Page 46 of Seer

Felix

Can Steve and I can help you with any part of that?

No, but thanks for offering

Felix

[GIF of two cats hugging]

Steve

Helen Hunt’s handbasket, dude! Are you in danger from this killer?

I don’t think so. So far it’s gone after paranormal beings like the shifter I told you about

Steve

Okay, well if Felix and I can’t help you with that, can we at least beat the crap out of Greg? And you know I know a former hitman. I’m sure he’d come out of retirement if I asked him to

Thanks, but no, lol. I’m going to figure out how to get magic-divorced, but the killer is more of a priority right now

Thanks for chatting with me, y’all. I just needed to be normal for a few minutes.

Felix

Any time, and Greg is an idiot. I’m *very* disappointed in him!

Steve

We’re here for you, man

Texting with Felix and Steve had put me back on a more even keel. I was braced to deal with Greg and Edgar again.

And I had my to-do list.

I locked my phone and got out of the truck. There was a trash can by the elevator, so I got back in and scooped up the coffee cups and bakery bag from the floorboards. The bits of trash in the bed of the truck would have to wait until I could go to the car wash, but cleaning up the cab gave me a small feeling of accomplishment.

I dodged no less than three twenty-something bro-dudes on the way to Greg’s apartment. Nesting aside, I completely understood why he was moving. This apartment building didn’t fit him at all.

I walked in to find Edgar ordering Chinese food. He queried my preferences then submitted the order.

“Okay,” he said. “We have thirty minutes before the food gets here. What can we get done?”

I said, “I want Greg to ask my questions to the other DMs. Then I want us to look at the info I found on thebordaand see if we think that could be what we’re facing or if there are any other possibilities.”

They both nodded. Edgar went into the kitchen to get us some drinks. Greg and I got out our laptops and set them on the dining table. He sat at one end, and I sat at the other. As far away as we could get.

I texted Greg the questions I wanted him to ask his DM buddies, then I opened the spreadsheet I’d started to document stories of creatures who used fog to kill or camouflage themselves. It was painfully sparse.

Edgar set the glass of ice water I’d requested down beside me. I thanked him. He’d poured himself a glass of wine.

“Tell me about thisbordacreature,” he said, sitting down next to me.

I grimaced. “There just isn’t much information about them. Or her. I’m not sure if there’s supposed to be more than one. But abordais always a woman, and she’s usually blindfolded for some reason. If you met her, she would kill you, but none of the information I’ve found so far says how she kills people. The tales were used to scare children so they wouldn’t go near swamps or foggy places.”

Edgar made a face. “That seems pretty thin. I don’t think it’s enough to decide definitively whether our fog monster is aborda.”

I spread out my hands. “It’s all I can find.”