9. Ellis
CHAPTER 9
ELLIS
I followed Rory and Shane to the backyard, but as slowly as I could without getting too far from Shane. I unlocked my phone and brought up my text messages. No doubt Delphia would prefer I contacted her, but she tended to take over anything she was involved in. I wasn’t ready to just hand Pia over to her, not to mention Rory.
I was tempted to text Greg by himself, since I didn’t know Cal that well and to be honest he still kind of intimidated the hell out of me. But Cal was the only other Cassandra we’d found in recent memory. Rory would need his advice. So I texted both of them.
Can you please have Dominic call me or Shane? We have a billionaire who’s been holding Wonders captive. He doesn’t have any right now but is planning to get more.
And I need somewhere to bring a 13 year old dryad. Her mom is dead, no other connections. She was being held captive. Is TWIST the best place? There’s a grove of dryads in my District, but they don’t have any kids
Oh, and we found a Medium. Or he found us. He’s a Cassandra
By the time I finished typing, we were all gathered around the apple tree. I stopped next to Shane, who turned his back slightly toward me.
I sighed and unlocked my phone again.
And Shane and I bonded, but there’s something wrong
I silenced my phone, not wanting their responses to interrupt Pia leaving the tree. I felt the vibration of a new text, but I ignored it.
Pia stepped out, blinking in the morning sunlight. Her magic was bright. Maybe not as bright as it could be, but so much better than last night. She also looked more human, only a little bit of green showing at the ends of her brown hair.
She gasped at Ms. Jackson, who was still in their tiger form but was also now sporting a crown of flowers on their head.
Rory said quietly, “Hey, how do you feel?”
Pia didn’t respond but walked over and threw her arms around him. He hugged her close. Manny watched them, his hands over his mouth.
Pia finally let go, and Ms. Jackson was there next to her, waiting for their own hug. Pia didn’t hesitate, just leaned into their huge body.
When she stood up again, Rory said, “Hey, Pia, I want you to meet my friend Manny. I’ve known him since I was a teenager, and he used to take care of Shane’s grandmother before she passed away. He’s never met a dryad before. ”
Manny waved. “Hey, Pia. I like your outfit. Shane’s granny would get a kick out of you wearing it.”
She gave him a small smile and a little wave.
Shane asked, “Are you hungry or thirsty? I’m sorry I’m not up on dryad nutrition.”
Pia shrugged, but Rory said, “She needs water, and she likes eggs and bacon if there are any left.”
My scalp prickled. Rory would only know that if someone had told him. And Pia’s mother was dead.
Shane smiled. “Sure. Come on into the house and we’ll get you set up. You want to take a shower?”
Pia’s eyes went wide. “No!” She glanced toward the apple tree like she was going to jump back inside.
Oh, fuck. I did not want to know what the poor kid had gone through. Shane and I simultaneously held our hands up and stepped back from her.
Rory did the same, but Ms. Jackson rubbed their head against Pia’s shoulder and made a weird grumbling sound. Pia gripped their fur with one hand.
Manny said cheerfully, “Showers are overrated. But, gurrl, you need a hairbrush bad. And Rory needs to change his clothes. It looks like he slept in them.”
Pia stared at Manny, wide-eyed, but allowed him to catch her free hand in his. He said, “Shane, you got a spare hairbrush?”
“Sure. Granny’s stuff is in the dresser in the guest bedroom. Top drawer.”
“Sweet. Pia, Shane’s granny had a hairbrush made out of silver. It’s really cool. Ms. Jackson, do you like to be brushed? ”
Ms. Jackson made an inquiring noise, and Manny gave an exaggerated gasp. “You’ve never been brushed? Pia, come on, we’ve got to show Ms. Jackson how it’s done.” He marched off toward the house, Pia walking next to him with Ms. Jackson on her other side.
Rory and Shane and I exchanged glances. I pulled out my phone. “I texted Greg and Cal about Pia. They want to talk to us.” I told Rory. “Greg is the District Monitor for Central Texas, and Cal is his partner and also a Seer.”
Shane started walking to the house, so Rory and I followed him.
Rory said, “A Seer? Like a psychic?”
I nodded. “He only found out about all this a month or so ago, so I thought he’d be a good person for you to know.” For some reason I felt compelled to add, “He and Greg are bonded.”
Shane said in a biting tone, “You already told him they were partners.” He didn’t turn around, just kept walking.
I shrugged at Rory, though I wasn’t sure exactly what I was trying to convey.
When we got inside, Rory helped me and Shane clear the dishes from the table. There was some bacon left over, but Shane decided to hold off on making the eggs until Pia was ready to eat. We refreshed our coffee and sat at the table to wait.
I wanted to ask Rory about the ghosts, but as soon as we sat down, I realized we could clearly hear Manny talking to Pia in the guest bedroom.
He was saying, “I guess twigs in your hair are a hazard of being a dryad, but tigers don’t have the same excuse.” Pia gave a little giggle .
