Cutter drove back into town without saying a word. Ru didn’t blame him for being upset, but she thought he’d get over it, eventually. How could she expect him to understand why it had been so important to her to turn her father back into a human? He’d never been in a similar situation, though she imagined if the choice had been something he could better identify with, like saving his brother, he wouldn’t have questioned her actions. Before he even pulled into the driveway, Ru got a funny feeling in the pit of her stomach, as if she were walking into a snake pit. She looked at him and could tell by his expression he felt it, too. Others knew what she had done, and someone was here. “Ru, I don’t know what their reaction is going to be, but I do know that, no matter what, I’ll stand by you.” Cutter still held her hand, and though his expression was solemn, she could tell he meant each word. “Thank you,” she said, shifting in her seat a bit so she

The front of Nana Sue’s house was illuminated only by the lamp in the living room when Cutter pulled his mom’s car to a stop out front that evening. After a nice dinner and a game of Gin Rummy, which Ru had never played before, he volunteered to give her a ride home. The snow was lightly falling but it wasn’t too deep. Knowing she’d see him the next day, Ru didn’t make a huge production about telling him goodbye before she slipped out of the car and hurried up to the front porch, even though every time they parted now, it seemed like she was leaving a small part of herself behind. Warmth radiated from the fireplace as Ru stepped inside. Nana sat knitting in her chair. Looking up, she smiled. “Oh, good. You’re home. I was beginning to wonder. How is the Michaels family?” Piper rubbed up against Ru’s leg, and once she’d struggled out of her coat, she bent to rub her head. “They’re good,” she replied. “Windy made pot roast for dinner, so I decided to stay.” The aroma of

The strain was still there, even after a few days had passed. Though her mother and grandmother did their best to get along, Ru could feel the tension anytime the two of them were in the same room together. But then, the residual energy had been there already, before Ru mentioned that she’d changed Larkin into a human so that her parents could be together. It just seemed more prominent once there was something specific for them to disagree on again. Ru realized neither of them would ever be happy living under the same roof, so she was relieved when they were sent word that Sky’s forces were just about ready and they would likely be headed off to Japan within a few days. The sooner Ru could get the portal closed the better. As to the other part of her mission, she’d have to figure that out when the time came. Lyric had information from her sister she needed to pass on to the rest of the team, so they decided to meet at Rider’s house since he was the only one who didn’t live w

“Do you want me to send Cutter to get you?” Ru wondered if her mother would be up to driving in her emotional state. For that matter, she wasn’t even sure if Maggie knew where Rider lived. “No, I’ll be there in a few minutes.” “Okay. See you in a bit. Love you, Mom.” “I love you, too, sweetheart. So very, very much.” Ru ended the call and was glad for Cutter’s hand on her shoulder. She melted into him and let him be her strength for a moment as she took some deep breaths. Her parents were going to be meeting again for the first time since she was a toddler. And, for the first time she could remember the three of them would be in the same room together. It was almost too much to comprehend. “How are you doing?” Cutter whispered into her ear, his arms around her waist now. “I’m okay,” Ru assured him. “It’s just more than I could’ve ever imagined.” She slipped her phone back into her pocket and turned to face him, his arms sliding around

Cutter squeezed her leg, and Ru realized it must be apparent she wasn’t paying attention. She tuned back in to hear Sky say, “Now, the team we are meant to protect so that they can get in and close the portal will be given the code name Alfred. This will allow us to be briefer in our communications about the team.” Sky continued to talk, and she knew it was important that she listen, since Ru would be involved in whatever the blue-haired Keeper was discussing presently, but curiosity got the better of her. “Why Alfred?” she whispered to Cutter. Without turning his head, he replied, “Alfred Nobel.” “Huh?” Ru was still confused. “The inventor of dynamite.” “Oh.” Shaking her head, she turned her attention back to Sky, who was giving her the same look Ru might give a student who wasn’t paying attention. Ru swallowed hard and made herself concentrate. “Alfred will be dispatched from here, a break in the forest away from the typical entrance