Page 36 of The Witch & the Hound
Ethan grabbed his sister's other hand, and together we walked back down the pier toward the lights, noise, and safety of the festival.
Behind us, the dark water rolled against the pylons, indifferent to the life it could have claimed.
By the time we reached Main Street, backup had arrived: two more deputies, several volunteers from the festival, and Sarah Mitchell running toward us with tears streaming down her face.
"Lily!" She dropped to her knees, pulling her daughter into a fierce hug. "Oh God, baby, I was so scared—"
Lily burst into tears, the kind of deep, gasping sobs that come when you've been holding everything in and finally feel safe enough to let go.
Sarah looked up at me, at Bram, her eyes swimming. "Thank you. Thank you so much. I don't know how to—"
"You don't have to," I said. "She's safe. That's what matters."
One of the deputies approached, older than the first one, with the weathered face of someone who'd been doing this work for decades. "Thanks for the assist, Maggie."
He looked me over. "Thank you. We couldn't have covered that much ground that fast without..." He glanced at Bram, clearly uncertain how to finish the sentence.
"Without him," I said firmly. "Bram tracked her. Found her. He's the one you should be thanking."
The deputy nodded slowly, then extended his hand to Bram. "Thank you, sir. Really. That little girl could've—" He stopped, unwilling to finish that sentence in front of the family. "Thank you."
Bram shook his hand, careful of his strength. "You're welcome."
Sarah Mitchell stood, Lily still clinging to her hip, and turned to Bram with an expression I couldn't quite read. Fearwas still there, but something else too. Recognition, maybe. Understanding.
"I was scared of you," she admitted. "When Ethan talked to you earlier, when he touched your horns, I pulled him away as soon as I could. I thought..." She swallowed hard. "I thought you were dangerous."
Bram said nothing, just waited.
"You saved my daughter," she continued. "You could've stayed at your nice dinner and ignored us. But you didn't. You helped. You—" Her voice broke. "Thank you. I'm sorry I was scared. I'm sorry I judged you."
"It's okay," Bram said quietly. "Fear is honest. Action is what matters."
She nodded, wiping her eyes. "Can I—can we hug you? Is that weird?"
He looked startled, then nodded.
Sarah shifted Lily to one hip and threw her other arm around Bram's shoulders. Ethan joined in, wrapping his arms around Bram's waist. Even Lily reached out, her small hand touching one of his horns in a gesture that was more blessing than curiosity.
Bram stood very still, arms carefully returning the embrace, looking utterly overwhelmed.
A flash went off.
Someone had taken a picture, one of the festival-goers who'd gathered to watch the reunion. Within seconds, phones were out, capturing the moment: the barghest in the nice suit, the family embracing him, the pier and ocean in the background.
By tomorrow, it would be all over Seaview's social media.
The Monster Manager Saves Missing Girl.
The Barghest Hero.
Seaview's Protector.
But right now, in this moment, it was just Bram, being hugged by a grateful family while the Halloween festival carried on around us, oblivious and joyful.
Sarah pulled back first, still clutching her daughter. "Is there anything I can do? To thank you? Both of you?"
"Just go home," I said. "Put your kids to bed. Hug them tight."
