by Sam Cheever
The ogre’s gaze slid to Lea-Nina and he grunted.
“My wife,” Sampson said. He reached down and placed a big hand over Lea’s belly and said, “Our unborn child.”
The ogre pursed his lips thoughtfully.
Sebille leaned close to whisper. “Ogres love babies.”
I nodded. Good to know.
The creature’s small eyes softened for a beat as he stared at Nina-Lea, and then he threw back his head and laughed, a sound like boulders tumbling down a mountainside. The strong scent of roses wafted over me as he bent double and slapped his thick, hairy knees. “We fight,” he said, his eyes alight. He straightened and jerked a thumb toward Sampson and then Grym. “For women and child. Winner takes all.”
Okay, the baby thing had definitely backfired.
Grym shook his head. “That’s not going to happen. I demand an audience with King Rhorr.”
The ogre shook his head and slammed the club on the ground. Twenty feet away, a chunk of an enormous column of rock cracked away from the top and slammed to the ground.
Fluttering ferret farts! He was going to kill Grym and Sampson with that thing. I stepped forward. “Listen, you. We’re not prizes to be won or lost. Now just step aside and you can get back to your business.” I grimaced. “Whatever that is.”
The ogre blinked, his dark brows lowering as he thought about my demand. He slammed the club down again. “We fight!” he roared. The sound rumbled across the land like a boom of thunder, echoing against the distant hills.
Without warning, he lumbered toward Grym, swinging the massive club across his middle.
Grym barely managed to suck backward in time to avoid being struck, but I knew it would only take one direct strike in the wrong place to kill him.
Unless…
In a flash of light, Grym transformed into his gargoyle shape.
Gently shoving Lea-Nina aside, Sampson followed suit. In the blink of an eye, he became the giant wolf I remembered from the mall. Both men attacked at once, driving the massive creature back with a rapid-fire array of slashes, snapping jaws, and club-like pounding from Grym’s rocky fists.
But the ogre didn’t stay on the defensive for long. He raised the club above his head and slammed it into Grym. It only grazed his arm, but the impact was enough to drive Grym to his knees.
Before the ogre could wind up again, Sampson leaped onto his back, fangs bared and claws raking the ogre’s thick skin.
The massive claws barely scratched the ogre’s flesh.
“We have to do something,” Lea said in Nina Sampson’s voice.
“You think?” Sebille said. “But what?”
“I’ll blast him,” Lea said, lifting her hands to start weaving a spell. A single spark fizzed at her fingertips and then died. “Hot diggity dangit!” she exclaimed in frustration. “I can’t use magic in this glamour.”
Sebille popped into her sprite form. “I’ll see if I can help.”
I threw out my keeper magic and waited, but nothing came. I frowned. There were certainly artifacts in that place. We’d seen one of them.
“The ogres lock their artifacts down with special earth magic,” Lea-Nina said. She sighed. “Where’s the king when you need him?”
My eyes went wide. “The king!” I said, turning on my heel.
“Where are you going?” Lea yelled after me.
I was running toward the largest archway in the distance. “To see a naked ogre.” He was the closest thing to an ogre king I knew of. Maybe he could help.
“This really isn’t the time, Naida,” she replied.
I couldn’t argue with that. There was really no good time to see a naked ogre. And yet, it seemed I was making a habit of it.
I ran toward the archway I thought was the right one. The meaty sound of flesh striking flesh and the occasional snarl from the shifter dogged my steps. I felt my will lagging as I approached the portal. What if it was the wrong one? Maybe I needed to go through with an ogre, or I’d be fried by magic. What if the naked ogre had dropped something and was bending over to get it when I barged inside?
Ew, ew, ew, ew, ewwwwww!
I shut my thoughts down and forced myself to keep running. “Not good, not good, not good…” I chanted as I ran.
And then suddenly I was there and had no more time to talk myself out of it. I closed my eyes and plunged into the portal before I could change my mind.
