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Shay peeked at him in the corner of her vision. He was staring out the window, the whites of his eyes still splotchedwith pools of blood from broken vessels. The dark lines on the thin skin beneath were finally fading. What happened there, she and Roman had no idea. And they hadn’t had much time to talk about it, either.

She twisted so she could see him better and folded her legs beneath her. It was a little cramped in here for that, but she had to move them—they were tingling. “Those two sure are attached to you,” she said softly, eyeing the lightly dozing dragon and the snoring puppy.

Paxton tore his heavy gaze off the window and scratched Chance’s floppy ears. “Chance keeps me awake at night sometimes. He snores like a chainsaw, but he’s a good boy.” He moved onto Sayagul, lightly dragging the pad of his index finger down the back of her long neck. “Sayagul’s always been there for me. Like Roman. Ever since she was an egg.”

Shay could have sworn she saw the dragon’s mouth lift at the corner.

“Your seal pup is pretty cool,” Paxton said.

Shay smiled. “Thank you.”

“Only one kid in my whole school has a white Familiar. Jake. It’s a lamb. It’s super cute. I’m glad I have a dog and not a wolf like my dad. Skoll scares me.” He shuddered.

“What does your mom have?” Shay already knew the answer, though. She was only making conversation. Kids always ended up with the same Familiar as one of their parents.

“A dog,” Paxton said. “Same kind as Chance.” He lovingly flicked the pup’s drooping left ear, causing him to snort.

“Try it now?” Roman called.

Shay twisted back around, flattened the brake, and turned the key in the ignition.

The car fired to life.

Pax let out a cheer of victory that startled the sleeping animals awake. Chance jumped to his feet and started to woof.

Roman closed the hood.

Finally.

Shay got out, passing him on her way to the passenger’s seat as he gathered his tools.

“You can drive if you want,” he offered.

“No, thanks. I’m too dizzy.” She made for the passenger’s-side door.

“Still bad?” He was peering at her over the roof of the car, looking far too concerned for someone who was supposed to be keeping his distance from her.

Dammit, why couldn’t he just go back to being an asshole?

“I don’t think it’s going away anytime soon.”

“There are painkillers in the glovebox,” Roman said as they got in. “Help yourself.”

Shay did exactly that, squinting in the light that flicked on inside the glovebox. As she rummaged around inside, a small tube caught her eye. She grabbed it and read the label.

“Bubblegum lip balm?” She raised a brow at Roman. “Which poor girl does this belong to?”

“Me,” Roman said, deadpan. “I’m the poor girl it belongs to.”

Paxton snorted in the back seat.

Shay raised her brows—both of them now—higher. “You use bubblegum lip balm?”

“Yeah. You got a problem with that?”

“No, I just…” She scanned him pointedly—the black combat boots, the chains on his tattered black jeans. “Didn’t expect bubblegum flavor. Mayberoadkillorblood-of-your-enemies.”

Paxton was quietly laughing. At least one of them found her funny. It certainly wasn’t the brooding Shadowmaster, whose eye was suddenly twitching.