I looked, but the bedroom door was pulled almost shut.
Shane frowned. “The acoustics in here don’t usually work like that,” he whispered.
Manny said calmly, “Hey, Pia. I get what you’re saying on the shower thing, but eventually you’ll need to get clean. What’s your stance on baths? Maybe with bubbles?”
“Bubbles are good,” she said. It was the longest sentence I’d heard from her since she arrived. But she followed with, “Then no one could see me.”
I covered my mouth with my hands. Fuck.
Manny, however, calmly said, “Did Randolph Chamberlain watch you take a shower? That’s creepy.”
“No. I mean, he turned the hose on me every few days, but I still had my pajamas on. I just didn’t like being stared at all the time.”
“Bastard,” Manny snarled. Then he said, “Look, Ms. Jackson really likes being brushed under their chin.”
Was it wrong to be thankful that the fucker who kidnapped Pia hadn’t gotten off on it?
Pia said in a lower voice, “He and his friends would come look at me. He didn’t let me have a blanket or a tree. I was so cold. And I missed my mom.” This last was said with a hiccup, and then we heard crying.
I got up and walked over to the window. Dominic and the other Hunters had better make sure Randolph Chamberlain didn’t get his hands on any other Wonders.
Rory said, “Pia’s mom says Chamberlain treated her like an animal at the zoo. Some of his friends made comments, but Chamberlain didn’t let them touch her or anything. ”
“Thank fuck,” Shane said.
We heard movement from the guest room, and Shane got up to go into the kitchen. I felt the bond tugging, so I went with him, busying myself getting a glass of water for Pia.
We heard Rory say, “Wow, Pia, I like the braid thing with the rhinestones. And, uh, Ms. Jackson, that’s a mighty fine tiara you’ve got there. I’m sure Shane’s Granny would be thrilled to see you wearing those.”
Shane and I stuck our heads around the corner. Pia’s face was blotchy, but she smiled at Rory. Her hair was braided into a crown around her head, and Manny had woven what was probably a sparkly necklace into it.
Shane said, “Wow is right. You both look amazing.”
I made toast and warmed up the bacon in the microwave while Shane fixed scrambled eggs for Pia and Ms. Jackson, who’d decided they were hungry again.
When we sat back down, I said, “Uh, so, Rory, can you tell us a little about your Medium abilities?” I didn’t want to bring up Pia’s mother, so I stayed away from anything to do with the ghosts themselves.
He shrugged, turning his coffee cup in his hands. “I’ve been able to see and speak with ghosts from when I was a little kid. I get it from my mom; she could do it too.”
Manny opened his mouth, but Rory pointed at him and said, “Not the time.”
Shane leaned back in his chair. “Not the time for what?” His tone was borderline hostile.
Rory slid his eyes to Pia, then he sighed. “Fine. My mom was a professional Medium. My dad came from money, and my grandparents decided my mom was a con artist. So when Mom and Dad got married, Grandfather disowned my dad and never spoke to him again.”
Shane grimaced. “I’m sorry. It must’ve been tough.”
Rory held up his hand in a stop gesture aimed toward the living room. “My parents died in a car accident when I was sixteen, and I went to live with my grandparents. I’d never met them before, but I knew better than to let on that I had my mom’s gifts.” He made a face. “That lasted until my grandmother passed away.” He gave a wry smile. “Grandfather found out about my gifts at the same time he realized I was in a polyamorous relationship. He disowned me.”
He glanced over his shoulder toward the living room. “Grandfather would like me to tell you how once he passed away, he realized not only were my Medium gifts real, but he finally understood that people are all the same on the inside, so it doesn’t matter who anyone loves.”
I suppressed a shiver at the thought of ghosts in the room with us. Through the bond I felt Shane’s discomfort as well.
Manny snorted. “A little too late to change the will though.”
Rory toasted him with his coffee cup. “True, but he’s been giving me stock tips ever since, and that’s benefited you as well, chico .”
Manny stuck his tongue out at Rory, and Pia giggled.
I asked, “Um, how did the ghosts help you rescue Pia last night?”
He frowned. “Pia, do you want to hear this?”
“Yes, please.” Then she bit into her toast.
Rory nodded gravely. “Okay. I was very brave, as you will see. Truly a hero.” His blond hair fell over his forehead. He was adorable. “It all started after I got home from work last night. I sat down on the couch to, uh, do some internet research, but I fell asleep. The next thing I knew....”
Rory’s story was enthralling, even if some of it was obviously exaggerated or made humorous for Pia’s benefit. I couldn’t take my eyes off him.
“And so Grandfather, Mercy, and Garfield found a ghost who knew Shane here was the District Monitor, and she told us how to find his house.” He smiled at Shane, and I thrilled to see the warmth in his gaze. Rory was polyamorous. Could he possibly be attracted to both of us? Or was it only Shane?
I glanced at Shane, but he was looking at Pia. I wasn’t getting anything through the bond. Had he learned how to block it?
Fuck.