Inn on the Edge (26 page)

“Wonderful. And here I thought
I
was the broken one.”

He ignored that.

And the ghost town. Amazing.

“The ghost town? You weren’t very nice to me in the ghost town.”

There you are, scowling again. You ought to be
careful—did your mother never warn you that your face could freeze like that?
His
laughter filled my head.
My dear, nice has nothing to do with it! I was
testing you. Watching your reactions. Discovering how far I could push you and
at the same time giving you a bit of tutoring. A private Lesson, if you will.
You had no idea I was teaching you to control your rampant sexual nature, did
you? No, of course you didn’t.

My
what
? I didn’t answer. Now I was scowling and
pinching my lips together.

You’re so strong, Angela. You just don’t know it.

I took his hand, removed it from my chin. “Maybe I’m
beginning to.”

Yes, you are. And it makes me want you all the more.
Why
do you think I am allowing you play with my precious Tool? I wish to see what
you do with it. Did you really think you could keep your little plans from me?
There are no secrets in my inn! I shall be watching your every move, Angela
Taylor. Because one day, with the proper training, you might yet be a match for
me.

“No. Never.”

His pink tongue flicked at the edge of his mouth. His
eyelids fell to half mast. The voice in my head sounded husky, if such a thing were
possible
.

I happen to be partial to strong women.

We stared into each other’s eyes.

Very, very partial.

“I don’t…love you,” I said at last, my heart pounding. “Not
even a little.”

Ah, but you will. You will. One day soon you will love me
as I love you. I am very good at what I do, Angela Taylor. Very good indeed.

I believed him. And I was afraid.

Mr. Abiba withdrew from my mind in a rush, leaving me
reeling. Breathing heavily, he looked out over the dining room full of people
shuffling from foot to foot. They were coming out of their dazed state. Only a
few minutes had passed but it seemed like much longer. I frowned, bit my lip,
crossed my arms over my chest. Already our exchange of words was going dim in
my memory. Why did he bother? Why tell me whatever he’d told me when he knew
I’d just forget it again? What was the point? Hubris, as I’d said before? Did
he do it because he couldn’t help but gloat?

All that remained was the fear. And my bitter determination
to win.

When Mr. Abiba spoke again, his voice was raised for all to
hear. “So there you have it, everyone! Angela Taylor now owns the Storybuilder
Tool.”

There was scattered clapping. No one seemed to have noticed
our little time out.

“I have given Angela my private Storybuilder capsule,” Mr.
Abiba went on. “It’s special—two people can use it at once. Logan has four more
capsules in his Toolbox. I hereby give them to Angela also. There are no
others! I cannoteavesdrop. I will not spoil your surprise.” He draped
his large hands over my shoulders, a benevolent teacher again. “So go ahead, my
love. Please. Take my Guides and Joshua with you into storyland. Make your
little arrangements, with my blessing.”

And then he was done. With a final squeeze of my shoulders,
he let go of me. Turned away. Found someone else to manipulate.

I’d done it.

I thought I might faint. My entire body shook. I was
trembling so hard I felt as if I were about to slump to the floor…but I’d done
it. I’d
done it.
Josh’s wide grin told me all I needed to know.

I went to him.

“That was unbelievable, what you just did,” he said, folding
me in his arms. “Un-fucking-believable!”

“If it works,” I whispered.

“It’ll work. Are you okay?” He kissed my forehead, worriedly
rubbed my upper arms. “You look pale.”

“Just…you know. Ugh, ugh,
ugh
.” I made a pretend gagging
noise.

“I don’tknow. You’re amazing. So brave. So strong.”

I buried my head in his shoulder, fighting a rush of nausea.
The golden Storybuilder chain dug into the side of my neck. “No, Josh, don’t
say that. Don’t call me strong. I don’t want to be strong—I just want to
be…me.”

He kissed the top of my head. “You are, babe. You are.”

I leaned in to him. Took his bruised, stiff hand and gently
massaged his swollen fingers.

He winced. “Angie. I’m so sorry about that…thing. With
Nikki.”

“It’s okay. And I’m sorry I overreacted.” I was wincing as
well but for a different reason altogether. “I seriously didn’t mean to call
you out like that in front of everyone! Man, that was brutal. It was him. It
was him.”

“Then we’re even.” He lifted our clasped hands and kissed my
knuckles, golden flecks in his eyes.

