by Martha Carr
“Well.” Bianca raised her eyebrows. “The fate of two worlds is on the line, isn’t it? How could I say no?”
“Oh, jeez,” Cheyenne whispered, dipping her forehead to cover it with a hand. “Mom, you don’t have to!”
“What? Don’t tell me I got it wrong.”
Maleshi laughed. “No, that’s absolutely correct. And it’s rare to hear someone say that in casual conversation, but okay. Time to lay out the next steps, huh?”
“You need a portal,” L’zar offered.
“Oh, look. The Weaver found the hole in our unformed plan.”
He folded his arms and shot the general a wide grin. “That’s not all I can do.”
“Yeah, but you’ve done enough,” Cheyenne added. “Unless you have anything helpful to add.”
“Well, if I knew where to find another portal that wasn’t either defective, destroyed, or swarming with those pitiful magicals calling themselves agents, Cheyenne, I would have suggested it.”
“Good thing you’re not the one calling the shots right now.” Maleshi shot L’zar the same feral, mocking grin when he looked at her with wide eyes. “We’ll take the portal at Colonial Williamsburg. Won’t that be fun?”
“I’m sorry, where?” Bianca asked.
“Colonial Williamsburg.” Ember shrugged. “You know, the tourist place that’s like stepping back in time.”
“Thank you, Ember. I am familiar with the location. Isn’t that a rather public place for this crossover?”
“Crossing,” Cheyenne muttered.
“Yes. That.”
“We’ll go tonight after dark.” Maleshi nodded. “Employees and tourists will be snuggled up in their beds, and the barn will be empty.”
“The barn.” Bianca blinked quickly. “Is there a specific reason for the involvement of horses?”
“That’s where it popped up, Mom. Nothing to do with horses or cows.”
“I see.”
L’zar cleared his throat. “You’ll need to take precautions for when you get to the other side. We don’t know how far the blight has spread since we’ve all been over here.”
“I’m pretty sure the blight hasn’t spread all the way to Hangivol yet,” Ember said.
“What?” L’zar stared at the fae. “A portal into Hangivol?”
“Yeah. Cheyenne, wanna tell him how it got there?”
The halfling closed her eyes. “Not really.”
Maleshi didn’t bother to wipe the smug satisfaction off her face. “The Sorren Gán was kind enough to create a new one just for us, L’zar. How thoughtful, right?”
The drow thief raised his eyebrows, his nostrils flaring, but said nothing.
“I didn’t go chasing it down, in case you were wondering,” Cheyenne added. “It was already passed out at the fellfire pits. So at least we know the thing keeps its promises.”
“Oh, I know it keeps its promises,” L’zar hissed. “What I don’t know is why the hell you would ever want to talk to it.”
“Actually, it wanted to talk to me.” Cheyenne shrugged. “I didn’t have a choice.” I’m choosing not to tell him that the only thing he’s afraid of pulled me across the city like a kite on a string.
Bianca tapped a finger on her lips. “Would someone please explain to me what this Sorren… What is it?”
Cheyenne leaned over to her. “Sorren Gán. You know what, though? We can go over the specific names later.”
“Yes. Better yet, you could make me a list.”
Cheyenne and Ember both snorted.
“I don’t see the humor in any of this.” L’zar’s careless, joking demeanor had disappeared beneath his irritation. “And I don’t understand why this crossing has to happen tonight.”
“You of all magicals shouldn’t need an explanation,” Maleshi said.
“But I understand the value of options. You’re the one who told me we had to explore every avenue.”
Cheyenne leaned forward to catch his attention. “L’zar, there isn’t any other avenue at this point.”
“There’s the bane-breaker.” His nostrils flared as his gaze flickered back and forth across the tabletop. “That’s another option. Yeah. I’ll go pay her a visit. There’s bound to be more information there than she bothered giving you, Cheyenne.”
“I’m not sure that’s how it works.”
“I couldn’t care how it works.” L’zar slapped a hand on the table and stood. “If you all insist on making this move tonight, I insist on ensuring we haven’t missed anything. And you can’t stop me.”
