Page 73 of Wicked Witch of the Wolf

Fennel peered out the passenger side window. “Meow.”

Cecil chittered.

And six rats in the back seat made chirping noises.

The rats were the most senior members of Alpha Lydia’s security team. She’d insisted I take them with us, and I didn’t fight her on it. The more the merrier, as far as I was concerned. Plus, I wasn’t responsible for them beyond a ride there. They’d find their own way home.

I pulled onto a dirt road a half mile from the property. The three-quarter moon seemed bigger and brighter than usual, which wasgood, since as soon as I switched off my headlights I wouldn’t have been able to see much without it.

From my vantage point, I was able to view the ramshackle, one-story house in the center of an overgrown alfalfa field. Angry black slashes covered one side of house, a colorful graffiti mural depicting a beautiful woman decorated the other. Bare boards showed through on the places not covered with spray paint.

A short distance up slouched a fifteen-foot tall, rectangular stack of hay bales. I parked behind the disintegrating moldy mess, crossing my fingers it wouldn’t collapse, tossed the keys to Ida’s LTD onto the floorboard, and opened my door.

The rats filed out in an orderly single line, like furry little soldiers. Cecil and Fennel followed, much less orderly and—in Cecil’s case—slightly less furry. By the time I’d pulled out my tote bag and Cecil’s backpack and shut the car door, the rats were gone.

“That was quick.”

Fennel’s black ears pricked up and his tail was rod straight and swishing like a windshield wiper in a rainstorm. He did not like that house.

“You sensing any magic?”

He growled.

My cell phone vibrated in my pocket. It was Ida.

“Don’t worry,” I said, “I’ll fill up the tank before I bring your car back.”

“You better,” she replied. “What’s going on? I went home to take care of Meredith and by the time I got back, you and the boys were gone, and the rat alpha was sitting at your table eating cookies with Maya.”

“Be nice to that alpha. She told me where I could find Bronwyn and Margaux.”

“Good news. And Ronan?”

My chest tightened. “No.”

“So, where are you?” she asked quickly.

“You aren’t going to believe this, but I’m back at the house where you rescued me last time.”

“That’swhere that squirrelly little punk is hiding? Where your psycho demon-cousin tried to off you? What a slap in the face.”

“Right?”

“That place is awful.” She clicked her tongue. “I thought the wolves burned it to the ground.”

“Nope. It’s still standing. On the bright side, at least this time you won’t have to use that app to track me down should I go missing.”

“You should’ve let me come with you. I could’ve helped.”

I stared at the darkened windows of the bedraggled little house to see if I could detect any movement behind the broken glass. “You left that life behind years ago. What kind of friend would I be if I dragged you back into it?”

“You’ve already dragged me back into it. Remember the mayor job?”

“What are you talking about? That wasyouridea. I dragged you into the highway demon job. Sort of.” I thought it over. “Come to think of it, that one was your idea, too. I’m starting to think you’re a bad influence on me, Ida Summer.”

“Starting, my foot. You’ve always known that.”

“Yeah. It’s part of why I love you.” I watched the moonlit field surrounding the house for rustling but saw nothing. The rats were either still or very good at masking their progress.

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