And just like that, everything was right between Josh and me
again. We were ready for whatever came next.

I hoped.

It was an hour later. We were in the North Tower, Josh and I
and all four Guides, wearing the Storybuilder pendants around our necks. We’d
just eaten yellow petals pulled from the flowers on my bedside table. I still
had no idea what they were supposed to do for us. “You’re sure you’re all
right, Zenith?” I asked for the third time, pulling her down onto the bed to
sit next to me. I took her hand in my own. Twined her fingers in mine. Looked
into her eyes. Josh sat on her other side and put his arm around her.

I squeezed her hand, a message.
We’ll talk when we get to
storyland
.

She nodded.
Yes.

Vane pushed a chair out of the way, picked up a white robe
with a noticeable spray of blood splatters on the front—he raised his eyebrows,
horrified—and stuffed it into the corner. Then he shoved Josh’s suitcase into
the enormous, lurking wardrobe, making sure to pull the skirt of my wedding
dress out of the way. “There. I cleared enough space. Let’s sit here, in the
middle of the room.”

We arranged ourselves in a loose circle. The four Guides
faced me and Josh. Zenith was at Josh’s side, Vane at mine. We were about to
use my favorite Tool—apparently I owned it now, whatever that meant—but the
familiar thrill wasn’t there. This time there would be no titillating erotic
encounters. We had work to do—important work. No time for play. With a bit of
prompting from Vane, I recited the activating words, asked the correct
questions and received the proper answers. As soon as the last person had said
they were my friend, the capsules hanging at our necks began their fireworks,
showering multicolored sparkles over us…but all I could think was how I wanted
the gaudy light show to be over so we could talk. We had privacy now, but what
was the plan? We didn’t have one yet. I hoped someone had a good idea, because
I sure didn’t.

Then the display was over and they were all looking at me.
Vane patted my knee. “Angie, you have to start the story. You’re the leader.”

“Oh, sorry…let me think.”

“We could go back to the ghost town,” said Valerian.

“Not there.” I smiled at him, suddenly shy, admiring his
freshly cut hair, wondering why he and I hadn’t yet gotten around to finishing
our aborted lovemaking session. “Too many memories. We need something else. How
about…a cave? Yes. We’re in a cave. A big one.” That seemed safe enough. I
waited, holding my breath. The room darkened, the air acquired a wet, earthy
smell. But that was all. The North Tower was the same as ever. Bed. Roll-top
desk. Windows. Carpet. The Storybuilder wasn’t fully working yet. Clearly I
hadn’t said enough to generate the story. I was about to add more when Zenith
stopped me.

“Honey,” she whispered, peering at me over Josh, “we all
have to add something to the story to make it work.”

“Oh,” I said, “of course.”

Vane, in line next to me, closed his eyes. “It’s a cave,
like Angie said. High in the snowy frozen mountains, where no man can go. A
dragon’s cave!”

A hush fell over us as we waited, watchful. The room grew
darker. It was distinctly cooler all of a sudden and the earthy smell was
joined by an acrid, sour odor that stung my nose. Dragon droppings? Something
else? I squinted, looking around, trying to keep my eyes from crossing as the
magic—or whatever it was—started up in earnest. The walls shifted, the floor
buckled, the ceiling rose cavernously above us. A gaping, light-filled entrance
opened in the wall where the door used to be. Through it I saw white-clad
mountaintops and stark Cerulean Blue sky. Everything around us was changing
form, molding itself into new shapes, turning into rough, unfinished stone. A
stalagmite rose out of the floor behind Valerian, then shriveled away again. In
spite of myself, I sat up straighter, holding my breath, excited now.

“But the dragon no longer lives in the cave,” said Zora, the
next in line, shooting a quick, rather annoyed look at Vane. It was so cold now
that I could see her breath. “It’s been empty of dragon droppings and rotting
carcasses for years. It doesn’t smell anymore. No animals live here at all. Not
even bats. In fact it’s a very nice cave, with good airflow and a great view.”

I breathed a sigh of relief as the rancid odor vanished as
if it had never been.

