Page 16 (2/2)

I forced ht Just really freaked out"

Anyan nodded to o"

It was only when Nell’sshudder to work its way up and through my body For every tiain

Don’t act innocent, slut I know that’s just how your barghest likes it

CHAPTER NINE

I think Dr Saravely

"He ith Arimaced That would explain the red eyes And the fact that the goblin earing only boxer shorts and a fewto be okay?" I asked, from where I sat next to the kelpie She’d taken Anyan’s overstuffed chair, and I was perched on the arm Gus was stretched out on Anyan’s sofa as Caleb and Dr Sam attended to the little stone spirit

"He’ll be fine by toot to him before his brain could swell too gled delightedly and totally inappropriately

"Why on earth did they attack Gus?" Anyan asked He was sitting on his fireplace ledge across the roo away in the littler rocker she apparated everywhere with her "But it was definitely a coordinated attack Phaedra got e went after Gus"

"They weren’t after Gus," I interrupted "They were interested in his rock"

"His rock?" Anyan asked "Why on earth would they want Gus’s rock?"

"Why on earth would they want Gus?" Trill countered, voicing ere all secretly thinking

"A great big fucking Zen garden?" Dr Sam questioned the universe

"Maybe," I conceded to our stoned doctor’s wisdo on or inside that rock we’ve never noticed I’ it is, or it houses, one of the locks We need to check it out, carefully"

Caleb nodded "Definitely But how about in theanywhere Plus, I left Iris alone"

None of us missed the plaintive note in his voice, and Nell so, Caleb Thank you for your help"

Caleb’shis good-byes After which Nell apparated hiic, tousled-blond hair, and enorhed, jealously

Then I nearly jurip ently Anyan (to whom, I reminded myself for about the twentieth time, I need to attach a bell) tilted my head away from him to reveal the vulnerable shell of my ear, just a little, as he leaned doard me My whole body shivered

And not in a way that has anything to do with Grae around discontentedly

"Don’t leave with the others," Anyan growled into ot up froave me a cheeky side-eye Then she went and whispered to Nell

"Can we leave Gus here for the night?" the gno at Trill’s words as she stood up fro chair She walked over to the stone spirit, placing a small hand on his forehead "I could apparate him, but he’s so peaceful And I’m not entirely sure where he sleeps"

"It’s fine, Nell Let hie the back of my neck in a way that neither ue with My eyes closed asand possessive, and I felt almost hypnotized by my desire to subht, dislodging Anyan’s hand with the force of my movement He cast , had ended up ass over teakettle fro, scaly green liled around his head

Nell sighed and wiggled her fingers Dr Sam poofed out, no doubt apparated back to A Then the little wooodbyes to us and poofed away herself and the kelpie