Cheyenne folded her arms and raised an eyebrow at her dad on the verge of a full-blown drow fit. He’s pissed he can’t be a part of the plan and that we know more than him. “Go ahead, then. You know where she lives?”
L’zar’s golden eyes narrowed at his daughter, and he lifted his chin. “I don’t.”
“Huh. Too bad. She doesn’t take new customers past nine at night anyway.”
Ember’s eyes widened. “Oh, that’s why. Because of the demon.”
Bianca choked on her water and delicately pulled the straw out of her mouth. “I’m sorry, what?”
Cheyenne shook her head. “That one we can forget about.”
Maleshi stood from her chair and walked to the open area between the dining table and the wall of windows. “Any other day, L’zar, I’d agree with you, but I don’t think we have the time for a detour to the Earthside bane-breaker. I know Cheyenne doesn’t.”
L’zar glanced at his daughter. “Is it worse already?”
“Not yet. But the way this crap works, if it didn’t heal, it’ll get worse.”
“I only used about a third of the vial,” Ember muttered. “You know, just in case.”
Cheyenne gave her friend a small smile. “Good thinking.”
“Then it sounds like we have everything we need. Almost.” Maleshi cleared her throat and opened a portal in front of the wall of windows.
Bianca frowned at the nightstalker. “What is that? What’s she doing?”
Cheyenne forced herself not to smile. She’s like a kid at Disneyland all of a sudden.
“It’s a portal, Mom.”
“Surely not like the one outside.”
“No, it doesn’t go between worlds.”
The dark window of Maleshi’s portal bloomed to full size, and the general chuckled. “That would solve so many of our problems, wouldn’t it? But alas. I can only bridge the gap in one world at a time.”
“Alas? Did you just fucking say alas?” Lumil stomped through the portal with her arms spread, frowning at the nightstalker. “Who the hell are you?”
“I kinda like it. Alas.” Byrd emerged from the portal behind the goblin woman, nodding. “Sounds fancy.”
“Oh, yeah? What the fuck kinda reason do any of us have for needing to sound fancy?”
L’zar stared at Maleshi with a tight grimace and clasped his hands behind his back. “Do we need them here for this?”
The goblins both turned to him. “L’zar! Where the hell have you been, man? We got the whole warehouse to ourselves, and you disappeared.”
“I’ve been here.”
Lumil gazed around the room and nodded. “Yeah, it’s a nice place, huh? I don’t blame you.”
When the goblin woman grinned and pointed at Bianca, the woman leaned toward Cheyenne. “What’s happening?”
“Check it out, man.” Lumil slapped the back of her hand against Byrd’s gut before stalking to the table. Byrd doubled over with a wheeze, then shook it off with a frustrated grunt and followed her. “You’re awake. I’ll tell you what, magical or not, anyone who gave birth to Cheyenne and stuck around to raise her definitely has what it takes to break through a curse, huh? Good for you.”
“Cheyenne.”
Huffing a sigh, Cheyenne stood and gestured at the goblins. “Mom, this is Lumil. And Byrd.”
Byrd raised a hand. “Hiya.”
“And they know about our situation?”
“Oh, yeah.”
Lumil folded her arms. “We were here when you went all human-statue by the portal. Then it was lights out, and we had to take off to break a scaleback necromancer out of Chateau D’rahl, so, you know, we couldn’t stick around for too long.”
Bianca slowly licked her lips. “Perhaps I shouldn’t have asked.”
“But it’s great to see you up and moving around.” The goblin woman nodded. “Congrats.”
Byrd shot Bianca the guns with both hands. “Ditto.”
“Ditto?” Lumil frowned at him. “What are you, seven?”
“What? I’m agreeing with you.”
“You can’t just take someone else’s compliments and slap a ‘ditto’ on top. That doesn’t give you shit for credit.”
“Dude, I’m just sayin’.”
“Moving on.” Maleshi clapped her hands together and nodded. “Here’s the deal. We’re taking the portal in the barn tonight. Bianca is coming with us.”
Lumil snorted. “Good one.”
“It’s not a joke,” Bianca said, lifting her chin. “I’m making the crossing with you.”
Byrd’s mouth dropped open.
