Clash of the Otherworlds: Book 3, Portal Guardians (41 page)

"Precisely."

I shrugged, turning back to the wee pixie.
 
"Go for it, Baby Bee.
 
Just make sure you keep the tie on."

Willy took off for the crack in the wall, shedding his formal suit as he went, but leaving the tie around his neck.
 
"Bye-bye, Lellamental!
 
I'm gonna go play now!"
 
His butt made it through the hole, and I heard his tiny voice as it disappeared in the distance, yelling, "Spider nakies, to the rescuuuuue!"

Tim shook his head.
 
"I wish I had another witness.
 
You'll testify that I told him no, right?"

"You got it, roomie.
 
Just remember that you owe me one.
 
A big one."

"Pfft.
 
Yeah right," he said, heading for the hole in the wall, following Willy's path.
 
"You still owe me for choosing you as my roommate.
 
Not sure how you'll ever pay me back for that one."

He flew out of the room before I could respond, probably to yell at one of the thousand pixies who were there to help organize the meadow.
 
The pixies, gnomes, and all their garden partners had been working for a straight week to get the place ready.

It was just a tiny bit early in the year for the meadow to be this colorful, but we had to hurry it forward a little bit.
 
I was scheduled to leave in just a few days for Uamh An Ard-Achaidh - the High Pasture Cave in Torrin on the Isle of Skye, near Scotland.
 
The entrance to the Underworld and the portal were there, where the dragon guardian waited to greet me.

It would be my first trip as the companion to Biad, and I was a little nervous.
 
My friends and I were going a week early so we could see the sights and get settled in.
 
My job on this first trip was not just to chat-up the dragon, but also to find a place that the fae could provide as my permanent place there.
 
I would only be going twice a year for my work, but apparently the council thought I needed a place to call home while I was there.
 
It was my choice whether to find a human home or a fae one - a spot like we had in the Green Forest.
 
And regardless of which one I chose, a very powerful witch was going to be sure to spell the shit out of it so that it wouldn't freak out any humans or anything like that.
 
And I trusted her implicitly.
 
She was my training partner and distant cousin, Samantha the Fate.

I looked at myself in the mirror, examining my new look from the left angle and then the right.
 
Theresa was behind me, packing up all her crap she'd used to fix my hair for me.
 
"You outdid yourself this time, Theresa," I said, liking the way my hair up off my neck in this fancy twist made me look all sophisticated.

"Thank you.
 
Just don't touch it.
 
I don't have time to do any repairs.
 
I have to go take care of Becky before she blows a gasket."

"I haven't seen her.
 
How's she doing?"

"As good as can be expected.
 
You should stop by and say hello, if you have time before the ceremony.
 
It's no big deal if you don't.
 
I know you have a lot to do."

"I'll try.
 
But just in case, tell her I'll see her out there."

"Will do," said Theresa, throwing the bag over her shoulder.

I reached out and touched her forearm.
 
"So, what's the deal ... are you going with us to Torrin?"

Theresa reached up and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, making it stick out a little.
 
"I'm not sure.
 
I might be taking a trip over to Avebury."
 
She shrugged self-consciously.

"Still not giving up on him, eh?"

"I think he's made a lot of progress.
 
At least, that's what Tony says."

"Well, in my experience, Tony is impossible to shake, no matter how much of an arrogant ass you are - but I guess everyone deserves a second chance, so if you're willing to give it to him, more power to ya."

"I've seen him a few times myself, through the Gray with Tony.
 
He's changed.
 
Being with Heryon has really opened his eyes to a lot of things."

I withheld my comment about how Heryon was probably the only other female in the universe other than me who was immune to his charms, and that maybe Ben had finally met his match in her.
 
It didn't matter what I thought.
 
If Theresa wanted to tame that beast, it was entirely up to her.
 
She was a big girl, strong, and smart enough to know what she was getting into.
 
"I wish you both good luck and total happiness."

She leaned over and gave me a quick hug, patting me on the cheek gently when she was done.
 
When she reached the door, she looked back.
 
"Are you going to see Spike?"

"No.
 
Not until the ceremony.
 
He's running around all over the place with Finn right now, anyway."

She nodded.
 
"Okay.
 
I'll see you out there.
 
Don't be late!"

"Pfft.
 
As if.
 
No one better start without me," I said, as she left the room.

Her laughter trickled through the door as she went out into the hallway.

I was coming out of my bathroom a minute later when I heard a knock at my bedroom door.
 
I frowned, wondering who it could be standing on ceremony like that.
 
My friends usually just barged right in.

I pulled the door open and found Céline standing there in a beautiful silver robe.
 
"Come in.
 
You're late."

"Yes, I know.
 
Please forgive me.
 
We
 
had a little mishap in the kitchen, and Torrence was having some difficulty with his clothing that I had to assist with."

"A wife's job is never done, eh?"

She smiled serenely.
 
"No.
 
And I am happy for that.
 
I wouldn't ever want to feel not needed."

I snorted.
 
"That's not likely."
 
Her husband was a pigheaded dope, Céline being the only fae who seemed able to tamp down his inner Torrie and make his company even bearable.
 
She noticed none of it, floating around on her cloud of love.
 
The only time he wasn't making my lip curl with disdain over how much he acted like Ben, was when he was making goo-goo eyes at his wife.
 
