Page 68 of Monster's Pet

“How long did it take them to reach Ireland?” I asked. My fingers itched to pull the book closer, wanting to flip through it and find the answers for myself.

“Well over a year,” Hazel replied. “They said that they found a ley line in Northern America, which would be Canada now, that was weak. They followed it until they reached the big water, the Atlantic, and then they took boats. After many uncomfortable months, they reached land, Ireland, and swore they’d never set foot on the sea again. Fortunately, the ley lines in Ireland were strong enough for them to survive, so they stayed.”

“What do you mean, strong enough to survive?” I asked.

“We’re dryads, Siobhan,” Hazel said dryly. “Our life force is tied to ambient magic.”

“Are you okay?” I asked immediately.

“I’m weaker than I should be, but I’m fine. Being at the school helps, because of all the magic built into its walls. My family is struggling a bit. Mummy told me that one of the neighbors has been making them dinner every night. Papi hasn’t been able to go to work for more than half the day most days.” Hazel’s eyes filled with tears. “I’m worried about them.”

I left my chair and squeezed in beside her, wrapping my arms around her. “We’re going to figure this out,” I whispered. “Professor Akhtar and Aiden are working on the math right now. We should be able to pinpoint the location of the issue within a few days.”

“Really?” Hazel’s smile was watery. “I hope so.”

After giving her another squeeze, I moved back over to the desk and opened my grimoire.

But I couldn’t focus. I found myself tracing a crack in the paint on the wall with my eyes. The flipping pages of Hazel’s book was the only sound in the room.

Finally, I pushed back from the desk with a groan. “I can’t do this!” I exclaimed. “I hate feeling like I’m useless, and with Aiden helping Akhtar, I’m not needed. But being here, not knowing what’s going on, is even worse!”

Hazel grimaced. “I’m sorry.”

Moonbeam meowed softly and leapt onto my lap, kneading my thighs with soft paws.

“Thanks, darling girl,” I said, scratching behind the kitten’s ears. She started purring loudly and butted her head under my chin. “Have you grown again?” I asked her. “I go away for one day, and you grow, what, three inches?”

“Four,” Hazel said helpfully. “I helped Rhiannon measure her yesterday afternoon after class.”

“Slow down, baby,” I said, nuzzling our noses together. “If you get too big, we won’t be able to keep you here, and it’s way too dangerous out there for you right now.”

Moonbeam licked at her whiskers before starting to groom herself.

“Did Rhiannon say when she’ll get her wings?” I asked, almost dreading the answer.

Hazel shrugged. “She seems to think that she’ll get them within the next month or so. It depends on whether they come out based on magical or physical age. It’s not like we have a lot of references.”

“Stay tiny for a little longer,” I pleaded. “We’re working on the ley line problem, and hopefully, once that’s fixed, everyone will forget about manducares and you can find your way back to your family.”

“How?” Hazel asked. “Unless she’s got a genetic memory like monarch butterflies, how would she know where her family is?”

I resisted the urge to interrupt Moonbeam’s bath to cuddle her. “I don’t know. We could always house her at Grandfather’s until the summer, and then Aiden and I could take her to where we think she might have come from. We have some theories.”

Hazel nodded slowly. “And your grandfather would be okay with that?”

“He’s not the kind of person to believe in superstition, plus he loves discovering unique magic. Surely, that would include magical creatures?” I wasn’t one hundred percent certain, which was why we hadn’t contacted him immediately after finding out that the manducares were going to be hunted. Not that we could have managed to get her to the mainland without discovery.

I jumped to my feet, unceremoniously dumping Moonbeam onto the bed. “I can’t sit here and do nothing. I’ll be back to sleep here, darling,” I petted Moonbeam’s head, “but I need to see if I can help Aiden.”

“I’ll stay here until dinner,” Hazel said, settling into the chair until she was practically horizontal. “See you later.”

“Enjoy your family history.”

Hazel had already mentally disappeared into the book by the time I reached the door. I shook my head with a smile and closed the door behind me.

Classes were out now, and the hallway was filled with boys from my year. I didn’t know, or care to know, most of them, so I kept my head down as I headed for the stairs to the second floor.

I didn’t bother with a greeting when I entered the professor’s office. I hadn’t brought food, and the men were focused on their papers. There were more numbers on the hologram of the ley lines in the center of the room, so I walked around it, studying it.

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