Chapter 2

Friday, September 4, 2009: Late afternoon

I awoke surrounded by small, warm bodies. The boy was curled up against my back, and the ferrets had piled together in the crook of my legs. While cozy and comfortable, it was also cramped.

All my muscles hurt, but that was to be expected. Even the potions I create for my body leave aftereffects. You can’t enhance the body without paying for it later. Usually a hot shower and a couple of Advil get rid of the worst of it.

When I shifted, someone, probably Gimble, nipped me in protest. You only hurt the ones you love, right? Ignoring the sharp pain in my calf, I got up, making sure to replace the covers over the boy, who was still sprawled in sleep.

I glanced at the clock on my way to the bathroom. 4:00 in the aft...

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