Free Claws (9780545469678) by Rachel Mike; Grinti Grinti Page B

please. It’s a better alternative than expulsion.”
    â€œMom, let’s just go,” Emma said before her mom could argue more. “Dad can homeschool me.”
    Emma’s mom glared at Ms. Keyes, then looked down at Emma. Her mouth was tight with anger. “We’ll talk about it when we get home,” her mom said. She turned back to the principal. “Just tell me where I need to sign.”
    A few minutes later, the cop escorted Emma and her mom out of the building. Only after they were off school property did he remove the handcuffs. “Don’t let me catch you near a school zone again. Understand?”
    Emma nodded. Her hands tingled with pins and needles as she tried to move her fingers again.
    She and her mom got into the car. They didn’t look at each other.
    â€œIt was an accident,” Emma said.
    Her mom put the car into gear and started driving.
    After several minutes of silence, Emma tried again. “Mom, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, okay? I really didn’t know about the claws.”
    Her mom wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand. When she finally spoke, her voice was steady again. “That cat’s not going to get away with this. I’m going to call the police, have him hunted down. You know better than to mess with magic. Do you have any idea what could have happened if —”
    She broke off as they drove up to their trailer.
    There were cats everywhere. All of them were small now, but still they were all different shapes and sizes. Emma saw gray fur, white fur, ginger, brown, and black. They sprawled across the lawn and driveway. They lounged on the steps. A few even stared down from the roof of the trailer. Green and yellow eyes watched Emma with a still, stalking intensity.
    The Heart’s Blood was working. Her pride was back.

CRAG FACT OF THE DAY:
    â€œIt’s not a good idea to wear clothes made out of satyr fur if there’s a chance you might run into an actual living satyr. It tends to make them angry.”
    CragWiki.org

    â€œE mma, stay in the car,” her mom said, then rolled down her window a few inches. “Mr. Simbi?” she called.
    Mr. Simbi’s head broke the surface of the water in his hot tub, tail flapping wildly. “You have to do something about these cats!” he yelled. “I already told them to go, but they just ignored me. That’s the problem with cats, they’re rude and lazy. They shed everywhere, too. Look, there’s cat hair in my water. It’s unsanitary!”
    â€œDo you have a phone?” Emma’s mom interrupted. “We need to call the police.”
    Mr. Simbi shook his head. “I don’t need a phone. And neither do you, because the police won’t come here. They never do. Well, not unless they’re disturbing hardworking residents with questions about things we know nothing about. But the moment there’s any real trouble, there’s not an officer to be found.”
    â€œMom, I don’t think they’re here to hurt us,” Emma said. “I just need to talk to them.”
    â€œHave you forgotten where talking to cats has gotten you so far?” her mom said. “You are going to stay in this car, and you are not to move until —”
    A gray cat climbed onto the hood of the car. Emma recognized him from the day before, the one called Fat Leon. “This is not human business,” he said, staring at her mom through the windshield. “We’re here to see our Pride-Heart.”
    Emma’s mom pursed her lips and slammed the heel of her palm on the horn. “I don’t care what you want!” she yelled, punctuating each word with another blast of the car horn. “Get! Off! My! Property! Get! Away! From! My! Child!”
    Fat Leon’s ears twitched with irritation, but he didn’t bother to move.
    â€œMom, stop!” Emma yelled, her hands over her ears. “I have to talk to them.