Only eight minutes until I was to meet the catnapper. It both seemed too soon and not soon enough, if that made any sense. I'd run out of time to find Studmuffin myself or find a way to not hand over the Ring of Everlasting Night. I'd done my best though. Now I just hoped the exchange went smoothly and I had my favorite familiar back in my arms again soon.
While I waited in Dad's car, Bernie, my whole body strummed with vibrating, too-tight nerves. Dad had the sense to put snow chains on his tires so we'd arrived with plenty of time to spare. But the waiting part was slowly driving me off a cliff into Witchy Crazy Town.
"Gum?" Cass offered from the back seat behind me.
"Thanks." I took one so I'd have something else to look at other than the falling snow and the very empty lot behind Gas, Guzzles, & Go.
"Much obliged." Next to me, Dad took one too. "So, Travis. About your dad."