by Sky Winters
“Don’t be. Just use your powers to save us and set things right.” Corissa opened the door to the biggest building of all, which indeed resembled a palace complete with turrets.
What was it these people expected of her? And why her?
“Excuse me, Corissa, but have you seen my friend? I was riding him – um, he’s a lion – and we got separated, but I saw him make it over the gate.”
Corissa pressed a finger to her lips, thinking. “Oh yes. I remember. He was the one who shouted for Glinda’s help. But after that, I’m afraid I don’t know. I think he probably retired to his room. I don’t think he was injured or I’d suggest the infirmary.”
De gasped.
“No. I’m sure he was fine.” Corissa smiled quickly, continuing to lead the way through the great halls of the palace with flying buttresses arched high overhead and windows along every wall. “Shifters heal very quickly, you know.”
No, De didn’t know. In fact, there was way too much De didn’t know. Her head spun with all of the new and strange information. By the time they reached her room, high at the top of one tower, she was all but ready to collapse.
“I’ll leave you here,” Corissa said at the double doors. “You’ll find everything you need inside, but if you want something else just ring the bell.”
“Thank you, Corissa.” De gave the little woman a hug and slipped inside. She prayed she’d find Aspen waiting for her. But the king-sized bed on the dais was empty, as was the swimming-pool-sized bathtub.
Trying not to cry, De stripped off her filthy torn tunic and started the bath.
The water soothed her sore muscles, and she laid back, closing her eyes and remembering her last bath with Aspen. Was his pride here in the Emerald City? Was he with his lioness wives right now?
De felt a bit ill and wrapped a fluffy green towel around herself as the bath drained. She faced the gilded mirror and combed through her long chestnut locks. What was she doing? She was sleeping with a strange man she knew so little about. Not just sleeping with him, but depending on him. She felt completely lost without him near her.
Typical. She’d run away from her made-up life only to immediately give in to another fake identity and dependence on someone else.
“You need to get it together,” she told her reflection. “No more, Delilah. From now on you are yourself and you depend on yourself first.”
She marched over to the walk in closet and perused the section of clothes that appeared to be her own size, selecting a flowing red and green dress. It would be easy to move in because there was a slit up the side and the neckline dipped low toward her navel, held together by elastic straps across the center of the V. She looked confident and that was half the battle, she decided.
When she returned to the main room, she noticed a small round table in the corner, piled high with food. The delicious smell was enough to convince her to eat her fill despite the creepiness of the idea that someone had been there while she bathed.
“There’s a very nice bottle of wine as well,” Aspen said from behind her.
De spun around to find him leaning against the inside of the double doors, golden hair pulled back in a ponytail and wearing tight dark green leather pants and a matching tunic mostly open down the front. He held a bottle of wine in one hand and two glasses in the other.
He was gorgeous and it took every fiber of De’s being not to rush into his arms.
“Where have you been?” she demanded, fighting tears.
Aspen stood straight and joined her at the table. “I am sorry, little witch. I had much to tend to. Believe me, I did nothing until I knew Glinda had reached your side.”
De stiffened and kept her hands in her lap. She didn’t trust herself not to cave. “My name is De. Not little witch. And I need to know what you had to ‘tend’ to that was so important.”
Aspen knelt by her side and lifted her hand from her lap to bring it to his mouth. De closed her eyes, trying to ignore the tingle of pleasure that traveled up her arm at the soft brush of his lips on her skin.
“I’ve wanted to join the Resistance for some time now and this was my chance, De.”
De opened her eyes at the sound of her name. His eyes pleaded with her to understand.
“I don’t understand what they want from me,” she said. “It’s time I was completely honest with you, Aspen.” She stood and turned away so she didn’t have to see the disappointment on his face.
His hands found her shoulders, and she couldn’t help but lean her cheek against his calloused skin.
“I’m not a witch,” she said. “I have no magic.”
Aspen’s belly laugh shook her as he pressed against her from behind.
“Why are you laughing?”
“I know you aren’t a witch. That’s become clear to me. But you are magic. You breathed under water, didn’t you?”
“Well, yes, but—”
“And you resisted the pull of the old Gnome. I saw that from a distance before I had any hope of reaching you on time.”
De paused. She had done those things. Or was it the boots?
“And,” Aspen said, turning her gently around. “You made me fall in love with you.”
Her stomach fluttered, and her breath caught with his words.
Aspen held her captive in his gaze as he gently lifted her face and brought it to his, nuzzling his nose against hers and brushing the surface of her lips with his.
Their breath mingled as her pulse sped up. He was the one putting her under a spell.
“You really think I have magic?” she asked against his mouth.
“Try something,” he said, moving his mouth over her ear and sending shivers down her body with his hot breath.
De concentrated on what she wanted more than anything in that moment and in place of their clothes, their bodies pressed against each other, skin on burning skin. Aspen always seemed to run hot.
Unable to hold back, Aspen lifted her and pressed her back against the wall as she wrapped her legs around his waist.
