Page 59 of Hexes From Exes

Rick vomited when he landed in whatever warehouse the captain portaled him too. He was too weak to withstand it. It made his stomach churn and then empty all over the floor of the warehouse. He was about to turn to say something to the captain when he saw him grab a chained figure, slap a ring on him, and then portal him away.

The motion was too quick for Rick to make any sense of it. Instead, he fell onto his back on the floor, staring up at the ceiling of the warehouse he’d been deposited into. If all went according to plan, he’d be dead within the hour and all of this mess would be behind him.

After his stomach settled, Rick stood slowly, feeling the ground tilt under him. He was in a warehouse that smelled like shit and dirt. He looked around to try to make sense of his surroundings while his head swam dangerously. There were no windows, but there were a lot of random objects strewn about the area. As he stumbled along, he used them for support – most of them looked similar to the cars that were used in the human realm, but others were just strange box like structures that Rick didn’t have the energy to investigate. At the end of the warehouse stood a series of doors.

The first two were locked, the last led into a room with a portal platform and a computer at its base. Rick’s eyes widened. This must be what Cass was using to get to the human realm! Rick didn’t want to know how she’d fallen in with the captain. He also didn’t want to know what she’d paid for his help. He knew it wasn’t something he could ever repay.

Rick explored the warehouse as long as he was able to before exhaustion took over. Thankfully he’d found some food in the meantime. The council hadn’t bothered to feed him, which only added to his weakened state. His stomach growled as he ate the dried, aged food. He didn’t care, it was delicious after a week without it. Rick contemplated eating the rotten fruit off his body but decided against it.

Rick sat on the floor, sliding in and out of consciousness.

“Rick?” It was Cass, and she sounded terrified.

“Here,” he called weakly from his spot against the wall. He saw her turn the corner, sighing in relief when she saw him.

“I got hungry,” he said, which elicited a small smile from Cass. “C’mon, let’s get you out of here.”

* * *

One minute he was in Anathamea, the next he was in Stephanie’s condo.

He was painfully aware of how awful he looked. He was covered with rotten fruit and smelled horrible. He’d literally been drained of his magic and was just barely strong enough to remain conscious. He was not strong enough to stay standing and proceeded to fall to the ground the minute he portaled with Cass.

The captain, who Rick learned went by the name of Dread when he was doing illegal shit, created his own portal that was nowhere near as smooth as the one Rick was used to. Cass wasn’t phased, but she was also used to breaking the law and clearly had used the portal multiple times. She dumped Rick unceremoniously on the ground, her gaze darting around the small space for any sign of Stephanie.

“What the actual…” He heard her voice from the bedroom, growing louder and eventually stopping as she caught sight of what was in her living room.

“Are you Stephanie?” asked Cass. Rick opened an eye to see Stephanie nod. She was looking at him with a mix of horror and shock, her mouth literally open as she stood in the doorway of her bedroom. Rick raised a hand weakly to wave, letting it fall limply on his chest.

“Good,” Cass said, taking her look as answer enough. “Something’s happened, and Rick needs to stay here for a while,” Cass added.

“Absolutely not,” Stephanie said, crossing her arms over her chest.

Rick felt his heart break. He wished he had enough energy to explain to her, to tell her what happened. He was tired, too tired…

“Listen here,” Cass said as she stepped over his prone body, approaching Stephanie in a few long strides. “That idiot nearly died for you. I owe some really bad people some really big favors because I saved his ass. Either you let him stay here until we figure this out, or so help me…”

“Died?” Stephanie interrupted. Her eyes were wide, her gaze darting from Cass to Rick’s prone figure.

“Yes, died,” Cass said between clenched teeth.

Rick recognized that tone. She used it whatever she was overwhelmed and on her last nerve. Rick wanted to interrupt and tell them it was fine. He’d just take a nice little nap and they’d all figure it out when he woke up.

Rick felt Stephanie’s touch on his arm, and his eyes flickered open again. “You look awful,” she said softly. “What are you covered in?” she added, her nose wrinkling.

“I think it’s rotten friggund,” he said.

“Am I supposed to know what that is?” Stephanie asked.

Rick shook his head.

“Good,” Cass said, taking a step back from them. She was watching them with a strange look on her face, one that Rick would have to puzzle over later. He was too busy watching Stephanie and the way she tenderly picked the pieces of fruit off him.

“I tried to summon you,” she said.

“I know, I couldn’t come,” he said. He didn’t mention that it was excruciating not to heed her call, that he felt like every bone in his body was breaking. He didn’t mention that if it meant keeping her safe, he would have gladly accepted his fate. Demons weren’t meant to live very long anymore anyways.

“I went to Chad’s house and demanded he give me what he used to summon you,” she continued.