Page 9 of Something Handsome This Way Comes

“Speaking of guesses, you said you had one. Back by the tracks.”

The Chimera nodded. “I scented something unusual.”

“Unusual how?”

“I cannot tell you what creature it was. Which is the unusual part.”

That… was surprising. Very surprising. Grievance had lived hundreds of lives. He’d worn more forms than Milo could possibly imagine. To encounter a scent he didn’t recognize…

That never happened.

“You’re saying you’ve never been whatever this creature is?”

Grievance slowly shook his head. “I don’t believe so.”

“…Wow.” Milo leaned back against the workbench. “So what can you tell?”

Grievance closed his eyes for a moment, recalling the scent.

“It hatched.”

Milo blinked. “What?”

“I smelled calcified shell.” He tapped his own nose. “And the membrane that surrounds young before they emerge.” He frowned thoughtfully. “It was pretty strong.”

“So…” Milo slowly pieced it together. “It came from an egg.”

“Yes.”

“And…” Grievance smiled softly. “It is very young.”

“How young?”

“A week. Perhaps two.”

Milo’s heart gave a painful little squeeze.

“…Poor thing.”

He imagined something no bigger than Marigold wandering through unfamiliar woods, accidentally freezing everything in sight while desperately trying to survive.

As though sensing Milo’s aching heart, Grievance reached across the workbench, resting a warm hand over Milo’s.

“We’ll find it. We’ll get it somewhere safe before anyone hurts it.”

Milo smiled. “I know.”

“Pip will help!” The bright blue spider scurried along one of the exposed ceiling beams overhead. “Pip protect Nestmaker.” His tiny front legs shot into the air dramatically. “In case baby egg animal attack.”

Grievance looked at Milo, who rolled his eyes.

“Thank you, Pip.”

The words left both of them at exactly the same time. They stared at one another, then burst into laughter.

Pip spun in a confused circle. “What funny?”

They laughed harder.