As before, the magic enveloped me in a weird, gelatinous embrace that tugged against my skin, slowing down my passage even as I fought to move more quickly through.
Despite feeling that the more I pushed, the slower I went, I managed to shove my way through the portal a beat later. The magic released me with a soft burp of air.
I stumbled a few steps forward, pinwheeling my arms to keep from falling as the uneven rock floor threatened to pitch me onto my face. Digging my heels in, I stopped mere inches away from the enormous throne I remembered.
It was empty.
No, no, no, no! I didn’t have time to search for the wise man or whatever he was. I needed to find the king immediately.
I heard something that sounded like an old woman in sneakers shuffling over a hard floor. Gazing frantically around, I determined that the sound was coming from a passageway behind the throne.
I suddenly realized I had nothing to defend myself with if I was attacked. Would my meager defensive magic work on an ogre? Unlikely.
I was pretty sure the ogres’ bladders could withstand a shot of my defensive magics. Also, having met a few of them already, I figured they’d just view kinky hair as a new fashion statement to be celebrated.
Nevertheless, as the shuffling grew closer, I yanked my magic forward and let it sizzle in my palms.
A beat later, the naked ogre shuffled out of the passage and jerked to a stop, a massive sandwich drooping from his hands and a smear of something that looked like mustard decorating his cheek. He fixed his dark, bead-like eyes on me, surprise turning to delight as he no-doubt recognized me. The wild mop of white hair looked even woolier than the last time, sticking out around his broad face like the aura around a star, and the bulbous red nose twitched above the mustard-glazed lips.
“Argh!” I screamed and covered my eyes.
A deep rumbling sound filled the cavern. I peeked between two fingers as the naked ogre lumbered closer, still clutching his sandwich.
“Hello, Keeper. It’s so nice to see you again.”
I quickly covered my eyes again as he trundled around the throne. “Ah!”
But then I recognized the soft swish of fabric and risked a look. Thank the goddess! He was wearing a purple robe trimmed in white fur. “I need your help. We’re trying to get to a portal because Desiree is trying to steal her brother’s baby and my friend Hobs is dying and I need to save him from Obsession and his brownie is going to die too but your ogre is clubbing my friends to death and I don’t mean clubbing like dancing and drinking fruity drinks…” I pantomimed dancing and drinking in case he didn’t get it and his black eyes sparkled. He swiped a long tongue out and lapped up the mustard and then motioned for me to go on.
“…And this big bald ogre is trying to kill my friends and take the women and the baby well me and my two friends Sebille you met Sebille remember and Le…a…Nina…and we can’t we don’t have time because Hobs is dying did I mention that…” I stuttered to a stop when he held up a mustard-painted hand.
“You wish me to stop my ogre from killing your friends?”
I panted from not breathing and nodded.
Carefully placing the sandwich on the arm of the stone throne, the ogre stood. He patted me on the shoulder with a big hand, practically flinging me to the ground, and started walking me toward the portal.
The sour smell of mustard wafted up to my nose. I looked down, grimacing at the wide stripe of the stuff painting my shirt. “I really appreciate your help,” I said as we plunged into the clutching magic of the portal.
When we popped out on th
e other side, he said. “It’s my pleasure.” He squeezed the shoulder he was still holding. My knees buckled under the pain. I was pretty sure my bones were rubbing together from the compression. “I mean, we’re practically family, amiright?”
I was nodding before his words registered. “Huh?” I said, a beat too late.
The naked ogre whistled, long and shrill.
In the distance, the bald ogre jerked to a halt. He had Grym in a stranglehold in one hand and was sweeping Sampson off his back with the other. His big head turned our way.
The naked ogre lifted an arm, his fist punching the air.
The bald ogre dropped Grym and Sampson and turned away. He picked up his club and lumbered back behind his rock.
Sometimes-naked ogre smiled down at me. “There you go.” He swiped at the mustard he’d left on my shirt, smearing it over a larger area. “Say hello to Sebille for me. We’ll see you soon. We have much planning to do.”
