Tangled Webs

Unless it had been told to, a shadow shouldn’t be making that distinction.
    “Have you seen Surreal?”
    «Smelled her. Gone now.»
    “Out the tunnel?”
    «No.»
    Not surprising. Surreal and Rainier didn’t know Jaenelle and Daemon were waiting outside, had no reason to think Jaenelle was responsible for the cat guarding the tunnel. Instead of heading out of the house, they must have headed back in.
    Lucivar started to turn away, then stopped and considered that faint presence he’d sensed in the house—the little writer-mouse scurrying behind the walls, watching and listening. Then he considered that, shadow or not, it never hurt to make a large predator happy—especially if he might need to use the tunnel to get everyone out of the house.
    He told the shadow cat, “If any other human tries to get out through the tunnel, you go ahead and eat him.”
    As he walked away to explore another part of the cellar, the shadow Kaelas’s pleasure purred at him through the psychic thread.

    Daemon circled the fence around the house, a slow prowl. Watchful. Aware.
    There was no sign of anyone in the house. No movement of a curtain, no face at a window. Of course, he hadn’t seen any lights last night, and there had to have been lamps or candles burning.
    So he couldn’t trust what he was—or wasn’t—seeing.
    But he had to trust that when Lucivar punched through the spells and opened up a way out of the house, he would see it.
    He stopped over the spot where the tunnel was located and considered the shadow cat standing guard. Seemed a shame to waste such a magnificent predator. Maybe…
    Instead of continuing his prowl, he retraced his steps and returned to the Coach.
    “Mrs. Beale was very efficient,” Jaenelle said when he stepped inside. “Yuli and I have discovered more food in the chill box and pantry. We’re going to heat up some soup. Do you want some?”
    He shucked off his coat and vanished it. “Yes, I want some, and I’ll heat up the soup.”
    “I can heat up soup.”
    “I’m sure you can.” Having made the attempt to teach her a couple of cooking basics, he wasn’t sure of that at all.
    She narrowed her eyes at him. «It’s been years since I blew up a kitchen.»
    Despite the boy watching wide-eyed, he gave her a simmering kiss—then nipped the jar of soup out of her hand. «All the more reason why we shouldn’t take a chance now. You can slice up bread and cheese.»
    «Hurray for me.»
    He noticed Yuli’s puzzled look and grinned. The boy was bright enough and observant enough to know something was going on but not what—or why.
    «After we eat, I’d like to talk about making a slight change in the tangled web that holds the shadow cat. I may have a use for a predator.»
    «Can I at least stir the soup?»
    «No.»
    A huff. «I’ll talk to you anyway.»
    As he heated the soup for the three of them, he put aside the worry and the anger. There would be time enough for both later.

    It was time.
    Tersa vanished the tangled web and turned away from the worktable.
    She would go to the spooky house and talk to the Langston man. One…last…time.

TWENTY-THREE
     
     
    “S urreal? Surreal!”
    “Wha?” Why was Rainier sounding so cranky?
    “Drink this.”
    A glass against her lips. A hand behind her head to keep her from pulling away.
    The glass tasted dusty, and she had this odd memory of seeing Rainier flicking his wrist to toss out dried mouse turds before wiping the glass with his shirttail. Then the water, tasting like dust and bitter leaves, was filling her mouth. She swallowed the first mouthful because she needed the water.
    “Drink it all.”
    He wasn’t giving her much choice. Since he was being such a prick about it, it was either drink or drown.
    “Hell’s fire,” she muttered when Rainier released her and set the glass on the kitchen table. She stared at it for a moment, then looked at him. “Did you toss mouse turds out of that glass and then give it to me without washing it?”
    “No.” His voice sounded odd, strangely hollow, and…yes, there was a slight echo. And something was going gong inside her head.
    “Surreal!”
    “Wha?”
    “I gave you a general healing tonic. I’m hoping it will help enough so you can think clearly for a while longer.”
    The floor swished. Swishy, swishy, swish. She watched it until Rainier bent over so they were face-to-face. She didn’t like the worry and fear in his eyes. She would rather watch the floor swish.
    He grabbed