Chapter 37
“Iwish you didn’t have to leave so soon,” Leonie said, hugging her sister goodbye. “Are you sure I can’t persuade you to stay another night?”
“Sorry. Got to run.” With a final squeeze, Lola released her. “My crew goes back on call tomorrow, and I’m going to have to hustle as it is to get to the base on time. Don’t want the guys having fun without me.”
“Tell Connor we said hi,” Paige said, her arm around Conleth. Zephyr stood nearby, his baby daughter on his hip. “And that we hope he can come visit after fire season ends.”
“As himself,” Conleth clarified. “We don’t need a repeat of last time. I’m still discovering that I’m banned from bars I never visited.”
“It’s your fault,” Lola informed him. “If you insist on having the same haircut as your identical brother, you can’t complain when he impersonates you.”
“This is my haircut,” Conleth grumbled. He minutely tweaked the position of one artfully disheveled wave. “I had it first. And it took a lot of work to perfect. I should apply for a trademark.”
“Give Connor and Taliesin my love, too,” Leonie said to her sister. She hesitated. “Are you sure you’ll be all right? Everyone else on your squad is a shifter.”
“Eh, I can still kick their butts. Animal or no animal.” Lola punched her affectionately in the shoulder. “Stay out of trouble, okay? Don’t go mad with power now that you can order everyone around.”
“I don’t plan on making a habit of it.” She still felt a bit guilty over how she’d steamrollered over the cops with her newfound power. “I didn’t even know I could do the alpha voice, like Dad and Rory.”
“It’s just as well you were able to convince the police to stand down,” Zephyr said. He glanced at Paige. “Ah, we’re not in any trouble with the sheriff for that, are we?”
Paige shook her head, smiling. “I already called my stepdad. He says the official report won’t contain anything incriminating.
The two deputies only saw Shan in his human form.
And they’re none too keen on admitting they let a random summer camp counselor take command of the scene for no apparent reason. There won’t be any repercussions.”
“Good,” Shan said. He grimaced. “It would be embarrassing to have to file an incident report on myself. Not that it would be the first time.”
“You look after my sister, tiger.” Lola gave him a rather more aggressive punch. “Make sure she takes a break now and then.”
Shan slipped his hand into hers. “I will.”
She caught her breath as his thumb brushed across her palm in silent promise. The unfinished mate bond hung between them, waiting.
Soon, she promised herself, and her griffin. Soon.
“Well, I should be off.” Lola gave her one final hug. “I’ll text you when—”
A strident beep cut her off. Little Ashley wailed, jolted out of her nap by the sudden noise.
Shan fumbled in his pocket with embarrassed urgency. “My apologies,” he said, taking out his phone. “It’s an all-agent alert. High priority.”
Her heart sank. “Do you have to rush off somewhere?”
He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. “No. It’s a code used to inform all active agents about a significant event. No immediate action required.” He frowned as he scrolled down the message. “Ah. Hmm.”
“Anything you’re allowed to share with us?” Conleth asked.
“Technically, no.” Shan’s gaze flicked to Zephyr, who was now trying to settle his daughter. “Though, under the circumstances…”
A flicker of movement snagged Leonie’s attention. A bright spark arced across the sky, like a falling star. It was only small—just a pinpoint of light—but it seemed to be getting closer.
“Hey,” she said, staring up. “What’s that?”
Everyone else looked up too, though from the blank expressions, they had no idea what she was talking about.
“What’s what?” Lola asked. “We don’t all have your eyes, Catbutt.”
“That.” She pointed at the descending spark. “That little light, right there.”
“I don’t,” Paige started, and then sucked in her breath. “Oh. I see it now. Is it some kind of drone?”
Conleth stiffened, pulling his mate closer to his side. “Whatever it is, it’s heading straight for us.”
“Zephyr,” Shan said, sharp and urgent. “Zephyr, your daughter—”
He didn’t get a chance to finish the sentence, or warning. The glowing spark streaked out of the sky, making them all duck. Close up, it was no bigger than a candle flame, but eye-searingly bright. It hovered above their heads, just out of reach.
“Stay back!” Leonie shouted at the campers who’d come running out to see what was happening. “Shan, what is that? Is it dangerous?”
“No.” His claws had slid out, but otherwise he seemed quite calm. He wasn’t even looking at the light. All his attention was fixed on Zephyr and Ashley. “Wait.”
