Chapter 34

CHAPTER 34

C onleth scrutinized the welcome banner draped above the entrance to the camp. “Does that look crooked to you?”

Leonie rolled her eyes. “Conleth, it’s fine.”

“I just think the left side is a little higher than the right. We should check. I’ll go get the tape measure.”

“If you whip out a tape measure, you’re going to find it extended somewhere extremely uncomfortable.” Leonie brandished her clipboard, shooing him away from the entrance. “It doesn’t matter if the banner isn’t level. The parents are coming to see their kids, not the decorations.”

“But we want to make a good first impression.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Did you check that the arts and crafts displays are set up?”

“Yes, Conleth,” Leonie said patiently, or at least as patiently as one could expect for someone who had already been asked this question multiple times in the past hour. “And I made sure every single camper has at least one piece on show. It all looks great.”

“And all the counselors and activity leaders know the schedule?”

“ Yes , Conleth. Everyone’s been briefed.” Under her breath, she added, “Some of us multiple times.”

“What about the cabins? The kids will want to show their parents around. Did all the counselors make sure the campers tidied their dorms this morning?”

“I checked every cabin myself. They’re all spotless. I’d say the kids are just as eager for everything to be perfect as you are, but I’m not sure that’s actually possible.” She tapped her clipboard. “Calm down , Conleth. I’ve got this. I don’t know the real reason you were so determined to hold a Parents’ Day, but I’ll make sure it’s a success.”

“Thanks, Leonie.” On impulse, he hugged her, clipboard and all. “You’re a good friend.”

“And you’re a frequently maddening morally gray mastermind.” She hugged him back. “But you’re our morally gray mastermind, and we love you. So don’t mess this up.”

“I thought you said you were going to make sure today was a success.”

“I wasn’t talking about today.” She released him, giving him a firm push toward the camp buildings. “I’ve still got a bucket with your name on it, remember. Now go find your mate.”

He shifted, taking to the air. As always, it felt better to be in motion, the rush of the wind drowning out the agitated storm of his thoughts. He took a minute to circle the camp grounds, checking that everything was in order.

Even on opening day, the camp hadn’t looked this fresh and new. Cabins sparkled in the sunlight, every porch and rail swept and scrubbed. Kids were everywhere, falling over themselves to help their counselors set out sports equipment on the playing fields or carry logs to the campfire pits. An almost palpable sense of anticipation hung in the air.

It was hard to believe that a mere five years ago, this had been a muddy mess of half-finished buildings and safety barriers. Now, the camp looked like it had always been here; a haven of laughter and friendship, set between the mountain and the lake. The whole place had never seemed so inviting.

Let’s hope it’s enough.

His own campers were helping to set out picnic blankets near the dining hall, under Paige’s supervision. With a last glance over the camp to make sure nothing seemed about to collapse, catch fire, or otherwise ruin the day, he spiraled down to join them.

“Hey, cheer up, Ig,” Estelle was saying as Conleth shifted back to human form. “It sucks that your family can’t be here, but you can hang out with mine. I can’t wait for you to meet my dad!”

“The cooks have made all kinds of special treats for the cookout,” Finley said encouragingly. “And there are all sorts of games and competitions throughout the afternoon.”

Hetta shrank a little. “I don’t know if I want to do those.”

“Oh, come on, Hetta.” Estelle rolled her eyes. “We won’t stand a chance in the inter-pack competitions if everyone doesn’t join in.”

“Besides, it’s a chance to show our parents how much we’re learning at camp,” Beth said. “Won’t that be fun?”

“Yeah,” Nancy said gloomily. “Fun.”

Conleth clapped his hands, attracting the kids’ attention. “Gather around, everyone. Before our visitors arrive, there’s something we need to discuss.”

Paige picked up the cue. “I know you’re all excited about your parents coming here today. And I’m eager for my mom to meet you all, too. But…she doesn’t know about me and Conleth.”

Archie had been fidgeting with a picnic blanket at the back of the group, clearly distracted. At Paige’s words, his head snapped up. “You haven’t told her yet?”

