Smiling, she swung ruby-red hair—or maybe he should call it blood hair because it was wet and looked sort of like running blood with gold highlights—over her shoulder. As tall as Nanshe, but more waif-like with slender hips, this woman had gold horns around her ears. She wore ...what the fuck was that?White MC Hammer pants, black genie shoes, and a vibrant green tank top that looked like it was made of ... grass?
Nanshe slipped forward and pulled Ms. I Don’t Know Fashion into her arms. “Hey, Verdandi. How’s it hanging?”
“Hey buuuudy.”
Carlo blinked. When did Pauly Shore make it to the In Between? “Nanshe, why are you talking like that?”
“Sorry, but it’s the best way I can connect with her. Get to her level, so to speak.” She turned to Verdandi. “This is Carlo,” Nanshe introduced.
“Wassssssuuuuuuup, Chaos!”
Carlo cringed. He’d hated that fad. “Hello, Verdandi.”
“With the white hair is Lennox, the Unseelie with the green flecks–”
“Oh, look at the bird!”
Carlo tried as best he could to understand what thehellthis woman was talking about. He looked to Lennox for help, but the mage only shook his head. Kallan and Teague weren’t doing any better.
“Focus, Verdandi.”
“Yes, yes. I see the hot one there, the one who loved the Ales but couldn’t keep her. It’s fine, son, she was never meant to be yours. The one who is will blow you away.”
Lennox jerked. “You know who she is? Tell me, please.”
Verdandi blinked. “Who are you?”
Carlo groaned. “We have a Dory.”
“Hey, Mr. Grumpy Gills–”
“Verdandi,” Nanshe interrupted. “Please. Inthispresent, atthismoment.”
“Why? I see them all and they all see me. The one with green in his eyes is Kallan, the one whose family called the river home and he can control the ‘river’ of magic. He’s a Duke or something, you know? Really removed from the Unseelie throne, of course, but you can’t take away good breeding.”
Kallan was going to have to close his mouth with his hand if his jaw hung any farther down. “How could you even know that?”
“Because I’m awesome, duh. And you, pretty purple eyes. It was a good thing they took the sword from you and gave it to Eiravel. Don’t be too upset. Your voice will change the world. Or was that Michael Jackson who was supposed to? Eh, whatever,” she added with a shrug. “Idoknow you were never meant to hold a sword. Singing is much better. Makes your head go bibbidy bob– Oops, can’t say that. Copyright.”
Carlo gaped at Verdandi.Michael Jackson? Copyright? This woman is certifiable.
Teague, unlike Kallan, didn’t say anything at her revelation. Instead, he went pale and stepped backward.
“Verdandi!”
“Okay, okay, Urd. Spoilsport. I like the name change. I think I’ll use it. Nanshe. Welcome to Nanshe Tower, everyone.”
Nanshe shook her head, tossing an apologetic smile to them. “Your tower is Changeling, Norn of What Is.”
Carlo swallowed.Thiswas the Norn of the Present? This flighty, flaky, dressed-like-a-teen-from-the-90s, um,Norn? He’d expected someone much different after meeting Nanshe and Skuld. He supposed it sort of made more sense of the stuff around her. It was like she’d stuffed her place with everything that may have been a fad at one time. She was not locked into the elegant past like Nanshe, or the vicious, dangerous future like Skuld.
“I changed that name to Wild Thing, like, forever ago.”
Carlo laughed, getting the movie reference. “Angel movie?”
Verdandi smiled brightly. “That’s why you’re my brother.”
“As in, yourfriend?”
