I kicked my shoes off at the front door like I always did. “Anything I can do to help?”

“I think I’ve got everything covered,” Aunt Brooklyn said. “As far as I know, everyone else will be going home for dinner. Right, Max?”

“I think so,” Max said. And then he tagged my side. “You’re it!” he yelled and ran off.

Aunt Brooklyn laughed. “I think Jacob is in his room, if you want to head up.”

“Great,” I said. “But first I have to win this game of tag.” I ran after Max.

He slid through the living room on his socks and then jumped on the couch.

I tried to reach for him, but he hoped off the back of it. I turned to see Uncle Mason and Aunt Bee’s son Onyx was here too. He was distracted doing something with a rope. It looked like he was just tying knots. I ran over and tagged him instead of Max. “You’re it, Onyx.”

He looked up from the knots he was tying. “But I was creating the restraints for the loser.”

“The restraints?”

“Yeah, the loser has to be tied to the fireplace.”

Jesus, Onyx. “No. That’s not a good idea.”

“Right. Because it’s a great idea.”

I shook my head. “You’re still it...”

“No, you’re it,” he said and tagged me back.

I reached out to tag him, but he ran off with his rope. “Onyx!” I yelled.

“Scarlett’s it!” he yelled to everyone. “Scarlett’s it!”

All the kids scrambled.

I shook my head and turned around to see who I could tag next. Mr. Nigel’s daughter Electra was the youngest. And she’d definitely be the easiest to get. But that seemed like an unfair target. Especially since she was currently playing dress up in the corner and was wearing a pair of heels that were way too big for her.

I saw some wild red hair peeking out behind the couch. I leaned over the couch to see who it was.

“Thorin!” Skadi yelled from across the room. “Run!”

Thorin tried to get up from his hiding place, but tripped and knocked over a basket full of toys. Little cars went everywhere.

I felt bad tagging him while he was down. Plus I didn’t want to risk slipping on one of those toy cars. I looked around the room again. Jacob’s youngest sister, Alora, was running away from Onyx and his ropes.

Onyx was definitely trouble. I chased after them. I pretended to run slower as the rest of the kids started running away from me too. Or maybe I wasn’t pretending. I was starting to get a cramp.

Skadi was right in front of me.

I was just about to tag her when Jacob walked down the steps.