Page 35

I pulled two of my daggers free, holding them with a precise grasp, then peered around the corner. “Binx?” I whispered, speaking as quietly as possible.

Binx gave me a thumbs up and then crept out onto the street, leading us across the street to an alleyway. It was tight and cramped, and just held fire escapes for surrounding buildings and trash bins.

Something furry was sniffing bags of trash that spilled out of a plastic trash can that had tipped over—the source of the crash, probably.

I squinted trying to pick out the details of the furry body. “Is that…a dog?”

The dog—it looked like some kind of German shepherd mix with its triangular ears and black and brown coloring, except it was much smaller and weighed at most forty pounds—looked up from the trash cans and whined.

“Not a werewolf, for certain,” Binx said. “Too small, not fierce enough looking. Also, he smells better.”

Werewolves were massive—closer to the size of a pony than a dog—and they were way more muscled. This lost pooch was clearly a dog.

“He looks like a good boy,” Tetiana observed.

Binx took a step closer, which made the dog take a tiny step backwards. “I think it’s wearing a collar. It must be someone’s missing pet. I’ll call it in to Sarge.” She picked her radio off her belt.

“We should catch him,” Tetiana said.

Binx paused with the radio raised halfway to her mouth. “Why?”

“Because he’s lost, and he might get hurt before the humans get him,” Tetiana said.

Hardnosed Binx apparently was a softy for animals because she lowered the radio and stared at the dog.

As one, Tetiana and Binx glanced at me.

They must think I’m going to vote against it.

I tried to open my mouth and tell them that I would be happy to help capture the dog, but—my face hidden by my blank mask—I opened and closed my mouth a few times. I couldn’t figure out what to say.

Think of a work way to say it, I desperately thought.Think of work! If it’s for work, I can talk.

“We should be slow to approach him,” I said. “Or we might freak him out.”

“It will be easy—we’re supernaturals!” Tetiana strolled towards the dog.

Binx skulked after her, her movements more liquid as she stuck to the side of the alleyway.

I sheathed my daggers and stayed where I was at the entrance, so I could make sure the dog wouldn’t escape between the two.

“Nice doggy,” Tetiana crooned as she held out a hand.

The dog nervously curled his tail tight against his rump, whining a little as he looked from Binx to Tetiana.

Tetiana took a step closer. “Can I look at your collar—wait!”

The dog took off down the alley, abandoning the trash.

Binx and Tetiana jumped for him at the same time and collided in a heap.

“Would you watch where you’re jumping?” Binx snarled.

“I jumped first,” Tetiana complained as she disentangled herself from the werecat.

I jogged past the duo, popping out of the far end of the alleyway in time to see the dog racing up the street. “I’ve got a visual,” I said. “Someone give Sarge an update.”

“On it,” Binx growled.