by Sarah Noffke
“I know. You said that humans weren’t allowed to accompany you because it might prevent the Deathly Shadow from showing up, but I’m not a human. Only a strange squirrel hanging out in the desert. I won’t disrupt your meeting with DS.”
Paris laughed at the acronym, wishing they’d employed it earlier. “According to Plato, I’m supposed to do this on my own because as Penny said, it’s about believing in myself.”
He nodded. “Makes sense. When you don’t have a backup option, then you pull on strength and power that you would never have harnessed. I’m guessing it will be something stronger than an army could have mustered.”
“We will see.” Paris chewed on her lip.
“Anyway, I’ll be there just in case,” he offered. “Like, if you need help identifying some rocks or a mountain range.”
“You do realize I’m not going on a nature hike, right?”
“I get it.” He regarded the shimmering portal in front of them. “I’ll stay out of the way and a weird squirrel accompanying you shouldn’t take away from your need to believe in yourself to do this. You still have to do it on your own.”
Paris considered this, really surprised that Faraday wanted to go with her for this. Still, Plato had also mentioned that he’d be watching, so she reasoned it was okay for the squirrel to be there. As he said, he wasn’t human, so it shouldn’t count against her for the DS.
She gave in with a sigh. “Okay, fine. But don’t get in the way or bore me with archeological facts about Death Valley or I’ll drop you in a pit of snakes.”
He grinned, facing toward the portal. “You got yourself a deal.”
Chapter Sixty
Amelia swirled the Bordeaux around in her glass, enjoying the way it ran up the sides and crawled back down. She set it down on the white tablecloth, looking up at Grayson and realizing he was watching her from the other side of the booth.
“So McGregor Technologies is declaring bankruptcy?” she asked him. Neither of them had spoken since they sat.
He nodded and sipped his wine. “It seems inevitable at this point.”
“If it makes you feel any better, Rose Industries doesn’t look like it will recover from the allegations about employee mistreatment,” she offered.
He frowned. “Your failure has never brought me any good feelings.”
Amelia drank, enjoying the warmth from the red wine. “So you didn’t make the false claims about the conditions of our facilities causing the initial investigations and slander?”
Surprise sprang to his face. “Of course not. But it crossed my mind that you leaked the information about the faulty wiring of McGregor’s products to the press.”
“Well, I didn’t,” she stated firmly. “We might have had bad blood from the beginning, but I only wanted to beat you fair and square.”
He laughed. “You just about did. Pretty impressive for just starting Rose Industries. Maybe I should have hired you when you first applied. I guess when I thought lack of experience was a factor in success, I was wrong.”
She grinned and crossed her legs under the bistro table. “I didn’t know what wasn’t possible, unlike some jaded veteran in the industry.”
“So you exceeded the goal quickly with Rose Industries instead of thinking of the perimeters,” Grayson observed. “It’s kind of poetic.”
Amelia nodded. “When you don’t know the restrictions, they don’t apply to you as much. No one told me what wasn’t possible so I did it.”
“And in record time, you created a company that took over the market.”
She sighed and took another drink. “It’s all gone now. It sullied the brand, but that’s okay. I’ll start again.”
He nodded, his eyes bright across the table. “That’s what I said. The difference between the mediocre and those inherently successful is the latter doesn’t quit. A failed venture means that we’ll know how to do it better the next time.”
“It’s true.” Amelia smiled. “A loser says, well, I’ve failed so it’s time to quit. A winner says I’ve failed so now I know how to succeed.”
“I am sorry about Rose Industries,” Grayson offered with a meaningful expression in his eyes.
“Me too,” she admitted. “But I already have ideas for my next venture.”
He smiled slightly. “Me too.”
She returned the smile. “Good. It sounds like we’re both going to land on our feet.”
Grayson lifted his wine glass, “Then how about we say cheers to new ventures.”
Amelia raised her glass and clinked it against his. “Cheers to that.”
