“Because it ends?”
“Yes,” he said. He drank his cocoa to avoid having to say more.
Nancy Drew toddled around the backyard as fast as an old dog could toddle, happily sniffing and snuffling as she went.
They finished their cocoa in silence.
Erin took Andy’s empty mug. “Everything ends, Andy. It’s just a matter of time—and how you want to spend it.” She whistled for the dog.
Nancy Drew attempted to run to Erin, but settled for ambling instead.
“Goodnight, Andy.”
He wanted to reach for her just then, take the mugs from her hands and let them fall to the damp earth, wrap her up in his wings and let the moment last forever. Instead, he stepped aside to let her pass. “Goodnight. I’ll come inside in a little bit,” he added.
The door closed.
Andromalius unfurled his wings and shot into the sky. If he could just fly fast enough, he could leave himself behind. He surged higher and higher, the streetlights shrinking with distance as he pulled away from the ground and everything on it.
At the top of the arc of his flight, he hung in the air, orienting himself before plunging from the sky at a startling speed toward where he suspected he would find Phoenix.
Andy pounded on the door, ignoring the “Trespassers Will Be Cursed” sign.
A dog barked, then a female voice echoed from within the house. “Hold your horses.”
The door opened. Raya leaned against the doorframe, attempting to restrain a large black dog who was trying its best to leap on Andy. “What are you doing here?”
“May I come in?” It paid to be polite to the witch who had enough raw power to send him hurtling back to the Waiting Room.
“Knock yourself out,” she said, hauling the dog backwards to allow Andy to pass. “Don’t mind Blaze. She’s just a big old softie.”
Andy eyed the dog, then entered to find Phoenix sprawled on Raya’s couch. “Thought I’d find you here.”
“You’re just in time,” said Phoenix. “We were going to play a board game.”
Raya released Blaze, who bounded happily to Phoenix and laid her large head on his chest.
Andy’s eyebrows shot up. “I thought you could barely be in the same room without arguing with or insulting each other.”
“There will be plenty of insults, trust me. Isn’t that right, you unscrupulous witch?”
“I’ll crush you, spawn of Satan.” She opened the Monopoly box and unfolded the board.
Andy looked from the witch to the demon and back again.
He didn’t have time for whatever this was.
“Phoenix, get up. We’re leaving.”
“What, now?”
“Yes, now.”
“I don’t want to.” Phoenix pushed out his lower lip and pouted. “I want to play Monopoly.”
“Phoenix … ” Andy let the undertone of his voice slide into a range inaudible to humans.
Blaze jumped up and barked.
