Four weeks.
Twenty-eight days of laughter Lily didn't feel like making. Of sleep she couldn't find. Of Zoey and Maya constantly telling her she was supposed to be cute, not an angry-looking grandma.
"Tusk! Get them!"
Tusk opened one golden eye, looked at the girls laughing at him, and went back to sleep.
Zoey and Maya howled.
Lily grabbed Tusk's massive head and tried to lift it. "Get up, you fat cat!" She strained, her breath coming too fast, too shallow. "Get—up—ugh—"
She gave up, collapsing against his side, breathing heavily.
As the days passed, it got worse. She tired quickly now. Spent most of her time on the sofa, or riding Tusk while the girls wandered through the forest. Her body was slowing down. The virus was winning.
"Come on, walk!" Eva tugged at her arm.
"No."
"Walk."
"No."
They reached the lake cliff—the same one from weeks ago, water sparkling below, the waterfall thundering in the distance.
Zoey grinned. "Okay, Lily. It's time."
Lily was half-lying on Tusk's back, arms draped over his neck. "No."
"Stop 'no'-ing everything." Eva crossed her arms. "Listen to your elders."
Lily lifted her head. Looked at Eva with those tired, ancient eyes.
"Elders? Huh. Elders." She paused. "Fine. Grandma."
Eva gasped. "Grandma?"
"Yes, Grandma." Lily's voice was flat, but something sparkled in her eyes. "How old are you? Over a hundred, right? So yes. Grandma." She looked at the others. "And so are all of you. Stop laughing at my sister, or I'll make Tusk push you off."
Tusk yawned.
Zoey's finger twitched.
Lily floated into the air.
"How dare you!" Lily flailed, completely undignified. "Let me go!"
"Of course." Zoey's smile was angelic.
Lily drifted over the cliff edge.
"Wait—wait—wait—I'm human! I'm human!" Lily's voice rose. "I take it back! You're not grandmas! You're—you're beautiful maidens! Eternal youth! Please!"
Zoey tilted her head. "You were calling us grandmas a second ago. Now who's the grandma?"
Lily's eye twitched.
Then, slowly, a grin spread across her face.
"Fine. Do it."
Zoey blinked. "Wait—really? I was just annoying you. I wasn't actually going to—I'm not insane—"
"Do it. Let me have some fun."
"No. That's too dangerous." Lena stepped forward, concerned.
Zoey lowered Lily gently to the ground.
Lily stepped off casually, like she hadn't just been dangling over a fifty-foot drop.
"LILY!" Eva screamed.
A shape shot up from below—wings spread wide, feathers grey and brown, yellow-green eyes gleaming. A New Hampshire Wyvern, eleven meters of airborne predator, rose beneath Lily's feet and caught her perfectly.
She stood on its back, arms spread, hair whipping in the wind.
"Wow. That's cool," Lena breathed.
The wyvern landed. Lily stepped off, patting its beak, and turned to face them.
"Forgot who I am, have you?" Her voice rang out, strong and clear. "I'm the fucking Monster Queen, bitches."
"Okay, first of all—rude." Eva tried to look stern, but the smile broke through.
They walked back together, Lily riding Tusk, the girls around her. Four weeks had passed. Twenty-eight days of pretending everything was normal.
Tomorrow, she would leave.
Before they woke up. Before anyone could stop her.
Except Wolfen. She'd have to deal with Wolfen.
That night, she spent curled against Eva, her sister's arms wrapped around her, holding her close like she'd never let go.
Neither of them slept.
---
The sun rose.
Lily stood outside, facing the forest, her back to the ranger station.
"Lily." Eva's voice was rough with sleep. "What are you doing here?"
Lily turned.
Their eyes met.
Eva's face changed. Understanding. Horror. No.
"Fuck no." Eva's voice rose. "Fuck no! No!"
"Don't worry." Wolfen's voice came from behind her, calm as still water. "She's not going anywhere."
Lily looked at him. At the man who had seen her darkness, matched it, and refused to back down.
"Don't die," she said.
BOOOOOOOM.
The explosion ripped through the morning.