“Say what, now?” Lumil scratched the back of her head, her yellow hair flopping over her forehead. “Hey, it’s okay. I get it. You just woke up from a curse. Makes sense if your brains are still a little scrambled, lady. That’s not exactly something we do.”
Bianca didn’t miss a beat. “It is now.”
The goblin woman whirled to stare at Maleshi. “Why the fuck are we smuggling humans into Hangivol all of a sudden?”
Maleshi offered Bianca a tight smile and spread her arms. “I didn’t have a chance to fully explain the situation to my associates.”
“Associates?” Byrd scoffed. “That’s new.”
“I understand,” Bianca replied.
“Wait, so she’s not insane?” Lumil turned back to Cheyenne and her mom. “And you’re cool with this, halfling?”
Cheyenne shrugged. “It’s something we have to do. I’m gonna need you to step it up and keep an eye on my mom in the in-between, right? ‘Cause we’re all going together.”
“Except for L’zar,” Byrd added.
“Yes.” L’zar sneered at him. “Except for L’zar.”
“Yeesh. Talking about himself in the third person.” Lumil rolled her eyes. “Someone’s pissed.”
Byrd chuckled. “Guess that’s what happens when the Crown banishes you for all eternity, huh? Hey, at least she didn’t banish you only to the warehouse. The place is starting to fall apart without Persh’al.”
“Who knew the troll was so good at keeping things clean, huh?” Lumil snorted and pointed at L’zar. “You should see what he’s done with Hangivol. You ever see that Flip That House show? It’s like that, but, you know, way more badass.”
“Yeah, but what’s with all the white?” Byrd shook his head. “I never got that.”
L’zar’s golden eyes widened. “What Persh’al’s done?”
“Yeah. He’s pullin’ his own weight around there, that’s for damn sure.” Lumil stuck her thumb behind her at Cheyenne. “I think I can speak for everyone when I say it didn’t seem like the best choice, but I tell you what, L’zar. Your kid knows how to pick ‘em.”
The drow thief turned slowly to his daughter and cocked his head. “You handed the throne to Persh’al?”
“Oh, whoa.” Byrd exaggerated a grimace and blinked at Cheyenne. “You didn’t tell him, huh?”
“Oh, shit.” Lumil wrinkled her nose. “I just spilled your magical beans. Sorry, kid.”
Cheyenne folded her arms and ignored the goblins. “I didn’t just hand it over, L’zar. I offered it to him, and he accepted. I think I made a pretty damn good choice.”
Maleshi nodded. “She did.”
“It’s not official yet, is it?”
“It’s entirely official.” Cheyenne watched him carefully. Even as she spoke, her dad’s anger swelled visibly behind his blazing golden eyes. “Sworn in and everything. Right there under the tree.”
“He’s a troll!”
“It doesn’t matter.” She gestured at the general. “Maleshi and Corian figured out how to bind Persh’al with the Nimlothar. And yeah, I helped. The Crown doesn’t have to be a drow, and in case you missed it, everyone in this room agrees that he’s the right magical for the job.”
L’zar glanced at Bianca, who closed her eyes and shook her head, lifting a hand to exempt herself from the conversation. “Cheyenne, I should have been consulted.”
“You weren’t there, and that’s not my fault.”
“No.” His nostrils flared, and one eye twitched briefly. “I merely helped you seize your birthright and was banished because of it.”
Cheyenne shook her head. “Don’t try to turn this around on me. You hate Ambar’ogúl. And you know what? I don’t know why we’re having this conversation. I don’t need to explain my decision to you. It’s done. Persh’al’s the O’gúl Crown, I came home for Bianca, and now we’re going back to clean up the mess you and your sister left by fucking around with the natural laws of your own world.”
L’zar didn’t blink.
“She’s right.” Maleshi nodded. “Persh’al was the best choice. You know he’ll do whatever it takes to steer things back in the right direction.”
Lumil snorted. “Yeah. Especially now that he and Elarit finally got their myrein.”
L’zar hissed and whirled on the goblin woman. “Elarit?”
“Shit, you’re steppin’ in it today,” Byrd muttered.
Lumil gave the drow a sheepish grin. “Come on, man. You had to see that coming, right?”
