EIGHTY-FIVE | RED

The smile froze on my face. I wobbled, and stuck out a hand towards the counter to catch myself. The work surface was cool, and it pooled beneath my palm, making me shiver.

I had to get her out. The humans here weren’t safe. I looked around, my breath hitching, counting heads and recognising familiar faces. I could see Dal, his broad face broken in two by a grin; I could see the Town Trio, tucked into a corner and gossiping noisily; I could see Tony, and Bill, and –

My heart stopped. Sat at the counter, next to Alice, was Harper.

I held my breath. I had to focus, had to think. But fear and exhaustion were swirling in my head, clawing at my brain and making it impossible to do anything more than stand and stare at the two of them.

“You alright?” Grace caught me by the elbow and towed me into the back room, her eyebrows raised at me the whole way. I sagged against her,