Grace of a Wolf by Lenaleia

Chapter 115: Grace: Hide and Seek, Peek-a-Boo

I fish my phone from my pocket and shoot Lyre a quick text.

[GRACE: Made it safe. Kids settled. Everything ok on your end?]

The three dots never appear. Not even a "delivered" notification.

Signal’s probably garbage out here. Or she’s napping. Could be dealing with her own crew of supernaturals with big personalities and bigger egos. Jack-Eye seems like he’d either be helpful or a handful.

Kind of like Jer, actually. Maybe they share initials for a reason.

Tucking my phone back into my pocket, I squint at the solar panel display again. The battery percentage has dipped slightly since Caine left, but we’re still at a respectable 94%. Not bad for an hour of AC use. And the trailer’s significantly cooler now.

Behind me, Ron’s taken over entertaining the kids. "Hey, Sara, wanna play a game with Bun?"

"What kind of game?"

"Hide-and-seek peek-a-boo, but with a twist. You shift into something small, and Bun has to find you. When she does, we all say peek-a-boo."

A pause. "That’s basically just regular hide and seek. And I can’t say peek-a-boo in hedgie form."

"So? She likes finding animals better than people, and she likes saying peek-a-boo. Come on, it’ll keep her occupied."

"Pa-buu!"

The camper jostles as they storm about, like we’re a ship at sea. Sturdy—Lyre made it perfectly clear the movement is very normal—but probably strange to them.

I’m barely listening, focused on deciphering the solar display, only to get distracted when my stomach grumbles. It’s later in the day, and we’ve only had breakfast.

It isn’t hard to make a giant plate of baby carrots, sliced cubes of cheddar, apples, and even grapes. Putting it out on the counter? Even easier. Getting the kids to eat it...?

Apparently, it’s quite hard.

"Snacks, guys!"

Ron glances up from where he’s crouched near the couch. "Thanks, Grace."

Jer appears out of nowhere, his head at my elbow. "I’m not hungry."

Bun? Ignores me. It’s mildly offensive. She was glued to me, but now she’s trying to cram her head under the couch and oblivious to my existence.

"That’s fine. It’s here if you want it." I scan the room. Something feels off, but I can’t put my finger on what. Like I’m forgetting something important.

Jer hovers as I head back to the kitchenette. "How does the water work in here?"

Great question. I’ve recently learned all about it, too. Okay, not all about it. But I do know there’s a button for the water pump and now I know it’s important to keep the "fresh water" tank filled.

answer, gesturing vaguely to the electric panel. "It’s connected to a fresh

electricity? Is it all from

a generator, and

"Why gas?"

I’m not

if it rains

know. We’d probably use the generator more?" I wonder how much gas that would

light up. "What if there was a zombie apocalypse? Would we still have

guess." I lean against

back? Could

dinosaur," I reply, unable

like pinballs, bouncing all over the place. No idea where they come from—or why—but I answer

could take on the

the chicken’s

jaw drops, dark eyes wide with horror. Ron snorts in the background.

from dinosaurs. So technically,

quirk as he splutters, gangly arms waving

is the King of Dinosaurs," he protests. "He would totally eat the

isn’t the king. There’s no dinosaur

at me, looking more suspicious than curious.

not—obviously—but I am messing around with his head a little. It’s

Uh. No, maybe it’s a king. Both?" I don’t follow royalty, but I vaguely feel like maybe

who’s the dinosaur

over T-Rex any day." I’ve literally never thought about tiers of

are the ones who—right. Pterodactyls. The ones

go. The extent of my dinosaur knowledge. Chicken evolution and

recognize more than three, to be

Park?" His eyes widen. "They were super

only reason I remember their

His arms are even bigger than

he slides onto the bench seat, grabbing a baby carrot while still debating dinosaur royalty in his head. His serious expression over something so

the camper, and there’s a high-pitched shriek. It has a very distinct outside sound,

my throat and my

scoots closer. Ron straightens, instantly on alert as he looks at me. Only

Caine were here. Just his presence—solid,

that?" the younger

the camper. It’s probably just him, shifting position or bumping

steady my voice sounds. "Probably just Fenris.

to the window, lifting the blind to peer outside. "The golden retriever is running away. Maybe Fenris scared her

about." I plaster on a