“Deal.”
They gathered Sugars and headed inside. The rest of the day passed with a flurry of activity. Cookie decided the essentials included snack packs with arrays of donuts, bottles of wine, a pair of yoga pants and Daisy Dukes, cowboy boots and costumes she’d had overnighted. Also food and litter for Sugars, as well as a special backpack with mesh walls for ventilation and a clear panel for his hobby. Spying.
If she required anything else for him, she’d return to the mortal world for it. The farmhouse had just gotten a demotion, from forever home to vacation retreat.
Pearl Jean selected medications for every ailment known to man and probably some that weren’t. A guide for identifying your diseases before they became critical. Yarn and knitting needles. Muumuus for every occasion. A six-pack of beer. And a collection of romance novels they would be sharing.
At 8:07 sharp, they met in the living room. Sugars rested in his pack, secured on her shoulders, and furious to be trapped. The strap of a black duffel bag crossed her chest, the bag itself threatening to topple her with its weight. Worth it.
A new game was starting, her excitement reviving. The (currently) displaced Queen of the Dusklands and her scrappy team had leveled up. The prize? A life of adventure.
“You ready?” she asked Pearl Jean...who sat upon her scooter.
Dark blue eyes lively, she honked the scooter’s horn. “I’ve been ready for years.”
Deep breath in. Cookie anchored a rope around her waist and gave the dangly end to Pearl Jean. She pictured the spot she wished to land and stretched out her arms. As her audience of one oohed and ahhed, she grew vines from both hands, the stalks linking together in the center of the room, several feet from the coffee table. This time she wasn’t pulled through it. She’d gained too much control for that. If Kaysar had compelled her to stay away? Big deal.
“Do not let go of the rope until we’ve arrived,” she instructed.
As soon as her friend offered assurances, Cookie inhaled...and walked through with Pearl Jean remaining close behind. Suddenly, the castle filled her vision. The room with the permanent doorway, aged stone walls and—“Amber?”
“About time,” the oracle cried, rushing over.
The rope fell from Cookie as they embraced, clinging to each other.
Being welcomed by a friend who’d missed her... Nothing had ever felt as amazing as this. Well, except being with—no one of importance. Anyway. Moving on.
“I’m so happy to see you,” Cookie said, a catch in her voice. “I missed you terribly.”
“Trust me, I missed you, too. Everyone missed you. Kaysar has never been more...Kaysar.”
Even his name caused her pulse to flutter. “Spill the tea and make it hot. Tell me everything that’s happened.”
“I will. But first things first.” Amber straightened and smiled at Pearl Jean. “So lovely to see you again, Pearl Jean.”
Duh! Introductions.
“Again?” her friend asked, confused. “Either I have Alzheimer’s or you’re the seer Cookie mentioned. I think the little brat referred to you as her first non-geriatric confidant.”
“That’s me.” The oracle returned her attention to Cookie and motioned to a teapot she’d placed on a rock. “Now, your tea.”
“That’s not what I meant. Oh, never mind. Tell me about Kaysar.”
“Well, upon your departure, he summoned his army, stopping an invasion of Micah’s trolls. Kaysar has held off those forces from the front line ever since. No one has been able to bypass him to breach the fortress. You can watch the battle from any balcony, and I highly recommend you do.” A dreamy smile spread. “Trolls are surprisingly...handsome. So many muscles await your viewing pleasure.”
Pearl Jean snagged a beer from her bag, saying, “Don’t mind me. I’m absorbing the conversation. But if you want to repeat that part about the trolls, I wouldn’t mind a second listen.”
“Why is Kaysar protecting the fortress? For me?” Cookie asked Amber. To give it back to her? Had he realized... I don’t care, I don’t care, I don’t care. The answer wouldn’t make a difference.
The seer folded her lips between her teeth and shook her head. “No. Sorry. He issued orders that you aren’t to be harmed, because you are his enemy. He’s protecting the fortress for himself.”
The opposite of what she’d hoped—er, expected to hear. Cookie cleared her throat, swallowing a barbed lump. Seemed she hadn’t destroyed Kaysar’s vengeance, after all. She’d simply given him a new target, exactly as Micah had predicted.
“You were right to ditch him, hon.” Pearl Jean belched in her hand. “Let’s find you a new beau. I think I recall the seer mentioning something about muscles?”
Cookie pasted an unconcerned grin on her face. “Before I get my friends settled and kick off my takeover, I gotta know. Who are you siding with? Kaysar? Or your beloved queen?”
“Both.” Amber gave a weary sigh. “I told him how badly he’d handled things with you, and he banished me from his presence forever. Or until he needs me again. Whichever comes first. With your return, he’ll definitely need me. I’ve seen the twisty road ahead. For once, he’s without a map.”