Chapter 223: Shaylee's Fears

I was almost asleep when my computer dinged and the entire world focused on the dancing pen. Sassy snarled at me and leapt aside, muttering a sleepy string of probably nasty words under his breath before curling up in a new place and flickering his tail over his nose.

Couldn't care less.

Sorry it's so late. My mind imagined Quaid speaking the words as he wrote. I missed his deep voice, the warmth of his chocolaty-caramel magic wrapped around me.

Still up. He'd know I was lying, but that was okay. Do you have much time to talk?

Some. What's up?

Okay, was I that obvious? The usual Hayle craziness. For a moment I hesitated in telling him about Gram, then shook off the concern. Quaid was nothing like Grandfather Ivan. He might be a Dumont by birth, but he was a Hayle at heart.

I filled him in, my fingers flying over the keyboard, telling him about Gram and Mom and Uncle Frank. About the dreams I'd had and Galleytrot's absence. Meira's odd behavior. Dad. Erica. It seemed like I poured