Page 7 of Gray Dawn

“I’m aware.” I had seen Clay through times like these over and over again. “I’m not giving up on him.”

“Of course you’re not.” A smile hooked up one side of his mouth. “Neither would your mother.”

The reminder I hadn’t seen her had me craning my neck, searching for her. “Where is Mom?”

“Meg is drafting the contract for Calixta.” He lowered his arm. “Your mother is assisting.”

A swirl of complex emotions spun through me as it sank in this was what it meant to have parents. Good parents. People who loved you no matter what. I was lucky to have them. To get this chance to forge the relationship we could have had if the director hadn’t ruined all our lives in one fell swoop.

“Everyone has a job.” I angled my face toward him. “Except for me.”

“Your job is to stay alive until we can unbind your magic.”

“I can’t sit on the sidelines.” I gazed out across the sea. “I have to do something, or I’ll go insane.”

“That’s why I’m here.”

“To babysit me so I can’t run off and do something stupid?”

“Children are more likely to rebel against their parents than their friends.” He brushed an errant curl out of his eyes. “Your friends are more than happy to protect you, even from yourself.”

“Okay.” I dragged out the word. “What does that leave for you to do?”

“Not me.” He cut me a look.“Us.”

“A father-daughter mission. I like it. What arewegoing to do?”

“We’re going to destroy that dark artifact before it destroys you.” His wings unfurled on a fetid breeze. “And, if we have time left after that, find Luca and stop her before she exposes our world to humans.”

“Blay come too.” His appearance startled me as he slung his arm around my shoulders. “Keep Rue safe.”

Inclining his head, Dad showed him respect that warmed me. “I would expect nothing less.”

“Rue’s dad?” He raised his arms over his head. “Upsies.”

As Dad’s lips parted on an answer that would surely break Blay’s heart, I elected to negotiate.

“Once around the camp?” I pleaded with Dad. “That gives me time to make the rounds before we go.”

“All right.” Dad drew his wand with a thoughtful expression. “How do you feel about mice?”

“Blay like bunnies.” He made long ears behind his head with his fingers. “Blay fly now?”

Faster than I could tell Dad to watch where he was pointing that thing, he tapped the end of Blay’s nose, transforming him into a crimson bunny with black rosettes. The bunny’s burnt-crimson eyes swiveled up to me, and he leapt into my arms.

“You turned him into a bunny.” I stroked his velvety fur. “Abunny.”

“A mouse would have fit in my pocket,” Dad lamented. “Either way, he’s easier to carry now.”

“Are you sure you want to go through with this?” I lifted Blay to eye level, searching for signs of distress. “Twitch your nose once for yes and twice for no.”

His adorable nose twitched a mile a minute, which told me nothing.

“We’ll be fine.” Dad took him from me and tucked him under one arm. “Hurry back.”

On my way to update my lieutenants, I stumbled across Derry and Marita.

They paused their whatever they were doing to sniff in my general direction, and I parted my lips.