2. Toby

2

TOBY

W e don't get the chance to get everything put away before we have to go to the doctor. Louisa shows up just as we're loading the globe onto the book cart.

"How did you get this up here on your own?" Eli asks, his muscles bulging as he sets it on the top shelf of the cart.

"I didn't. I asked someone to help me. She was very muscular."

Louisa approaches, her eyes fixated on the globe. "What is that?"

"This is part of Toby's nest," Eli says. "He stole it from the public library. That's why neither of them are allowed back there until they lay their eggs. We should probably keep Toby home, in general. He wasn't just taking books, he was stealing name tags and quiet signs. Somehow, he convinced a complete stranger to lift this heavy globe onto a book cart for him. Most omega penguin shifters won't accept help from strangers with their nest, so I'm impressed."

Louisa smiles. "His mom was like that too when she nested. Complete klepto every time. Her mate took away her car and refused to drive her anywhere, so she called me, and I drove her wherever she wanted. That's what I plan to do with Toby too, you know. If he asks me to take him back to the library, I will. I'm the black sheep of the family. It's basically my job to enable thieving nesters. His sisters called me when they were nesting as well."

Eli laughs. "Okay. But don't let the librarians try to scan the books. Felix will steal their scanner. Also, try to keep them away from the book carts. They can steal a lot of stuff in a small amount of time with those things."

Felix and I glare at Eli. He's revealing all our secrets.

"We should really get going. We'll be late for our appointment," Louisa says.

Felix puts down a stack of books he was rescuing from the back of the trunk. "Okay."

We both walk toward Louisa's car.

"Wait. Are you cool with me bringing all this stuff in on my own?" Eli asks.

"Sure," Felix tells him. "It goes in our room."

"Wow. Okay. That's a first. I can't believe you'll let me bring everything in while you're not even here."

I don't know why that would be unusual. We trust Eli. Even if he did try to prevent us from going to the library again.

"You can't take any of it back," I say. "We need all of it."

"Both of you do? Or is it Felix that needs that stuff?" Eli asks.

I shake my head. He doesn't get it. "Everyone will need that stuff. Even you."

This seems to confuse him, so I get into Louisa's car.

He'll understand soon enough.