Page 152 of Axis of Fire

After that, more Raars began emerging from behind bushes, trees, and flowerbeds.

One after another.

“We didn't recognize you,” said the coral-colored star.

Unfortunately, Raars didn't believe in names.

“Your scent changed.”

“What?”

I frowned and glanced toward Gwen.

She had already climbed onto the bar counter and was examining the metal pole supporting the canopy above it.

“You didn't notice I smell different?”

“Well, you were wearing someone else's clothes before, so yeah.” Gwen nodded while lifting the canopy free from the pole. “But right now? No. Why?”

I stepped over to help her steady it.

“The Raars say they didn't recognize me because my scent changed.”

A strange chill crept down my spine.

Spirits had always recognized me before.

Always.

Then I frowned.

“Why do we even need this pole?”

“I'm thinking we can use it to fish that thing out of the pool.”

With a final shove, the pole clattered onto the grass.

“There are proper tools inside the house,” a yellow-starred Raar chimed in.

“The net is by the entrance.”

After relaying the message, I headed toward the glass doors.

Thankfully, they weren't locked.

“We thought those people had come back,” said the red-headed star.

I stopped.

“So you really did see what happened here?”

By the time I returned with the skimmer net, Gwen had already stolen it from my hands.

Naturally.

“There were four people,” the green-headed star began. “Three men and one woman.”

“They seemed to know nobody was home,” the yellow one added.