Beth looked dismayed. “Why not?”

That reaction was exactly why he’d convinced Paige to delay telling the children until the last possible minute. Conleth knew his niece. If she thought there were any cracks in his relationship with Paige, she’d worry about it non-stop.

“No need to be alarmed, Beth. There’s nothing wrong.” To prove it, he put an arm around Paige. “We just wanted to tell her the good news in person, that’s all.”

“My mom isn’t a shifter, and she doesn’t know about true mates,” Paige explained. She made a face. “To be honest, I thought the whole idea was crazy the first time I heard about it. It’s going to take a while to explain things to her, and I didn’t want to do that over the phone.”

Archie looked between them. “Is that why you organized this whole thing? Just to tell Mom about you two?”

“No,” Conleth said truthfully. “There are multiple reasons for holding this event, but that isn’t one of them.”

“But I do plan to tell her while she’s here,” Paige said. “I just want her to meet Conleth first. So can you all promise to keep our secret for a little longer? Until I’ve talked to my mom?”

“Of course.” Beth drew herself up to her full height, shoulders setting. “You can count on us. Right, everyone?”

Most of the other kids nodded—though not all of them. Conleth noted Archie withdraw a few steps, fading to the back of the group with his brow furrowed.

None of the other campers seemed to notice, but Paige did. From the worried look she gave her brother, she wanted to pull him to one side for a private talk, but she didn’t get the chance. The camp bell rang, putting an end to any further discussion.

“That means our parents are starting to arrive!” Beth squealed, her whole face lighting up. “Come on, everyone, let’s go to our cabin to meet them!”

The campers dashed off, some with more enthusiasm than others. Archie trailed at the back of the pack, casting more than one glance back over his shoulder.

Paige watched her brother, a crease in her own brow. “He knows we’re up to something.”

“Of course he does. We are, and he’s not stupid.” Since the kids had left, he pressed a quick kiss over that worried line in her forehead. “Don’t worry. Out of all the kids, Archie’s the last one who’d ever tell your mom that we’re mates.”

“That’s true.” Paige cast a longing glance toward the parking lot. “I know we’re both supposed to stay with the campers until their families arrive. But do you mind if?—”

He interrupted her with another kiss, this time on the mouth. “I’ll take care of them. You go find your mom.”

The parking lot was even busier than it had been the day she’d arrived. A couple of counselors directed cars to temporary overflow spaces, while a steady stream of buses dropped off passengers. Some of the oldest campers handed out welcome leaflets and pointed parents toward the cabins.

Paige hovered next to the bus drop-off point, scanning every new arrival. If the kids were excited about today, it was nothing to their parents. They hurried past her without a glance, eager to see their kids again for the first time in weeks.

Finally, a familiar figure stepped down from a bus. She paused, and Paige flashed back to her own first view of the camp; the cabins, the lake, the woods. The way the mountain had seemed to call to her, offering a freedom she’d never dared to seek, or even allow herself to want; that strange, powerful sense of nostalgia for a place she’d never known. Was her mom having a similar reaction now?

If she was, she didn’t show it. Instead of drawing in a deep breath of clean mountain air, she seemed to hunker in on herself, as though the cool breeze was a howling gale. Clutching her purse, she surveyed the crowd, gaze skipping nervously from face to face.

Maybe she’s just too eager to see me and Archie to be interested in the view right now. Swallowing irrational disappointment, Paige waved, raising her voice. “Mom! Over here!”

Her mom’s face brightened, that odd wariness falling away. She hurried over to hug her, fierce and hard, and for a moment Paige was just a kid again, safe in her mother’s arms.

“Paige!” Her mom pulled back, blinking hard. “Oh, it’s so good to see you!”

“You too,” Paige said thickly, fighting back tears herself. “I missed you. Thanks for coming all this way.”

“You know I’d go any distance for you.” Her mom cupped her face briefly, her palm warm against Paige’s cheek. “You’re looking well. Camp life must agree with you.”

