Page 174 of Beasts of Mine

The difference between those two things mattered, and it was something all three of us needed to understand if this had any chance of working.

“So we learn.” I told Malek as both men looked toward me.

“Learn what?” Malek asked, the line between his brows easing slightly as his attention shifted fully in my direction.

“Her life.” I answered Malek as I glanced from him to Tavian. “Enough of it that if she keeps choosing us, we don't make everything outside this forest harder for her.”

Tavian considered that for approximately three seconds before his expression suddenly became serious.

“Airports.” Tavian said, sounding as though he'd identified the single greatest obstacle facing us.

I stared at him, genuinely unable to follow the jump.

“Why did you go directly to airports?” I asked Tavian as the corner of his mouth started twitching.

“Travel.” Tavian replied as he gestured toward the forest beyond the shutters, apparently finding the reasoning obvious. “She travels. Airports happen.”

“They sound terrible.” Malek said as he rested one forearm against the table, his expression remaining entirely serious.

“You've never been in one.” I reminded Malek, looking toward him while Tavian's grin widened.

“That doesn't improve how they sound.” Malek answered, the dry certainty in his voice making Tavian laugh loudly enough that a bird outside the window answered with an irritated call. The humor loosened something that had been sitting heavily over the table. There was far more to Evie's human life than any of us knew how to navigate yet, and most of it couldn't be figured out without her.

“We're getting ahead of ourselves.” I told Tavian when he started speculating about what he'd need to take with him, lifting one hand before his imagination carried the conversation any farther into a trip that didn't exist.

“I was being prepared.” Tavian protested as he leaned back in his chair, looking genuinely offended that I'd interrupted what he apparently considered useful planning.

“You were planning a trip Evie hasn't invited you on.” I reminded Tavian, raising one eyebrow when his mouth opened to argue.

“Luca's right.” Malek told Tavian as he took another drink of water, his quiet certainty ending the argument before Tavian could build momentum.

Tavian looked between us, realized he was outnumbered, and released a dramatic sigh before slumping farther into his chair. My gaze moved toward the worktable near the window, where a damp line marked the stone from rain that had blown through during the night. Whatever happened months from now could wait, because there were smaller things in front of us that didn't require guessing at Evie's future.

“Help me with the table.” I told Malek as I stood and caught one end of the heavy wooden surface, already judging the distance between it and the drier interior wall. Malek rose immediately and took the opposite side without needing another explanation, while Tavian remained in his chair and watched us with growing suspicion.

“What are we doing?” Tavian asked as Malek and I lifted the table, his gaze traveling from us toward the empty stretch of wall behind me.

“Moving the table.” I answered Tavian while adjusting my grip beneath the edge.

“I can see that.” Tavian replied as he finally stood and moved the chair out of our path. “Why?”

“Rain comes through that window when the wind changes.” I explained to Tavian as Malek and I shifted the table toward the interior wall, lifting the legs high enough that they didn't scrape across the stone. “If Evie uses a laptop here, it shouldn't be sitting somewhere water can reach it.”

“You just accused me of planning imaginary trips.” Tavian pointed out as we lowered the table and he carried the chair after us.

“Moving furniture six feet is not planning an imaginary trip.” I corrected Tavian as I checked that the outlet could still be reached and the table retained enough indirect daylight to be useful.

Tavian looked toward the damp stone beneath the other window and apparently decided I had a point because he stopped arguing. Malek disappeared into storage and returned with another sealed box, setting it beneath the newly positioned table before crouching beside it.

“This one?” Malek asked as he ran one thumb along the edge of the lid, his eyes lifting toward me while he waited.

“Good.” I answered Malek as I crouched beside him and checked the gasket. “Leave it empty.”

Malek glanced from me to the cleared space beneath the table, understood what I meant without needing it explained, and slid the container neatly beside the one already there. Tavian returned several minutes later carrying folded blankets stacked against his chest. The moment I saw where his eyes were aimed, I knew exactly what he intended to do.

“What?” Tavian asked as he stopped in the doorway, shifting the blankets higher when the top one started sliding and catching my expression before I'd said anything.

“Where are those going?” I asked Tavian, already knowing the answer while he tightened his arms around the stack.