by Krista Walsh
She nodded and leaned against the wall. “It sucks you’re leaving.”
He caught the “you” and leaned back beside her. “Why does it sound like you’re not coming with us?”
“Because I’m not.”
They allowed the words to hang between them, sink in slowly.
After a minute, Venn smacked him on the arm. “Come with me.”
Jeff followed her back to her room, and she went around lighting candles. Her room was much plainer than Jeff’s, with fewer engravings and no fancy quilt. She hadn’t added any personal touches, never having been one for decoration, preferring simple. Jeff knew it was because she didn’t like to grow attached to anything—her life hadn’t encouraged such sentimentality.
“Have a seat,” she said, pointing to the chair next to the fire.
Jeff did as he was told and watched her rifle through a drawer in the bedside table. She took out a small box and came over to him, dropping to her knees on the floor beside him.
“You know the few photos I brought downstairs when Maggie needed something of Cassie’s?”
Jeff nodded.
“Those weren’t the only ones I have.”
She opened the box, and Jeff’s eyes widened as he was proven wrong. Venn Connell did grow attached—she was just very careful about what she grew attached to.
Jeff remembered the way Venn kept patting down her pockets the night they used the Sisters’ key, and realised this was what she had snuck back to Andvell.
Inside the box was a camera—Cassie’s, he noticed—and underneath were photos. Heaps of them.
Jeff picked up one of the top ones, a selfie of Cassie and Venn in a park on a sunny day. Cassie was smiling, but Venn was making a silly face, her tongue sticking out. The next photo was similar, but they were both making faces. Finally, Cassie had convinced her to take a nice one, and it was a beautiful shot.
“I brought them with me to show the others. Maybe leave them behind as souvenirs when we went back to Montreal. And the camera I brought for our sake, so we could get pictures of them to keep with us.”
“So what’s changed?” asked Jeff.
“I like your world. It’s faster, it’s fun, it has you guys in it, who I don’t totally despise. But it’s not home. I liked being in your world when there was still the option of coming back here. But the thought of being there forever. Never killing anyone again—” she shook her head as if this would be the greatest sacrifice. “This is my place.”
“And it has nothing to do with a certain tall, dark-haired apprentice enchanter?” Jeff asked, teasing.
Venn’s expression jumped from confusion to shock. “What? Ew. No! That’s not even—just, no.”
Jeff heard the over-protest but stayed silent, pressing his lips together to hide a smile that faded as he went through more of the photos.
“I’m going to keep these here,” said Venn. “My own souvenirs. But you can have these three. If you wanted.”
She rifled through the pile and handed over the three in particular, looking the other way as she did so. Jeff swore he caught a blush in the flickering light.
The pictures brought back wonderful memories. The first was of him and Venn—they’d been horsing around in the same park that the Venn and Cassie photos were taken, but, exhausted, they’d fallen back against a tree, laughing at each other for being so ridiculous. They both looked happy, and at peace.
The second they’d had a passerby take as they wandered around Old Port. The Clock Tower was in the background, the three of them out front, all making absurd poses. Jeff was hanging from the doorjamb.
The third surprised him. It wasn’t of him or Venn, but Cassie, sitting on her own in a sunset.
“I took that,” said Venn.
Jeff’s surprise rose. “You have a knack for the camera. Are you sure you don’t want to come back with us, do this for a living or something?”
Venn stared at the photo with something like longing, then shook her head. “It was fun, but not that fun. I just thought you’d like it. See the way she’s staring off in the distance? The faint smile, not because she thinks anyone is looking, but because she’s actually happy? She was looking at you. She loves you. Like, a lot. Please try not to fuck it up.”
Jeff held the photo up towards the light, appreciating the way the sun caught in the golds and blondes of Cassie’s hair, creating a shimmering halo effect. Her hair was down that day, cascading over her shoulders all the way to her waist, and her outfit was simple, jeans and a long-sleeved tee with sandals. Stunning.
“I promise,” he said.
