A beat-up red sedan rolls to a stop. Then the passenger door flies open, and Lisa dashes out.


    "Ava!"


    I meet her halfway, throwing my arms around her and pulling her close. She''s clammy with sweat, and her hands shake where they rest against my back.


    "Are you okay?"


    "I''m fine," she says, trying to sound breezy and nonchalant even as her voice shakes. "Just glad to get out of the car."


    Over Lisa''s shoulder, I see Kellan emerge from the driver''s side. He looks grim, with a tight-lipped expression of concentration. He nods at me before turning to the back of the car, where the Grand Sage and Elverly are.


    "Come on," I say, tugging gently on Lisa''s arm. "Let''s get inside. We can talk there."


    As we walk, Lisa fills me in on their harrowing escape. Her words are rushed, stumbling over each other, a vivid picture of her fear, even as she throws a few jokes in to lighten the mood.


    "Kellan floored it before they reached us, but we left some of them behind."


    "I know. We''re still waiting to hear from them."


    Lisa''s shoulders droop. "I hope they''re okay. If they got hurt because we went there..."


    "Hush. It isn''t your fault. Missions are always filled with risk. Now we know someone''s out looking for us—or at least people like us—and we can plan accordingly."


    I don''t recognize the guards outside my cabin today, but they incline their heads, one of them opening the door when Lisa and I get close.


    "Thank you."


    "Of course, Luna."


    Lisa settles on the couch beside Selene, yawning as she relaxes against the cushions. My gaze drifts to Aurum, curled up beneath the dining table, and I can''t help but wonder...


    "Did you bully him again?" I ask my wolf with suspicion.@@@@


    Selene''s tail swishes lazily. No. It''s so people don''t see him as easily when they open the door.


    Grimoire''s voice pulls me back to the conversation. "These wards can keep us safe, acting as a natural repellant against those who wish harm upon the pack."


    Kellan perks up at this. "Are we talking about security wards?"


    I turn to him, curious about his knowledge on the subject. "How much do you know about them?"


    Kellan''s brow furrows as he considers the question. "Not much, to be honest. I know how to maintain the ones on pack lands, but that''s about it." His expression darkens. "And even those weren''t enough to keep the vampires out."


    The reminder of the vampire attack sends a chill down my spine. I glance at Lisa, remembering how close we came to losing her. The idea of strengthening our defenses is certainly appealing, but I don''t know how to do it.


    "Grimoire," I say, turning back to the small figure, "how would these wards be different from what we already had? What makes them more effective?"


    Grimoire''s eyes light up at my question. "The wards I''m proposing are far more complex and powerful than the basic protections most packs use. They''re rooted in ancient magic, drawing power from the land itself. And they won''t be half-broken. Without a witch to maintain its boundaries, it''s unlikely to have worked at proper strength.


    I''d have to inspect them to know for sure where its weaknesses lie, of course, but—"


    "Okay, okay." I lean forward, brushing off his tangent. "And you think I could create something like that, with my current skills?"


    "With my guidance, absolutely," Grimoire asserts. "It would be an excellent opportunity for you to expand your magical abilities while providing a tangible benefit to the pack."


    I chew my lip, considering the implications. The idea of strengthening our defenses is tempting, especially after recent events. But what if I mess up? What if the wards fail when we need them most?


    Well, I guess we won''t be in any worse of a situation than we are now.


    It''s all potential benefits with no downsides.


    "Okay. How do I do it?"


    "I''m still in the process of planning the wards. We''ll need to establish what our perimeter is and see how much magic you''ll be able to use at a time. The bigger the area, the more draining it will be, and the more work it will be."


    "I can help with that," Kellan offers. "At least if you let me know what our possible coverage area is, I can help define our boundaries."


    "We can go walk together—"


    "No," I cut in immediately. "Grimoire, we aren''t ready for others to learn of your existence. Kellan can bring a map, or we can bring you along as a book. We still don''t know if there are traitors here." It hurts to even admit it, now that I''ve been here for a little while.


    I don''t like looking at faces and wondering if any of them are willing to betray us. Willing to murder us, even if it isn''t at their own hands.