She smiled, thinking of Conleth. “Yeah, it does.”

Her smile quickly faded as she took in her mom’s appearance. With the camp’s internet connection too flaky to allow video calls, it was the first time she’d seen her since the start of summer. She’d lost weight, and her makeup couldn’t conceal the dark rings under her eyes.

“Are you okay?” Paige asked, though she already knew the answer—both the one her mom would give, and the truth. “You look tired.”

“Oh, don’t worry about me,” her mom said vaguely. She looked around, voice going bright and brittle. “My, just look at this place! It’s so…remote. And that forest looks awfully wild. How do you take the children hiking without getting lost?”

“ Mom . Don’t try to change the subject.”

Her mom adjusted her cardigan, wrapping it a little tighter around her too-thin frame. “I’ve been…a little down, lately. The apartment seems so empty without you and Archie. I suppose I’m not used to having so much time alone with my thoughts.”

Paige knew all too well what her mom actually meant by ‘a little down.’ Guilt stabbed through her. “You should have told me.”

“I didn’t want you to worry. There was nothing you could have done, anyway.” Her mom patted her arm. “I’m fine now, truly. All I really needed was to see you and Archie again.”

“But you’re only here for a day.” Suddenly, the end of summer couldn’t come soon enough. “When you go back, you’ll be alone again.”

“It’s not that long until you and Archie come back home. I’ll be fine , Paige.” A warning note entered her mom’s voice. “Let’s not talk about it any further while I’m here. We don’t want anything getting back to Archie.”

It wasn’t the time to explain that Archie already knew about her depressive episodes, and had for years. Paige still hadn’t figured out how to drop that bombshell without sending her mom into a guilt spiral. She felt bad enough about it herself.

“Okay,” she said. She took her mom’s hand. “Come on. There’s someone I want you to meet.”

“Where are they?” Estelle said in frustration. She bounced on her toes, trying vainly to see past the family groups crowding the area. “They should have been here by now. Beth, can you sense them yet?”

Beth closed her eyes for a moment, then shook her head. “No, but there’s a lot of people around. I’m probably just missing them in all the crowds.”

She was trying to sound optimistic, but Conleth could tell she was starting to get worried. He was, as well. Most of the other campers were already happily showing their parents around, yet his own pack still waited forlornly outside the junior boys’ cabin.

He forced a reassuring smile. “There’s no need to panic. Plenty of people are still arriving. I’m sure your families will be here soon.”

“Maybe one of the buses broke down.” Nancy sounded more hopeful than dismayed by this prospect. “Or there’s a tree across the road.”

“Yoo-hoo!” trilled a high, feminine voice. A petite woman with Nancy’s exuberant brown curls waved frantically, a foil-covered platter balanced on her other hand. “Nancy! Nancy, over here!”

Nancy’s face fell.

The woman—who could only be Nancy’s mother—bustled over, followed by a somewhat larger man. At least, Conleth assumed it was a man. It was somewhat hard to tell, given that said individual was entirely obscured from the waist upward by a precarious stack of cake boxes.

“Oh, my sweet baby, you must have been worried sick!” Juggling the plate, Nancy’s mother swept her into a warm, one-armed hug. “The journey was a nightmare, just an utter nightmare. So many awful truck drivers, I just don’t know why they have to honk their horns so much. I had to pull over six times, and your father—well, no matter. We’re here now!”

“Hi, Mom,” Nancy said gloomily. “Hi, Dad.”

“Hi, pumpkin,” said the ambulatory pile of Tupperware.

“Auntie Lucy made your favorite lemon bars!” Nancy’s mother thrust the plate into her daughter’s hands. “And I whipped up a triple batch of scotcheroos so you’ll have enough to share with all your friends. And Cousin Sal—Auntie Jane’s Sal, I mean, not the other one—made some simply wonderful kringle, and I’m afraid I just could not dissuade Auntie Cathy from attempting to send an entire strawberry pretzel dessert—oh dear. I told you to be careful with that one, Hubert.”

