Page 23 of Enter if you Dare: Part Three

“It looks great,” Leni says, and I agree.

We only have two days to complete the Christmas transformation, as Nixie closes the island for forty-eight hours and not a second more. It takes long hours and a lot of work.

“Does anyone know where Khodi went?” Valli looks at her sister sideways after that non-subtle question, and Leni smirks back at her. “What? He’s hot and I deserve a little Christmas cheer.”

Valli shakes her head. “He’ll be helping Clay do the final checks for the night, so feel free to find him. I’m sure after the looks you were trading today, he might want to see you too.”

“Are you sure? I would feel terrible leaving you.”

Valli laughs. “Sure you would. But I have my men to keep me company until you get back.”

Valli wiggles her brows and Leni screws up her nose. “Eww, gross. You could have left that part out.”

“Make sure Khodi brings you back to the shed,” I say sternly. “And don’t walk around in the dark, as you don’t know the island well yet. Or call Valli, and I will come and get you.”

Leni nods solemnly. “Yes, big bro.”

I open my mouth, then snap it shut. I actually like the sound of that, and Valli laughs when I smile. Leni wanders away to hunt for Khodi while Valli and I head back to the shed.

Cipher has beaten us back, but Valli tells us she is taking the first shower, kisses him on the cheek, and drops her bag on his workbench before heading to the bathroom.

“Valli told me about the scarecrow earlier,” he says.

Though I hate going through a woman’s bag, I quickly grab it, careful not to touch anything else. As I hand it to him, he gently takes it, smiling as he looks down. “I have been feeling bad because I keep wondering if maybe that place may be good for him in a way. Though I know it’s stupid, what if it can help him? But I love him exactly the way he is. See? Stupid.”

“It’s not stupid. I sometimes wonder if a doctor could fix me. It wasn’t until we met Valli that I realized people could love me for who I am, and you just want the best for him.”

“You’re not broken, Noa, not even close.”

“Look at us having a moment.”

Cipher smiles and shakes his head.

“That has to go on the shelf,” I say, pointing to the mini scarecrow.

“I agree,” he says, putting it on the shelf above his workbench. We both look at it for a while, where it sits between his coffee jars filled with bolts and other random things he might need one day. It fits.

I chuckle to myself. “He is going to hate that it’s there.”

“He will pretend to hate it.”

The bathroom door opens, and Valli comes out freshly showered, her hair wrapped in a towel. Her eyes go straight to the scarecrow, and she smiles. “Perfect spot.”

“We thought so,” I say.

She comes closer and stands between us, resting her head on Cipher’s shoulder.

“You need to tell us how the visit went today.”

She nods and holds my gaze for a moment, then she tells us everything. Not that there is much to relay from Cave since he doesn’t speak, but at this visit, there was a man named Shawn who filled them in on his progress. Valli also shares how much tension was crackling between Shawn and Nixie, and we come up with a few theories; ideas we will never ask Nixie about because she will never tell us, but it’s fun to guess.

“I brought back leftovers,” Cipher says when Valli finishes telling us about her day and we’ve brainstormed our conspiracy theories.

We heat the food and sit around the table. “I wonder how late Leni will be,” I muse.

Valli whips her head around to face me. “I would much rather not think about that, thank you. It’s hard to believe my sister is a grownup. I don’t like it and plan to have a little chat with Khodi.”

“Chat or threats?” Cipher asks.