“He says as he reads to flowers.” I grinned.
He lifted the book again before turning a page. “Attack flowers. Big difference.”
The last two vans held the violent flowers. There was a metal grate sectioning off the driver from the flora, and the van doors had been kept closed. The only person they would chill out for right now was Edgar, and even that was hit or miss. Apparently, they didn’t much like traveling and wanted everyone to know it. How the hell we were going to unload the things was anyone’s guess. We’d barely gotten them into the vans.
“What’s the ETA?” Austin asked as he met me, checking his watch.
“Careful, people will think you’re a mage.” My smile had zero effect on his hard, expressionless face. His eyes didn’t even soften. “We’re just waiting for some help from the locals. The basajaunak were having a helluva time fitting into the vans. I know you wanted to look ultra sleek and—”
“It’s fine. Just hurry up if you can. We’re wasting time.” He glanced me over before about-facing and walking away, his emotions frustrated and annoyed.
I twisted my mouth to the side, watching him with trepidation. I’d never seen him like this, hard and unyielding. Rigid, almost. At the same time, I understood. He was going home after nearly sixteen years to a pack he’d left in tatters. It would be his first time seeing or talking to his mother in all that time, and I knew he was worried she wouldn’t want anything to do with him. He’d also have to face childhood enemies and people who’d told him he’d never amount to anything. Who’d predicted, when he hadn’t even been a teen, that he’d pick a fight with the wrong person and get stuffed into an early grave. Or, worse, that he’d turn into his father.
He’d wanted to prove to those people that he’d changed. That he had done something with himself. Not only that, but he was using his resources to come to their aid.
Old me would’ve crumbled. I would’ve forced the basajaunak into the vans and told the guy thanks but no thanks. I would’ve tried to please Austin.
Magical me realized, however, that it did not matter one bit how the basajaunak showed up. They could be riding tricycles or wearing tutus, in some beater camper or stuffed in a luxury van too small for them. In whatever manner they arrived, they would bring the wow factor, more so than any other creature. Just having them on our team was incredible, something Austin was currently forgetting.
So I didn’t go after him. I didn’t try to smooth things over. I let him be grumpy and gruff and unyielding, and when I proved him wrong, I would absolutely expect groveling.
After ten or so minutes, a line of trucks ambled down the street. There must’ve been ten campers in all, from spruced up and shiny to a million years old but still running. Our new friend had called in favors to help us out.
Tears actually clouded my vision this time. I was such a sap about this stuff.
They parked on the side of the street, still taking up part of the road and not worrying about it. The guy from earlier stepped down from his truck and met me on the sidewalk.
“Thank you so much!” I gave him a hug. “This is really amazing. I can’t thank you enough. All of you.”
I stepped back and waved down the line. Beeps sounded back, their acknowledgement.
I stuck out my hand to him. “I’m Jessie.”
“Howdy, ma’am. Hank.” He shook it before looking at the motel. “Okay, then. Let’s get ’em all
loaded up.”
It didn’t take long, all the basajaunak organizing quickly and stowing away with plenty of head-and legroom.
“What are they? Bigfoots?” Hank asked after he closed the door to his camper.
“Basajaunak, actually. Don’t call them Bigfoots. They hate that, and if you piss them off, they are about the meanest, most violent creatures you’ll ever encounter. Grizzly bears might as well be teddy bears in comparison.”
“That right? Huh.” He flared his eyebrows and shook his head. “You see summin’ new every day.
All right then, what should we do, just follow y’all?”
“Yeah, that would be amazing. How much— What can I pay you for all this?”
“Ah now.” He waved that away. “We’re just bein’ neighborly. Happy to help.”
Austin met me at the first van, waiting beside the open door. Everyone else had been tucked in, with doors closed and motors running.
He stopped me before I took my place, his eyes so open now.