“Sorry, honey,” said Nancy’s father, still mostly concealed by baked goods.

“Oh, and I brought all the things you accidentally left behind!” Nancy’s mother delved into an enormous canvas shoulder bag. “I don’t know how they ended up back in your closet, I’m sure I put them in your trunk when we packed. Let’s see, I’ve got your earmuffs, and that adorable padded parka Great-Uncle George embroidered for you, and your water wings, and your elbow pads?—”

“ Mooooooooom .” Nancy looked like she was about to melt with embarrassment. “Please stop.”

Conleth was beginning to understand why Nancy had been less than enthusiastic about the entire concept of Parents’ Day.

Summoning his most charming smile, he stepped in to rescue her. “Glad you could join us, Mrs. Peakes, Mr. Peakes. I’m Conleth, one of Nancy’s counselors.”

“Oh, I have a little something for you, too!” Demonstrating a fine disregard for concepts of ‘physics’ or ‘gravity’, Nancy’s mother rummaged through the pile of cake boxes. Her husband hastily adjusted his grip, rescuing a sliding pie. “Though I’m afraid it’s only butter bars. I would have made your favorite, but Nancy hasn’t told us a thing about you. Or anything, really.”

Nancy’s father—now almost visible—gave his daughter a somewhat wounded look over a plastic-wrapped plate of snickerdoodles. “You could write a bit more often, honeybunch.”

Nancy squirmed. “I’ve been kind of busy.”

“Indeed we have,” Conleth said to head off any further parental guilting. “Nancy’s certainly been making the most of her time at camp. We’re all very impressed by her achievements, especially with regard to?—”

“Hey, everyone, you gotta try my aunt’s lemon bars!” Nancy yelped, ripping the foil off the plate. “Especially you, Conleth! They’re really good!”

Hetta let out a squeal of excitement that had nothing to do with home-baked treats. She hurtled off the cabin porch as though shot from a catapult, leaping into the arms of a short man in a battered Stetson. Weathered face cracking in a broad grin, he spun her around before setting her on her feet again.

Hetta pulled him over to the rest of the group. “Everyone,” she said shyly. “This is my dad.”

“And you must be Conleth,” the man said in a drawling Texan accent, holding out a hand. “Jim Rosecomb. Hear you’ve been looking out for my little girl here.”

Accepting the handshake, Conleth almost rocked back on his heels. Rosecomb’s grip was confident rather than crushing, but to shifter senses he burned with casual dominance. Whatever his animal might be, there was a lot of power packed into that wiry five-foot-four frame.

Not a rival , Conleth told his bristling pegasus. Squashing an instinctive urge to demonstrate his own strength, he gave Rosecomb’s hand a brief, firm shake. “A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Rosecomb. We’ve been delighted to have Hetta here at camp.”

“Took some persuading to convince her to give it a try.” Rosecomb ruffled Hetta’s hair affectionately. “Have to say, your first few letters home had me pretty worried, sweet pea. But I’m glad you stuck it out.”

“You should be very proud of your daughter,” Conleth said, seeing an opportunity. Having met Rosecomb, he now had a better understanding of why Hetta was worried about disappointing him, but she had to tell her dad the truth eventually. Talking up her strengths might help give her courage. “Despite some understandable fears, she’s tackled many challenges over the past few weeks. She even achieved the fastest time on the high rope course yesterday.”

“High ropes?” Nancy’s mother exclaimed. “Oh my. Nancy, please tell me you haven’t been doing anything like that . Why, I get faint just thinking about it.”

“Now, now, honey,” her husband rumbled. “Calm down. I’m sure the counselors have been following all our instructions.”

Conleth had the abrupt sense of an ax hanging over the back of his neck. “Instructions?”

“The ones we attached to Nancy’s enrolment form.” Nancy’s mother turned to her daughter. “You did make sure your counselors read our letter, didn’t you?”

Nancy shuffled her feet. “Soooooo, funny story. You know how you let me take the forms to the mailbox? Well, the envelope maybe sort of came open on the way, and the letter fell out. And I maaaaaaybe kind of accidentally on purpose…didn’t put it back in.”

