Page 80 of The Shade of Things
Laurent followed my gaze to the shadow cast by one of the couches and flinched.
“I’ll be back.” I stepped into the Kefitzat Haderech, finding Pyotr asleep on the pile of socks. I gently shook the gargoyle. “Wakey wakey.”
His bulging eyes fluttered open and he sat up, yawning. He slid a drooled-on sock off his face and handed it to me.
“Ew. No.” I batted the sock away, barely caring how unfazed Pyotr was at my wrecked and grubby appearance. How far I’d come from the woman so desperate to keep up appearances and blend in. I didn’t mourn her, though I could do with fifty percent less bloodstains and filth in my life.
“Listen, I’ve got an emergency.” I explained about the game and my theory that Sapiens were being primed to be dybbuk vessels. “Can I bring them through the Kefitzat Haderech without causing offense? They need to get to a healer as soon as possible.”
Emmett didn’t cause any issues when he came through here. Maybe for the same reasons that the paranoia and darkness didn’t affect him? Lack of a heartbeat?
Laurent was another matter entirely.
Pyotr’s mouth hung open, and he shook his head so forcefully, his eyes rattled like marbles. “No.”
I put my hands together, pleading. “Please? Isn’t there any way you can help?”
He rubbed at the callus on his finger that he’d incurred the last time I caused problems here. Then the gargoyle gave a defeated sigh that racked his entire body.
Hope fluttered in my chest. That meant there was something.
“I will bring you any movie franchise you want,” I promised.
“Too much screen time,” he said.
I looked wildly around the cave. His fern was totally dead. “A new plant!”
“But reports. In triplicate,” he sobbed. “Per person!”
“With a grow light.” Waggling my eyebrows, I nudged him with my elbow.
Pyotr pursed his lips. Then he wriggled, first his feet, then his legs, up through his torso and finally his head. He stabbed a finger in the air. “I come to your house!”
“You’re allowed to leave?”
He glared at me, his hands planted on his hips. “I have friends. Life.”
“I’m delighted to hear that. It’s just that you’re always here when I show up.”
“Yes. You’re very lucky to see me that much. I come to your house and you take me to garden store to pick plants. Deal or no deal?”
I scrubbed a hand over my face. How would I disguise him enough to pass muster in public? Future problems, Miri. “Deal. I’ll take you to a garden store but not until this case is totally wrapped up.”
“Is good. Go back through shadow. I will open door to your house for you there. Mitigating circumstances.”
I scrunched up my face. “Laurent is with me. The wolf.”
“Noooooo.” Pyotr buried his head in his hands.
“He doesn’t have Ohrist magic. Just Banim Shovavim.”
“That’s whole other batch of triplicate!”
“Garden store! You’ll love it!” I patted his shoulder and jumped back through the shadow into the room. “Everyone huddle up. Uh, Emmett?”
“Yeah, I got her.” He carefully scooped Daw up.
“We’re going home.” I clapped my hands together, yet no door appeared. Had Pyotr kiboshed my plea in the face of all that triplicate?