Chapter Sixty-One
Paris felt as if she’d stepped through the portal to another planet. Death Valley was unearthly. If she survived, she had to ask Mama Jamba what she thought when she created such a strange place.
She stood on the flatlands on a desert floor that stretched out for miles in all directions. The cracked ground created a strange, crusty hexagonal design.
Distant mountains surrounded them, making Paris feel as if she was sitting in a bowl. The air was dry, and although it was early, the temperature was already creeping up, replacing the night’s chill.
Paris reasoned that Happily Ever After College, wherever it was, had to be in a similar time zone as the West Coast. Or for this event, Papa Creola had arranged for Paris to portal here in the morning. She was grateful that it wasn’t blistering hot and definitely didn’t want to stick around until the sun was blazing overhead, heating up lava flowing under the ground in this hellish place.
“Isn’t it fascinating that Death Valley is an example of the viciousness of nature?” Faraday asked, having stepped through the portal beside her. “There are volcanos, craters, extreme temperatures on both ranges and—”
Paris glared down at him.
As if surrendering, the squirrel held up his paw. “Sorry. It’s habit. I won’t talk about any of my scientific observations.”
“Be a squirrel,” Paris suggested, trying to suck in a breath to release the tension in her chest. She didn’t know how long it would be until the Deathly Shadow, which apparently was attuned to her energy and could track her down, would find her. When she was outside Happily Ever After College or another protected location, it never took very long.
“I’ll try,” Faraday said. “Be a squirrel. I can do that.”
“Good.” Paris sighed, realizing what she had to do next. Her fingers were shaking when she went to remove the protective charm around her neck. That would help to alert the Deathly Shadow to her location. Moreover, in protecting her, the talisman also blocked some of her energy, which she’d need to overpower the Deathly Shadow—however, she wasn’t sure how she would do that when the time came.
Her fingers knocked against the other necklace she had fastened around her neck. Paris left the heart-shaped locket on as she removed the protective charm. She ran her fingertips over the smooth coolness of the locket, grateful to have something from her family with her, even if they couldn’t be there to help her.
The etching of her initials reminded her that she was named for a fierce warrior—Guinevere Beaufont. She hoped that wherever her grandmother was, she was loaning her strength or courage or whatever Paris needed to get through this.
The words on the other side of the locket ran through Paris’ mind. Words she’d read for what felt like most of her life and never understood: You have to keep breaking your heart until it opens. –Rumi
She didn’t know what the words meant or why they were on the locket that apparently protected her identity and now had other purposes, although she had no idea what they could be. Maybe the words didn’t have any symbolism, but for some reason, she didn’t entirely buy that.
There was no wind in Death Valley. It was eerily silent. As the sun peeked over the mountains to the east, Paris stayed vigilant, looking for any sign of the Deathly Shadow.
The scratching noise at her feet stole her attention. She glanced down to find Faraday kicking the crusty sand. �
��What are you doing?”
“I’m behaving like a squirrel.”
“Are you digging?”
Faraday shrugged. “Yes, but I promise that my digging isn’t leading to any scientific observation.”
“Good,” she chirped, searching the plains.
“I’m bored,” he admitted. “Did you bring a sudoku or something to do?”
“Yeah,” she retorted with an amused sigh. “I’ve come to meet a deadly creature and thought to pack activities for you. Would you also like a snack too?”
“That would be delightful,” he agreed, his eyes large with excitement. “Do you have any fruit gummies? Those are a smart snack on the go.”
Paris shook her head and pointed toward the closest set of mountains. “Why don’t you go over there and explore? If I don’t know you’re making scientific observations, I won’t care.”
He glanced longingly in the distance, his curiosity obviously making him want to explore. “Okay, but I won’t go far. If you need anything, holler.”
