by Nikki Frank
Omri began arrangements for going through the gateway. We’d lost a full day after the attack, and until we got moving we were sitting ducks. Packing and planning weren’t my job, so I tried applying Emmett’s theory of attraction to Talon and Omri while I waited.
Talon scooted closer when I joined the group, but made no further moves. He didn’t even strike up a conversation. And Omri seemed indifferent as usual.
I heaved a sigh, letting relief run through me. The idea Omri had a crush on me was as ridiculous as saying Emmett did. Talon’s interest stemmed from our compatibility professionally, which didn’t strike me as romantic at all. But my guesses didn’t matter. Sex appeal and I were oil and water. I couldn’t be attractive to two guys. Emmett was wrong.
Yumiko’s whole body drooped sadly as she packed up the cookware. I understood and could handle her emotions. She’d been left all alone, so I got up and went over. Helping her would give me something productive to focus on. Grabbing some plates from what must have been breakfast, I magicked them clean and brought them to her.
“Here.” Yumiko looked up and I smiled at her. “I heard about your voice. I’m sorry.”
She shrugged and looked away.
“I know you never said much but it must suck not being able to speak at all.”
She stuffed a few more things in her bag and took a quick swipe at the tears on her face.
“Um, look. I know we don’t know each other very well. I don’t know you well enough to know what to say, but can I give you a hug?”
She looked up at me, surprise in her eyes.
I blushed and looked away this time. “I just feel . . . without everyone, we’d all be dead. I’m grateful for your being here. I wanted to . . . I don’t know . . . do something.”
She stood stock still, and I gave her a tentative hug. To my surprise she tucked her face against my shoulder and silent sobs shook her body. I wasn’t prepared for this. I hadn’t expected to open flood gates. But I understood. The poor girl never said anything but that didn’t mean she didn’t feel anything. I can’t have been the only one to find her unapproachable. She must have been lonely.
I wrapped my arms around her and tried not to cry myself. Her injury would only isolate her further, assuming she got to continue guarding. How can you effectively warn anyone of danger without a voice? Magic folk were deeply tied to our roles as being a part of our individual identity. The thought of losing her job must be terrifying for her.
“I understand,” I soothed. “You’ll find somewhere to go when this is over. Until then we’ll make sure nothing happens to you.”
Yumiko sniffed and nodded into my shoulder and I patted her back.
A voice cleared beside us. Elita stood there with a strange look on her face. “She doesn’t need to worry. If she can’t be my bodyguard she can work with Omri. I won’t cast her out.” Elita wrinkled her nose. “Maybe I’ll hire someone like the imp or the toyol to act as bodyguard.” She turned on her heel and stalked off.
I couldn’t help bursting out laughing. I laughed so hard everyone stopped packing and stared at me. I gave Yumiko a squeeze and pushed her away. “There, you see. Sourpuss can’t come out and say it, but she loves you. She won’t get rid of you no matter what’s happened. Your place in your bizarre little family is secure. Now she’s even admitted she’s learning to like the peasants.”
“I think maybe I could like you, too,” I called after Elita. “Assuming you act more like you have the last two days.”
Yumiko glanced between the two of us and gave us a huge smile.
I took her hand and squeezed it. “That’s what made you sad, wasn’t it?”
She nodded.
Elita flipped her hand over and created a spiral notebook, tossing it to Yumiko. “If something’s bothering you say so. My job as your mistress is to listen and meet your needs.”
Yumiko hurried off after Elita who’d evidently reached the limit of her newly found kindness. I started to go help Talon with the pile of weapons we’d be wearing but two strong hands gripped my shoulders.
“You did well. Bridging the gap between them,” Omri whispered, his lips on my ear again.
This time I blushed as Emmett’s words rung in my head. He wasn’t telling me secrets. He didn’t need to be so close. But the proximity didn’t mean anything, right? This must be Omri’s way of speaking privately. Even as I explained the proximity away, I knew I’d never seen him talk to Elita or Yumiko this way.
