Page 45 of Robb

It was a bit of an undertaking, given the need to keep the area invisible from the air at all times while also doing a thorough enough job that the local habitat would be protected from the salinity, but her team were the absolute best at what they did.

It was nearly complete now, and she admired the serenity of the spot, the areas of dappled sunlight and shade, the tiny sandy beach, the native grasses further back from the water’s edge that swayed in the breeze.

Every part of the sanctuary was designed to be enjoyed by all kinds of shifters, no matter what form they were in, and so there were wooden benches that blended in so well with the scenery that they were almost invisible, as well as large, sunny rocks for lizards to bask on, and areas with different types of sand, dirt, and leaf litter for smaller animals to dig around in.

There were also trees with hollows that various creatures could ensconce themselves in and a variety of gum trees for picky koalas to snack on, not to mention wattles and other flowering native plants for the insect shifters. These specific flowering plants were in an area that could easily be screened off, protecting her guests who shifted into various bugs and critters from being accidentally eaten by wildlife or insectivorous shifter friends alike.

The sanctuary team really had thought of just about everything – and the few things they hadn’t thought of, their guests had suggested.

One of the things Tahnee loved most about the sanctuary was how truly democratic it was. Everyone who used it was entitled to have their voice heard, and nothing made her happier than to find ways to accommodate her guests’ needs, whatever they may be. Nobody had abused her hospitality yet, and she was confident that it would stay that way.

Sometimes, being willing to place trust in people and listening to what it is they need is the best thing you can do.

Launching herself from the branch, she flapped down to the ground and stalked through the grass, before walking over the warm sand, enjoying the feel of it against her feet.

Wandering over to the water, she peered at its uncannily still surface, looking at her reflection.

The brolga stared back, preening a little, admiring – as always – its long, elegant neck, red head, and striking orange eyes.

It extended out its wings to their full remarkable span, stretching with delicious satisfaction, and Tahnee laughed.

Yes, yes. We all know you’re very impressive.

The brolga sniffed. It’s nice of you to acknowledge it for once.

Despite its tone, it was clearly pleased. Tahnee probably didn’t compliment it quite as often as she could.

Then again, maybe if it didn’t antagonize her quite so much, she would be nicer to it.

And hang on – when’s the last time the brolga complimented me?!

Staring into the water’s surface, for a moment she couldn’t help but see the reflection of a dingo at her side. She would’ve jumped in fright, if not for the fact that she knew it was just a figment of her imagination – there was no way someone could’ve crept up on her to that extent, and certainly not her own mate.

A strange warmth suffused Tahnee’s body at the sight, jumbled up with frustration and fear, before a falling leaf landed upon the water and distorted her reflection, the ghostly dingo disappearing from her mind’s eye entirely.

The warmth disappeared, replaced by a slow wave of sadness that passed through her, making her feel heavy and tired. The thought, fleeting though it had been, of Robb being by her side here at the sanctuary had been so appealing that it had overridden her good sense.

What chance did she have of living here with him?! Buckley’s and none – and that was if she was being optimistic.

Just the thought of him and his uptight cop presence harshing everyone’s vibe was enough to bring a slightly pained smile to her face. He would try, she knew that, but she just didn’t know if he’d be capable of fitting in. Especially since some of her staff were, in fact, amongst the people she had assisted in rebuilding their lives under new names after they’d been arrested for petty crimes.

She wasn’t about to risk their safety – and especially not for minor crimes they’d committed last century, while being on the straight and narrow ever since. She was happy for other Agency agents to come here to use the sanctuary, but she didn’t know if she could live here with Robb, who knew everything about what she’d done and who she’d helped… and who was completely unable to be reasoned with when it came to things like obeying the absolute letter of the law.

The others understood that the world came in shades of gray, but Robb? Not so much.

The thing was, she had changed, even though she wasn’t sure she’d ever admit it. After the whole Rebecca Lanley thing, where she’d unintentionally unleashed a violent criminal upon some unsuspecting bank workers, she’d started becoming a bit more stringent about who she aided – where ‘more stringent’ meant ‘doing absolutely any kind of background checking at all’.

She could now admit to herself that she’d been reckless back then, assuming the best of absolutely everybody who wasn’t an authority figure and throwing her gold around willy-nilly. Things were more nuanced than that, she knew.

But that didn’t mean that she wouldn’t keep helping people wherever she could. She was just a bit more sensible about how she went about it, now.

You swore you wouldn’t get old and boring, she thought with a smile. If only that young firebrand could’ve seen how she would turn out.

Tahnee hoped that the younger version of herself wouldn’t be too disappointed in her. She knew that she was doing good work.

A rustling in the grass behind her alerted her to what she had already detected through her shifter senses. Turning, she spotted what she knew she would see: a giant goanna, making its placid way towards her.

Shifting into her human form, Tahnee raised a hand in greeting.