Page 47 of Found in Obscurity

“Yes. But you have the mental faculties to think logically and calm yourself down. He’s all base instincts and emotions. He’s terrified.”

She reached a hand toward Kit to stroke him, and the fox had the nerve to turn and cuddle up to her, teeth clamping around her wide sleeve and pulling in the direction of the table.

“Are you scared, little one?” she asked, following Kit’s lead back to the weird letters on his table. “Did you see who did it?”

Kit straightened up at the words, turning once and whining up at her.

“You did?” she asked as if she understood him perfectly. “So who was it? Did you see where they went? Can you maybe point us in the right direction?”

Kit sat his butt down, gluing himself to the floor and freezing in place. He wasn’t even blinking. He was just…there.

Lorin frowned and exchanged a look with his grandmother. “What does that mean?”

“Well…he’syourfamiliar, so you’d know better what his body language means,” she said, throwing the hot potato of blame at him.

“It’s been less than two weeks!” Lorin said, staring at Kit, who looked at him from the corner of his eye, not moving an inch.

Not moving an inch.

Kit had frozen when Grandma had asked where the intruder had gone…

“Are you saying the person is still in here?” Lorin asked slowly, fearfully, and Kit hopped up, turning in place again, just like earlier. “They never left?”

Another spin.

Lorin jerked his gaze back to his grandma who, apparently, finally realized the situation wasn’t a joke. She put her finger on her lips and turned with narrowed eyes, staff held tightly in her marked hand, scanning the small room. She made a motion with her hand and sent Sjena silently gliding around to double-check. The raven came back with zero reactions to anything.

It was clear nobody was in the room with them, but the bathroom, two closed bedrooms, and the magic room were all very real possibilities.

She creakily crouched next to Kit, motioning for Lorin to join her. They huddled their heads together and she turned to the fox.

“Kit, can you mark the room the intruder is in?” she asked, whispering so they could barely hear what she was saying.

Kit tilted his head and remained in place.

“I don’t think he understands,” she said.

Lorin gulped against the ball in his throat. “Or…they’re here in the room.”

“You’re not back on the haunted house theory, are you?”

“Do you have a better explanation?” he hissed at her, glaring.

She gave him one of her looks that meant she did not appreciate his attitude. Not even in the face of possible death.

“Not at the moment,” she said, standing up with the help of her staff. “But even if the placewashaunted. I sense nothing malevolent here. An evil spirit can’t hide evil intent.”

“The message!”

“Could be anything. Just like the shadow under your bed when you were twelve,” she said, hobbling toward the front door.

Lorin chased after her, yelling, “And just like then, that isn’t at all comforting or helpful!”

“You’ll be fine, Lorin. Try to get some rest.”

“You’re leaving?” Lorin gasped incredulously. “After you agreed there’s something weird going on, you’re leaving!”

“You’re a witch now, Lorin. Do you need me to solve all your problems?” she asked with an imperious look. “I sense nothing dark here, so that means there’s something else going on.”