We walked out to the beer garden together, where Fatima was showing different models of air-con units to the group, debating which one to get installed. We were all thrilled that we wouldn’t have to sweat anymore during our sessions, though of course it would have been even more helpful had she got it at the beginning of the summer instead of towards the end.
“Not to meta-game,” Phil said, leaning forward onto the table conspiratorially, “but can we talk about what we’re gonna do next in-game? Because I felt like last week we had what we needed, and then this week we’re still not dealing with the threat at hand, becausesomeonewanted to explore the library. And I don’t really want to split up.”
“Plus one for not splitting up,” Fatima said. “It’s a pain in the ass to run, especially when you lot use it as a chance to socialise when I’m not on your group.”
“Right,” Morgan said, “but do we actually have what we need? Because I know we got information about the Sphere, but we still don’t know how to get back to our realm.”
“And we’re still being hunted by those soldiers,” Grey said.
Phil argued that those were much smaller problems, whilst Chloe insisted that the top priority was taking out the people following us so we could have more time to problem-solve. The two of them started bickering, with Grey backing Chloe and Morgan backing Phil. Fatima just sat back, watching them go at it, with a smug look on her face like it was all part of some dastardly plan.
“Okay, okay,” I said, holding up my hands. “Everyone here has a point. But I think what you’rebothsaying is that we can’t do anything in a considered way whilst we’re being hunted. And we can get to a point of not being hunted by either leaving the fae realm, where we know the soldiers won’t follow, or dispatching of those soldiers. Right?”
“Right,” Phil said. “Well said.”
“Good,” I said, then pointed at the empty glasses that had already accumulated. “Another round whilst we figure this out?”
“Good ol’ Jack,” Chloe said, patting my shoulder. “Our real-life support character.”
Something about the way she said that made me bristle. Like my only purpose in life – or at least in this friend group – was to mediate. To help out. To get the next round and give people lifts.
“I mean, I do have an opinion,” I said.
“Okay,” she said, taking her hand away, her eyes wide like she realised she’d touched a nerve. “And what’s your opinion?”
I met her gaze and saw that she thought she knew what I was going to say. Because Jack would never suggest doing anything brash, would he? I didn’t like being seen as so one-dimensional.
But I also didn’t want to derail the entire campaign. So I swallowed my pride and acted the part of the good little cleric.
Chapter28
Jack
Ididn’t see or speak to Morgan again for the rest of the week, but I spent all of it fretting about seeing her on the Saturday. I had to get past that though, because it was Chloe’s birthday, which was a massive deal to her, meaning it was a massive deal to me. And to Phil, who pulled up to Fatima’s just after me. I hung back so I could go in with him, watching as he hauled a massive plastic storage bin out of his boot.
“What the hell is that?” I asked as he struggled up the path to the front door. The August heat was no joke, and I saw beads of sweat forming on his forehead.
“Surprise,” he grunted.
“That’s not for tonight, is it?” I asked, confused; we’d agreed that I would do the shopping since he was doing the cooking, and the six Bags for Life digging into my fingers showed that I’d done my part.
“Not strictly,” he said. “Just a little activity for later.”
I narrowed my eyes at him, but we were interrupted before I could question him further.
“Get in here!” someone – probably Chloe – shouted from inside, so I swung the door open and smiled at the cool air that rushed over me. The air-con had finally been installed.
Everyone else was already there – including Jared, whom I hadn’t seen in months – sat in a circle playing SushiGo.
“Watch out, she always goes for the nigiri multipliers,” I said from over Chloe’s shoulder, giving her a gentle kick.
“Hey, fuck off!” she said, swatting my knee.
I locked eyes with Morgan across the circle, and I felt myself freeze – I’d been wondering what it would be like to see her tonight – but I needn’t have worried. She smiled up at me with the same cheerful smile I’d come to know and love.
“Okay, no, actually fuck off,” Chloe said, shooing me away, so I absconded to the kitchen. I had a lot of prep work to do, and a lot of anxious thoughts to rewrite based on that smile.
I put the bags down on the worktop, then pulled out my phone when it buzzed in my pocket.