Mrs. Peakes let out a shriek, reeling back as though shot. Cake boxes and pie tins went flying as Nancy’s dad dove to catch his mate.

“ Nancy! ” Mrs. Peakes clung to her husband, one hand pressed theatrically to her heart. “You mean to tell me you’ve been here all this time without telling anyone about your condition?! ”

“No, no, that’s all right,” Conleth hastened to reassure Nancy’s parents. “We’re fully aware of the jumping issue. In fact, we’ve been working on some mitigation techniques for that problem. I’m delighted to report that your daughter’s been making excellent progress.”

Nancy’s dad nodded thoughtfully. “Good. Good.”

Conleth breathed out in relief.

“Of course,” Nancy’s dad added, “We’re more concerned about the fainting.”

“…the fainting,” Conleth repeated, after a pause.

“ Dad! ” Nancy stomped a foot. “For the last time, I’m a mountain goat!”

Nancy’s dad shifted his not-inconsiderable weight from foot to foot. “Sweetie, technically, you’re half mountain goat.”

“Ugh!” Nancy pulled at her hair. “I can’t believe you’re still going on about this! There’s nothing wrong with me!”

“Watch your mouth, young lady!” her mother said sharply. “We don’t use ableist language in this family. There’s nothing wrong about being a fainting goat.”

Rosecomb’s eyebrows rose. “Y’all are fainting goats?”

His tone had been more startled than mocking, but Nancy’s mother swelled with indignation. She shook off her mate’s arm, drawing herself up to her full height.

“I suppose you think it’s funny ?” She jabbed a finger at the alpha male, all outraged dignity. “Tennessee fainting goats are tenacious and loyal , I’ll have you know. So what if there’s a harmless little quirk in the bloodline. Any shifter should be proud to be one!”

“But I’m not a fainting goat!” Nancy protested. “I’ve never fainted in my whole life!”

Her dad cleared his throat, looking somewhat uncomfortable. “Well, it is in your genes, honey. And there was your seventh birthday party?—”

“That doesn’t count! I told you, I just tripped!”

“Sweetie, you fell face-first into the cake. It took two uncles to pull you out again.”

“It was really delicious, okay?” Nancy folded her arms, scowling. “Anyway, it was Cousin Matt’s fault. He shouldn’t have yelled ‘surprise!’ like that.”

“I don’t know what he was thinking,” Nancy’s mother said, hands fluttering again. “Your aunties took out the whole buffet. And I’d spent hours on that Jell-O centerpiece.”

Estelle was looking fascinated. “Hang on, so some of your family are fainting goats, Nancy? Like, they go stiff and topple over at unexpected loud noises, even in human form?”

“Yeah, sometimes.” Nancy glared at her mother. “But I’m not a fainting goat. Okay, so I can’t help jumping when I’m startled. That doesn’t mean I’m gonna randomly start keeling over.”

“Honey, I know it’s frustrating, but you have to accept your heritage means it’s just not possible for you to do everything the other kids do,” Nancy’s mom said earnestly. “We love you, and we want to keep you safe.”

“Stopping me from doing anything fun isn’t keeping me safe, it’s smothering me!” Nancy’s chin lifted defiantly. “At least here at camp, people aren’t constantly telling me to be careful. In fact, Conleth’s promised to take me mountain?—”

“Bathing!” Conleth yelped, grabbing Nancy’s shoulder. “Mountain bathing. Like forest bathing, only with…mountains. Yes.”

“Mountain bathing?” Nancy’s mom said dubiously. “That doesn’t involve actually climbing any mountains, does it?”

“No, of course not.” He felt Nancy take a breath as if to argue, and tightened his grip on her shoulder in warning. “We just…contemplate them. From a distance. Very soothing. Excellent for calming the nerves.”

“There now, dear,” Nancy’s dad said to his wife. He patted her arm reassuringly. “See? Letter or no letter, the counselors are keeping our little girl safe. No need to get upset.”

