Rook's reaction was immediate and visceral. He lunged forward, placing himself between me and Fenric, claws partially extending as he stared at Horrace with undisguised alarm.
"Winter," his voice was dangerously controlled, "step away from the inter-dimensional abomination."
"First of all, rude," I subconsciously cradled Horrace closer. "Second, this is Horrace. He's the monster we were sent to bring home."
"You were supposed to LOCATE the entity, not ADOPT it!" Fenric's eye was twitching so rapidly it looked like he was sending Morse code. "Bureau protocol explicitly prohibits unauthorized inter-dimensional entity transport!"
"He's not an 'it,'" I corrected, feeling Horrace tremble slightly against me. Through our connection, I sensed his anxiety, his fear of rejection. "And he's part of the prophecy trial."
Rook approached cautiously, his amber eyes never leaving Horrace. "That thing is dangerous, Winter. Its molecular structure isn't compatible with our reality."
"He," I emphasized, "has been living in our reality for years. And he likes Broadway musicals."
As if on cue, Horrace hummed a few bars of "Memory" from Cats.
Rook actually took a step back. "It sings?"
"Among other talents," Milo chimed in helpfully. "You should see his jazz hands!"
Fenric was rapidly typing something into his tablet, his fingers practically blurring with speed. "This is unprecedented. We need a Level 5 containment unit, specialized inter-dimensional stabilizers, a reality anchor..."
"We don't need any of that," I interrupted, stroking Horrace soothingly as I felt his distress growing. "He's stable. My prophetic energy is helping him maintain form. That's why the prophecy wanted me to find him."
"The prophecy wanted you to bring it home," Rook corrected. "Not adopt it as a pet."
Horrace made a sound that could only be described as indignant, several tentacles crossing in a huff.
"We're still working on the home part," I admitted. "Horrace got lost years ago. He belongs with a little girl named Emma. We need to find her."
"This keeps getting better," Fenric muttered, still typing. "Now we need to locate a human who may or may not still exist, who may or may not want her inter-dimensional pet back."
"At least get in the vehicle," Rook insisted, glancing around the empty street with obvious wariness. "We're exposed here."
I couldn't argue with that logic and moved toward the SUV, Horrace vibrating nervously against my neck. "It's okay," I whispered to him. "They're just startled. They'll warm up to you."
Through our connection, I felt his doubt, but also his trust in me. One tentacle curled around my wrist, right over my prophetic markings, drawing comfort from their glow.
As we drove back toward my apartment, the atmosphere in the SUV was tense enough to crack glass. Fenric drove with military precision, occasionally glancing in the rearview mirror to stare at Horrace with undisguised horror. Rook sat rigidly in the passenger seat, his posture screaming alert as he frequently turned to check on us, or more specifically, on Horrace.
Chapter
Sixteen
Winter
"So," Milo broke the uncomfortable silence on the way back, "how was the anomaly at the park?"
"Contained," Rook was terse.
"It was a magical leaking hydrant," Fenric elaborated stiffly. "Someone had enchanted it to spray rainbow water that turned people into their spirit animals temporarily. Relatively minor, as it turned out."
"Oh, that sounds fun!" Milo's enthusiasm seemed to physically pain Fenric, whose eye twitched again.
I could kiss him.
"It was not 'fun.' It was a violation of at least twenty-seven Bureau regulations regarding public magical displays and unauthorized transformation spells."
Horrace, who had been quiet until now, suddenly perked up at the mention of transformations. He made a curious trilling sound, and I felt his interest spike through our connection.
