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I just need to be friendly.I should tell them they did great and compliment them. Everyone likes compliments, and it will make a good impression.

I opened and closed my mouth a few times, my nerves clogging my throat. I meant to sayI admire how you two worked togetherto finish the fae off.What came out of my mouth was a monotone, “Finished?”

Tetiana and Brody shifted, their carefree air officially dead and buried. “Yes,” Tetiana said with a precise emphasis on the word she used only when she was being formal.

Brody jumped off the troll and got about grabbing the naiad and dragging her over to the pile I had started with the leprechaun and the centaur.

I held in a groan.Why did I say that? I messed up. Again. All that practice in the mirror isn’t helping my social anxiety even a little bit.Disappointed, I tugged the fae noble to his feet and frog marched him over to the growing pile.

Tetiana was studying the belt of Grove’s uniform—likely trying to guess which of the vials attached to it were healing potions—when she abruptly straightened up. “Do you hear that?”

I froze, going quiet. I heard a noise so faintly I couldn’t even identify what it was.

Brody lifted his head and sniffed the air. “I smell…a cat?”

The steady beat of footfalls echoed down the silent street, bouncing off the apartment buildings that boxed in the road.

About a block down I saw another fae noble—a pretty female who had her purple tinted hair arranged in an artful braid—chasing after a black cat.

I didn’t see any insignia on the fae noble’s clothes that gave away her allegiance. Chances were she’d been a part of the fight up on Sapphire Street and got away.

Brody and Tetiana both stiffened and then relaxed when the fae continued to chase the cat across the street, completely ignoring us.

“Should we call it in?” I asked.

Brody rubbed his jaw. “Is there a reason to? She’s not doing anything.”

The heat of the summer air was starting to get to me and sweat dribbled down the side of my face, but I couldn’t wipe it away while my mask was secured. “She’s chasing that cat,” I said.

“Maybe it’s her cat,” Tetiana suggested.

I studied the cat—who was puffed up and ran with the slight arch in her back that cats get when they’re scared. “I don’t think it is.” I adjusted the plastic shell of my mask—it was a standard gray color—easier to blend in with shadows—and only had eye holes. (The eyeholes weren’t really necessary—the mask was spelled by fae so I could see through any part of it. But it did make for better ventilation.)

“Call it in and ask,” Brody said.

I automatically followed the order, reaching for the radio I’d attached to my belt as I started down the street.

The cat led the fae in a chase, weaving around two trash cans that had been put out for garbage collection. Neither the cat nor the fae appeared to notice as I started to approach them.

I pressed the talk button on my radio. “Sarge, did you have any runners from Sapphire Street?” I asked, the words coming out since this was a work situation not a social moment.

“Description?” the Sergeant’s voice crackled over the radio.

“Female fae noble, purple tinted hair, wearing a purple tunic and has a flute secured to her belt—I suspect it’s her magical artifact,” I recited, copying the description format the task force used as I watched the fae make a jump for the cat, who darted around a different trash can.

“Maybe?” the Sergeant said. “Is she causing trouble?”

“She’s chasing a cat,” I said.

“That’s it?”

“The cat is very scared,” I said.

“Sometimes you are shockingly sentimental for a vampire slayer,” the Sergeant said, obviously not sharing my concern.

That was when the fae stopped and yanked the wooden flute from the tie that secured it to the belt of her tunic.

“She’s going to use magic, engaging.” I clipped the radio to my belt then kicked my pace up into a sprint.