“Short meeting,” Sirius remarked as they mounted the two horses they’d left tied up outside.

  Amanda shrugged.

  Not far away, a giant wolf took off at a run into the trees while a silver Skyline careened past him and off down the road.

  Amanda watched it go. It was the sort of car Cat liked. She knew because Cat had spent some time rattling off features when Zephyr had first driven up in it. All Amanda could remember was that apparently the original design had been human based. A lot of the best cars were. It contributed to the local’s dislike of them. The Splice had been centuries ago but witches hadn’t forgotten how most of the the humans had treated them, still did if the rumours about Witchaven were to be believed.

  “You think there are more cars around lately?” Amanda asked.

  “Don’t change the subject,” Sirius replied.

  She glanced at him.

  He raised an eyebrow.

  She sighed. “I’ve got a plan for how to help Cat.”

  “Care to share?”

  “I’m going to talk to Coal.”

  “That won’t be free.”

  “I know.” She pulled the reins tight and nudged Clover off down the road.

  Sirius matched her pace with his own horse.

  When he didn’t immediately say anything she added, “But it’s the only way we’re going to get Cat out. He can probably get the trial date brought up as well. I know Falco’s right and there’s no point having a justice system if you don’t let it run its course for better or worse but I don’t want to go to Witchaven without her, and I know Cat’s tough but she’s pregnant and prison is so not a good place to be pregnant.”

  Sirius shook his head. “Prison wouldn’t turn her into a good little citizen like they want her to be anyway. System’s broken, sometimes you have to bend the rules. I thought we might ask Indi to do something though.”

  Amanda shook her head. “The more other people think the system works the better.” She shrugged. “Coal already breaks the rules. I’d rather we kept the corruption to a minimum. Let everyone else think things are working. It’s better for society that way.”

  “I’m not so sure about that but Coal is probably the most efficient option, depending on what he wants, and Amanda, you do realise that if Lily does turn, if we can’t find a permanent solution, you understand what we’ll have to do right?”

  “Of course,” Amanda lied.

  “Hmm.” Sirius was silent a moment but he didn’t push it. Instead he said, “You think we should go check on Kass?”

  Amanda hesitated. She didn’t really want to see Kass tonight. She shook her head. “I’m sure she’s fine. She probably just got distracted by work. I’ll go talk to her tomorrow.”

  Across town, Kass stumbled down a beach. It was a weirdly familiar beach but she couldn't quite place when she'd last been here. Before her, the waves of the ocean crashed into the shore. The water was dark and foreboding looking, and she couldn't shake the sense that there was something out there.

  It contrasted with the warm yellow of the sand. It would probably be cold soon though. The sun was setting. Then again, it felt like it had been setting for hours now. Kass wasn't quite sure how long she'd been here. Nor did she know how she had come to be here. She didn't feel worried. Instead she felt strangely calm. She sat down on the beach and she watched those waves as they washed in and out.

  Despite the feeling that there was something dark out there, she didn’t think it would come any closer. Perhaps it was just waiting for her to lower her guard though?

  A moment later she felt a presence at her side. She turned expecting there to be nothing. Instead, sitting there on the sand next to her was her eldest son. His eyes were rimmed with dark circles as if it had been sometime since he had slept and his skin looked cracked and dry.

  “You left me and dad to die,” he said.

  “No,” Kass whispered back. It wasn’t true.

  “It was your fault.”

  Kass couldn’t bring herself to say no this time. Sparrow had taken Marc with him that day because she had been struggling, because she couldn’t bring herself to look at him.

  She struggled to keep her eyes on him now, half afraid he might attack her. He had taken her baby from her, her youngest, Theo. She’d lost two children that day. Except Marc had still been around. They’d managed to keep him from being locked up, but Kass hadn’t been happy about it. It had caused arguments between her and Sparrow. He’d never believed his son to be anything but an angel. He’d never accepted that the events of that day had been anything but an accident, a simple childish fight taken too far in the heat of the moment. Kass knew better. Even now when she looked into the eyes that couldn’t possibly be her son, she knew. She’d seen that look before. She turned away.

  Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

  But on her other side she found Theo. Her youngest son. The one with the innocent eyes. The one who had deserved so much more.

  “Why didn’t you save me mommy?”

  Kass buried her head between her knees and tried to block out the sound of their voices and she wished as hard as she could that whatever thing that lay out there in the dark ocean would stop simply watching her. That it would finally come for her and drag her out to sea where she wouldn’t have to remember anything ever again.

  Not far away and just out of sight, a gelatinous purple blob pulsated to the rhythm of the sea.

  Back at the James' House...

  “You coming to bed?” Amanda asked Sirius from half way up the stairs.

  He glanced up at her. It was tempting but something else nagged at him. “Yeah, in a minute.”

  She nodded and then she went upstairs. He went into the kitchen. He didn’t bother removing his coat, not yet. Briefly his flipped through a pile of bills and other notices that Amanda had left on the table. Did some mental math about how much his last shipment had brought in, then he set them down and turned toward the phone.