Venn nodded. “Good.” She handed him the camera. “Now how about we go for a walk around this place and get as many photos as we can. The light will be horrible, but you’ll get the idea. Race you.”
She tagged him and started to run. Jeff pulled the strap of the camera around his wrist and chased after her.
***
By the time the sun came up, Jeff had photos of all the important rooms of the Keep. The Haunt, Brady’s library, everywhere the memories ran deep.
Around dawn, Jeff fell back into bed and cuddled up to Cassie, who rolled into his chest.
“You’ve been gone,” she said.
He held her close. “I’ve been remembering.”
They fell back asleep until the servants came to wake them, and then the rush of travel was on them, and they had no time to breathe as they packed.
Jeff made sure to get photographs of his room before he closed the door for the last time, following Cassie down the stairs and out the front doors of the Keep. Here, he stopped to take another photo, and Cassie stared at the camera in wonder.
“Is that what you were up to last night? Building a camera that looks an awful lot like mine?”
Jeff flashed a grin. “Venn’s thieving has never served a better purpose.”
He took a picture of the view from the top of the hill, down into the village within the courtyard and the snowy fields beyond.
He took a photo of Cassie standing in front of the doors, adopting a similar pose to the one she’d taken in front of the Clock Tower.
“You’re going to waste the battery on that thing,” she said. “Save it for the people.”
Jeff took her advice and let the camera fall into his jacket pocket as they went down the steps, over the bridge and towards the stables. Here, the others were set to go, Darcy trussed up and dumped over the back of a spare horse with no hope of a comfortable journey. Now they just waited for the man from the other world with the strange contraption in his hands. Jeff snapped a shot of the lot of them, and then spent the next three days of the trip explaining to Brady as best he could how the camera worked.
It felt great to ride Swish again. The gelding, for his week of loneliness, was eager to behave and listened to Jeff’s nudges and prods with slightly less than his usual bullheadedness.
The group travelled in good spirits, their troubles behind them and nothing but possibility ahead. Only twice did their cheer waver: the first time when a gust of wind took up a bush and it disappeared into thin air, and the second when the same thing happened to a smallish tree.
The worries of the rifts weren’t yet over, and as determined as they were to enjoy their moment of peace and get Jayden and Ariana to the altar, they silently agreed to up the pace to make sure it happened before the palace got swallowed up.
Joly and Phil joined them until the road split towards Kariel’s, and then it was just the family. Jeff doubted the palace guards had ever seen such a merry party ride up to the massive, giant-scale gates.
The way they stared at their princess, Jeff guessed they’d especially never seen her in such a happy mood. From what Jeff knew of her from before, she was wont to be cheery only out of sarcasm.
At the royal stables, Jeff took his time with Swish, insisting on untacking and brushing the gelding himself. He knew the queen wanted to see them, but he wouldn’t pass up the chance to say goodbye. Cassie stayed with h
im, snapping a photo of the two of them together. Jeff had to wipe his eyes as he closed Swish in the stall with a bag of oats, glad that at least his horse would be among friends when he left and not trapped in some other world.
Queen Ansella demanded to see them right away, so Jeff didn’t even have a chance to take off his wet boots before they were ushered into the private audience chamber. Only then did the group’s joy waver. She sat with stoic coldness on her chair, eying each of them in turn.
Jeff kept his gaze firmly on her left hand, which tapped intermittently against the armrest.
“Welcome back,” she greeted.
Basten sat at her side, his moustache fluttering with each sharp exhale. His large frame wobbled with his efforts to stay quiet and allow his queen to do the talking.
“Happy to see you’re well, daughter. I’m so glad I wasn’t worried while you were away.”
Ariana pressed her lips together, but didn’t drop her mother’s gaze. She leaned into Jayden, and he rested his hand on her back, which Ansella didn’t fail to notice.
“Not only off to war, but making liaisons, I see. Well, we’ll come to that. I’ve been debriefed on what happened at the Kinnaeth Mountains. I understand you’ve eliminated three separate threats to the country, and perhaps even the world. I suppose a thank you is in order.”
