Toren PoV
I woke up early, my eyes still stinging from crying too much yesterday. My body ached, my heart hurt, and my tummy had no mac and cheese in it.
Sis continued to snooze next to me. I snuck out of bed and went to the toilet. After I did my business, I grabbed my dino and smiled. "Rawr!"
I poked Shelly with my dino. She mumbled but didn't wake up. I giggled and continued to poke her, but she still didn't wake up. She must've been exhausted. She tried hard to protect me yesterday, but she was a little weak and the big men took her away. Luckily, Damien saved us.
I liked Damien. He was a weirdo, like me! His hair was all crazy and he liked to play. He was always smiling and laughing. And, he was always giving me snacks and toys.
"Toren, don't go," sis mumbled.
"But me here," I said, blinking as she continued to snooze.
Tears streaked her face.
"Rawr," I said, frowning as I stroked her face. "Me okay, sis. Why cry?"
She didn't respond.
I sighed and left the bed, taking my dino. I opened the door and peeked out, seeing no one in the halls. I went back to sis and grabbed my jacket, putting it on. Then, I grabbed a hat and put it on, along with a pair of sunglasses. I was a spy now, ready to explore! Me was gonna see what mean witch lady was up to and if she was a poopy pants.
I opened the door and closed it, then ran off, my dino in hand. But I was grabbed and lifted off the ground. I screamed and thrashed, trying to escape, but the hands were strong. I turned, ready to roar, but saw a familiar face.
"Rawr?" I said, raising an eyebrow.
Zara smiled at me. "Sir Toren, what are you doing sneaking around? You're supposed to stay on this floor unless accompanied."
"Rawr!" I said, crossing my arms.
Zara sighed. "You can't just wander around, especially after what happened yesterday. It's not safe."
I huffed and puffed. "Rawr! Me spy on mean lady."
Zara blinked, taken aback. "That will bring more trouble."
I frowned. "Meanie lady is a bad guy. Me need to find proof so we can defeat her! She probably an evil dino!"
Zara raised a brow. "An evil dino?"
I nodded "Yup! Or a lizard person! If me can find proof, we can defeat her. Then, sis can be happy and I can have mac and cheese and chicken tenders."
Zara chuckled, setting me on the ground. "You just want to eat, don't you?"
I nodded. "And, make sis happy." I frowned. "She sad, calling my name but I'm next to her. Me not gone, sis. Me here. Sis," I said, sniffling. "Sis cry."
She frowned as she put me down. "Sir Toren, Lady Shelly is probably just having a nightmare. It's best if you go back, before she wakes up and thinks–"
"Toren! Toren, where are you?" Sis shouted from her room.
I gulped. "Sis mad."
Zara sighed. "I don't think she's mad, but worried. Come on, let's get you back to her."
I nodded, and Zara carried me back to the room.
Sis was pacing around, biting her nails. "Toren! Where could he have gone? He wasn't in the bathroom."
"Lady Shelly," Zara said, opening the door. "He's right here."
"Shelly!" I said, smiling.
She sighed with relief and hugged me. "Thank goodness you're okay, Toren."
I hugged her back. "Rawr!"
She sniffled and stroked my face. "I had a nightmare that we were separated. I called for you but you were gone. Then when I woke up, you were gone."
"Me here," I said, smiling. "Not go. Sis no sad. Sis no cry."
She smiled and wiped her tears away. "I'm not crying. I'm happy."
I giggled and nodded. "Sis happy. Me happy. Me tummy no happy."
She chuckled. "Okay, let's get you some food."
"Mac and cheese!" I said, bouncing.
She giggled. "Of course. We'll get you all the mac and cheese you can eat."
I giggled and hugged her. "With chicken tenders too?"
Sis snickered and patted my head. "Sure, why not? You could use the protein."
Sis carried me out of the room, my dino still clutched tight in my hand. I swung my legs, giggling as the sunglasses slid down my nose. "Rawr! Me spy mission done now! Time for mac and cheese!" I said, my tummy rumbling like a hungry T-Rex.
Zara walked beside us, her black suit all neat and shiny, like a superhero's costume. She smiled a little, but her eyes looked serious. "Sir Toren, next time you want to explore, let me or Lady Shelly know, okay? The mansion's big, and not everyone here is as nice as Damien."
