by S. E. Smith
“I haven’t heard anything about him,” Gabe said, looking at Kane and Magna. “The only ones reported missing were you, Ross Galloway, and Ruth Hallbrook. Ross reappeared a few days ago, but then…”
“Ross came to see me and asked me to help him return to the Seven Kingdoms,” Magna interrupted.
“He wanted to go back?” Tonya asked, stunned.
“He fell in love with someone there,” Kane said, rising from his seat and walking around his desk to lean against the edge of it next to Magna.
Tonya studied the three of them. “You—you can go back and forth between your world and this one whenever you want to?” she asked.
Kane shook his head and reached for Magna’s hand. “No. It is very dangerous for Magna to return to her world. Many people still blame her for what happened even though she had very little control of the situation. Her life would be in danger if she were to return,” he said.
Tonya could understand that. She had only spoken to a few people—mostly with Ariness and Cornelia Fae, the parents of the woman the missing Detective in Yachats had fallen in love with—but the fear and hatred of the Sea Witch that she had overheard from others in the village had made an impression. She clutched the strap of her backpack. She needed time to think about everything that had happened. According to Marty, she had only been gone a few days, even though she knew she had been on the Isle of Magic for at least a month. Now she understood why Ariness and Cornelia Fae had questioned her so extensively about the day she had left Earth—or more specifically, the date and time.
Unfortunately, she had mixed up her days after sleeping in her car the night before during her surveillance of Ruth. She lifted a hand and ran it through her tangled hair. She needed food, a bath, and some sleep.
“I need to find out what happened to my car,” she said, looking up at them.
“It’s parked in the lot behind the police station. There’s no fence, so it shouldn’t be hard to get it. I’ll call Patty and let her know that you have it. You’ll probably still have to talk to Dan. He is the new deputy. He’ll want to know where you’ve been,” Kane said.
“Yeah—but not tonight. I need some time to absorb everything,” she murmured.
“Speaking of which, what are you going to tell the police?” Gabe quietly demanded.
Tonya looked up at him before she turned her eyes to Magna. There was a haunted, resigned look in the woman’s eyes. Her lips curved up at the corner.
“I don’t know, but I’ll make up one whopper of a story by the time they ask me,” she answered in a soft voice.
“Why? This story could be the one you’ve been waiting for,” Magna hesitantly pointed out.
Tonya shrugged. “They say all great fairy tales have a kernel of truth. Who am I to destroy the dreams of children and adults all over the world? People want to know if there are others out there in the universe with magical powers, but I can’t help but believe they would be terrified out of their minds if it became a reality,” she sighed.
She rose to her feet. Her brain couldn’t handle anything else at the moment. She glanced at Magna. The glamour spell was back and Magna looked like a normal woman.
“I may have other questions. Would you mind if I stayed in contact with you?” Tonya asked.
Magna smiled and nodded. “I would like that. It will be a relief to have another woman to chat with without feeling like I have to hide who I am,” she admitted.
“We’ll drop you off at your car. Do you have your keys?” Kane inquired.
Tonya nodded. “Yeah, I’ve got them,” she answered.
Ten minutes later, she was waving goodbye to Magna, Gabe, and Kane. They waited until she had unlocked, slid inside, and started her car. She caressed the steering wheel for a moment before she shook her head at her wayward thoughts and shifted the car into reverse.
She glanced at her backpack. Inside it was a copy of a letter from the missing Detective, Mike, giving her permission to stay at his house for as long as she liked, a note telling her where his key was hidden, and what the combination was for a safe with some money and other documents that she might need.
She stopped at the local fast-food restaurant and grabbed some food. Luckily, she’d found a ten-dollar bill tucked in between two business cards. Unable to wait, she devoured the French fries and burger before she made it halfway to Mike’s house. Turning down the driveway, she felt a sense of déjà vu and something else—an emotion that she hadn’t felt in a long, long time.
She sighed as she pulled to a stop and turned off the ignition. “Something tells me that life will never be the same again for you, Tonya. How can it be, after you’ve traveled over the rainbow and discovered a whole different, amazing world?” she whispered.
Resting her forehead against the steering wheel, she sniffed and allowed the tears to flow. She’d wanted to stay, but she had also needed to come back. It would have haunted her for the rest of her life if she had left without saying goodbye to the one person who had always believed in her.
2
Aboard the Sea Wasp — Seven Kingdoms
Off the coast of the Isle of the Elementals
* * *
“Hoist the sails, Dapier, I want to feel the wind on my face,” Ashure commanded.
“With pleasure, Cap’n. Which direction d’ya fancy?” Dapier good-naturedly requested.
Ashure was quiet for a moment before he turned his face to the west. “Head west, Dapier,” he instructed.
Dapier’s eyes lit up. “Are we heading home, Cap’n?” he asked.
“Aye, Dapier, we’re heading home,” he responded.
“The Isle of the Pirates it is, Cap’n. We’re heading for home, ye lot. Let’s see how fast we can get the Cap’n there,” Dapier shouted.
Shouts of excitement filled the air. Ashure stood on the quarterdeck and watched his crew work in unison to unfurl the three large sails. As they caught the steady breeze, the massive sheets of canvas grew taut. He could feel the Sea Wasp surge forward as it picked up speed.