Paris rolled her eyes and watched as the squirrel ran for the mountains, his brown form camouflaging him into the desert. As soon as Faraday was gone, a strong gust of hot wind swept across the Badwater Basin, making Paris flinch. The sand hit her in the face, forcing her to close her eyes for a moment. The howl that screeched past her ears sent a shiver streaking down her spine.
When she opened her eyes, it was almost as if the sun had changed its mind and decided to set rather than rise. Darkness mostly cloaked everything, but Paris’ eyes adjusted immediately, seeing everything around her clearly.
She didn’t have to see the black smoky form to know that the Deathly Shadow had arrived. Paris could feel him like a nightmare that had gripped her soul and was fiercely holding on for dear life. She ignored this and sent the signal to the others, pressing a single button on her phone before glancing back at the monster tied to her fate.
Chapter Sixty-Two
“It’s time.” King Rudolf lowered his phone after receiving the message from Paris Beaufont.
“Cake time?” Lee asked, leaning against the outside of the warehouse where they were stationed.
“After we rescue Captain Morgan,” he answered. “If she finds out that we had cake without her, I’ll probably never hear the end of it.”
“Or, what would be better than showing up to rescue her with cake?” Lee suggested, drawing out the first word. “If you ever have to rescue me, which I highly doubt, you better bring cake.”
“It’s a good thought about bringing her cake, but Papa was pretty clear that as soon as the Deathly Shadow showed up to meet Paris, we had to swoop in and save Captain Morgan. We don’t know how long we have.”
Lee shrugged. “I guess it depends on if Paris dies quickly or slowly.”
“She’s not going to die. It depends on how long it takes her to defeat the Deathly Shadow.” Rudolf hurried for the side door that they’d mapped out would be the best entrance into the place where Captain Morgan was held captive.
Lee ran to keep up with him. “Excuse me for considering all the outcomes. She could die.”
“Well, I’m trying to only focus on the positive, desired outcome,” Rudolf argued, then pressed his ear to the cold metal wall, listening for other guards. Their surveillance hadn’t noted any, but he didn’t want to be unpleasantly surprised.
Lee pulled out a sword that Rudolf didn’t realize she’d brought with her. “Well, no offense, but an inexperienced half-fairy and half-magician who can’t bother to brush her hair, might not stand a chance against an all-encompassing evil who eats demons for breakfast.”
He rounded on her. “You can underestimate Paris, but I won’t. She is a Beaufont and strength, courage and skill run in their blood. When the time comes, Paris will rise to the challenge. She’s going to swallow that stupid shadow-thingy and bring back my best friend. I don’t believe in a lot of things like gravity and calories, but I believe in Paris Beaufont.”
Lee nodded, smiling victoriously. “Good. You passed the test.”
“Test?” he questioned. “What do you mean?”
“I believe not only will that halfling have to believe in herself to be successful,” Lee began. “There’s a collective consciousness and what we all think has power. We all have to believe she will be successful for her to do it. Any doubt will be her downfall.”
Rudolf grinned wide. “Well, I’ve never believed in anyone more…besides Batman. I believe in Batman.”
Lee held up her sword, a twinkle in her eyes. “Well, then half our job is done. Are you ready for the next half?”
Rudolf nodded with confidence. “Let’s rescue my little girl.”
Chapter Sixty-Three
Amelia didn’t know when she’d laughed that hard. After she and Grayson cheered their future ventures, the conversation rolled easily. Before too long, she was telling him about the time she accidentally tucked her skirt into her underwear and waltzed out of the bathroom at a chic club, hoping to get the attention of her ex-boyfriend who was sitting at the bar, chatting up another girl.
“I was halfway into the club when a Good Samaritan ran after me to tell me that my butt was on display for all to see,” she said through a laugh, her eyes watering.
Grayson had then confessed to a series of funny mistakes that led him to where he was then. The two swapped story after story as they finished off the first bottle of wine.
Grayson was opening the second bottle of Bordeaux when Amelia pulled off her high heels and tucked her feet up beside her, deciding to get comfortable. She reasoned that if they had to spend the night there, she might as well settle in.
