Page 15

I’m going back to Ren. I know where Quinny is, and as soon as I tell him, I bet he will return her to us where she is safe. She has always belonged with us, and I will be having words of how she ended up with me instead of staying with him when I see him.

During our month of isolation, she caught me up on what happened. I turn but can’t see her, I catch her scent, and follow it. Maybe she’s worried her shit social work is going to get her again.

Suddenly, Sune goes on full alert and takes over. He sets us off in a sprint just as I catch the scent of her blood. Who the fuck hurt her? As I break through the tree line, I realize she’s alone, slumped on the floor by the rock pool, her blood seeping into the water and earth and a piece of slate in her hand. There is a cut on her right forearm.

I grab her princess style and useing an extra boost from Sune. I sprint to the hospital. The group home is 5 minutes closer, but I doubt they can help her there. Somehow, the cut is starting to heal, and there is a subtle lilac glow to it. As I pass a reflective surface, I notice my hair has also turned Lilac. ‘Great Sune, what’s that mean? Come on, Quinny, wake up so you can explain you’re the smart one here.' I get to the main desk, and the nurse has her back to me.

“Help, please, my friend needs help.” Thank God the nurse is a supe.

“She’s allergic to supe meds, and human stuff doesn’t work. She has wolf blood but can’t shift.” The nurse blinks but one glance at Ember, and she tells me to follow her. She uses butterfly bandages to hold the slash together. That lilac glow disappears if I’m not touching her, so I hold her left hand. Maybe the lilac is healing? Hopefully Ren took some of Mamas books with him so I can work out what makes Sune tick.

Max, the social worker who told me about returning to Ren, turns up, but I refuse to leave until she wakes. I explained that HER social worker was bad news and that she did this because he would be coming for her.

He promises to see what he can do and calls Giovanni to say there has been a delay. He asks about her going with us, but where I’m heading only takes in boys. They will see if they can find somewhere close by, but that could take some time, which Quinny doesn’t really have.