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“I only need one more, across the top.”

He looked over his shoulder at the unconscious woman, then rushed to kneel next to Atta. He removed the other binding rope and deftly began tying another Celtic knot around the top of the cage. “Will this hold?” His breath was hot on her cheek.

“It should bind it in place, but I don’t know for how long. I should have spent more time?—”

“Now is not the time for regrets.” He took the lantern and pulled her up. “That woman is still breathing and free from possession because of you.”

She looked up at him, her bottom lip wobbling. His face fell and he hauled her roughly against him with one arm and kissed the top of her head. “We have to go.”

Atta

Atta cradled a cup of tea in her hands. She hadn’t taken a sip, but she relished the warmth against her fingers. Still, an hour later, she was chilled to the bone.

Thatthingfloated in its hollowed-out lantern cage on the coffee table, wings moving so quickly they were just a blur.

“We need to move it,” Sonder said gently.

He was right. Who knew what it was taking in. If it could report back somewhere. “Keep it away from the hawthorn.” Her voice came out rough, haggard. “Away from your parents.”

She didn’t have to explain. Sonder knew as well as she did that it needed a conducive environment to maintain its strength, to thrive.

He rose and silently picked up the cage, holding it out in front of him as he left the room.

When he came back, he told her he’d put it in the wine cellar. Deep underground, but without the mycelium of its species, it wouldn’t have a way out. At least she hoped that was true.

The phone rang, and Sonder looked puzzled for a moment before going to answer it.

Atta couldn’t hear the person on the other side more than the distant hum drum of a voice.

“Gibbs,” Sonder finally interrupted. “Slow down.”

Atta turned, still living in a daze. Gibbs? Why was Gibbs calling Sonder at home?

“Yes, I understand.”

He hung up and returned to Atta’s side. “Gibbs?” she asked.

Sonder sighed. “The short truth is that he is in the Society, Achilles House specifically. I’ll explain when I get back, but I have to go to hospital. The Inhabited or, I suppose,Uninhabitedwoman is in a terrible state of drug withdrawal, and her son called Gibbs?—”

“Your informant?” Her brain was finally catching up.

“One of them. He called Gibbs and said she was alive but he needed help.”

“You can’t go there as you,” she protested.

“I know. Gibbs told him he was sending someone. He didn’t tell the lad I was the man he met today.”

“I’ll go with you,” she said instead ofI don’t want to be alone.

Sonder seemed to be in heavy debate with himself inwardly if the crease between his brows was any indication. “I don’t want to leave you alone with that thing.”

“But someone needs to keep an eye on it,” she finished for him. “You’re right. I need to figure out how to hold it indefinitely. We can’t waste any more time on that front.”

He looked into her eyes for a long moment. “All right. I’ll be back as quickly as I can.”

Alone, the manor felt cold, as scared as she was. A gale hit the house, making it shudder, like it knew what sat beneath it, in its depths, invading it. Murdoch Manor’s new inhabitant.

Atta shivered and went into Sonder’s study to steal one of the three jumpers he’d left lying around. With it on, inhaling the scent of him, she felt safer.