“Too . . . too close,” I muttered and moved away.
“My apologies.” His voice was as smooth as his step in the other direction. “Would you assist me searching the temple for the entrance?”
I followed his directions but didn’t help at all. The whole ruin looked like a moldering pile of rocks and vines to me. But Omri, in his usual capable fashion, found a hidden passage into the interior. In less than half an hour we stood inside the temple, staring at the open gateway. Its shimmering surface reminded me of looking through leaded glass, the other side waving and unclear but visible. The gateway led out into a busy street, though the people bustling past didn’t give it a second glance.
“We go in pairs,” Omri ordered.
Talon immediately took my hand. “I’ve got Olivia. She’s never been to the Borderlands. No need to let her cause a ruckus.”
Omri snorted and shrugged. “I’ll take Emmett. Elita can go with Yumiko.” He sighed and rubbed the back of his head. “Talon, understand you’re traveling with a princess and a source. Yumiko be ready for the usual welcome.”
He gestured Talon and I toward the gateway. Feeling my hands grow clammy I followed Talon through. As my feet landed on pavement, the noise of a city assaulted my ears, even more shocking after the silent interior of the temple one second before. I got shoved out of the way as Elita and Yumiko stepped through. The next moment Omri and Emmett came out of thin air, appearing with a pop. I stared at the spot they’d come from. The gateway was invisible from this side.
Chapter 10
A variety of creatures I barely recognized immediately accosted us. Flashbulbs went off in our faces and recording devices were being shoved up our noses. Elita flipped her hair over her shoulder. It now hung in luxurious waves down to the middle of her back, all in a soft lavender. Delicate butterfly wings quivered on her back and wire thin antennae stuck up from her hair. She was exquisite.
“I will answer five questions,” she announced to the paparazzi.
“Did you really go to Earth after a source?” a man with blue skin and goat horns asked.
Elita gave a cruel laugh. “Like I’d waste my time on marrying a human. In order to better rule beside my father I’ve been spending time on Earth learning to blend in.”
“Then why do you have a human with you?” asked a cat-woman.
Elita shot Emmett a cold look. “He’s a pet. He’s here to answer any questions I might have about humans. You should all know better than to pester me about this. The source is a myth.”
“Why do you have so much security with you?” a small, half-bird woman asked with narrowed eyes.
“Earth is primitive and uncivilized. I would never risk the trip without a proper security detail.”
“Since you’ve returned home, will you be attending the gala at the dragon symposium?”
“You’d have to ask my father. I don’t arrange the guest list.”
“What brings you to the city? Are you shopping today? Who will you be wearing?” an overzealous satyr asked.
“Well, there you have it.” Elita gave them a derisive look. “I said five questions and goat-boy’s gone and ruined your chance. He asked seven, so we’re done.”
She snapped her fingers at us. I swallowed my pride and followed. I had to admit I’d have been at a loss for dealing with them. She answe
red the questions and got us out of there without undue attention.
Elita took off down the street. I stared around curiously as I followed. The street and sidewalk looked exactly like Earth except the material used to pave. The pavement shone with a slight gloss and resembled stone, in brown with cream marbling. The red sun hung lower in the sky to our right. On Earth, having the sun there would have meant late afternoon, but I doubted the sun had the exact same alignment here. The red light made all the colors around us pop with vibrancy, giving the otherwise human-looking cityscape an animated quality.
Completely at ease here, Elita pranced us to a nearby hotel and stopped at the door. “Omri, Yumiko will escort me to the spa. I expect my usual suite ready when I get done.” She eyed me head to toe. “The imp, uh, Olivia comes with me, as well.”
Confused as to what she could possibly need me for, I followed her into the spa. She was moving at a slower pace inside the building and I snatched the moment to admire our surroundings and catch my breath. I’d been so focused on keeping up with Elita, I’d paid no attention to Yumiko. Now the slinky tail swishing behind her caught my attention. She had short, glossy black fur all over her body and two pandaish rounded ears peeked out of the long black hair on her head. On our way past a large gilded mirror I paused to see myself and gasped at the reflection.
