, Anyan," I replied, as we set off toward the other end of the path