Chapter Twenty-Nine – Taran
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Taran
What had I been thinking? A human couldn’t live here! For me, it was perfect. The oasis was home, the place I’d built for myself five years ago, when I was too broken to live with the community. But for Thea... It was an oversized garden!
“I’ll go gather berries for you,” I said.
“No, wait. I’m not that hungry.”
She tried to cling to me, but it didn’t feel right. It felt like a mistake. Now that my emotions had settled down, the adrenaline and lust had left my system, and I could see our situation for what it was. Difficult. Impossible.
“You are,” I insisted. “I won’t be gone long. Then I’ll build you a nest while you eat.”
She beamed at me. “I’d love that.”
I kissed her forehead, then went to look for berries at the edge of the oasis, where I knew they grew. I needed a moment to myself. I needed to think when she wasn’t so close to me, pressed against me so hard that it felt like she was a part of me. When I held her, I couldn’t think. She was all I wanted, and nothing else mattered. My reality was her. But now that we were here, I had to admit that reality looked a little different than what I’d imagined.
And to top it all, I’d just told her the oasis was called Rune. The words tumbled out of my stupid mouth, and when I realized what I’d said, it was too late to take them back. Why Rune? She wanted to know. Of course she did. It was a simple question. Harmless curiosity.
Why did I have to tell her the name of the oasis? Why did I have to utter the name Rune, today of all days? I’d just brought Thea here, and this was supposed to be the beginning of the rest of our life together. But nothing looked promising. Not the fact that she was hungry, and I had no human food to give her. Not the fact that she couldn’t simply sit on the ground and look at the sky all day long; she needed shelter. Not the fact that all she had was the wedding dress on her back and those ridiculous shoes she couldn’t walk in.
This was a disaster, and I felt so powerless. I felt stupid. Delusional.
I made a basket out of my own branches and vines and started gathering berries for her. Who was I kidding? This was just a snack. She needed proper food. What did humans eat? They ate all kinds of things. The sandwiches Thea had eaten during the hike had been made of bread, and they’d contained cheese, ham, and salad. Where was I going to get cheese and ham? There was a town nearby, maybe I could go there. I’d never shopped for anything in my life. All leshy needed was the sun, the rain, and a patch of land to rest on.
I felt a vibration in my side, and for a second, I didn’t know what it was. It stopped, and I carried on. Then it started again, and I mentally slapped myself. My phone. Yes, I had a work phone, and I kept it in one of my hollows. It hadn’t rung in a while, and I’d forgotten about it.
“Yes.”
“Taran!” It was Harrison, my handler. “I just wanted to check in. Is everything okay?”
I hesitated. Had Thea’s father already contacted Monster Security Agency? I’d heard her tell him she was leaving with me.
“Define okay,” I said.
He cleared his throat. He sounded uncomfortable, but then again, Harrison was always uncomfortable.
“Mr. Everhart called early this morning. He said something about his daughter being with you, and that he wanted her returned home safely.”
I had to tread lightly. My job was on the line, but at the same time, Thea had chosen me over her selfish family. I had no intention of making her go home if she didn’t want to. As for safety, she was safer with me than with her parents.
“Harrison, who would you say my client is?”
“Mr. Everhart is paying the agency fee. The contract you signed is with him.”
“But who is my client, Harrison? Who am I guarding? Who am I protecting?”
“His daughter...” There was a pause. “Listen, Taran, what’s happening? You can tell me. Be perfectly honest, and we’ll figure it out together.”
“My client is not safe with her family. She doesn’t want to have anything to do with them at the moment, so she asked me to take her away. Keep her safe.”
“What? No, that can’t be... Ugh! No-no-no... Her father called this morning and asked for her to be returned. He didn’t say the word, but I know he wanted to...”
“What word?”
“Kidnapped. He thinks you kidnapped his daughter.”
My leaves rustled with anger. “There were witnesses, Harrison. A hundred or more. You can investigate, if you want. It won’t be hard to get the facts. Thea told her parents she was done with them and that she was leaving. They tried to make her marry a cult leader. Against her will, Harrison. They manipulated her, she found out, and decided to cut ties with them. I am her bodyguard. When she came to me, asking me to protect her, what was I supposed to do? It’s my job.”
“Taran, your job was to deliver her safely to the Celestial Pines Sanctuary. You did that, so your job is done. As of yesterday evening.”
“My job is not done, Harrison. And don’t tell me about the contract. My client asked for my help. It will be done when she doesn’t need my protection anymore.”
“Look, I understand where you’re coming from, but it’s a stretch.”
“So, the MSA wants me to take her back to her parents, of whom she is afraid?” Well, now it was a stretch. Thea had never expressed fear. Only disappointment.
“You’re putting me in a tough spot.”
“It’s the truth.”
“I’ve known you for five years, and I know your intentions are good. You’re protecting your client, okay. But she’s not the one paying you.”
“I don’t care about money.”
“You don’t, the MSA does.”
“Is money more important than my client’s safety? I thought our motto is we always go above and beyond.”
“No, you’re right.” He made a pause, then groaned in frustration. “But Bill Everhart is right, too.”
“You’re my handler, Harrison. Handle it.”
“Okay. Here’s what I will do. I’ll talk to the boss and see what he says. It’s better that he hears it from me, and not from Bill Everhart. But you have to promise me you’ll work on your part of the problem.”
“My part of the problem?”
“Thea Everhart. She can’t just run away like this and think there’d be no consequences.”
“She’s an adult, Harrison.”
“She’s the daughter of a furniture mogul, Taran. Just make sure she’s safe. If anything happens to her–”
“She almost died a few times, and it wasn’t because of me. It’s thanks to me she’s alive.”
“Okay, that’s good to hear. I know you’re good at your job. I’ll... I’ll talk to the boss.”
He hung up. It felt like the world had slipped from underneath my roots. I felt untethered. I filled the basket for Thea and hurried back, wanting to make sure she was fine. I shouldn’t have left her alone in a place she didn’t know. And what if her phobia wasn’t completely cured? She could’ve been freaking out right now.
I found her where I’d left her. She’d taken her shoes off, hiked her enormous skirt up her legs, and was sunbathing by the stream. When she saw me, she jumped to her feet, wincing when she put weight on her injured one. I rushed to catch her before she lost her balance.
“Look at me,” she said, laughing. “I’m barefoot! In the grass!”
“That’s amazing.”
“It is, right? I’m shocked. But I don’t feel like I’m going to cry or faint. No panic attack, no nothing.”
“I’m so proud of you.”
She beamed at me. “What did you bring me?”
I gave her the basket only after I’d washed the berries in the stream.
“I’ll get you something more substantial to eat later,” I said.
She kissed my cheek, then took her berries and went to eat them sitting on a round, shiny rock. I watched her for a few minutes and wondered if I should’ve told her about my conversation with Harrison. She seemed happy, though. At peace. It didn’t feel right to upset her with the news that her father thought I’d kidnapped her.
I decided to do something more useful instead. Build her a nest.