“I know.” Elita had joined me in front of the mirror. “You’re a complete travesty. Don’t worry. When we leave the spa, you’ll be fit to be seen with me.”
I couldn’t tell if she was promising me something good, or insulting me. So, I nodded and followed as she led on. In the spa she ordered me a list of services I’d never heard of. Of course, I hadn’t been to a spa on Earth either, so I had no idea if the services were exclusive to the Borderlands. Maybe I simply lacked all basic spa knowledge.
After the three of us changed into light cotton robes, a willowy looking dryad whisked me away. She took me to a room filled with the smell of incense and flickering with candlelight. A fountain played at the back breaking the silence with the soothing patter of water.
The dryad laid me out on a table, a sheet spread across me and the masseuse entered. I gasped and quickly clapped a hand over my mouth. Without meaning to I stared at the centaur who had come tapping in. His horse half shone rich mahogany bay, the coat glossy and well groomed. From the waist up his skin was the same handsome brown but completely hairless and taut over muscle. A head of thick, wavy black hair and a diamond smile met my eyes.
I had never seen a man so beautiful. I would have been happy to lay there gazing at him, but he gently pushed my head down and started massaging my shoulders. A moan escaped me before I caught it. I’d underestimated how tense I’d gotten. He had magic in his hands. Whether he truly used magic or whether I imagined it, I suppose doesn’t matter. I only cared that he not stop.
Three hours of being massaged, rubbed with oils and hot rocks, smeared in mud, and rinsed in herbal water later I’d gone jellyfish in the best possible way. I wanted to ask the centaur to marry me, but he’d vanished before the herbal bath. I flopped into a lounge chair poolside. Elita and Yumiko were already there.
“How was your session?” Elita asked.
“Aahhh . . .” The noise came out with a quaver and sounded slightly naughty.
“Good. I figured you hadn’t been to a spa before.” She made a trip to the spa sound like some employee training I lacked. “Enjoy today as my treat.”
I stifled a laugh. Her efforts were genuine and with my social prowess, poking fun at her might be a bit hypocritical. “That’s good,” I said, “because I could never afford this. You’re lucky.”
She gave a little sniff. “We still have to get you to the salon. Your looks are disgraceful.”
I considered the imp from the mirror when we first came in. In the Borderlands, my skin was pale-yellow in a buttercup sort of way, not a sickly way. My hair had more of a golden quality to the brown, though it still hung rather limp. My ears pointed, my teeth pointed, and my tail swished. I had a fairy tale tail, buttercup yellow to match the rest of me. And complete with a little heart shaped point at the tip. So, I wasn’t a beauty like Elita, but “disgraceful” seemed a bit harsh.
Another hour and a half later and I emerged from the salon a new imp. Elita had dressed me up in a shimmery skirt, two-inch metallic heels, and a ruffly tank top. The bra made me look a full size larger than before I put it on. The stylist left my hair in dozens of curls and glossy, honey highlights, something impossible to recreate on Earth. With a smirk, Elita sent me back to the room saying she and Yumiko had a massage with the centaur. Secretly I was jealous. I wanted another round with the centaur, but I obeyed.
I’d forgotten to ask Elita for a key and Talon opened the door when I knocked. He gave me a quick glance.
“Lady Elita isn’t in. You can find her in the spa if you’d like.”
I thumped the door into his face. “Just let me in, Talon.”
His eyes widened. He slipped out of the door letting it close behind him. “Holy Shit. Is that you, Livy?”
I crossed my arms and glared. “I never said you could call me Livy.”
“You haven’t corrected me for days. I assumed we were good.” He let out a sigh. “You look . . . incredible.”