Jeff guessed they shouldn’t expect one just yet.
“The traitor to the throne is now in the dungeons awaiting judgement. Have you anything to say to sway my decision on leniency?”
Jayden bowed. “Your Majesty, Darcy Dorning was proved to be behind the conspiracy to depose you; in the murder of First Counsellor Basten’s man, Harold; of the attempted murder of my sister; and, most recently, the attempted murder of Author Powell. He deserves neither leniency nor mercy.”
Ansella scanned Jeff, and he felt as if her piercing eyes had seen right into the healing wound in his side.
“Most interesting. Amazing that someone so benign can cause so much damage. Very well. Our mercy will extend only to a swift death. I thank you for your opinion. Is there anything else I should know?”
The others exchanged a series of glances, each trying to figure out what was important enough to share. But the problems had been solved, and they were happy to forget everything except the good news.
So Ariana said, “Jayden Feldall and I request permission to be married. As soon as possible. This evening, if we can.”
Ansella appraised her daughter. “Are you pregnant?”
Without missing a beat, Ariana replied, “No. Jasmine is. I’m not.”
Ansella’s brow lifted, and it was Jasmine’s turn to receive that piercing scan.
“I see.” She turned back to her daughter. “Then what, pray tell, is the urgency?”
Ariana rested her hand on Jeff’s shoulder. “Because we want to share the day with all our friends, and unfortunately Jeff and Cassie have to get back to their own world so Maggie and William can close the rift between dimensions so it doesn’t open again and devour the world.”
The queen blinked, her stare sliding across the group and back to Ariana. She blinked again. “That’s a lot of information to receive in a very short amount of time.”
Ariana smirked. “We haven’t had much time to process it ourselves.”
Ansella steepled her fingers under her chin and took a moment to consider. After a deep breath, she looked to Brady and Jasmine. “Congratulations to you both. Lady Feldall, I thought you looked radiant when you came in. Now I understand why.” The queen looked next to Jayden. “You’re sure about this, daughter?” Before Ariana could answer, Ansella rubbed her brow and closed her eyes. “That was a foolish question. When have you ever second-guessed yourself?” She sat up and returned her attention to Jayden. “Fortunately, as I informed you three months ago, I approve of you as a son-in-law. You’re brave, loyal, and good-hearted, if occasionally fool-hardy and impetuous. I foresee a lifetime of conflict between you, but you’re both the sort to work out your issues one way or another.”
“Your Majesty,” Basten finally spoke up. Jeff had watched the man’s expression move from amusement, to surprise, to wonder over the course of the conversation, all while managing to remain appreciably silent. Now he looked aghast that his queen would approve of such a sudden, significant scheme. Although Jeff suspected the man was more thrown that he hadn’t been consulted.
“Are you really sure—”
Ansella held up a hand to stop him. “Basten, you know I rely on your opinion and advice for the running of the country. But this is my daughter’s wedding. I’m afraid the decision begins and ends with her. If you’ll see to the arrangements, they should all be sorted.”
The first counsellor sputtered, wringing his hands in his lap. “But the guests. This will be a royal wedding! We can’t spring this on the people without time to plan. Leaders from our allied countries will be mortally offended if we marry off the princess without inviting them. And to a lesser lord, no less! No offence, Lord Feldall.” He tacked on the last bit when he saw Ariana rile.
Jayden shrugged. “None taken. She chose the lesser lord. No skin off my nose who that offends.”
The queen tapped a finger against her lip. “Unfortunately, my adviser does make a point. As much as I respect your wishes, my dear, it wouldn’t do to get the blood up if we can avoid it.”
“But—” said Ariana, brown eyes narrowed.
Ansella interrupted. “If they want a show, we’ll provide a show. Basten, the wedding will proceed as planned. Make the arrangements. Invite only the people required, and whoever else Lord Feldall and Princess Ariana desire attend.”