  Kass was probably fine. Still, it wasn’t like her to just not show up. She was punctual, usually the first one to arrive. She could get swept up in her work sure but he’d seen her set alarms for things and she’d never missed a meeting before. It wouldn’t hurt just to give her a call.

  He picked up the phone and dialed her number. There was no answer. He tried her work one as well. Also nothing. He put the phone down and rubbed the thick stubble on his chin. He tried to remember their last conversation. It had been back at the docks, back when she’d first told him about Cat’s arrest. She hadn’t been in her office when he’d popped by earlier before visiting Cat either. Her workmates hadn’t seemed concerned then and he’d been more focused on Cat so he hadn’t worried, but now, given she hadn’t shown up tonight either, things were turning into a concerning pattern. Maybe he should go and check on her in person?

  He walked back into the entrance way and glanced up toward the second floor. Amanda was waiting for him. She probably wouldn’t come downstairs looking for him though. She was more likely to fall asleep and he could just say he’d just been caught up in paperwork from the last shipment.

  He shook his head. Why did he feel the need to lie? He could just tell her he was worried about Kass, except he knew she wouldn’t like that. It wasn’t a far ride into town. He could be gone and back within the hour easily. If he was quick enough, she probably wouldn’t even notice he was gone and he could always tell her later if she did ask. It wasn’t like he had to decide what to tell her now.

  Coming to a decision, he took his cellphone with him, and headed toward the stable for a halter and saddle. He galloped all the way into town and reached the front of Kass’s apartment block in nearly no time at all. There he dismounted, left the horse tied up outside and made his way up to her floor.

  He paused at her front door. Maybe he was being silly? What exactly was he going to say?

  Probably the truth, that he was worried when she hadn’t shown up. He knew things were a little awkward between them. He knew from the sideways glances and occasionally flushed cheeks that she kind of liked him. He wasn’t a fool. There could be no romance here though. As cute as Kass was, she wasn’t Amanda, and he loved Amanda more. Of that he was certain. And yet, he couldn’t help his mind sometimes wandering. But he had self-control. He wasn’t going to do anything. The kiss back at the facility had just taken him by surprise. And he was allowed to worry about a friend wasn’t he?

  He knocked on the door before his mind could lead him astray. He was here to check on her and that was it. That was not an unreasonable thing to do. He was beginning to think that he probably should have told Amanda where he was going. If he was quick enough it wouldn’t matter though. Still, he couldn’t shake the feeling of guilt. He decided then and there that he would tell her once he got home. Secrets did no one any good. He just had to check that Kass was okay first.

  Several seconds passed. He knocked again.

  Another minute went by. Still no answer.

  He tried the door. It was locked. That was a good sign he figured, better than finding it unlocked. She was probably just... just what? He didn’t really know. He wasn’t actually sure how Kass spent her free time other than he knew she liked to read, and swim, and visit the shooting range. She could have been any number of places though. It wasn’t like they all kept close tabs on one another. Maybe she’d just gotten distracted and forgotten the meeting. That wasn’t that unlikely was it? Maybe he should return home?

  He turned to leave and came face to face with a petite blonde woman with dark blue eyes. She’d snuck up on him and he wasn’t sure how. Probably because he’d been so distracted with his thoughts.

  “Hi,” she said and gave him a smile.

  It was a strange smile, sort of cold. It didn’t reach her eyes. She was very pretty though. Stunning in fact, in an uncanny valley sort of way. Almost too perfect.

  “Who are you?” he asked, forgetting his manners.

  She smiled again, sort of hesitant this time. Maybe she was just nervous? “I live upstairs. I was passing by and I saw you waiting outside her door.” She nodded toward Kass’s apartment.

  “I was just...” he scrambled for an answer.

  But she didn’t wait for one. “I usually see her on my way out. We often leave around the same time, but I didn’t see her today. It was unusual and then there you are.” She glanced down shyly and then back up at him through her eyelashes.

  He glanced back at Kass’s door. Maybe he had been too quick to leave. But what was he supposed to do, kick down her door?

  “You have a lock pick in you coat,” remarked the blonde woman.

  “Huh?” He turned back toward her. He had forgotten he had that. How had she known that?

  “I saw it sticking out of your pocket when you moved.” she pointed.

  He glanced down. Just the end of the small brown leather case was sticking out of one of his coat’s inner pockets. How had she known what it was?

  Again, she provided an answer before he’d even fully thought of the question. “I mean, I just assumed. My father used to have a similar one. I mean, it was that or a grooming set.” She smiled and her gaze fixed on his blatantly untrimmed beard. “I suppose if something happened to me, I wouldn’t want someone leaving it to the next day to check on me. Anyway, don’t mind me, I’m just a silly nosy girl .”

  “Right,” he said absently. He pulled the lock pick set out of his pocket and looked at it. It was certainly better than kicking down the door. It had been awhile since he’d used it but it wasn’t like it was an easy skill to forget. He made his decision.

  When he glanced up again the blonde woman was nowhere to be seen. “Strange,” he mumbled, but he had more pressing matters.

  He returned to Kass’s door.