Page 75 of Autumn L.A.W

Cal smirked. “Good luck explaining the lion.”

“He’s on sabbatical,” Lioness said. “He’ll only show up if the nurse tries to eat me.”

As they stepped back into the hallway, Sahara glanced at Ezra. “Thank you.”

“For…?”

“Appealing to my reason. Encouraging me to investigate before going ballistic.”

He shrugged lightly. “You did the hard part.”

Outside, the city buzzed, unconcerned with ancient entities or broken legs.

Sahara walked beside Ezra, holding his hand, her pace easier than it had been in days.

“This feels manageable,” she said.

Ezra nodded. “Good. That’s how you know it’s working.”

Ezra’s place was quiet.

Not magically quiet. Just orderly. Thoughtful. The kind of silence that existed because nothing was demanding attention.

Sahara stood just inside the door, taking it in. Bookshelves lined one wall, organized without being obsessive. A worktable sat near the window, bare except for a notebook, a pen, and a reference book. No wards flared. No house sounds asserted themselves.

“This is lovely,” she said, somewhat surprised.

Ezra set his keys down. “It behaves.”

She snorted. “Lucky you. Our house tosses you out on your ear if it doesn’t like your attitude.”

“And yet it lets Rayna reside there.”

“Because she’d redecorate it in dungeon chic, if it didn’t.”

He smiled faintly and gestured her further inside. “Sit, if you want. Or don’t. I make a terrible host. I’ve never really tried to make anyone comfortable.”

Sahara settled onto the edge of the couch. It didn’t creak. It didn’t react. It simply sat there.

She exhaled.

Ezra noticed.

“That,” he said gently, “is why I brought you here.”

She looked at him. “For the quiet?”

“For the option,” he corrected. “The mansion is powerful. But it’s also loud. And I’m not just talking about the building. When things spiral, it doesn’t always leave room to breathe.”

Sahara leaned back, staring at the ceiling. “That might be the understatement of the century.”

He hesitated, then spoke with deliberate care. “You’re welcome here. Any time. No explanation required. If the mansion becomes chaos and you need a place where nothing wants anything from you, this door is open.” He handed her a key.

She swallowed. “That’s not nothing,” she said quietly.

“No,” Ezra agreed. “It’s choosing when to engage. I’m fine with your coming and going at will.”

She turned her head, studying him. “You don’t say things like that lightly.”