“I’d better. Elita probably spent a fortune playing dress up with me.” I started toward the door but he blocked me. “And what about you?” I gave him a quick scan. “It’s a good thing you told me what you were going to look like. I hardly recognized you.”
Talon had vibrant spring green skin, and silvery-colored hair, though the blue dye stuck to the tips and made him look frosted. His ears pointed like mine, his teeth matched mine, and his tail matched mine. But his eyes were now cat like, with slits, though still the same dark brown they had been on Earth. The hallmarks of being a part of the fairy family tree were obvious.
“Livy?” His voice got all husky. Boys are so predictable.
I rolled my eyes at him. “Talon?”
He scanned my body head to toe, slowly, letting his eyes linger on my scowl. He heaved a sigh. “I left my key in the room.”
“Huh?”
“Have you got fluff in those pointy ears? I don’t have my key.”
My cheeks grew hot. Maybe I couldn’t read boys like I thought. That’s not what I had expected at all. I shook my head. I must be going crazy. Why would anything else even cross my mind? Talon scanned my body again and I blushed deeper. Must he be so unsettling?
“Can you even fight in those clothes?” he asked. “It’s not really a good outfit given your job.”
“Yeah, Elita seems like a girl who thinks about the practicality of her clothes. Since she gave directions on everything I’m wearing―”
“Everything?” He stared at me curiously.
“Yeah, why?”
Like lightning he had the edge of my skirt in his hands. “I’ve seen the granny panties you’ve been packing. I’m curious what the princess likes.”
I snatched my skirt back and in the same movement grabbed his wrist and twisted it behind his back. “No one is looking at my panties, pervert. I can’t believe you went through my stuff.”
He laughed at me. “I didn’t go through your stuff. I packed it. Hey, can you blame a guy for helping out?”
I swiped his feet out from under him and landed with a knee in the center of his chest. “That sounds like the reasoning of the guilty to me.”
“Come here for a sec.” Talon jerked his head, nodding me toward him and like a fool I leaned over. “Thanks.” He gave me an incentive grin. “The princess has good taste in bras.”
I clamped a hand across the top of my ruffly tank top and took a swipe at him with the other. He laughed and grabbed my hand. A quick push and he’d flipped our positions.
“See,” he moc
k scolded. “I think you’ve mixed up what you want. You wanted me to play nice, be the kinda guy who sweeps you off your feet. But I think you really need a guy who can knock you off your feet. Anyone less is gonna get trampled by you.”
He leaned in for a kiss and I took the momentum and tossed him over and behind my head. “Looks like I need to trample you. I didn’t say we’d do that kinda stuff.”
He gave a little flip and landed on his feet like a cat. He held a hand out to help me, at the same time giving me a wicked grin. “I’d enjoy the challenge and thanks for wrestling in a skirt. The gold lace panties are hot.”
I slapped his hand away and got to my feet myself. Not with my usual grace, being both unaccustomed to moving in a skirt and heels, and being extra careful to keep my undergarments hidden. Once up, I did my best to flounce past him to the door. But I knew, even without his chuckle, I couldn’t act prissy like Elita. Not to mention the getup she’d put me in marred any attitude I had as a fighter.
I knocked on the door again, pushing past Omri as he opened it. He sucked in a little breath when I went past. Talon came in the room behind me, hot on my heels and still chuckling.
I rounded on him, about to give him a piece of my mind and stopped. Omri stood beside Talon and I couldn’t help but gasp at his appearance. He even blew away the centaur in terms of wild looks. His lower half resembled a lion, the way a satyr is half goat. His waist, haunches, paws and tail were covered in pale silver fur. His torso was naked, probably because it would be hard to pull a shirt on over the wings. Like Talon, Omri’s aqua eyes now had leonine slits. But with his pail skin, pale hair, and pale lion fur he looked like a moon child.
“Omri? Is that really you?”
“I was going to ask the same thing.” He chuckled. “My compliments to Elita and the staff. You look remarkable. And compliments to you as well for putting up with her scheme.”
