Page 29 of Gray Dawn

“He’s impressed,” Mom translated for him. “He’s also patting himself on the back for having such a resourceful granddaughter.” She snorted. “He’s proud of you. That’s all.”

“Oh.” Colby quit bristling. “Thanks.” She cuddled into me. “Rue taught me everything I know.” Her brow wrinkled. “Except computer stuff. And phones. And tablets. And?—”

“We get it,” I grumped. “You’re the brains of the operation.”

“You taught me witchy stuff,” she consoled me. “And how to channel my powers.”

“Yeah, yeah.” I rolled my eyes. “Stop while you’re ahead, smarty fuzz butt.”

Her laughter was bright and filled me with gratitude that she was here for me to hear it.

“I mean it.” Her amusement frayed along its edges. “I couldn’t save myself…last time.” She swallowed hard. “Thanks to you, and what you’ve taught me, I was able to escape.”

“You did that on your own.” I stroked her silky head. “I can take credit for the spell, but you were the one who thought to cast it. You kept calm, used that big brain of yours, and saved yourself.”

“Oh.” Her antennae vibrated. “That reminds me. I need to use your computer. Fast. I have to log into my account and wipe my laptop. Clay brought it with us. He didn’t mess with it that I saw, but it’s dangerous for him to have access to it since he knows most of my passwords.”

“I’ll dig around in my bag.” A tingle spread through my cheeks. “I’m sixty-eight percent sure I brought it.”

“That sounds like a made-up number.” Colby groaned. “I’ll use Asa’s if yours got lost.” She sighed. “Again.”

“We should begin.” Asa rubbed her back, over her grimy wings. “We don’t know how long we’ve got.”

“Will the spell still work?” She peered up at Dad. “I was counting on Rue and the familiar bond to activate it.”

“We’re family.” Dad stepped forward. “We can sense each other’s power signatures, if we know them.”

Without a hint of fear, she flew onto his shoulder and settled in. “You can read me. I don’t mind.”

The awkwardness with which he touched me was absent as he settled a gentle hand on her back.

Clenching abdominal muscles aside, I trusted she was safe with him.

A low bark drew my attention to Marita, who tilted her head in question. I shot her a thumbs-up, and she retreated with Derry beside her. Probably eager to shift and join the conversation now that we were all playing nice together.

“The path is faint,” Dad said after a moment, “but she’s powerful.”

“Does that mean you can do it?” Her antennae perked. “We really,reallyneed to get Clay back.”

A text chimed at my hip, and I pulled out my phone to find an update from Isiforos on Luca.

>>We have five new poisonings.

>Where?

>Give me directions, and I’ll head that way.

>>In Dallas.

>>The cleaners confirmed king killer is the culprit.

>Boston, Charlotte, Dallas.

>Luca is flying with this stuff. She has to be. Why else go that route?

>>We don’t know for certain she’s handling it personally.

The reminder was one that usually fell to Clay, but I didn’t let myself dwell.