All color had drained out of Zephyr’s face. He clutched his daughter to his chest, hand spreading to shield her from that incandescent light. His mouth shaped a silent: No.
The floating spark bobbed in the air, as if coming to a decision. It made a tight loop—and shot straight into Lola’s chest.
Lola blinked. “What the—”
And then she burst into flame.
“Okay,” Lola said, some time later. She squared her shoulders. “I think I’ve got it under control now.”
Leonie stayed poised on the balls of her feet, a bucket of water in her hands. “You sure?”
“Yeah.” Lola cautiously edged out of the main firepit. “There we go. We’re cool. Literally.”
Leonie let out her breath, lowering the bucket. She’d already had to drench her sister twice—not that mere water did much good against phoenix fire.
“Everyone can come back now!” she called to Ragvald, who’d been keeping curious campers—and counselors—away from the central square while Lola got to grips with her new animal. “Lola, do you want to sit down? You can use my cabin if you need to rest.”
“Think I’d better avoid going into any flammable structures for a bit,” Lola said wryly. She tugged her borrowed shorts a little higher. “Thanks for lending me some spare clothes. And, uh, sorry about the other ones.”
“That’s okay.” Her sister had managed to accidentally incinerate half her wardrobe, but as far as she was concerned, a few clothes were a small price to pay. “I’m just glad you’re all right.”
“I’m more than all right.” Lola touched her chest, over her heart. A slow, awed smile lit her face, like the sun rising. “I feel right. Like…I’m what I was always meant to be. Finally.”
Shan came back from the office, where he’d been updating Shifter Affairs on the situation. Zephyr was with him, though not little Ashley. That was a relief. It had been a little worrying, the way the baby kept trying to poke her tiny fingers into Lola’s white-hot fire.
Shan surveyed the soot-streaked Lola. “You seem to be making progress.”
“We’re getting there,” Leonie said. “Did you get permission to share the content of that alert message with us?”
He nodded. “Min-Seo said that under the circumstances, there was little point in secrecy. We know the former host of this particular phoenix. An elderly woman in Michigan. She passed away from natural causes.”
“Oh, thank fuck,” Lola sighed. “For a second there, I was shitting myself thinking that Ash must have dropped dead.”
“He’s fine,” Zephyr said. “Though you might want to give him a call. Or Blaise. They both have some experience with this sort of thing.”
Lola grimaced. “Yeah, I could definitely use some advice.”
“Shifter Affairs could put you in touch with some other phoenix shifters,” Shan said. He looked slightly apologetic. “I’m afraid we do try to keep track of them. I can assure you that we will respect your privacy, but you are a person of interest to us now.”
Lola shrugged. “Eh, I always wanted to be famous. Just tell your guys not to bug my phone.”
“For their sake,” Leonie murmured to her mate. “You do not want to see what she posts to the family group chat.”
“I have to say, I feel kinda guilty, Zeph,” Lola said. “You sure you don’t mind that I’m the one who got this, and not your kid?”
“I am actively delighted,” Zephyr said, heartfelt. “Believe me, the last thing I need is a toddler who sporadically bursts into flame.”
“Okay, when you put it like that, I reckon you owe me one.” Lola pursed her lips. “Hey, Shan. You guys keep records on this stuff. Has one of these phoenix sparks ever gone to someone who was already a shifter?”
Shan shook his head. “Not as far as we know.”
“Figured as much.” Lola flashed a smug grin at her. “Good thing I made you take your eagle back, huh, Catbutt?”
She grinned back. “Yes. Very. Though you don’t seem to have spotted the best part of this yet.”
“What, you mean that I’ll still be able to fly?”
“No.” She hugged her sister, filled with joy. “I still get to call you Birdbrain.”
“Iggy.” Estelle waved a hand in front of his face. “Blink.”
Ignatius impatiently brushed her away, never taking his eyes off the small group of adults gathered outside the camp to wave goodbye to Lola. “And give those idiots a chance to break up again? We have to maintain a round-the-clock watch on that pair. At least until they’re actually mated.”
“I thought you didn’t care,” Archie said to him.
“I don’t want to care.” Ignatius glared at their counselors. “I just can’t go through any more dramatic twists. They’re mates, they’re not mates. He’s staying, he’s running away. I should sue for emotional whiplash.”
“I think they’re going to be all right now,” Finley said. “Aren’t they, Rufus?”
Rufus smiled.