“Hetta, Nancy, perhaps you could show your families around the cabin,” Conleth suggested. “And Nancy, make sure to tell your parents all about the perfectly safe activities you’ve enjoyed at camp so far.”

To his relief, Nancy seemed to take the hint. She did give him a rather betrayed look over her shoulder as she led her family away, though.

His pegasus gave him a mental nudge, barely in time. He just managed to brace himself before a solid weight cannonballed into the backs of his knees.

A small, somewhat sticky face beamed up at him. “Uncaleth!”

“Hello, Otis.” Relieved that at least one thing was going to plan, he scooped his nephew up into his arms. “Escaping as usual, I see. Where are your parents?”

Otis giggled, snuggling against Conleth’s shoulder. In any case, the question was answered a few seconds later—at least in part.

“Otis?” called a familiar voice, sounding somewhat more harassed than usual. “Otis! Come back here this instant!”

Beth stood on tiptoe, waving. “Uncle Conleth’s got him, Mom! We’re over here!”

“Oh, thank goodness.” Diana hurried up, out of breath. She gave Beth a quick but heartfelt hug before turning to her runaway son. “Otis, what did I tell you about holding onto Mommy’s hand?”

Otis pouted, looking remarkably unrepentant. “Uncaleth.”

“Yes, yes, I know you sensed your uncle. You still can’t go charging off like that.” Diana pried Otis off Conleth’s neck. “Thanks, Conleth. I don’t know what we’re going to do once this little imp starts shifting. At this rate, you’re going to be the only one who can keep up with him.”

“You know I’m always happy to babysit.” Conleth looked over the top of Diana’s head, fruitlessly searching the area behind her with both mundane vision and his pegasus sense. “Where’s Callum?”

Finley was looking around as well. “And where’s the rest of the crew? I thought you’d all be traveling up to camp together.”

“Oh.” Diana put a hand to her mouth. “Conleth, didn’t you get Callum’s message?”

He’d been so wrapped up in last-minute preparations, he hadn’t even thought to check his phone. “What message?”

From the way Estelle blanched, she’d already worked out what the message must have been. “Is—is my dad not coming?”

“I’m sorry, Estelle,” Diana said, her eyes soft with sympathy. “The crew got an emergency call a few hours ago. There’s a big wildfire north of here, and the Thunder Mountain Hotshots were the only firefighters who could reach it in time.”

“Oh.” Finley attempted a smile, but the corners of it wavered. “That’s—that’s okay. We understand.”

“Mom?” Rufus said out loud, his voice no more than a dry, scratchy whisper. “Dad?”

“I’m so sorry,” Diana said again, helplessly. “They’d be here if they could, Rufus. But they can’t. They have to go where they’re needed.”

“It’s okay, Rufus.” Finley put a reassuring hand on his friend’s shoulder. “We always knew this might happen, right? It’s—it’s just part of the job. And they’ll still be thinking of us, just like we’re thinking of them.”

Rufus said nothing, staring at the ground. Conleth could practically see him retreating into himself, shutting down to escape overwhelming emotions. Rufus always liked knowing what was going to happen, and struggled to cope with unexpected disruptions to his routines. This last-minute disappointment would hit him even harder than the rest of the kids.

“But even if my dad can’t be here, my mom’s still coming,” Estelle said. “Right?”

“I’m afraid your little brother woke up with a fever this morning, Estelle,” Diana replied. “Your mom’s had to take him to see the doctor. I don’t think she’s going to be able to make it to Parents’ Day either.”

“Well—good!” Estelle announced, blinking rapidly. “This whole thing is stupid. I didn’t want them here, anyway.”

“Yes, you did,” Ignatius said, though for once there wasn’t the slightest hint of sarcasm or superiority in his tone. Somewhat awkwardly, he bumped his shoulder against Estelle’s. “And it sucks, not to have anyone coming. Believe me, I know.”

“Ignatius!”

Oh, shit.