“Uh…er…a…yeah. See ya.” I gave him a wave and took off running.
I had no idea what he was talking about, but I didn’t like the sound of it. I really hoped there wasn’t something in the small print wayyyy down at the…er…bottom…that the sprite and I were going to live to regret.
But, I was pretty sure there was.
25
Let’s Get This Show on the Road
We stood near the fountain I recognized from my previous visit to Loveland. The same creatures who’d been climbing all over the castle at the end of the avenue the last time I’d been there were still scurrying back and forth, leaving a slightly cleaner wall behind them wherever they’d been.
Still, much of the structure was covered in a gray to black film that looked like mold. Whatever was poisoning Loveland, the hard-working cleaners were barely keeping ahead of its debilitating effects.
“Where will the Obsession be?” I asked Sampson. He stood next to Lea-Nina, his expression sad as he stared at the distant castle. His dark hair stood up in spots where blood had hardened the strands together. Though the wounds had closed when he’d shifted back to human form, the deep bruises along his jaw and over his shoulder, which were visible beneath his torn clothing, had still not healed.
Grym didn’t look much better. His clothing was torn and flapping around his arms and legs from changing into his much bigger gargoyle form without stripping first. His hair was a mess and his face was battered and bruised. Dried blood formed a thin trail down his throat, and there was a smear of it across his forehead.
That ogre had beaten the stuffing out of the two men.
Thank the goddess, the almost-naked ogre had stopped it before they’d been killed.
Grym turned and caught me staring at him. He gave me a smile that made my belly tighten. I was still mad at him for not telling me about Sampson, but I’d learned my lesson. I’d give him a chance to explain, and we’d take it from there.
“I can’t believe you got Rhorr to stop that fight.” Grym shook his head. “He must really like you.”
I winced. I didn’t tell him I hadn’t known the naked ogre was the king. For now, I’d just let him think I had powerful friends. Then I remembered what the king had said about my being part of the family. Did he know something I didn’t? What if I was part ogre? It wasn’t like anybody would have told me if I was. I’d had to force what little I knew about my family out of Archie. And I still didn’t know most of what happened back when I’d been a toddler that had made my entire family leave, sticking me in the care of a surly troll who’d pretended she was my grandmother.
For all I knew, I had an ogre somewhere in my family tree.
Frowning, I determined to browbeat Archie into telling me more about my family. I could definitely threaten him with a painfully full bladder and kinky hair.
“…garden she keeps gated and locked. Nobody’s allowed in there except her and the gardener.”
I refocused my attention on Sampson.
“How do we get the key?” Sebille asked.
Sampson shook his head. “Our best bet is to find the gardener.”
“What about Desiree?” Lea asked. “What’s the plan there?”
Sampson’s face turned hard. “You let me deal with my sister. You all just get what you need and get out of here. Make sure you’re gone within our timeframe of twenty minutes though, or you might get stuck here.”
“What are you going to do?” I asked.
“I’m going to remove her ability to leave this place.” He grimaced as he glanced around at the dilapidated homes and the rotting fountain. “She’s destroyed this place. Let her live with what she’s done.”
Silence pulsed between us for a beat as everyone grieved what had probably once been a beautiful and thriving land. I scanned a look skyward and saw an overcast sky, layer upon layer of gray clouds hanging low as if trapped there by Loveland’s poison.
At the end of the lane, the wooden doors of the castle opened, and a single figure descended the steps and started toward us. I recognized the tall, lanky figure of Lovelace Cupid, his figure looking even more skeletal than the last time I’d seen him.
Lovelace didn’t appear to hurry toward us, but his strides somehow ate up the distance. Within only a couple of minutes, he was mere yards away. I looked him over, judging him even less healthy than the last time I’d seen him. His pallor was gray, his face even more wizened than before, and silvered strands turned his unkempt hair gray at the temples and threaded the rest more liberally than before.
The man inclined his head to me. “Keeper,” and gave Grym and Sebille a cursory glance, dismissing them without interest.