Jayden and Ariana looked at each other, each considering. After a moment’s silent discussion, Ariana shook her head. “There’s no one else. Everyone we want is right here.”
“Then that’s who will be there. After the ceremony is performed, we’ll begin preparation for the full event. Complete with pomp and circumstance and all the fanfare I know everyone in this room adores. Except you, Basten. You actually do adore it.”
Basten bowed his head. “I am a man who knows his purpose, my Queen.”
Ansella pressed her lips together. “Very well. Then, daughter dear, I suggest you go and see the seamstress and tell her what you want to wear. Ladies, you may accompany her. Gentlemen, the tailor will be at your disposal. Basten, see that every available milliner, seamstress, tailor, and anyone else required are in the palace today.”
“No,” said Ariana, stopping Basten just as he got to his feet.
“No?” Ansella repeated.
Ariana smiled over at Jeff. “I don’t want Jeff’s last few hours here to be spent running around like a madman trying on clothes. If Jayden’s all right with it, I’m good to just throw on something clean and get married as I stand.”
Jayden took her hand. “You, wife, would be happy to marry me as I stand?”
His words directed all eyes to him, taking in the mud on his trouser hems, the smell of horseflesh and sweat, the damp spots on his coat from the snow, the four day beard on his chin.
Jeff suddenly felt very aware of his own state and wanted nothing more than a long hot bath.
Ariana shrugged. “Maybe a shave.”
“If you know your minds, then there’s no cause for delay,” Ansella said. She looked out the window, saw the sun at its apex. “It would take just as long for you to freshen up as it will take me to find the chaplain to perform the ceremony.”
Basten released a faint moan, but Jeff liked the idea. As road weary as he was, as much as he was in no rush to leave his friends and go home, he wanted this world’s problems to be over, and the rest of their lives to begin.
“I think we could manage that,” said Ariana. “Jayden?”
The lord grinned. “If I’m to hang up my wandering days, it makes no difference whether it’s right this minute or this evening. Look at the men I have with me. You think these three would host a stag night to remember? We’d sit aro
und debating history and literature.”
William, Brady, and Jeff exchanged a glance, thinking that if they threw in some wine it would make for a pretty fun evening.
“You see?” said Jayden, noting their response. “Save me from them, wife. Marry me.”
Ansella turned to Basten. “You heard them. See it’s done.”
Basten bowed and hurried off before he could be called back again.
Once he was gone, Ansella stood up and came towards Ariana, resting her hands on either side of her daughter’s face. “I’m glad to see you’re all right, my love. Lord Feldall.”
“Yes, Your Majesty?”
“My hope is that you’ll care for her, and limit how often she runs into danger without a word to anyone.”
Jayden tried not to smile. “I’ll do my best, Your Majesty.”
Ansella raised an eyebrow. “Mmhmm. Mercy help us, the two of you are going to drive me to an early grave.”
She pulled her daughter in for a tight hug, and then moved and greeted her soon-to-be son-in-law in the same way.
“I must say,” she said, stepping back, and for the first time looking relaxed and just as pleased as the others had been on entering the room. “I thought you two would never figure it out. You’ve made this mother very happy. It’s hard to believe how horrible the country’s prospects were just a week ago when everything has come to such a happy conclusion.”
Jeff couldn’t agree with her more. On most points. The happiest conclusion would be some sort of open doorway in his kitchen that connected to the Haunt.
Don’t feel like cooking? Step across for a meal with a table full of friends. Bored on a Saturday evening? Go for a ride! Sore after a day’s falling on the ice? Lounge in the Fountain waters!
It sounded like slogans for the greatest spa centre of his time. Too bad it wouldn’t exist after tomorrow.
“Now, if you all want to head up to your rooms and freshen up, I’ll make sure that changes of clothes are brought to you so you can at least look presentable,” said the queen, pulling the servant’s bell. “Ariana, you stay here with me.” Her daughter looked about to argue so she added, “There’s something I want to give you.”