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Blondie frowned "Were any of the other places close to your heart?" she asked me

"I’ve never even been to Gus’s rock, but obviously Jason’s house was very close to my heart," I answered

"So we have one connection and one nonconnection," Blondie said "Which leaves us with nothing"

"Are there any other things that connect the two places?" I asked

"Well… they were both homes," Iris said

"Both built under homes," I said

"Actually, had houses built over theht This whole conversation was starting to sound very familiar…

"But one was the house of a mortal family The other was the rock of a stone spirit Both houed

"Actually, Nell and I lived where that house stood, too," Trill said, still rocking the baby in her aro Right before Nell bonded to this land And come to think of it, so did Russ"

"Who’s Russ?" Blondie asked

"He’s a really old nahual," I answered "He’s been retired for a few years as a family pet A dachshund"

"Why isn’t he around? Why haven’t I met him?" she de left in the dark about so well these days He rarely goes outside anymore"

"But he lived where the Grays did?"

"He definitely built the house that stood on the property, prior to this last one being built And, actually, I think he ht have built that second house, too," Trill answered, thinking "No, he definitely built that one, as well He’s the one who sold it to Nick and Nan There were so quite a few of our kind But Russ wanted to keep the sale within Rockabill, to Rockabill folk He’s lived here since the toas built"

"I think that’s it," I said, starting to put it all together "Trill, why did you and Nell live on that spot?"

"I dunno It was just… home"

"And did other people want to live there?"

"Sure, lots It was nice property Easily defended, back in the day And scenic, ith it being built on the bluff"

"But Russ got it?" I asked

"He was there right after us, and then Nell helped him defend his claim once she’d bonded with her Territory," said Trill

"Defend it from whom?" I continued

"All sorts… It was like everyone wanted to live on that spot Mostly supernaturals, but some humans, too"

"And how did Gus find his rock? Are stone spirits born with their rocks, or what?" I asked

"No, they find them and bond with theajillionth of a gnome’s power," Iris said

"So Gus was drawn to his rock, just like all these creatures have been drawn to the Grays’ Re about earlier?" I asked

"Why Rockabill?" Blondie said, apprehension dawning

"Exactly Why Rockabill? We agreed sothe drawing"

"So the place that’s close to your heart must be somewhere that’s close to everyone’s heart," Blondie concluded