Once the supplies were returned to my space, the patio looked almost normal again.
The weapons remained near the outdoor kitchen because Yuche had opened several cases and become distracted by equipment he thought he would never see again. But everything else disappeared before Lingyun could claim that the pool party required six cases of candy and an emergency supply of fireworks.
The sun had dropped low enough for the tree's shadow to cover most of the yard.
Colored light moved through the leaves and spread across the surface of the pool, turning the water green, blue, and red whenever the branches shifted. Beyond the hedge, the horde remained quiet while Toast watched Lingyun from its usual place between the leaves.
Yuche returned the final rifle to its case and closed the lid before looking toward me. He had examined every weapon without asking why I stole it, where I found the space to hide it, or whether I intended to give it back.
