Page 88 of Gray Dawn

“There’s nounless.” I gathered his large hands in mine. “No ifs, ands, or buts either.”

Confusion charted a course across his features. “I don’t understand.”

“Dad and I bound the director’s magic. He has no control over you.”

“Clay do what he wants,” Blay explained. “Like Blay.”

“That’s not possible.” His fingers went limp. “A golem always has a master.”

“He could walk up to you on the street, beg you to save him from Calixta, and you could tell him no.”

“Clay.” Colby sailed onto his head and leaned down to put them eye to eye. “You’refree.”

A sob cracked his chest like a boulder splitting. He pressed a hand where his heart ought to beat, but he couldn’t hold inthe sound. He rocked himself, arms wrapped tight around his middle, while Colby caressed his brow. Tears poured down his cheeks, and he was helpless but to let them fall.

“Come here.” I pulled his head down onto my shoulder and rocked with him. “It’s going to be okay.”

“Am I dreaming?” He hiccupped against my neck. “Is this real?”

“One hundred percent.” I kissed his cheek. “You’re safe now. You’reyounow. Forever.”

“I love you, Dollface. I don’t say it half as often as I should, but I do. Thank you.”

“It was a group effort. I can’t take all the credit.” I squeezed him close. “I love you too, you know.”

“Yeah, well.” Colby dropped a kiss on top of his head then glided over to nuzzle me. “I love you both.”

“Blay loves everybody,” he announced. “Everybody loves Blay?”

“We love you both too,” Clay and I said in tandem, as if we had rehearsed it.

“Good.” Colby twitched her wings as her attention snagged on the sky. “Then we should get going.”

“Yes,” he gusted out, standing in a rush. “Let’s go…find a trash can for those guns.”

A shadow blotted out the sun, and Clay spun with a clenched fist until he spotted its owner.

“Moran,” he breathed, his expression somehow eager and miserable at once.

A stream of water nailed him between the eyes as she came in for a landing, her pistol-sized squirter in hand.

“Not you too?” He groaned as he wiped his face dry. “I thought you were here to save me.”

“I am.” She shot him again, point-blank. “From yourself.”

“That’s our cue to leave.” I hugged him quick then stepped back, summoning my wings. “Colby?”

Stubbornly, she clung to him. “Do I have to?”

“Yes.” I opened the neck of my shirt. “Climb in.”

As she sailed over, she shouted, “I love you, Clay.”

Bouncing on the balls of his feet, Blay yelled, “Blay loves Clay too.”

“Dial it down, you two.” I couldn’t stop my smile. “We’ll see him again in like ten minutes.”

As Blay watched Colby disappear, where she settled against my chest and looped her arms through my bra strap, an idea struck him, lighting up his face.