Eventually, Nyxie opened her eyes and looked toward Liam.
Then she stuck her tongue out at him.
It was quick, childish, and unmistakably deliberate.
Mabel chuckled again. "Liam, you need to learn to show some affection to your shadows, or they may soon grow to hate you."
"My other shadows are not attention-seeking like Nyxie," Liam said. "She is acting like a spoiled child."
Nyxie lifted her head sharply, letting out a scandalized little bark.
Mabel glanced down at her with clear amusement. "What do you expect from someone who knows her worth?"
Nyxie's reaction was immediate. She straightened in Mabel's arms, chest puffing out, wings lifting slightly in agreement. A proud little trill rolled from her throat, and she gave a firm nod as if Mabel had spoken a sacred truth too long denied.
Mabel nodded back at her. "Exactly."
Liam looked at both of them.
His skeptical expression deepened. "If she knows her worth, then she should do the things asked of her."
