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"We’ve been watching over you since your mother left She had to return to the sea, and you did not inherit her two-formed nature, so she was forced to leave you behind If you had been almost entirely human, ould have let you live out your life without revealing ourselves to you But your power is strong, and ould have come to you when you were ht, however, ht, confused "What did I do?"

Nell’s s, like yourself Part supernatural and part human Peter Jakes was apparently in the service of… of sos His presence here in these parts appears to have been on their orders His ated by our community and, as the person who found the body, you ation"

This was far more prosaic a reason for "first contact" than I had expected, and also rather galling

My irritation cah in my voice "So, if I hadn’t been the one to find Peter’s body, you guys would have just letwho--or what--I was? I’m twenty-six years old; would you have told e?"

Nell’s smile returned, full blast "Child, and you are yet a child toto us Nor will they ; although you are not two-formed, your e will not affect you as it does humans You have only lived for the briefestbefore you"

I could tell Nell thought this was supposed to be good news, but

"Look, you’re crazy I’ve been in the hospital And I mean I’ve really been in the hospital I’ve had about every test done to ood heart and lungs coupled with seal blood means she’ll live forever’ This is crazy I can’t live forever; I don’t want to live forever My life sucks enough as it is…" In saying these last words the true horror of what Nell had so blithely told enerations of Rockabillians know et your chance to dance on Stuart’s and Linda’s graves, my brain chipped in, unhelpfully

Nell interrupted my malicious fantasies "Don’t worry, child," she said "You won’t live forever Just a long time And you’re certainly not immortal; you can be killed But hue, birthdays, and the like--will cease to reat I’ht around the ti in my recluse shack where no one can find the lady who doesn’t die That’s going to be a great life Maybe I should invest in the property market nohile it’s on the downturn? I wonder what a her for these days I’ll obviously only need the one bedroom"

Nell shook her head "You won’t be alone, child" With these words she looked one "Your life has only just begun"

I didn’t knohether her words were a pro Or both

I watched,chair She wrapped it up inside the quilt and laid her little bundle over Trill’s back Disconcertingly, the kelpie had turned back into a pony and I hadn’t even noticed

"Take a swie your batteries Toator will be in touch Jakes was i quickly I don’t knoho they will send, but expect someone And don’t worry, ill be here to answer your questions There is no hurry You are in my territory"