It was Valerian’s turn. He looked around, frowning slightly.
“Um…it’s cold, so we’re all wearing jackets and mittens and other warm stuff—hey!”
He made a surprised little grunt, finding himself wearing a woolen coat of
deepest Ultramarine Blue, a knit scarf and hat and fur-lined boots. I was too.
From one moment to the next, each of us was warmly bundled up in matching
winter clothing. “Nice!” he said, tying a knot in his scarf. “One last thing.
There’s a roaring fire in the middle of the cave.”

“Oh!” breathed Zora, scooting over to where a large,
cheerful fire suddenly appeared to our left. She pulled her jacket hood over
her thick curls. “It’s toasty over here! Good idea, Valerian.”

The rest of us, cozy in our new garments, joined her. Zenith
looked around. “My turn, I guess.” She sounded tired. She held her mittened
hands out to the fire, thinking. “The cave is furnished with stuff the dragon
swiped from a long-ago castle. There is fresh food for us. And drink. Simple,
hearty fare, not the fancy stuff that Zettia serves us.”

Suddenly the cave wasn’t empty anymore. We were surrounded
by velvet-covered couches, wooden tables with heavy carved legs, chairs with
plump damask cushions, cabinets filled with antique curios, a narrow counter
holding covered tureens of steaming food. A bookshelf, even. Heavy tapestries
hung on the walls, making the place seem much less cave-like. Three canopied
beds and several many-branched candelabras were on the far side of the fire,
toward the back recesses of the cavern. I smelled roast beef.

Josh hoisted his long body onto the nearest couch. The rest
of us waited while he stared into the flames. He would be the last person to
add to the story. “All right,” he said softly, “I’ve been thinking. We need
stuff to help us plan. Our cave is stocked with paper and pens. But more
importantly, there are books here—lots of books. Encyclopedias. Histories.
Manuals. The best of their kind. And they’re all about magic…and magic
spells…and magic beings. About demons and devils and witches and the occult
and…well, who knows what Mr. Abiba is? But we have to find out, don’t we? So
there are books here.” He clasped his hands between his knees. “Helpful books.
In English. That’s all. I can’t think of anything else.”

He didn’t need to.

I’d managed to get us away from Mr. Abiba, but Josh had done
something far more important—he’d secured information! I saw movement from the
corner of my eye and spun around to gape at the bookshelf. The huge, leather-bound
volumes were morphing, changing, remaking themselves into books that could help
us to escape.

Vane whistled. “That was a genius move if I’ve ever seen
one, Josh.”

Josh shrugged. “Thanks. The idea just kind of came to me out
of the blue.”

Zora stood up. “All right. That’s it. We’re safe. The spell
is complete.” She put a mittened hand on my arm. “Angie, Josh…we have so much
to tell you. I hardly know where to begin.”

Valerian held out his hand. He looked nervous, as if he
wasn’t comfortable being away from Mr. Abiba’s ever-present surveillance. How
long had he been at the inn, anyway? “In a minute, Zora,” he said. “We’ll get
to that. But we need to be careful. How much time do we have before he gets
suspicious? We need to be alert, even here.”

Zenith was peering behind her, into the shadowed areas of
the cave. “That’s right.”

“I agree,” said Vane. He was already rifling through a box
of writing materials. “I suppose we could stay an hour or two. Let’s sit at the
table. I’ll pass out paper and pens.”

Something was rummaging in my head.

Hello, Angela.

I jerked. Mr. Abiba!

Please, take as long as you like. Take all day if you
wish. I can wait.

“Go
away
!” I whispered fiercely.

The bastard was in my mind. Again. In storyland, where he’d
promised he wouldn’t intrude. But Mr. Abiba’s voice was more fleeting than
ever, fading away before I’d even fully noted its presence. I was left only
with Josh’s quizzical look and the uncomfortable feeling that something was
wrong.

What was new about that? A hell of a lot of things were
wrong.

I left the bonfire and went the six steps to the cave’s
breezy entrance, a ledge high up on a sheer cliff. Unless we grew wings, there
was no way down. I looked out over craggy, stark mountaintops and thought I saw
a mountain goat on a slope in the distance. I squinted into the brightness,
shaking my head. This cave I’d dropped all of us into was a fitting metaphor.
We were as trapped here as we were in real life.

“We should leave in a couple of hours,” said Zenith, “but I
do wish we had more time.”

I returned to the fire. “I think we can take more time if we
want. I really don’t think he’ll mind.”

They looked at me, dubious.

“If we take longer he’ll just think we’re having sex with
each other. Right?”