De’s head pressed back against the rough surface of the wall as Aspen sucked her nipple into his mouth, flicking it with his long tongue. She needed very little attention and neither did he. She was wet with anticipation as he entered her with a quick, hard plunge and when she cried out with the pleasure of it, he began to thrust his hips with savage motion, slamming her into the wall with a wave of pleasure.
De grasped his back, digging her nails into his skin in an attempt to pull him even closer and he let out a deep growl, encouraged to release his passion without holding back.
When she reached her peak, he tossed her onto the enormous bed on her stomach and mounted her from behind, engulfing her body in his. She peaked again, faster than she’d have thought possible, right along with Aspen.
They collapsed on the bed, spent, and she cuddled back into the warmth and safety of her lion. She’d be herself from now on, she decided. But she wanted him to be part of her life whoever she was.
Exhaustion finally claimed her and De gave in, falling asleep with a smile on her face.
Chapter 7
De awoke to the sun shining through the high tower windows, and she stretched out across the bed with a satisfied moan. Her eyes fluttered open.
“Good morning,” she said.
But when no one answered, she feared Aspen had disappeared again. Fuming, she made up her mind not to forgive him so easily this time, when he came striding out of the bathroom wearing what looked like a soldier’s uniform. Tight green pants, along with an emerald jacket with gold cords decorating the shoulders and breastplate. His hair was back in a smooth ponytail and he wore tall leather boots, this time in great condition.
“I hope you don’t have to ruin that,” De said, standing and stalking toward him, nude except of course for her boots.
“Hopefully it will be unnecessary. But there are plenty more if there is a problem. You should get dressed; they are expecting you soon.”
“Surely
we have time for a little play,” De cooed, spinning around in front of him.
“I better leave before you get me booted from the Resistance,” Aspen said. “Get ready. I will be downstairs.”
“Wait for me. We can go down together.”
Aspen hesitated. “I don’t think that would be a good idea.”
“What? Why not? Aspen, I’m scared of what they’ll expect from me. I need you.”
Aspen grinned. “You don’t need me. Besides, I’d rather stay out of the spotlight if you don’t mind. Not really my thing.” He turned to leave.
“Aspen,” she called and he paused once again at the door, without turning around.
“Good luck, Delilah.”
De couldn’t believe it. He’d left. Walked out when she needed him the most. She took a shower and dressed on auto-pilot. She felt removed from everything because she just couldn’t understand what had happened. Maybe she was making too much of it. Maybe Aspen just wasn’t comfortable in the spotlight, like he’d said. He didn’t strike her as the shy type though.
De twisted her hair up on her head, securing it with a sparkling green clip she found on the vanity. She selected a more practical outfit this time, a crop top with leather shoulder armor and a pair of green leather shorts. She would have preferred the leggings, but the boots were in the way.
Luckily the palace was a fairly straight forward place and she was able to navigate back down to the front without Corissa’s help. Or Aspen’s. She nearly did a U-turn when she spotted Glinda at the head of an enormous wooden table, filled with fifty or more people. But the witch spotted her coming and beckoned her with a smile and a wave.
Drawing a deep breath, De strode confidently toward the head of the table. She was halfway there when she spotted Brett, shining like she’d never seen him. She met his smile with her own and ran to his arms to give him a hug.
“You’re okay!” she said, backing up to take a look at him.
“Better than okay. They even got the dents out.” He pounded on his chest and turned for her to take a look at his winder. It was lower down and more to the side where he could reach it himself. And he was wearing a pair of shiny green pants for once.
“I like the new look,” De said, genuinely happy for him.
“Thanks. I owe it to you. Oh, and do you think you could put in a good word for me with Corissa? She’s been talking about how sweet you are all morning.”
De laughed. “I’ll see what I can do.”
“Delilah,” Glinda said, welcoming her to her side and everyone grew so quiet that De could hear the creak of the door as it was closed for privacy.
“Hi,” she said to all the eyes trained on her.
She scanned the crowd and finally spotted Aspen in the back corner, sulking in a wooden seat with a mug of ale.
Glinda cleared her throat. “The prophecy has finally come to pass. Perhaps a decade later than expected, but here she is.” She held up De’s arm in a victory pose and cheers rose from the crowd.
“What prophecy?” De whispered through clenched teeth.
Glinda continued addressing the Resistance. “The ruby shoes shall enhance the power of their owner, bringing an end to the old regime!”
They whooped and hollered, clapped and stomped in response.
De glanced down at her boots. “Um, the only thing is, I don’t know how to use them exactly,” she said, again low enough for only Glinda to hear.
“It doesn’t matter,” Glinda whispered back. “You can present them to me, and I’ll take care of both witches.”
De’s heart dropped into her stomach. “I can’t,” she hissed.
“Excuse us,” Glinda said politely to the crowd. “But Delilah and I must discuss strategy in private. Follow me, dear.” Glinda led the way to a smaller and more private room to the side of the main hall.
“Why can’t you?” she asked the second the door was closed. Her polite smile was gone and De backed up into a chair.
“I’d be glad to, honestly, but I don’t know how to get them off. That’s why the WWW was going to chop off my legs.” De hoped that Glinda didn’t have similar ideas.
