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“When I came up with the first three books, the beast mark was bothering me. I wonder if it has anything to do with that.”

Dewey’s thick eyebrows squashed together, and he tapped his nose horn as he considered it. “Let’s take a look at the wound and see if anything has changed.”

Paige nodded and set the books on top of the stack near her armchair. She tugged her hoodie up, gathering it into her fingers in a bunch around her neck.

“How’s it look?” She craned her neck to glance behind her.

Dewey’s eyes went wide, and his jaw gaped. He fluttered back a foot, his front feet kicking out in front of him. After a moment, he pressed his lips together and swallowed hard.

“Dewey?” Paige questioned.

“Ehhh, not great.”

Paige furrowed her brow, trying to catch a glimpse of the wound hidden by the bulky sweatshirt. “Not great? What does that mean?”

“Kinda looks worse than before. Nothing to panic over, but…”

“But what?” Paige shook her head and fought to tug her arms from the sweatshirt. “Wait, let me get this thing off and see for myself.”

She pulled the shirt over her head after freeing her arms and tossed it on the armchair, twisting her neck to catch a glimpse of the wound.

“Really, Paige, it’s not worth it. Let me get some research done–”

“Not worth it?” Paige interrupted him. “If this is worse and was the reason I passed out, I think it’s worth a look.”

“I mean, it could be the reason,” Dewey said, sticking a paw on his hip and waving the other around nonchalantly.

Paige cocked her head, staring at him.

Dewey held his paws in the air. “Okay, okay, let me get a mirror.”

He flitted from the room and returned with a mirror clutched in his paws.

Paige retrieved her compact mirror from her tote bag and popped it open as he flew behind her. She aimed the mirror over her shoulder and nodded at him. “Okay, hold it up.”

“Are you certain this is necessary?” Dewey asked, letting the mirror dangle at his side.

“Dewey!”

“Okay, okay, fine. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” He raised the mirror, aiming it at the wound on her back.

“Up a little. I can’t see anything but my lower back.”

Dewey tilted the mirror higher, his lips pulling back into a wince as the image hit Paige’s tiny makeup mirror.

She gasped as the wound came into view. A few days ago, it had been red with green edges from an infection. No amount of antibacterial ointment had healed it, though the infection had been kept at bay.

She arched an eyebrow as she continued to study the latest developments. The green edges had faded, though the angry scarlet color remained. But now, black tentacles reached from the center of the wound toward her porcelain skin.

They appeared to pulsate with each beat of her heart.

“Oh my God! What the hell is that?” she shrieked, her fingers tightening around her mirror as she stared into it.

“I’m not certain. But in the good news column, the green infected stuff seems to be gone.”

“Oh, yeah, great. The infection is gone. And replaced by…“ Paige pressed her lips together, crinkling her brow as she shook her head and waved a hand in the air, trying to summon the words. “This!”

Dewey lowered the mirror and fluttered closer to her. He stared at the wound, reaching a finger out to touch the black tentacles. “Whoa!”