We were drawing a stipend from the local government now, through Citrine’s husband. The money we were using to commission Lookout for her ‘low, low price’ was the same money we were giving every member of the team.

The chatter continued for another ten minutes. I cleaned up from the cooking, and then got everything together while Ashley extricated herself from the video call.

“Got your gear?” I asked.

“By the door,” she said, as she stepped into her boots.

Hauling my bag up onto the shoulder of my good arm, I got the front door. Swansong followed me, wearing a black leather messenger bag with her costume particulars packed inside.

We headed to our rendezvous. And to the grim business that would follow.

⊙

The destination was the new Wardens Office. Natalie and Kenzie were at the foot of the stairs as we walked up, Kenzie talking to Erin and Rain. Further away, Moonsong and Byron were perched on a bench, sitting on the back of the bench with their feet on the snow-covered seat.

Kenzie saw us coming, and ran up to Ashley. Kenzie wore an electric blue peacoat, navy blue pleated skirt, gray leggings, and navy blue boots. The pin in her hair was more abstract than I’d seen her wear before, something between a slanted eye and a fish, with a comma shaped pupil or fin in the center. The clothes looked new, and something in the look told me she was trying to change her look.

Which, as with many things Kenzie, left me simultaneously hopeful and worried.

I left them to it. I passed Natalie, murmuring my hello, and I approached Rain and Erin. Rain wore a heavy jacket and ripped up jeans that he’d rolled up at the bottoms to keep from treading on with his heavier boots. Erin had an overelaborate shawl-coat that wrapped around and draped over her more than it seemed to be zipped up. It left some openings and gaps in coverage, which was probably why she wore the heavier sweater with it. They were very different in style, rustic and hypermodern.

“We arrived early,” Rain said. “And By was here already, talking to her. We didn’t want to interrupt.”

“There’s a lot to talk about,” Erin said.

I studied Moonsong’s civilian self. Pretty, with a beauty mark by her eye, lined up enough with where her eyelashes ended that it looked like it had been drawn or tattooed on. Wavy black hair, earmuffs, and a nice coat with a velvety look, a straight black skirt to the knees below it, and higher boots. Classy aesthetic.