Glinda sighed, squeezing her eyes shut tight. “I see. Well then, I suppose we will have to go together.”
“Go where?” De asked, fidgeting in her seat.
“To kill the WWW of course. We have to reclaim the lands to the west in order to regain control of Oz. You have no idea how many have been displaced or enslaved because of the witch.”
De did have an idea. It seemed the only ones still living to the West were under the witch’s control, like the monkeys/munchkins, and users like the old Gnome. It was a chance for De to do some good in the world and something that her parents didn’t plan for. Who could have?
“Okay. I’ll go. But I want Aspen to come along.”
Glinda relaxed her shoulders and her smile returned. “Who is Aspen?”
De blushed. “My friend. He’s the lion who told you I was out there yesterday when we were separated at the gate. He’s a shifter. A lion.”
“I saw you myself out the window of the palace, Delilah. I’m sorry. I wasn’t aware of your company other than the metal man.”
That couldn’t be. De’s head spun. “Well, he’s helped me all along. If it weren’t for him, I’d be dead for sure.”
Glinda’s eyes filled with pity. “Beware of lions in human clothing. I believe that’s the saying.”
“No. It’s wolves in sheep’s clothing,” De corrected, bristling.
“That can’t be right. Sheep don’t wear clothing. But the point is, dear, where did you meet this Aspen?”
“I met him on the road. I woke up in what I guess were the ruins of Munchkinland and walked along a path I found.”
“The yellow brick road.”
“Yes. I suppose. Anyway, I saw his camp outside the woods and he caught me stealing. He told me not to go into the woods, that I should come here, but I didn’t listen. The monkeys had me, but he shifted and saved me. Then he traveled with me all the way here.”
“Why haven’t I seen him with you?” Glinda asked politely.
De felt warm and uncomfortable in the stuffy little room. “He doesn’t like attention, that’s all. But he’s out there. I saw him.”
“The witch doesn’t just let Ozians camp outside her woods, Delilah.” Glinda moved close to stroke her cheek.
De pulled away and stood. “He was running from her. She wanted him, but he didn’t return her feelings.”
Glinda considered this.
“I trust him,” De said, trying to convince herself as much as Glinda. If one of her company had been a spy, it would have been Brett, and Glinda didn’t give him a second thought. “And if I go on this mission, he’s coming with me.”
“Perhaps it is a good idea to bring him along anyway,” Glinda said with a forced smile.
De fumed silently. She’d gotten Glinda to agree, but was sure her motive was more to keep an eye on him rather than trust him.
“When do we leave?” De asked with clipped words.
Glinda opened the door and motioned for her to exit. “Immediately.”
Chapter 8
A party of eight set off from the palace, including De, Glinda, a brooding Aspen, and five heavily armed guards dressed in green leather armor. De supposed it was no good hiding their identity anyway.
“How will we get close enough to kill her?” De asked, falling in step with Glinda since Aspen was silently trudging along behind the guards.
“I will carry us in my force field over the woods and to the witch’s castle. The others will hold off her minions while you and I find her.”
De marched along quietly, thinking about her encounter with the witch the day before.
“How will we kill her?” she asked in a small voice. She hadn’t really thought about the actual murder portion of the quest. As evil as the woman was, she didn’t know if she could really be the one to plunge a knife into someone’s heart.
“So they’re East and West. You’re North. Who’s South?” De asked.
Glinda glanced sidelong at her. “I was hoping it would be you.”
They’d reached the edge of the woods and Glinda waved her arms, encasing them all in a bubble of green light that lifted gently off the ground and flew forward over the woods. De struggled to keep her balance as she watched the scenery whoosh past through the partially opaque force field.
In minutes, they traveled as far as it had taken Aspen to lead them in two days. Of course, they did take the woods.
“There it is,” Glinda said, nodding toward a tall building in the distance.
It was built into the side of a mountain with tall towers and surrounded by a moat. But while the Emerald Palace was made of light and crystal, this was made from black obelisks that seemed to soak in light and shut it away.
De shuddered.
“Are you ready?” Glinda asked.
“As ready as I’ll ever be.” De glanced back at Aspen, who watched out the side of the bubble with a serious expression.
“Now!” Glinda shouted, setting them all down outside the dark palace. The second the bubble burst, hoards of monkeys and ravens flew at them from all sides. The guards jumped into action, firing contraptions that shot nets or flaming arrows.
Glinda grabbed De’s hand and she had one last look at Aspen’s face, no longer sad or serious, but anguished before she disappeared.
De had to speak to him. She had to find out what was wrong. She did trust him with her life, but she also sensed there was something he was keeping from her. It would have to wait though, because Glinda had just transported them to a great room with a tall thorny throne fashioned from a twisted tree trunk. It was empty.
“Where is she?” De whispered, staying close to Glinda’s shoulder.
“Looking for me?”
De spun toward the voice just as a beam of red light shot from her long, bony fingers. Glinda reacted just in time, throwing up a force field of green that sizzled when the red beam hit it.