Tricked

of documents from Hal, though, and Coyote hadn’t been able to resist having fun with our new names.
    I hadn’t planned on staying in the area, but the idea had some appeal now that I thought about it. Reservations don’t get much satellite surveillance, and there wasn’t a gauntlet of security cameras recording your every move. Besides that, I needed to stay nearby to keep a close eye on the coal mine. And I could make trips down to the valley every couple of weeks to work on the wasted land around Tony Cabin and then reward myself with fish and chips at Rúla Búla.
    » So what was in the envelope? « Granuaile asked, returning inside.
    » New identities and a place to live, courtesy of Coyote. See for yourself. « I handed her the sheaf of papers.
    A giggle escaped Granuaile’s lips and she covered them up with her hand. » You’re going to spend the next twelve years as Sterling Silver? « she asked.
    » Yours isn’t much better, « I said.
    Her laughter cut off abruptly as her eyes found the blank with her new name in it. » Oh, that bastard. He put me down as Betty Baker. «
    » Let’s get him back by stealing his truck. «
    Her eyes flicked to the big black truck Coyote had driven onto the site, and she nodded. » Yeah! «
    After retrieving Moralltach, I turned on the truck’s ignition with a binding—there was no way I was going to search for keys in Coyote’s remains—and Granuaile got us on the road back to Flagstaff. There was a hound down there who needed some hugs.

Epilogue
    April Flores didn’t want to let Oberon go.
    » I’ve never seen a dog heal so fast from a broken shoulder, « she said, » not to mention the ribs. He shouldn’t be able to walk for a few more weeks, but now it’s like nothing ever happened to him. I keep thinking it’s some kind of miracle. I’d like to keep him for some more tests—no cost to you, of course. Just some X rays and things like that— «
    » Sorry, but we really must be going. «
    › I heard that ! ‹ Oberon said. › Outside that door there are oodles of poodles to ogle! ‹ He barked once to punctuate the sentence for the veterinarian’s benefit.
    » What happened to you? « Dr. Flores asked, pointing to the bandages on my right hand. I couldn’t tell her I’d fought a giant locust any more than I could tell her Oberon had fought a vampire, so I stuck to the original lie.
    » I hunted down that bear. «
    » Congratulations, « she said, clearly not believing me. She petted Oberon regretfully and wished him farewell and no more encounters with » scary bears. «
    › See how she’s keeping her voice low, Atticus? If Granuaile had admitted me under the name of Snugglepumpkin, she’d be in dog-whistle territory right now. ‹
    Your sample size is still too small. You haven’t made it past mere coincidence yet .
    › You know what would be cool? We should experiment on the Borg Queen. Once she hears my name is Snugglepumpkin, resistance is futile! Though I’m not sure if she’s a dog person. Or a person at all. Whatever. We’re going to Scotland, right, for sixteen succulent boar sausages? ‹
    Right. Gotta dye my hair and take some pictures first, but then we can take off for the Scottish Highlands .
    › I smell sheep already! ‹
    I watched Oberon’s gait carefully as we exited the vet’s office. You look like you’re doing okay, no limping. How does that shoulder feel?
    › I get a little twinge of pain, but it’s not that bad. Not sure I want to run on it yet. That nasty tea of yours sure helped. ‹
    Good, I’ll make you some more. Need you to feel perfect again so we can go hunting .
    › That’s right! You feel that subtle shudder in the wind? Around the world, squirrels are cringing in fear right now and they don’t know why. ‹
    We ran errands in Flagstaff—getting more herbs for Oberon’s tea and some for myself, plus a particularly inky hair dye that would completely ruin me for a while. Dyeing my own hair didn’t scare me as much as saying good-bye to Granuaile’s: The sun wouldn’t shine on it the same way anymore, and she’d probably remind me uncomfortably of the Morrigan. But then I thought it might be a good thing for us to be unattractive to each other for a while, and this alteration of our appearance would be a blessing. Coyote had probably done me more favors than he actually intended. I knew he’d gotten us a place to live so I could keep the coal mine closed and his gold mine open, not out of any