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I felt raw. Exposed. I didn’t know how to deal with any of this. So I just kept it all contained inside myself.
Glad to not think about my pain for a while, I examined the small but finely built home in front of us and then moved my gaze out to the sea.
All my life, I’d lived within a day’s ride from the shore, and yet I’d never been here before.
“It’s so massive,” Nicolette murmured, coming up beside me so she could study the scenery as well. “Water as far as the eye can see. I never imagined it’d be like this.”
I sent her a questioning glance before realizing the sand princess who’d lived her entire life in the center of the Outer Realms wouldn’t have gotten to see such a sight before either, would she?
Holding in the urge to take her hand and squeeze warmly as we experienced this moment together, I returned my attention to the horizon, where the sky was a riot of brilliant color, from oranges, pinks, and purples to azure blue. A masterpiece for the eye.
A sense of peace stole over me against my will. I was still here, breathing, and so was Nicolette. That had to mean something. There had to be a purpose to it all.
“Makes you wonder what’s on the other side, doesn’t it?” I murmured, speaking of the surf.
Nicolette met my eye and snickered. “Probably more water.”
I nodded. “But where does it all go? If it just drops off into nothingness, wouldn’t the sea drain dry after a while?”
She frowned as if becoming curious about that very thing when Indigo stepped between us. “It leads back around to Near Shore,” he said. “Because the planet we’re on is round. Not flat.” Then he kept going, motioning us to follow. “Come. Meet someone who can tell you all about that.”
I glanced toward Nicolette. “Planet?” What the devil was a planet? Some weird plant-like substance? Suddenly, all I could picture was a gigantic philodendron bush, where we were but ant-sized insects, dwelling on a single, enormous green leaf.
Planet, my ass.
Nicolette merely shrugged. “He always has the oddest names for things. Did I ever tell you what he said his version of a page was?”
“I can only imagine,” I said dryly.
In front of us, Nicolette’s bodyguard knocked his fist against the door to the cottage. We paused behind him, waiting with interest to see who would respond.
A minute later, a deep accented voice called, “Who’s there?”
“It’s Indigo. Of House Moast. From High Cliff.”
“Indiana?” The door flew open and a dark, hulking man filled the entrance; he might’ve even been taller than the mage, Mydera. Upon seeing Indigo, the giant shouted in greeting, a wide grin splitting across his broad face as he swooped out the door to catch Indigo in a bone-crushing hug that pulled him off his feet. “Well, son of a bitch. Indiana Jones! It really is you. God damn, boy, how long’s it been?”
He set the High Clifter down so the two could shake hands as they stepped apart again.
“Six or seven years, I’d say,” Indigo replied with an easy smile. “Before the tension between our two kingdoms rose, anyway.”
“Bah.” The owner of the cottage sniffed and rolled his eyes. “Politics is stupid, no matter where you live, you know. Some country’s always incensed about something another country’s doing wrong. No one can ever just get along.”
“Truer words have never been spoken,” Indigo agreed softly.
The two nodded solemnly before they seemed to realize Nicolette and I stood there, waiting for them to get their reception out of the way.
“Oh, hey. You brought friends with you this time. Well, don’t let me keep you standing out here on the porch. Get your lily-white ass inside, boy. And bring your posse with you.”
Indigo stepped through the doorway, and Nicolette followed, with me bringing up the rear. Once we trooped in, our host shut the door and slapped Indigo on the arm. “So what’s shaking, man? You got any news from the motherland for me?” He eyed Nicolette, then me. “Have more Replacements come through?”
Next to me, Nicolette stirred. “Replacements?” she repeated, glancing at me.
Recalling that Replacement was the term she’d told me about, where Indigo claimed people were transported into the Outer Realms from another land, I lifted my eyebrows and refocused on the large man with renewed interest.
“No. No Replacements,” Indigo was saying. “Actually, uh.” He winced. “We need help.”
“Help?” The big man glanced at Nicolette and me again.
