Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger

Author:Darcie Little Badger
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Levine Querido

SEVENTEEN

“AT THE LIBRARY,” Ellie said, “we should use fake names. Just in case.”

“Do you have any ideas?” Jay asked. He and Ellie were in McAllen, sharing a vegetarian nacho platter. Their tortilla chips were heaped with Soyrizo, cheddar cheese, and pinto beans.

“Not really,” Ellie said. “I have a list of potential superhero names, but they’re too fanciful for real-world undercover work.”

“Can I hear them anyway?”

“Sure. Numero uno: Dog Ghost Whisperer.”

“That one is probably taken.”

“How about Super Natural?”

He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “I understand the joke,” Jay said, “but some people may interpret it literally. Like you’re claiming to be very, extremely natural.”

“Last one: Elatsoe.”

“That’s pretty!”

“Good, ’cause it’s my real name.”

“Ellie is short for Elatsoe? Eh-lat-so-ay? I thought you were an Eleanor.”

She dropped a tortilla chip onto her plate and squinted at Jay. “How long have we known each other?”

“Forever.”

“And all this time you thought I was Eleanor?”

“Either Eleanor or Elizabeth. Sorry!”

“It’s my fault for not telling you sooner. I’m named after my heroic ancestor. Everyone calls her Six-Great now, but she was originally Elatsoe. It means ‘hummingbird’—élatsoe—in Lipan. Well. Technically, I was named after the animal. The night before my birth, my mom had a vivid dream about a hummingbird with black feathers, which glittered like those Hubble space pictures, the ones full of galaxies. It filled her with such overwhelming joy, she thought the dream must be a sign, and the rest is history.”

“I’m jealous. Mom and Dad named me Jameson because my father is James, and I’m … I’m his son.”

“If you have a son someday,” Ellie said, “he can have the name Jamesonson.”

“Or Jay Junior! I love it!”

Jay’s new phone played the iconic part of Beethoven’s Ninth. “It’s Al!” he said. “Sorry. I need to take this.” Jay pressed the green “accept call” button and treated Ellie to a fascinating one-sided conversation.

“What’s up?” he asked. “Oh! I’m with her now. No. Seriously? Ronnie told you? I don’t … Willowbee. Abraham Allerton from Willowbee … That’s not … Tons of them. Just one attacked, though. I can’t …” He lowered the phone and asked, “Ellie, how many vampires were on Dr. Allerton’s lawn?”

“It was dark,” she said. “But I estimate thirty? Maybe more behind the trees?”

Jay continued speaking into the phone. “Thirty. No. She doesn’t trust the police … Okay, but be careful! Don’t get killed! Have you ever heard the story of Icarus? He was a—hello? Al? You still there?” Jay looked at his phone screen. “Lost the call.”

“What was that about?” Ellie asked. “Did he hear about the attack?”

“Uh-huh. Al thinks his friends—older, more connected vampires—might know about the gathering. He volunteered to ask around.”

“Could be useful information,” Ellie said.

During the car ride to Willowbee, Jay called his sister to confirm that she understood the risk Al might be taking. As she drove, Ellie eavesdropped; it was more interesting than the podcast about sports scandals Jay was currently playing.

“It’ll help us convict the murder doctor. Hey, you stay out of it, Ronnie! He’s dangerous. I never … well … Ellie can keep me safe.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.