“So that’s where we stand,” I say.
The room falls silent while everyone takes a moment to comprehend this and Mickey takes a moment to get comfortable on the chaise.
“Does that mean you’re secretly evil?” Vinny asks.
“No, I’m not evil!” I snap.
Torin reaches over and places a hand on mine before addressing Vinny. “I don’t believe the horsemen are inherently evil. Instead, I question if there is a reason they joined the god in this. The horsemen are meant to be independent beings that are not destined to interfere until the world is ending.”
“Does that mean the world is ending?” Vinny asks.
“No, it doesn’t fit with the prophecy,” Mickey answers.
“This… leaves me much to think about,” Lt. Lindsey says.
Torin’s sharp eyes turn to her. “If you decide to do anything to Riley or tell someone who will do something to Riley, I will hunt you down and I will?—”
I clamp a hand over his mouth. “You’ve always been very detailed about what you’d do to someone who chose to go against me… I just really don’t think Lt. Lindsey needs to hear it. She knows.”
Torin is now holding an item that looks like a pick and is miming what he’d be interested in doing. Lt. Lindsey just ignores him, which seems to flabbergast the man… and me. I think if a god started showing me his torture techniques, even I would be a little concerned.
“I am not working against Riley,” Lt. Lindsey finally says. “What I have learned may be less than desirable, but if this means that Riley has the strength of the man who came here, there’s a possibility that he can stop this from happening again. I will just have to stay on his good side.”
“I’m on all sides of him,” Torin says in some weirdly possessive and suggestive way. Like does he think Lt. Lindsey is over there wanting my back while Imani wants my front or something?
“Well… this was fun. If we find out any more life-changing things that could ruin my life in any other way, we’ll let you know,” I tell them.
“Is this our cue to leave?” Vinny asks. “Feels like a cue to leave.”
I shrug. “You don’t have to leave. I just… don’t know what else to say.”
“What about, ‘Why does Mickey get to live here and we don’t?’” Vinny asks.
“Mickey just like… moved in… without permission,” I say. “But there’s a horse stable you can move into.”
Mickey looks over from the chaise he’s lounging on. “It’s because I’m special, Vinny. My love life is booming as much over here as it is back home.”
“There’s… no one here,” Vinny says.
“Exactly.”
I think Vinny pities him so much he goes over and gives Mickey a soft pat on his back, which Mickey seems to enjoy.
Once the three of them leave, Mickey wanders off before I get to talk to him.
“He’s kind of good at sneaking off, isn’t he?” I ask Torin from where I’m leaning against the window, hoping the breeze will kick up so I have some cool air. Dealing with them definitelydidn’t help cool my body down. I felt like I was dying just sitting there.
“He would’ve been a thief in a different life… but instead of stealing stuff, he’d break in, get tired and then just like… live with you… kind of like he’s doing here,” Torin declares.
“True,” I say. Then I head down to the wing of the palace that Mickey is living in. The door to his bedroom is closed, so I knock.
“Come in,” he calls, so I push the door open and freeze when I look inside. Mickey is lounging on an electric recliner, playing a video game on a giant TV. “Oh, it’s you. Close the door so the cool air doesn’t escape.”
“Do you have an air conditioner in here?” I ask in disbelief since we’ve been sweltering outside of this room. “Where did you get the power for the TV?”
“Well, we did have a generator going, but now we’ve strung it up to some solar panels. They collect the unused energy during the day so I can use electricity at night as well.”
I unplug his AC.