It was in those moments that I could forgive his Ben-ness.
 
There truly was someone for everyone.

"Do you have it ready?" she asked.

"Yeah.
 
It's right here," I said, taking the paper out of my top drawer and handing it to her.

She scanned the page.

"Is it going to work?" I asked.

She smiled.
 
"Yes.
 
This is perfect."

"Do you want it?
 
I have it memorized."

"Yes.
 
Thank you," she said, tucking it into a hidden pocket at her side.
 
"Jayne ... I just want to say something, before we go out there."

I shrugged.
 
"Say it, then.
 
I'm all ears."

"Thank you."

"For ...?"

"For your forgiveness.
 
For your understanding.
 
For your friendship.
 
It means so very much to me and to Torrie."

I smiled.
 
"I feel funny saying you're welcome, but whatever.
 
You're welcome.
 
I'm hardly the one to fault someone for making stupid mistakes.
 
I do it almost daily, myself."

"Yes, but there are mistakes and then there are
my
kind of mistakes."

"Meh.
 
Like the old coot Dardennes says ... life is not black and white.
 
Everything lives somewhere in the gray eventually.
 
I'm not here to judge you or anyone else.
 
Lord knows, I don't want anyone doing it to me.
 
I'd be in the Underworld for sure."

She stepped over and gave me a warm hug.
 
"See you in a couple minutes, then."
 
She left my room, the door not even coming fully to a close before it was pushed open by my next visitor.

"You ready?" asked Scrum.

His newly-shorn hair and fancy outfit had me whistling in appreciation.
 
"Daaamn, Scrum.
 
You clean up nice."

He smiled, his face going pink.
 
"Thanks.
 
Theresa helped me with my hair."

I nodded.
 
"Better her than me.
 
Seriously, dude, you look awesome."

He held out an elbow.
 
"I'm your escort.
 
Spike says he'll meet you out there."

I rolled my eyes.
 
Typical.
 
Spike was the party planner and general entertainment manager.
 
No way was I going to see him until the last minute.
 
But I liked it that way.
 
It built up the anticipation of being with him, making it feel like it was the first time I was seeing him all over again.
 
I smiled to myself, thinking about my sexy pizza delivery man from Miami.

Tony came out of his room as we neared his door and joined us in the hallway.
 
"Wow, Jayne ... I mean ... wow.
 
You look really nice."
 
He glanced over at my escort.
 
"You too, Scrum.
 
Sharp."

Tony looked better than I'd ever seen him.
 
He was filling out in the shoulders, and his face had completely cleared up.
 
With his formal wrathe robes on, he looked like a very studious athlete.
 
I shook my head at the transformation.
 
Love looked good on him.

Felicia came out behind him.
 
"Oh, hey, guys."
 
She stepped over to hug me.
 
"Theresa worked her magic, I see." She kissed me on the cheek and then took Tony's hand and stood next to him.

"Yep.
 
Buffed me up for the big day.
 
You guys ready?" I asked.
 
They both nodded, so we continued down the hall, headed to the door with the infinity symbol on it.

"Do you have your stuff ready?" asked Tony.
 
"Did you finally decide on what you're going to say?"

"Yes.
 
I was up all night.
 
Tim threatened to use hemorrhoid cream on my eye baggage, as he likes to call it."

"Isn't that for ... butts?" asked Scrum.

We all laughed before I answered, "Yeah.
 
It shrinks swelling in general, though.
 
Apparently I had some righteous under-eye puffiness this morning, but it's calmed down."

"Okay.
 
Good," said Scrum sounding a little uncomfortable.

"Where are Jared and Samantha?
 
I haven't seen them all morning," I asked.

"Busy working with the pixies and stuff out in the meadow," answered Scrum.
 
"They had some last-minute changes and stuff, so Sam was up late."

I nodded as we turned a corner, the door we sought not far away.

"Is everything set for our trip, Tony?" I asked.

"Almost.
 
We have the travel arrangements in place, spells being finalized, itineraries almost finished.
 
We'll be ready by departure day.
 
Operation Fae School Fieldtrip is well in-hand."

I laughed.
 
The plan they'd come up with was brilliant.
 
We were a supposed group of students from a private school, and Jared was our teacher and chaperone taking us on a field trip to study archeological mysteries.
 
The Miami crew was riding again, and I for one couldn't wait to get out into the world with my friends at my side.
 
The equinox couldn't come soon enough.
 
The last several months of training and working with the council and guardians to get everything back to the way it was supposed to be and heal the veil between the realms had been exhausting work -
 
exhilarating, too, but I was ready for a little R and R.

We reached the door and stepped out, just inside the trees that surrounded the meadow.
 
Becky stood alone behind one of them, her hand resting on its bark.

"You guys go ahead," I said.
 
"I'm going to talk to Becky."

I walked over, my feet making swishing sounds as they kicked dead leaves out of the way.
 
The winter had left the trees' old clothing on the ground to become the next layer of our forest carpet.

"Hey, Becks.
 
What're you doing out here all by yourself?"

She turned to face me, a little pale, and as delicate-looking as I'd ever seen her.
 
"I'm just waiting for you guys.
 
I didn't want to walk out there all by myself."

"You're not going to be by yourself, silly.
 
Come on."
 
I took her by the elbow, trying to lead her towards the ceremony which had been set up under the big oak.