Chapter Fifteen
Riley
Everyone quiets down as we stand around the body of water we’d fallen into. It’s somewhere I’ve never been before, but I can tell we’re in Torin’s realm. Silence has settled over us, and I notice the newcomers looking around curiously, probably at the stark difference between the beautiful water that glistens, caused by the colorful rock beneath it, and the barren wasteland beyond it. For some reason, I find myself wanting to assure them that Torin’s world is beautiful, but I guess it’s hard to claim that out here where his power still hasn’t reached.
“Where are we?” Vero asks.
“Shaarune… my world. It was taken by the horseman,” Torin says. “If Riley wants to work with you, then I will grudgingly do so. But I will never forgive you for hurting him.”
Vero barks out a laugh as he waves his hand around. “This is what’s happened to your realm and you’re still protecting him?”
“I am. Riley is not the problem,” Torin states, even though I’mliterallythe reason his land looks like this.
“Riley helped stop Conquest and saved our world from ending,” Mickey says. “Now saddle up, big boy, and help us stop Famine before he destroys their world too.”
“She,” I correct.
Mickey’s eyes practically sparkle. “Oh? Interesting. Is she the one documented in the book, then? How fascinating. I need to go read it again.”
“Torin, can you open a Door straight back into Obsian now that you’ve been there?” I ask.
“I can.”
“Somewhere safe where they’re not going to immediately grab us?”
“That’s the plan,” he says.
“Before we go, can I retrieve the bow that belonged to Conquest? Or are we too far from home?”
“At a run, Quill and I could be back within half an hour, but at your speed…” Torin hesitates then grimaces.
I glare at the man. “Just go. And bring a first aid kit back with you.”
Torin immediately shakes his head. “I’m not leaving you alone with that brute.”
I grab his face in my hands. “Please, just go. I’ll be fine. I’ve been with him for at least a day at this point. I was locked in a cell with him and all he’s done is spit evil things at me.”
Mickey looks over at us. “I can have Joy ride Quill back and get the stuff while Torin rebuilds the Door.”
“Oh yeah, I’m totally up for a wild ride on this strange creature’s back,” Joy says.
Torin shakes his head. “Quill is very finicky about who is on his back. I… doubt it’d go well.” I wonder why he lets me on his back, then. Is it just because of Torin?
“Fine, I’ll summon her a mount,” Mickey says before rapidly doing so. And with that, Joy is off. I notice Vero staring at Mickey, eyes narrowed as he contemplates his ability.
“You want me to summon you up something?” Mickey asks.
“You’ve desecrated the bodies of the dead that should be in their final resting place,” Vero announces.
“Tommy, do you feel desecrated?” Mickey asks as Tommy uses his shirt to dry Mickey’s hair since everyone ended up in the pond when they came through the Door.
“No, sir. I feel quite pleased to be alive,” Tommy says while he begins styling Mickey’s hair.
“You sure do,” Mickey agrees. “I have a knot right here from having to hold Riley, can you rub it out?”
I gawk at him. “Hold me? You literally just let me slide down your body and onto the ground.”
“Ooh yes, right there,” Mickey says, practically purring as he gets massaged.