Valerian snorted.

“Good point,” said Zora.

“That’s exactly what he’ll think,” added Josh.

Zenith motioned for me and Josh to join her at the table,
which we did. A tall, twelve-branched candelabra sat in the middle, throwing
flickering shadows on her face. She held herself tight, like a spring ready to
snap. “God, but my pinky aches. Must be the cold.”

“I ought to have said there were painkillers here. Sorry.”

She touched my cheek with her good hand. “You’re a
painkiller all on your own, sweetie.”

Angie! Oh Angie!

Damn. The voice was back, insistent.

I simply must tell you! I cannot wait another moment.
Your Joshua is not as clever as you think. The books were my contribution to
your adventure.
A pregnant pause.
I gave him the idea—me!

I made a low sound deep in my throat. The others didn’t
notice.

Not to worry, my dear. I have provided you with good
information. The books are authentic.

There was laughter in my head.

But they won’t help you. You won’t be able to understand
them—they are far too advanced for the likes of you.

The laughter intensified—sharp, biting.

What a pleasure it will be, though, watching you try!

I sat there, staring at the bookshelf, blinking.

As you were, my love. Pay no attention to the voice in
your head!

Josh took a pen and rapped it on the table. “You’re right,
Zenith. We don’t know whether his word is good. He told us he wouldn’t
eavesdrop but who knows? We have to carry on, though. Like you said, what else
can we do? Tell us your stories, then. Tell us everything.”

The four Guides shared a look.

“Please,” I added, “tell us.”

“They need to know,” said Zenith.

Vane passed out plastic ballpoint pens—ordinary, everyday
things that seemed terribly out of place in a dragon’s cave. I watched him
through the branches of the candelabra. “Of course they need to know.” He sat
down, sighing. “Angie. Josh. Here’s the thing. You two are destined to join us.
We think Mr. Abiba singled you out at the very beginning, when you registered
at the front desk. The blood on the contract and all that. The pictures he took
of you on the staircase. The games you played in your bedroom… Yes, he was
watching. You had whatever it was he was looking for. He was beside himself, he
was so excited.”

I sucked in my breath. “From the first day?”

From the first minute, Angela! From the first minute. I
knew you right away. I just didn’t know how perfect you were. Not then.

Vane nodded. “He’ll let the other guests go when the week is
over, but not you. He’ll keep you for himself, make you and Josh into Guides.
He’ll force you to stay behind when the others leave.”

“He can’t do that!” I said.

I can. And I will.

Vane ignored my outburst. “He’ll get you and Josh to tell
your families that you decided to extend your honeymoon for another month…or
longer, even, consequences be damned. And no one will know where you are,
because all this is hidden from the rest of the world. They can’t find us.”

I heard laughter in my head.

Josh and I sat in shocked, disbelieving silence. He took my
hand and I clung to him as if he were a life raft in an angry, empty ocean.

“The four of us, we had it once,” said Valerian. “Just like
you—that special something.”

“Lucky us,” said Zora.

“Me and Zenith, we came four years ago,” said Vane. “As
guests.”

Josh jerked. “You’re a
couple
?”

Zenith nodded, her eyes on Vane.

“Eight years ago,” said Valerian. “That’s when he got Zora
and me. It’s been eight years for us.”

I could barely breathe. “You were newlyweds?”

“Mr. Abiba likes newlyweds,” said Zenith.

A little treat I give myself. Newlyweds are so full
sexual energy! Bursting at the seams, just begging for erotic release. How can
I not partake?

“Won’t you
shut up
?” I shrieked, pressing my hands to
my temples.

Five faces stared at me, baffled.

I put my head on the table. “Just
stop
it already…”

“Angie? What’s wrong?” asked Josh. “Are we being too loud?”

“No!”

“Maybe she means me?” said Zenith. “Vane says my voice can
get annoying. Angie? Honey? Do you mean me? You want me to talk quieter or
something?”

“No, no, not you—it’s none of you.” But I couldn’t remember
what I was objecting to or why I’d spoken up. “I’m sorry. I got overwhelmed, I
guess. Forget it.”

Josh gave me one last lingering concerned glance. Then he
turned to Vane. “So. You and Zenith came four years ago.” He turned to Valerian.
“And you and Zora came eight years ago. What’s with the four years in between?
Any special significance?”