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I glanced over at Lain, clippers buzzing away in my hand. "Who even is Ori? How are they this connected? What is happening in my town, Lain?"

"Ori's story is theirs to tell. But even you've always said The Crossing is a special place."

"Yeah, in the way that every quiet little mountain town is special because there aren't many places like this left," I said, exasperated. I resumed grooming, needing to focus on something other than the absurdity of it all.

"That's also true, but here… it's hard to explain. Something about our town draws people who are different. That's why there's such a concentration of strangeness around here. Shifters and psychics and people like that are actually super rare and most folks will go their whole life without encountering one, but here in The Crossing, it's kind of the opposite," he said. He seemed to be struggling to explain it, which made me feel a little better, because I was struggling to understand it.

"You're saying I've met…" I trailed off. I couldn't make myself say the words. That would make this all feel too real.

"First things first: I'm not going to out anyone, so I can't name names beyond people who have said it's okay, like Alex and the DeVor family," Lain warned.

"I can respect that," I agreed. Petal wagged her stubby little tail in what I took to be agreement.

Lain tilted his head, studying me for a moment before seeming to come to some sort of decision. "Second, I'm not going to info dump on you."

"A little late for that."

"Darling, we haven't even scratched the surface," he said airily, then sobered. "There's a lot I want to tell you about, but it's not important right now. We need to focus on Typhon right now. I'll explain the rest as we go, okay?"

"The rest?" I paused, suddenly making a few connections. "How do you know about all this stuff, anyway? Are you a…" I still couldn't say the words without feeling like I was losing my mind, but I'd know if my only friend wasn't human, wouldn't I?

"I'm exactly the same person that I was when I came into your salon looking for a job. Nothing has changed except that we both know the truth about our home now."

Because that wasn't suspicious at all. I didn't push him, though. I wanted to know, but I really didn't think my brain could handle it if it turned out I'd never truly known Lain.

I went through the rest of my morning in a daze, both of us quiet as I worked. I desperately wanted to know more about my town, but on the other hand, I was grateful to Lain. I could barely process that shifters and psychics were real. Anything more and I'd probably be in the fetal position under my table.

The work was familiar, the rhythm soothing. Lain sat at the front desk to give me some space to think and the dogs were well-behaved. It was the kind of morning most groomers hope for but rarely get.

And yet, the more time that passed with nothing happening, the worse my anxiety got. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. There was no way those strangers had left town, which meant they had to be plotting, figuring out what to do next. From the way they'd gone after Alex, they obviously suspected that Typhon was hiding here somewhere. Drawing the attention of our tiny police force didn't concern them, understandably. The Crossing was a peaceful town; we didn't need many officers.

Long years of practice meant it was usually easy for me to hide my emotions, but I was struggling today. I got worried looks from the older couple that came for the schnauzers, and Leesi and Calvin's mom didn't try to hide her concern as I ran her card. If I remember correctly, she worked with troubled kids, helping them negotiate rough home lives, so I should have known she'd pick up on any weird vibes. Thankfully, she didn't ask, and finally I was done.

Clean-up went quickly, mostly because Lain had cleaned up behind me as I worked. As anxious as I was to get back to Typhon, I didn't skip disinfecting everything, getting the salon as sterile as it got to prepare for the new week.

"Are you heading straight home?" Lain asked once I was done. He and Rom waited patiently by the door, and the second I nodded, we left, Rom trotting beside me to the car.

"Yeah. No detours," I promised.

"Will you call me when you get inside? I know it's a short drive, but I'll worry until I know you're safe."

I was still frustrated that Lain had been keeping secrets, but I could never hold a grudge against him. Not after everything we'd been through together. I knew in my heart that he'd never do anything to hurt me. There was no one in my life I trusted like him.

"I'll text you," I offered instead and he laughed, the first time I'd heard him do so today. That, more than anything, helped jar me out of my weird headspace and focus back in on the world around me.

"I shouldn't be surprised." He reached a hand out, then paused. "Can I hug you? It's been a weird day and I think I need it."

I did, too, which I didn't realize until I agreed and Lain pulled me into a tight hug. I leaned into it, borrowing some of his strength to get me through the rest of the day.

"Thank you," I murmured.

Lain hugged me a little tighter, then stepped back. We both pretended not to see the sheen in the other's eyes.

"Text me as soon as you get home. We'll talk more tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay. I promise."

He waited until I was safely in the car with Romulus buckled into his seat before walking away, heading back toward Ori's shop down the street.