L’zar sucked a sharp breath through his clenched teeth, then growled and stormed around the table before disappearing beyond the staircase.
“Whoa.” Lumil sniffed and shoved her hands in her pockets. “I was tellin’ the truth.”
“And he’ll have to learn how to handle the truth without being able to change it.” Maleshi glanced at the front of the house, then dusted off her hands and returned to the table. “It’s almost eight-thirty. I suggest we call it a night right now and try to get as much rest as we can. I want everybody ready to go at two. Got it?”
“Yep.” Lumil raised her eyebrows at Bianca, then strolled casually to the sitting area. “Ooh, yeah. I call that weird couch without any sides.”
“Wait, what?” Byrd hurried after her. “You should take that other one. I’m taller.”
“Yeah, by like a centimeter. Fat fucking chance, man. You snooze, you lose. And I’ll be snoozin’ on this fancy bench.”
Bianca looked at her daughter with a surprisingly calm expression. “They don’t know what a settee is.”
“I guess not. And I don’t think they care.”
“What are they, exactly?”
Cheyenne fought back a laugh. “Goblins.”
“Hmm. What a horrid-sounding word.”
Maleshi chuckled. “Most of what comes out of those two’s mouths is almost as bad. But the important thing is that we can trust them, and they know what they’re doing when it counts.”
Bianca lifted her chin toward the general. “Which is?”
“We’ll save that for tomorrow.”
A blood-curdling screech came from the hallway beside the sitting area.
“What the…whoa, lady. Hey!” Lumil shouted. “Hey, what are you doing with that tray?”
“Get off the furniture, you green…” There was a loud grunt, followed by a metallic clang. Then Byrd burst out laughing.
Maleshi gazed around the dining area with a grin. “I didn’t realize Eleanor was so protective of the upholstery.”
“When there are goblins sitting on it, yes.” Bianca could only turn so far in her chair before the pain made her stop. “I suppose she is.”
“You too. Off!” Eleanor hit Byrd with the serving tray, and the goblin man yelped.
“Hey! I took off my shoes!”
“I’ll take off your head if you don’t get off thi
s instant!”
“Eleanor?” Cheyenne called.
“I’m handling it!”
Byrd and Lumil stomped back into the dining area, rubbing the backs of their heads. “We didn’t do anything, man.”
“I thought she’d recognize us. It hasn’t been that long.”
“Just because I recognize you, it doesn’t mean I approve.” Eleanor bustled in after them, her face flushed and her hair falling loose from its bun. “Why you think you can waltz right into this house and kick your feet up wherever you want is beyond me.”
“Eleanor.”
“Yes?”
Bianca reached out with one hand, still unable to turn all the way around to look at the housekeeper. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to lie down for a moment.”
“Of course.” Scowling at the goblins, Eleanor set the tray on the table and gingerly helped Bianca to her feet. “I’m sorry about the furniture. It won’t happen again.”
“It’s fine.” Bianca nodded at her daughter as Eleanor supported her away from the table. “They’re staying the night, so you needn’t whack the sleeping goblins if you should find them anywhere else. I think they’ve learned their lesson.”
“Huh.” Eleanor barked a surprised laugh. “Yeah, I think they did.”
When the softly laughing women disappeared around the staircase, Cheyenne looked at Maleshi and shrugged. “Could be worse, right?”
“Absolutely.” The general sat in her chair at the head of the table, stretched her legs out in front of her, and crossed her ankles. “Honestly, she’s taking all this a lot better than I expected.”
“Yeah, me too, but that’s her thing. Constantly exceeds expectations.” With a wry chuckle, Cheyenne headed after her mom and Eleanor. “I’m gonna make sure she’s got everything. Obviously, make yourselves at home. I guess.”
Lumil scoffed. “Just not on the giant bench, huh?”
“Apparently.” Cheyenne pointed to the other end of the house. “Or her study. That’s on the other side of the house. If you think Eleanor lost it over the settee, I wouldn’t risk letting her catch you in the study. So anywhere else, I guess.”
Byrd eyed the bottom of the staircase above them. “What’s upstairs?”