“We’ll have you there by morning, Cap’n,” Dapier promised.
Ashure turned toward his First Mate. Dapier had a good heart. He was as old as the hills, with more lines on his face than their two moons had craters, and he had a love for the Sea Wasp’s crew and the sea. He had been a good choice to promote after Bleu’s betrayal and subsequent demise.
“I’ll be in my cabin. Call me if you need me,” Ashure instructed.
“Aye, Cap’n. Have a good rest. I’m feeling the sea calling to me tonight,” Dapier replied.
Ashure chuckled and headed toward his cabin. The crew began to softly sing as they worked, calling on the magic held within the ship, water, and wind to carry them swiftly and safely to their next port of call.
He nodded to the crewman who hurried to open the door that led down to the lower deck for him. His boots didn’t make a sound on the wooden steps. One of the benefits of being the King of the Pirates: he was a virtual ghost when he moved.
With a wave of his hand, the double doors of his cabin opened. He strode down the corridor and through the open doors. A snap of his fingers closed and locked the doors behind him.
He removed his large purple hat and set it on the table as he walked to the cabin’s built-in bar. He pulled out the decanter’s stopper and filled a crystal glass half-full of bourbon. After replacing the stopper, he walked over to one of the plush chairs in front of the fireplace and sank into it.
The memory of sitting in this same chair long ago appeared in his mind, making him frown. He hadn’t thought of that day in at least a hundred years. He pointed at the fireplace, igniting a small, hypnotic fire. He sat back, swirled the amber liquor in the crystal glass, and moodily stared at the dancing flames.
He smiled as he watched two figures appear in the flames—Princess Gem LaBreeze and Ross Galloway were walking hand in hand across the vast grounds of the palace. The sounds of the fireworks could still be faintly heard. The celebration
was sure to continue late into the night and throughout the next few days.
“To find such love which not even death could sunder,” he murmured.
He took a sip of the rich bourbon. It wasn’t as good as Nali’s brandy, but it was close. With a slight grimace, he reached into the inside pocket of his jacket and pulled out the magic mirror. The handle had been poking him in the ribs, as if it was reminding him that it was still in his possession. Fortunately for him, Gant had been impatient to depart the Isle of Elementals with Koorgan’s parents and had forgotten to ask him about it again.
He turned over the baroque-styled silver mirror. On the ornate back, Rose fairies surrounded an old willow tree. He suspected the mirror was either a product of the fairies or it had been a gift from the King of the Isle of Magic to his wife at one time. Wherever it had come from, it was certainly old and pure magic.
“Magic mirror—” he started to say before he stopped. Did he really want to see his one true love? The longing for someone who could quiet the voices that were constantly threatening to overwhelm him was torture. Seeing the face of his salvation would only make it worse.
“Blast it to all the Kingdoms!” he cursed.
He placed the mirror down on the side table and rose to his feet. The whispers in his head became louder. They sensed he was weakening—almost willing to do anything to silence their agonizing pleas for freedom. Unfortunately for them, he knew the truth behind their entreaties. Centuries of torment had not engendered any compassion in their own hearts. They still only wanted revenge.
He lifted the crystal glass to his lips and swallowed the contents before throwing the empty glass into the fireplace. There would be no sleep for him this night. Turning on his heel, he grabbed his hat and placed it on his head as he moved toward the exit.
He was almost to the door when he stopped, turned back, and retraced his steps. He grabbed the magic mirror, cursing when a sharp edge on the decorative backing of the mirror pierced his finger and a drop of blood formed.
“So now even the magic mirror is out for my blood,” he said with a shake of his head. “If only it could grant my wish to go to the location of the one who can quiet the voices in my head, not just show her in the glass,” he muttered.
The words had no sooner left his lips than a whirlpool of energy appeared beneath his feet. He had enough time to glance down in shock at the vortex of swirling colors before he suddenly descended through it. He dropped the mirror and instinctively reached up to anchor his hat on his head as he was spun around by the power of the vortex.
As he spiraled out of control, the memories of those who had once wished upon the mirror flashed before his eyes—Koorgan, the old man he had taken the mirror from, and dozens of others. He blinked when he saw the Rose fairies fluttering around the glowing branches of a willow tree and the face of an old woman smiling at them. His lips parted on a word of protest when he spun past the celestial figure of a golden goddess who smiled at him serenely as he swept past her.
He tried to twist around, searching for another glimpse of her, but the spout opened up, and he was falling through the darkness until he landed, feet first, in a very unfamiliar room. He straightened and cursed when he knocked against something with his foot and sent it bouncing across the floor. He frowned when he saw it was a small silver bowl.
“What in the…?” Ashure muttered before he heard a swooshing sound.
As he turned to look, a wad of damp strings slapped him upside his head, and something hard bruised his cheek, causing his head to snap back and his hat to fly off. He lifted his hands to protect himself when he realized that he was under attack. The shaft of a thin but very sturdy wooden pole connected with his groin, causing pain so intense that there was a display of starbursts in front of his eyes. His knees were the next part of his body to take abuse when they connected with the hard tile floor. He fell sideways, and the wet strings reappeared in his line of sight.