Conleth knew that voice all too well. Usually, it was haranguing him down the phone about asinine concerns over ‘security’ or ‘exclusivity.’ Right now, it was the last one he’d expected to hear—and the one he least wanted to hear.

Ignatius clearly did not feel the same way. He spun around, all studied preteen ennui forgotten. “Uncle?!”

Lord Golden picked his way toward the cabin with the expression of a man forced to cross a field recently vacated by several hundred nervous cows. As usual, the dragon shifter wore a tailored suit and gold-shot silk waistcoat, with heavy rings gleaming on every finger. Against a background of log cabins and pine trees, the overall effect was…jarring.

Did I look that much of a dick?

Summoning every ounce of willpower, Conleth mustered a welcoming smile. “Lord Golden. This is an unexpected honor.”

“I am aware,” Golden replied in icy tones. “It seems my invitation went astray.”

“A most regrettable oversight,” Conleth lied. “I shall have strong words with the person responsible.”

In fact, he was currently doing so, in the privacy of his own head. They were mostly expletives. All the other disasters of the day were minor inconveniences compared to this calamity.

“Uncle, you’re—here?” Ignatius couldn’t have sounded more stunned if the Dalai Lama had dropped by for the campfire singalong. “How—why?—?”

“I happened to have a business meeting with an associate whose child also attends this…camp.” The way Lord Golden pronounced camp made it synonymous with overflowing septic tank . “He assumed I would be present today, as the guest of honor. As did I, once I managed to discover what on earth he was babbling about.”

“Of course, we are overjoyed that you’ve been able to grace us with your presence.” Conleth was somewhat amazed that neither his hair nor his pants immediately burst into flame at this statement. He added, rather more hopefully, “Though of course, since your time is so valuable, I expect this will only be a fleeting visit?”

“It was inconvenient, but I have cleared my schedule.” Lord Golden flicked a minuscule fleck of dirt from one snowy cuff. “Ignatius is my nephew and heir. He is always my highest priority.”

Ignatius looked like the King of Sweden had just shaken his hand and awarded him all the Nobel prizes.

“And of course, I wish to see what progress he has made so far this summer,” Lord Golden added. He turned to his nephew. “You have been spending your time productively, I trust?”

Ignatius knew just as well as Conleth that his uncle didn’t mean singalongs and friendship bracelets. He sagged, proud glow fading. “I’ve been trying my best, Uncle. But I still haven’t been able to shift yet.”

“I’ve taken personal responsibility for your nephew this year,” Conleth said, hoping to divert Golden’s displeasure to himself rather than Ignatius. “He’s a very impressive young man. I have no doubt that his animal will be just as remarkable, in the fullness of time. In my experience, the most powerful alphas are often the late bloomers.”

“That’s right,” Estelle agreed innocently. Conleth, who knew that tone of voice all too well, had an abrupt urge to bundle her to the other side of camp. “Just look at Buck. He didn’t even become a shifter until he was, like, super old. And he’s really powerful. As you know.”

Golden gave Conleth a pointed look over Estelle’s head. “If you are acting as a counselor this year, I trust you are maintaining strict discipline in your group. Otherwise, I may have to reconsider my nephew’s future vacation plans.”

Ignatius hastily stepped between his uncle and Estelle. “Uncle, these are my friends.”

Lord Golden swept Rufus, Estelle, Beth, Archie, and Finley with an assessing stare. “Why?”

Ignatius faltered. “Because they…are?”

Golden sniffed, adjusting a diamond cufflink. “A future clan leader does not make friends , Ignatius. He cultivates useful connections, and endeavors to uncover their weaknesses.”

Estelle looked like she might have something to say about this novel theory of interpersonal relationships, but she didn’t get a chance. Without warning, Archie let out an ear-splitting whoop.

“MOM!” Archie barged past Lord Golden, shoulder-checking the alpha shifter with commendable disregard. “ MOM!”

“Ignatius, perhaps you could take your honored uncle to Director Zephyr,” Conleth said hastily. “He should be greeting parents in the dining hall. I’m sure he’ll want to personally show Lord Golden around the camp.”

