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"Well, they’re going to have to," Blondie said, gri ourselves, or we learn so on here in Rockabill Maybe whatever isthese people talk is responsible for what happened to Nell and Anyan We have to get to the bottoar, we need to have figured this here proble her head

"M of the i we, too, could sound like Miss Scarlett

"You knohat you need to do," Blondie told Miss Carrol, her voice sole on

"I can’t," Miss Carrol said, pleadingly "It ain’t right I can’t just take it from her"

"I don’t think you have a choice," was Blondie’s only reply

Shit, I thought, finally realizing as happening Miss Carrol ht have to take over Nell’s Territory

And while that sounded like an ideal answer to our proble but For if Miss Carrol bonded with the land, it would be hers until so happened to rip it away from her Usually, and except with the interference of ancient Alfar ics, that happened with death

In other words, Miss Carrol couldn’t just bond with Nell’s land and then give it back to her when her aunt grew up or we reversed the curse If Miss Carrol took Nell’s land, it was hers until she died Leaving Nell with nothing

"There has to be another way," Trill said, panic edging her voice

Blondie looked at the kelpie sympathetically, but her voice was steel "Nell’s Territory is under attack and now it’s unprotected The weaker creatures here," she began, waving in Gus’s direction The stone spirit had peanut butter slathered over most of his chin "The weaker creatures here will be coot to step in"

Miss Carrol shook her head "I can’t just take it froht not live to remember how much she loves it if you don’t protect her," Blondie said, her voice sharpening incrementally

"Wait," I said "This isn’t fair to any of us, especially Nell There has to be another way What are the stages you go through to bond with the land, Miss Carrol? Or do you just… bond?"

"No, there are stages, sugar It doesn’t happen all at once"

"And are there stages where you can still withdraw?" I asked

"Why sure Up until you’re fully bonded, you can always opt out"

Blondie looked at ly "Miss Carrol can start the process, Jane, but if she doesn’t finish it she’s not going to have any real power"

"Okay But ill she have?" Iris asked, equally eager to keep Nell’s territory free to be given back to her in the future

"I’ll be like a… squatter And like any squatter, that hts I don’t own the place, but it’s sort of alht not realize it’s unoccupied"

"Will that fool Phaedra?" I asked Blondie

"I have no idea," she said, clearly unhappy even to be talking this way "It ure out that Nell’s out of the picture… we’re screwed"

We all looked at each other and I suddenly really, really wanted Anyan He was always the one who came in at such moments and told us all what to do I hadn’t realized how oing to have to step up

"Okay," I said, before clearing my throat "Here’s e’ll do For now, Miss Carrol will begin the process and… squat The rest of us will take patrols, trying tohappens in the Territory If it does, we call for Blondie Do you have a cell phone?" I asked the Original, who nodded "Great Hopefully no one will notice that Nell’s not actually appearing anywhere In theThat means, Miss Carrol, you have to be ready to take that last step, if we need you to We can’t risk everyone’s lives, including Nell’s, just to save her place here" At that, TrillMiss Carrol such a command

"And e do?" Iris asked "Besides patrol?" TrillOr she was really pissed