He could feel cold metal pressing against his neck through the damp strings of a mop and closed his eyes. He wasn’t worried about losing his head because the metal didn’t feel sharp enough to give him any reprieve from the pain radiating from his injured manhood.
“Move and it will be the last time you do,” a very feminine, very furious voice threatened.
“My Lady, I have no intention of moving. My poor body is in too much grievous pain, and I daresay it would be a blessing if you were to end my life now,” he responded between clenched teeth.
“My Lady? Why are you talking so weird? Why are you here and what do you want?” she demanded.
“At the moment, I don’t know where I am, so I cannot answer the why. As for what I want—relief from this pain would be at the top of my list,” he hoarsely confessed.
“Don’t move,” she ordered.
He tilted his head back when she pressed the metal shaft more firmly against his throat. The bright light that suddenly filled the room caused him to close his eyes. He swallowed with difficulty. The metal was now pressing against his Adam’s apple, making it difficult to breathe.
“Who the hell are you, and what are you doing in my kitchen dressed in a Halloween costume? Are you drunk?” she demanded.
Ashure slowly lifted his eyelids to get his first look at his attacker. Her hair was a wild, tangled mess sticking out around her head. Her eyes were a mixture of blue, green, and brown. At the moment, they were narrowed and held a great deal of warning.
He knew every nuance of her face. He had memorized her features months ago when he first saw her image in the mirror. The slender nose, the full lips that made him want to taste them, and the heart-shaped face that he wanted to caress made him almost forget that he was lying on his back with his hands still protectively cupping his aching testicles.
She gave him another sharp glare of warning before she eased the pressure on his throat. He lifted one hand to brush several of the damp strings away from his mouth. An expression of distaste appeared on his face when he thought of the germs contained within the strands.
“Nay, I’m not drunk, but I wish that I was. Is it possible for me to answer your questions in a more—dignified manner?” he requested.
She raised an eyebrow at his request. “You showed up in the wrong place if you want dignity. The security alarm went off when you broke in and they’ve already called the cops. I’m also proficient in ten different types of martial arts. You make one wrong move and I swear that I’ll shove this mop so far down your throat that it will be sticking out of your ass,” she growled.
Ashure couldn’t keep a snort of amusement from escaping. He tried to cover his laugh by clearing his throat. He cautiously sat up when she stepped back. His eyes followed the movement of the mop when she waved it toward one of the chairs.
He bowed his head in acknowledgement and pushed up off the floor. A soft hiss slipped from him, and he closed his eyes for a moment when the room briefly spun. He touched his cheekbone where he had been hit.
“You have a very powerful arm, my Lady,” he said as he pulled out the chair next to the table and gingerly sank down onto it.
“Softball—I was the pitcher and best hitter my junior and senior year of school,” she stated.
He had no idea what softball was, but he could understand what the word hitter meant. He watched her as she moved back several feet from where he was sitting. He tenderly assessed the swelling on his cheek while his eyes ran appreciatively over what he could see of her body. She was wearing an oversized shirt with a picture of a white tiger cub with black stripes and vivid blue eyes holding a pair of colorful short trousers in his mouth on the front. The shirt ended mid-thigh, baring her long legs and her delicate toes complete with pink toenails.
“What did you do—come from a masquerade party?” she asked, waving her hand at him.
“Nay, my Lady, I was in my cabin aboard the Sea Wasp heading home to the Isle of the Pirates when I found myself falling through a magical portal into your lovely—dwelling,” h
e explained.
She paled, swayed, and dropped the mop head to the floor to steady herself. She stared at him with wide, shock-filled eyes. He started to rise but stopped when she stepped back.
“You’re one of them—from there—from the Seven Kingdoms,” she breathed out.
Ashure nodded. “Yes, my Lady. I am Ashure Waves, King of the Pirates,” he introduced with a bow of his head.
3
Tonya moodily tapped her fingers on the counter and stared at the man sitting in the kitchen chair. She was trying to wrap her head around the fact that some mystical, magical dude from another world had just fallen out of thin air into Mike Hallbrook’s kitchen.
One minute she was heading down the hallway to get a drink of water and the next minute there was an eerie glow coming from the kitchen, followed by the clang of the metal dog dish that she hadn’t stored yet.
Terrified that someone had broken into the house, she had grabbed the mop that was still leaning against the wall near the guest bathroom from her earlier cleaning spree. After seeing the movement of a shadowy figure turning in a tight circle, she had struck first, deciding she could always ask questions later.
Of course, she had been lying about the security company calling the police—there wasn’t an alarm installed in the house. She had also lied about her dubious martial arts training. Max had taught her a couple of self-defense moves but nothing that could work against magic. Still, there was no need to advertise her minor fibs. If Ashure really was who he said he was—and she didn’t think he was lying—neither the police nor her non-existent fighting skills would be of any help anyway.
The only truth to her little tirade was when she told him about her playing softball the last two years of high school.
She slowly studied the man sitting across from her. He was tall, probably six-two, and handsome. His short but rather full dark brown hair was almost curly.
