The morning of their flight to Draxil began with Theodore refusing to put on his shoes.
He sat on the bench inside the private dressing room with one socked foot tucked beneath him, his small travel jacket already buttoned, dark hair combed neatly away from his forehead, and both shoes untouched on the carpet beside him while Matthias waited near the door with the patience of a man who had once survived almost a century inside an infected forest and had somehow discovered that a four-year-old could still test him.
Dean stood in front of Theo with his hands on his hips.
"The car leaves in fifteen minutes."
"I know."
"You packed your dragon book."
Theo nodded.
"Your bear."
Another nod.
"Your tablet."
"Yes."
"And approximately seventeen things you absolutely did not need because Matthias gave up arguing with you."
Matthias looked toward the ceiling.
Theo remained serious.
"I can't go."
Dean stared at him.
"Why?"
Theo looked toward the western windows.