Ignatius, thankfully, had figured out the danger. He bundled his uncle away, not a moment too soon.

“—and that’s the girls’ cabin where Paige sleeps, at least some of the time, but I’m not allowed in there, which I think is stupid but it’s the rules, and this is my cabin!” Archie returned at a much slower pace, though now talking a mile a minute. “And this is Estelle, and that’s Finley, who’s the really cool dragon shark prince I told you all about, and that’s Rufus—he doesn’t like it when people look him right in the eye, so try not to do that—and over there is Beth and her mom and baby brother, and this is?—”

Archie stopped mid-torrent, as though he’d run into a brick wall. Paige took advantage of the sudden silence, turning to the woman on her right.

“Mom,” Paige said, her cheeks flushing faint pink. “I’d like you to meet my co-counselor.”

Next to Paige, her mom looked like a faded copy; shorter, smaller, hair gone more gray than chestnut. Even Paige hadn’t told him her history, he would have instantly known she wasn’t well. There was a tired gauntness to her features; lines drawn by years of private, grinding struggle.

But she had the same proud, stubborn set to her mouth as her children, and her eyes were intimately familiar, brownish-green flecked with gold. Right now, that cool, assessing gaze was distinctly unimpressed.

Focus, idiot. He did his best to pull himself together, offering Paige’s mom both a winning smile and an outstretched hand. “Conleth Tiernach-West. It’s a pleasure to meet you at last, Ms. Brown. I can’t tell you how much I’ve enjoyed working with both Paige and Archie this summer.”

Paige’s mom looked him up and down, making no move to accept the handshake. “The co-counselor my daughter told me she didn’t like, and who didn’t care about the kids, and that she wished she wasn’t stuck with this summer?”

“Er,” Conleth said. “Yes?”

“That was back before I really knew him, Mom,” Paige said quickly. “I got the wrong first impression, but actually, Conleth’s put his heart and soul into this camp. And he’s amazing with the kids.”

Her mom’s gaze drifted to the children, whose expressions currently ranged from ‘clinically withdrawn’ (Rufus) to ‘terminally anxious’ (Beth). It was clear she did not find this evidence backed up her daughter’s claims.

At the moment, however, Conleth had far bigger worries than how to convince his mate’s sole protective parent that he was not, in fact, a raging egomaniac who rejoiced in children’s misery. “Archie, why don’t you show your mom your cabin? Paige, a quick word?”

Trusting Diana to keep the firefighter kids occupied, he drew Paige aside, lowering his voice. “We have a problem.”

“No kidding.” Paige had been maintaining a brave face in front of the others, but now her expression crumpled into worry. “Conleth, I think my mom hates this whole place.”

“A bigger problem,” he said grimly. “Lord Golden is here.”

“Ignatius’s uncle?” Paige caught her breath. “Oh, crap. Would he be able to tell I’m human?”

“I don’t know. He didn’t immediately spot Honey last year, but he is a powerful alpha, and he has dominance powers. If he got suspicious, he could probably compel you to confess the truth.” Just the thought of Golden sneering at Paige made him want to put a hoof through the asshole’s skull. “I don’t want you anywhere near him.”

“But—the kids. I’m supposed to be meeting their parents, and helping with all the activities?—”

“I’ll take care of all that,” Conleth interrupted. “Listen, there’s no time for debate. I’ve got to find Moira and tell her to keep Ragvald hidden. It’ll be bad enough if Golden discovers you’re one of Ignatius’s counselors, but all hell will break loose if he finds out we’ve got a wyrm here.”

Paige pressed her lips together, but nodded. “What do you want me to do?”

“Go change your t-shirt and get back to your mom. I’ll warn the campers to treat you as just another guest. With any luck, Golden won’t even realize you work here.”

“I’ll do my best,” Paige said, though she sounded dubious. “But Conleth, I don’t think this plan is going to work.”

“You just concentrate on your mom. I’ll handle the rest.” He brushed a quick, reassuring kiss against her forehead. “Trust me. Everything’s going to be fine.”