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“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. Hewas 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.

CAL’S CAMPAIGN COMPENDIUM

THE CAMPAIGN

“The campaign” is obviously one of the D&D-derived terms we’ve adopted over the years, and it has evolved to have two main meanings.

First, it is a generic term for the world of magic beings that exists alongside the mundane human world. The campaign is made up of Wonders and magic carriers, as well as a very small number of humans who are aware of their existence

But “the campaign” also refers to the efforts to maintain secrecy around Wonders and magic, for if humans learned of their existence, the results would be catastrophic.

(See also the entry forNon-Player Character.)

CHAPTER 10

SHANE

I noticedthe way Rory was smiling at me. How could I not? And, being a Cassandra, he probably didn’t realize the way his magic was reaching for mine.

That’s right. It wasn’t just Ellis he was attracted to. And how many times did he have to mention he was polyamorous? Too bad. I’d never had polyamorous inclinations, so nothing would be happening.

Except Ellis kept flirting with Rory, even though last night I’d told him it upset me.

Yeah, I was jealous. Pissed. Butthurt. All of the above.

But dealing with that would have to wait.

I turned to Ellis. “You said you texted Greg and Cal? Why don’t we call them?”

He glanced at Pia and Manny. “Right now?”

I shrugged. “This concerns Pia, and Manny’s involved already.” I looked at the man in question. “Unless you’d rather go home?”

Manny’s grin took over his thin, almost elfin face. Though I’d always imagined Elves to be blond and Nordic-looking rather than dark-haired and Latino. “Oh, no. No way. I have no idea what’s going on, but I’m here for it!”

I shrugged. My give-a-shitter was broken. I’d get Pia taken care of and that fucker Randolph Chamberlain put out of business. Everything else could go fuck itself.

I pulled out my phone and dialed Greg. He answered on the second ring.

“Hi. Sounds like a lot’s been going on down there in Houston.”

“Yeah. Is Cal with you?” Why was I even asking? They’d only been bonded a couple of weeks. Of course Cal was with him.

“He is.”

Cal said, “Hi, Shane.”

I put the call on speaker. “Hi. Everybody, this is Greg Shaw, who’s the District Monitor for Central Texas, and Cal Steadham, who’s a Seer and Greg’s partner. Guys, let me tell you who we have on this end. It’s me and Ellis, plus Ms. Jackson. Then we have Pia, who’s a lovely young dryad lady.”