He didn’t appear surprised to see his brother, but his gaze fell on Lea-Nina and his smile was sad. “Hello, my dear. You’re just as lovely as I thought you’d be.”
A consummate actress, Lea turned to Sampson. He tucked his arm through hers, pulling her against his body. “This is my brother, Lovelace, Nina love,” Sampson said.
She smiled. “It’s a pleasure.”
Lovelace seemed flustered. His gaze kept slipping to her belly. “We must get you off your feet.” He motioned toward the castle. “Come. I’ve set out tea. I’m so happy you’re here. There’s been no joy in this castle for decades. It’s about time we had tiny feet pattering around again.”
It took Lovelace several steps to realize we weren’t following. He stopped and turned back, one brow lifting in question.
Sampson stepped forward, taking a protective stance in front of Lea-Nina. “We aren’t staying, Lovelace. Stop pretending this is anything but extortion. She’ll kill me and, once the baby’s born, she’ll kill Nina. You know this. Desiree won’t wish to share the child’s affection with anyone.”
Lovelace dithered, his long fingers twitching together and apart and then winding together again. “She’s not as bad as you believe, brother…”
“Isn’t she?” Sampson asked. “Look around you, Lovelace. She’s destroyed everything. Why do you stay and let her destroy your life too?”
“I can’t leave her alone!” Lovelace said, clearly appalled.
“It’s what she’s brought on herself,” Sampson said, his voice filled with passion. “Come with us, brother. You have a family she’s keeping you from. Be my brother again. And let Desiree choose her own path. You don’t owe her your life.”
More dithering and twitching ensued. Lovelace clearly didn’t know how to respond. I sort of understood. Change was hard. And Lovelace had found a certain level of comfort in his life, despite how dreary it was. But he was slowly but surely shriveling up under his sister’s tyranny.
Lea reached a hand toward Lovelace. He looked at it, his face filled with awe. Finally, he clasped her fingers and lifted them to his lips. She smiled. “Come with us, Lovelace. Be an uncle to our child. Live again.”
Lovelace stared at the bump he believed contained a child. He moved closer, holding a palm above Lea-Nina’s belly. He glanced at her. “May I?”
Sampson opened his mouth t
o deny his brother, but Lea shook her head. “Let him, darling. It won’t do any harm.”
Sampson stared at her as if to ask if she was sure. Lea nodded. She reached for Lovelace’s hand and placed it over her stomach. A beat later he jumped, his eyes alight, and grinned from ear to ear. “It moved!”
Lea-Nina laughed. “He’s very active.”
“Please, brother. I need your help,” Sampson said, wrapping a grateful arm around Lea’s shoulders.
Lovelace reluctantly took his hand away. I watched as he pulled himself upright, straightening his shoulders. Above us, a ray of sunlight bathed the ground where we stood. Just a flash of light, but the warmth felt delicious in the moist cold of the place.
He nodded. “What do you need from me?”
Sampson looked relieved. “Help me keep Nina safe. I’ll try to talk reason to Desiree, but if she doesn’t relent, we’ll need to exile her in Loveland.”
Lovelace flinched, taking a small step back in horror.
I was afraid we were going to lose him at that point. But he swallowed hard and nodded. “You mean to engage the power threshold?”
“Yes. Will you stand with me, brother? It will take the power of two to perform the rite.”
Lovelace sent another lingering look toward Lea’s fake but apparently moving belly and sighed. “Yes. In truth, I’m relieved. I’ve known for a long time that she was out of her mind. But she kept to herself, so I let it be. But now…” The gray cast to his skin deepened. “She’s hurting people. And I know you’re right. She’ll hurt you. She’ll hurt Nina. And, in the long run, she’ll harm that precious child. I can’t have that on my conscience.”
“All right then,” Sebille said, weary of delay. “Let’s get this show on the road. We have a very sick hobgoblin to save.”
Lovelace spared her a quick glance, and something lit his eyes for a beat. “What do you need from me?”
