Saber hopped out of the tunnel like she’d done it a million times, and for some reason that bothered me. I tried not to think about that even as she ignored everyone else and raced right over to Everest and pressed the backs of her fingers to his forehead. Her red and hazel-gold eyes narrowed on him.

Everest smirked and nodded. “I am fine.”

“Are you barefoot?” We all jumped at the sound of a very familiar voice. Braison stood just outside the tunnel with glassy red and green eyes and a crooked smirk. He gestured to my soulmate. “A barefoot Everest in Coven Headquarters. What is the world coming to?”

“I’m wearing Tenn’s clothes, too.” Everest grinned. “I’ve got hand-me-downs now.”

Braison threw his head back and laughed.

Everyone in The Coven was staring at him like their own emotions were a second from fraying. Before any one of them could move to greet him, thunder rumbled over our heads. Panicked footsteps scrambled. I frowned but no one who lived in this house seemed worried. And then I heard it. A bark. A panicked, strangled, whimper of a bark.

Albert.

Braison leapt to the base of the stairs with wide eyes full of emotion. He threw his arms out and yelled, “ALBERT!”

Albert dove from at least fifteen steps up, from too high for me to even see him. All of a sudden there was just a massive black blob flying through the air right for Braison. But he laughed and caught him like he weighed no more than a pillow. Albert was crying and thrashing around, licking the air in rapid succession. I’d never seen a tail wag that fast. Braison crouched down to the ground and Albert jumped down and ran circles around him. He cried the whole time. My eyes watered. It was the sweetest thing I’d ever seen.

Finally, Braison grabbed him and held him against his chest while Albert licked his chin. “I missed you too, buddy.”

Everest held his hand up, but his fingers barely lifted. His muscles in his arm strained as he closed the tunnel opening. But it was the way he sagged back against the cushion that had me—and Saber—eyeing him with concern.

He looked to me, then to her, then back to me. “I’ll be fine. Just need to rest.”

I reached up and squeezed his hand. “Then rest. Stop using magic.”

He smirked. “I’m old. It’s habit.”