Grace of a Wolf by Lenaleia

Chapter 184: Grace: Bad Luck

Someone cranks the volume on the TV, drowning out the rain beating down on the RV’s thin roof.

Andrew had worked some technological magic earlier, casting from his phone to Lyre’s television. Now the children are hypnotized by a movie about people living in a world made entirely of blocks. It’s strangely soothing to watch, even if I don’t fully understand the appeal.

All four kids have crammed themselves onto the daybed, a tangle of limbs and blankets. Poor Ron is smothered, with Sara and Jer on either side of him and Bun in his lap, but they all look content.

It’s sweet.

Across from them, I’m wedged between the arm of the couch and Caine’s solid warmth. He’s not touching me, but there’s barely an inch of space between us at any given point.

Andrew should be the only one without a living being taking up space beside him, but both Sadie and the cat have elected to use him as a bed.

It’s all very... cozy.

And cramped.

Incredibly cramped.

This camper was not made for a giant family, a tagalong, and two large animals.

My phone vibrates against my thigh, and I stifle a groan. Probably another message from Wrath or Madness, begging me to explain how I got into their chat. I’ve been ignoring them for quite some time, but they haven’t given up.

I pull out the device, already planning on discarding the notifications, but freeze when I see Lyre’s name on my screen.

Finally, a response.

[LYRE: Just ignore any messages on Divinity Connect. It might be hard to reach us for a few days. Just wait until I contact you again.]

Or not.

Not only is her text rather unhelpful—I’m already ignoring the messages and still don’t know if I should be worried about these people—the latter half of it makes my chest feel heavy.

[GRACE: Are you okay? What’s happening?]

No response. The message shows delivered but not read... again.

She was just texting me two seconds ago!

I frown at the screen, trying to decide if I should be worried. I mean... it’s Lyre.

Bun squawks at the TV, and the kids suddenly shout, "Chicken jockey!", with all of them erupting into laughter. Bun giggles, though she seems to be more amused by their reaction than to understand whatever joke just occurred on-screen.

I don’t get it, either.

"Is something wrong?"

my screen. I exit the messages so fast I nearly drop my phone, feeling

give me a heart attack before I

and I backpedal. "I mean—Lyre just messaged. Says it might

for someone who hasn’t spent hours studying his face to miss it.

"Did she say why?"

my head.

unsurprised. After all, crypticity (is that a word?)

Then he rises from the couch, phone already in hand, and walks down the narrow hallway toward

a genius to know he’s probably calling

speed while Sara mumbles something about ingredients. Jer hisses at her to

quiet, it’s

TV the secret

but Lyre’s message nags at

strange sounds during

give them missions they can’t handle, but I can’t help the

tiny bit closer than before. His arm stretches

to lean

going-into-a-coma problem, and

answering," he says, voice pitched low. "But it’s not necessarily cause

doesn’t sound worried, which should reassure me. If anyone knows Jack-Eye’s habits, it’s him. And

long breath

screen lights up again—another notification from Divinity Connect. I silence it without looking,

a lot of messages," he observes, his eyes on my phone. He sounds...

slip it into

* * *

and Andrew conspire to drive farther than Lyre’s daily recommendation. We argue for half

as if mocking all of us for taking precautions—but another’s on its way by the next evening, as if chasing us down.

but right at the edge of Blue

weather app shows a familiar sight: a storm, ready to hit by midnight. There’s even a state of

pointless, though this leg of the trip went without any strange hitches. No emergency stops, no

strange car games. It started with I Spy and ended with them using

convoluted, but disturbing. The worst was probably the semi-truck, a well-meaning, hard-working man, and the white sedan cheating on him with a red

me wonder what things Owen allowed

But more importantly...

point at Andrew’s screen, announcing severe thunderstorm warnings after ten p.m. "Didn’t we come this far to

He turns off the car without another comment, and doesn’t seem nearly as surprised

frown. "Were you expecting

his head. "Caine

Huh.

our seats to announce, "I have to pee so bad, my entire head might

the storm pushed aside