I tilted my head, frowning. "Mean lady not nice. She poopy pants! Me find proof she evil dino!" I waved my dino at Zara, making it roar at an imaginary enemy.
Zara chuckled again, but it sounded soft, like she was trying not to laugh too loud. "I'll help you keep an eye on her, but no more sneaking off. Deal?"
"Deal!" I said, grinning. "But me need snacks first. Tummy angry!"
Sis laughed, squeezing me tighter. "Don't worry, Toren. We'll get you fed. You've had a big morning already." Her voice was warm, like when she sings me lullabies, and it made my heart feel less hurty. But I could still see the worry lines on her face, even though she was smiling.
We walked down the fancy hall, past big pictures of old people staring at us. The floors sparkled, and the ceilings were so high they made me dizzy when I looked up. I wondered if dinosaurs lived here once, hiding in the shadows. Maybe that's why the mean lady was here—she really was a lizard person in disguise!
As we turned a corner, I saw Damien coming toward us. His hair stuck out like a bird's nest, and he had a big smile, like always. He held a little bag in his hand, and I knew what was inside—snacks! My eyes got big, and I wriggled in Sis's arms. "Damien! Damien! Rawr!"
"Hey, little explorer!" Damien said. He stopped in front of us and held out the bag. "I got you some special treats."
I grabbed the bag and peeked inside—goldfish crackers and a tiny chocolate bar! "Rawr! Thank you!" I said, stuffing a cracker in my mouth. It was crunchy and yummy, and my tummy stopped growling for a second.
Sis smiled at Damien, but her eyes looked tired. "Thanks, Damien. He's been restless since yesterday. I think he's still shaken up."
Damien nodded, his smile fading a little. "I'm not surprised. Yesterday was rough. Those men had no right to grab you like that. I'm glad Alexander stepped in." His voice got quieter, and he looked at me.
"Rawr! Damien and Alexander saved us!" I said, holding up my dino like a hero. "Me and Sis safe now!"
Sis patted my head, but her smile wobbled. "Yeah, we are. Thanks to you." She looked at Damien, and I saw something funny in her eyes—like she was thinking hard. "I don't know what we'd have done without you."
Damien shrugged, but his cheeks got a little pink. "Just doing what's right. This family needs some shaking up, and you two are part of that." He glanced at me again, then back at Sis. "Let me know if you need anything, okay? I've got your back."
I munched another cracker, watching them talk. Damien was nice, but I wondered if he was a spy too. Maybe he was helping us beat the mean lady! I'd have to ask him later.
Sis nodded, shifting me in her arms. "I will. For now, I need to get Toren some mac and cheese before he starts roaring down the halls."
Damien laughed, a funny sound that made me giggle. "Good plan. I'll see if the kitchen can whip up some dino nuggets too. Can't have our little hero going hungry."
"Dino nuggets!" I shouted, bouncing so hard Sis almost dropped me. She laughed, and it sounded happier than before.
As we kept walking, I looked back at Damien. He waved, then turned down another hall, his crazy hair disappearing around the corner. I liked him a lot. He was like me—different, but good. Maybe he could help me find proof about the mean lady. I'd have to tell Sis my plan later, after mac and cheese.
We reached the kitchen, a huge room with shiny counters and a big stove that smelled like yummy things. A cook lady smiled at us and started making my food. Sis set me down on a stool, and I swung my legs, holding my dino. "Rawr! Food coming!"
Sis sat next to me, brushing my hair with her fingers. "You scared me, Toren. Don't run off like that again, okay? I thought I'd lost you."
I frowned, seeing the tears in her eyes again. "Me sorry, Sis. Me not go. Me stay with you. Promise." I hugged her, and she hugged me back, tight like she never wanted to let go.
"Okay," she whispered, kissing my forehead. "Let's eat, and then we'll figure out what to do about that mean lady together. No more spy missions alone."
I nodded, grinning. "Together! With mac and cheese!"
She laughed, and the cook lady brought over a big bowl of cheesy goodness, plus a plate of chicken tenders. My tummy roared with happiness, and I dug in, feeling warm and safe with Sis. Maybe the mean lady was still out there, but with Sis, Damien, Zara, and my dino, we could beat her. I just knew it.