Grayson’s eyes flicked up to meet hers while he poured her a new glass of wine. “It seems that all our mistakes have led us here so in a way, maybe we should be grateful for them.”
“How so?” She wondered what he meant.
“Well, as we said, we’re wiser now and in a better position to make good decisions,” he supplied.
Amelia nodded and pulled the full glass of wine to her. “Yeah, although I probably could have gone without the last decision I made. Not sure what I’ll learn from that.”
“You mean the working conditions litigations?” He sipped his wine.
She shook her head, starting to feel tipsy but still lucid, as always. “No, I allowed my judgment to be clouded and accepted a proposal I shouldn’t have.”
His eyes darted to her hand lying on the bistro table. “Oh, I read in the newspaper about you and Bryce Tyler. You aren’t…”
Amelia took a drink to cover her nervous expression. She felt ashamed. Not for breaking off the engagement, but for accepting it, knowing Bryce wasn’t right for her. “I told him I couldn’t marry him and gave him back his ring. I don’t know what I was thinking before.”
“Well, maybe you had to know what wasn’t right for you, to know what was,” he offered, a thoughtful expression on his face. “I mean if we’re learning from mistakes, why limit them to business ones?”
“Yeah, I hope so.” Her cheeks flushed with warmth. “Anyway, I also heard about your engagement. Congratulations.”
He pressed his lips together, his gaze falling to his hand lying beside his wine glass. “I broke things off with Tee.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.” Amelia tried to sound like she meant it, but something deep inside her rejoiced.
Grayson shrugged. “We’d never really gotten along, but I’d learned how to take her in doses.”
“That’s not really how marriage works.” Amelia laughed at him. Thankfully, he joined her.
“I know. Can you imagine the years of misery we would have had? Separate bedrooms and silent dinners. We really couldn’t have been more different.”
“You fell into the relationship and couldn’t figure out how to fall out of it,” Amelia offered, speaking from experience.
He nodded. “Then before I knew it, things had gone so far, I didn’t know how to back out of it.”
“And
you tell yourself that if they want you, that you might as well want them back,” Amelia added.
“That’s exactly right.” He sat up. “I convinced myself that I was the problem. I was too much into my company. Too distant. What if it was only that we didn’t have the spark to make me interested and want to put in the effort?”
Amelia felt something unfurl in her chest, like a feeling connected to an idea. “I think you have to have that spark, that chemistry, or the foundation will never be there to keep you interested.”
“My carpenter who created this escape room recently quoted David Allan Coe. I think it went, ‘It is not the beauty of a building you should look at; it is the construction of the foundation that will stand the test of time.”
“Sounds like a wise carpenter,” Amelia agreed.
Grayson nodded. “He really was. Strangely enough, it was other things he said that made me realize no matter what I did or how I changed, Tee was never going to be right for me. So I broke off the engagement. I should give the guy a raise.” He laughed at the notion.
Amelia’s thoughts trailed back to earlier when the note and present arrived, and she saw Bryce for who he really was—insecure and controlling. It truly was the small things that triggered big events—little phrases from a random person or a chance meeting.
She held up her wine glass this time. “Well, then, should we toast to the lost relationships that hopefully teach us what the right ones look like?”
He grinned at her, holding up his wine glass. “Absolutely. I’ll cheers to that.”
Chapter Sixty-Four
Cold and hot at the same time, Paris felt as if the wind was about to rip her in two. She didn’t waver though. Instead, she stood firmly in the mostly dry Badwater Basin, staring at the dark shape in front of her as it grew more solid…somehow.
The voracious wind sent sharp bits of sand into Paris’ eyes. It hit her in the face, scratching her cheek. Made her hair whip her as if it was using her parts against her. However, she didn’t turn away or shield herself. Didn’t stand down from the fight that had been building since the moment of her conception.
