The Shadows in the Hills: Triple Threat

Chapter Nineteen

He didn't answer me, but I instantly felt him getting closer. I felt bad. I should have made it clear that it wasn't an emergency. It wasn't, but it felt pretty urgent. It wasn't even a me and Brodie thing. Brodie had specialist knowledge because of his position. Jackson had started pacing as soon as I had said Brodie's name. He knew that second what I was doing, and it was clear he disapproved. I was also pretty sure he had no idea why I needed to speak to Brodie. The pain lasted a while, but I dealt with it. Frankly, it could never have been worse than the birth.

He walked through the door sweating and I felt bad all over again. "What's wrong?"

"Jackson, can you take Penny, please?" He gave me a look but gave in. Brodie gave me a look too, but I guessed it was because of the use of the name he had suggested. Their looks couldn't have been more different. Brodie emulated pride and happiness. Jackson was just angry with me and he wasn't doing a good job at hiding it.

I moved slowly. I was still stiff. Even still, I swung my legs off the bed and stood carefully. "How?" Brodie seemed to be inspecting me as he spoke.

"I found our mystery healer. It's Penny."

Jackson started spinning her around in his arms. "That's my girl." I wanted to say something, but something told me he had done it on purpose to wind Brodie up. Brodie only responded with the slightest twinge in his jaw before returning to his calm self. He must have decided not to rise to Jackson's prodding, and I decided to do the same.

"My question is how?" I had expected the triplets to be like the rest of us and not have any sort of powers until they were teens, at least. The whole idea filled me with concern.

"I don't know, but it's not a good thing. I mean, it is because you're back to your usual self, but it's not good going forward."

"Exposure?"

"Yeah, they are too young to know how to control powers, let alone understand that they have to. Are the boys doing anything, er special?"

"Not that I've noticed. I don't even know what to look out for. I know they are likely to grow faster, but it's not really been long enough to notice that yet." The boys were big enough to start with. There were no guarantees, none of us knew anything for sure. I was starting to understand why my parents had been so worried about me. "I'm not prepared for this level of terror. What if they all have powers? Am I meant to go to the shops, knowing they might change and start chewing on some old lady's leg without warning?"

"Don't be quite so over dramatic. Even if they change, they aren't likely to try to eat anyone. That's why we have the camp to protect against these issues. I'm not sure how you can handle that in the human world. Unless you do what your parents did." I wanted to cry. He was right and I would end up doing the same thing without even realizing it. It would start small, deciding not to go to the shop with them just in case, but it would snowball. They would become prisoners just like I had been and likely resent me, too.

That was the moment that I realised that the camp didn't mean prison, it was freedom. The triplets would be free to have friends, explore, even go to school. All the things I had been deprived of.

"You are so transparent. You're just trying to manipulate her into coming back to you." I was really starting to get annoyed with Jackson. It was as though he needed something else to concentrate on. Since leaving the camp, he only had us to think about, and it had changed him completely.

"It's not like that. We both know it's true. It's been that way for hundreds of years for a reason; it works."

"Convienent."

"For f**k's sake, Jackson. It's not like I went back in time and set it all up so I could con her into coming home. If I'm as manipulative as you say, she never would have left me in the first place. I f****d up, I admit it, but I can't change that."

Things were getting out of control. "Stop it, both of you. Brodie, can you watch the babies for a second, please?" He nodded, and I waited while Jackson put Penny back in her crib. He could have passed her to Brodie, it would have been easier. Jackson just wasn't ready to forgive Brodie, and I was starting to think the offenses he was holding against him were nothing to do with me at all.

I pulled Jackson into the hallway and closed the door behind us. "I'm going back."

"You don't have to. I know he's scared you, but we can keep them safe and concealed."

"I don't have to, I want to. Concealing them isn't the answer. It's no kind of life for them. I know, I lived it. You don't have to come with us. I know it isn't what you want." I knew he was going to be disappointed with me. He thought I was giving in to Brodie and his manipulation. The truth was, I wasn't. I didn't know if Brodie was manipulating me, but it made no difference because it was the truth. I had to do what was best for the triplets, even if it pissed Jackson off or played into Brodie's hands. Especially because I wasn't entirely sure he was right about Brodie.