VISION ✔️ || The Keepers of Astraela #1

10.2 || Of Squirrels and Frying Pans

EVA

"HIDE THE BODY!" Eva shrieked.

Wasting no time, Emrys snatched the charred sack of fur from the counter, careful to avoid the bulging tumor. He screwed up his face as he gazed into the molten sockets that once held its beady eyes. After muttering a quick apology to the squirrel, Emrys tugged out the collar of his oversized hoodie and shoved the critter down inside.

Eva watched in horror while her companion folded his arms over his stomach to conceal the bump from the animal. Thankfully, his bulky sweatshirt and arm placement masked the odd bulge well enough.

It was just in time. The door to the stairs flung open to reveal Bobbi, breathless and wild-haired.

"What in the ever-loving hell is going—" She stopped mid-sentence when her gaze landed upon the mess of foam, charred fruits, and coffee-coated microwave bits. Her jaw squared as she lifted her eyes to the ceiling with raised palms. "Lord, strike me down now."

Emrys let out a nervous laugh. "We put out the fire."

The rage in Bobbi's eyes could've easily reignited the blaze. Emrys swallowed hard and shifted uncomfortably against the counter, careful not to move the squirrel wedged against his stomach.

Much to their relief, a second set of footsteps scattered up the staircase. If it hadn't been for the audible distraction making Bobbi turn from the scene, they would have been dead before they could blink.

Soon, the woman behind the clumsy footsteps appeared at the top of the stairs, green eyes wide with concern. Iris had never been the poster child for grace, and that moment was no exception. She hit the landing with a skidding halt, nearly tumbling over her own legs at the kitchen's disastrous state.

Bobbi grabbed the woman's shoulders before she could face-plant onto the tiled floor. "Easy there, Tumbleweed."

"What... I... I don't..." Iris's words spilled out in a deluge of confusion and half-begun thoughts. "...Eva? Jensen? What are you doing here? Why is everything covered in foam?"

Eva lowered the extinguisher. No matter how hard she tried, her brain refused to produce any excuse for their current circumstance.

Emrys cleared his throat. "Bad burritos."

Mortification flashed through Eva's body with such force that she elbowed him from sheer adrenaline. He jumped, loosening his arms enough for the not-at-all-suspicious bulge to shift inside his hoodie. Horror struck across his face as he slammed his folded arms back against his stomach, nearly Heimliching himself to keep the furball in place.

"We were having breakfast with Bobbi, but she left the stove on by mistake, and..." Eva flailed her arms to gesture at the surrounding mess. "There was a little fire."

If it hadn't been for Bobbi patting the woman's back reassuringly, Eva was certain Iris' brain would've exploded and added to their mess.

"First the blender," mumbled Iris, "and now a fire?"

Eva and Emrys shared a terrified look.

"Blender?" they asked in unison.

Bobbi nodded. "Few seconds ago, there was this weird power surge." Her words had a distinct bite as her hardened stare lingered on Emrys. "The lights went wild, and one of our blenders kicked into overdrive while she was making a frappuccino."

Iris put a hand to her chest. "We'll be scraping pumpkin spice off the wall for weeks."

"You know what?" said Eva, clapping her hands together and giving Emrys a look of mock surprise. "Maybe a power surge is what set that stove off after all."