Oh, my God, Pie. Just stop. For all you know, this whole thing is a delusion. I mean… monsters? Horned gods with hooves? These things don’t exist.
I’m just about to walk into the restroom when I spy a back door and head that way instead.
This date is over. I’m not sure what’s real and what’s not anymore and I can’t sit in there and pretend to be sane. I end up in an alley behind the restaurant and when I look to my left, there are two police cruisers. I almost panic until I remember the station is next to the restaurant.
I turn in a circle, trying to get my bearings so I can figure out where I parked. Then I head in that direction. And with every step I feel just a little bit better.
Maybe Russ really is an eros? Maybe it was him, and not me? Because by the time I make it to the front of the candle shop, I’m almost feeling normal.
It was him.
It’s not me.
I sigh out a long breath of relief and all I want to do is go home.
Home? I don’t want to think about the sanctuary, but how can I not? It’s not my home. I’m either insane and made the whole thing up, or I’m stuck in a curse.
Which one is worse?
I think I should just get in my Jeep and drive on out of here, never looking back. And if Pia is real, then she’s with me. Always. Maybe I can’t see her. But if I leave, Pia leaves. And if she doesn’t come with me, she was never real to begin with.
Yes. This is what I need to do.
I’m convinced that I need to just get in my Jeep and drive to Toledo so I can beg Jacqueline to let me stay on her couch for a few nights.
This, at the very least, is some semblance of a plan. And plans always make me feel better. So I’m breathing normally and nearly calm when I round the corner of the candle shop.
And then I stop dead.
Because leaning against my Jeep is… “Grant?”
He smiles at me. “Hi, Pie.” And he’s young again.
I shake my head. “No. This isn’t possible. I saw you leave. I saw you turn into an old man.”
He pushes off my Jeep and shoves his hands into his pockets. He’s so young. Much younger than me, I realize. His hair is blond and his body is lean and supple. No trace of the old man who got in that El Camino and drove away.
“You tricked me. And how are you young again? Pell and Tomas said you never paid your debts.”
He shrugs. “I didn’t trick you. I just didn’t fill you in. And don’t even try to tell me that you wouldn’t do the same thing if another slave walked into the sanctuary. You’d take your chance, wouldn’t you? And you know that with one hundred percent certainty even though you’ve only been there a few days.”
I can’t say he’s wrong, so I don’t.
“And here’s a tip—that debt book is bullshit. You can wash his stupid fucking feet twenty-four seven and it won’t erase your debts. It doesn’t matter. And he knows it doesn’t matter. I bet he lied to you, didn’t he? I bet he told you you had to work it off by pleasing him, didn’t he?”
I don’t say anything, but that was the answer Grant was looking for. So instead of remaining silent, I change the subject back to my question. “How are you young again?”
“Do you think I’m stupid? I spent fifty years locked up in that place. Do you really think I didn’t have an escape plan?”
“So what was it? You took the magic with you?”
“It’s not just the magic. It’s my magic. I made it. So yeah, I took it with me.”
“So the books you left behind? They’re bullshit, right?” I pull the amulet out from my dress. “This is a total waste, isn’t it?”
He laughs, then walks towards me until he’s close enough to take the amulet out of my hand. He slips the cord over my neck and opens the pouch up. Then he crinkles his nose and laughs again. “Oh, Pie. I’m sorry.”
“And how do you know my name? I never told you my name.”
He hands my useless amulet back and shrugs again. “I’m magic.” Then he taps his temple. “I know things. And I can help you. If you want out. I can get you out. I know how to break the curse, but those monsters, Pie?” He shakes his head. “They can’t get out. They were put there for a reason. And you’ve only met Pell. I’ve met them all. And I’ll tell you what, you do not want to know them. Pell is bad, but there’s worse out there in that cemetery. If they ever invite you inside, don’t go.”