AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I’ve simply traded one grump for another.
Edgar gives me a watery smile, understanding my turmoil better than anyone else. “When you figure it out, come to Village Hellen.” His eyes light with excitement. “Maybe I have grandkids!”
“If you don’t get a move on, you might croak before they get to meet you,” Orcus says as he strolls up. Once Zyla gave me a new dress, he took his shirt back. Is it wrong to think his clothes look better on me?
“Orcus!” I swat his leg.
Edgar chortles. “If the ogre king saw you disrespecting his son…” He trails off with a shake of his head.
“My mate is allowed to disrespect me all she likes,” Orcus grouses. “The king can mind his own business.”
“From what I heard last night, he’s not very good at that.” Edgar arches his eyebrows. “How long until he makes you take the throne?”
Orcus is stony and silent beside me, and I don’t need the frustration rippling through the bond to tell me Edgar’s hit a sore spot.
“Well!” I step between the two men, creating a protective, albeit small, barrier between Orcus and Edgar. “You should head out and meet your family, hmm? Or are you chickening out?”
The old man rears back. “Don’t insult me, Daisy. I’m made of stronger stuff.”
“Is that so?” I tip my head toward where Callum is creating a portal to transport him to his village where Edgar’s family will be waiting thanks to a handy dandy—or super annoying—summoning spell. According to Callum, the portals have only ever been used to travel within this world. It’ll take time to figure out how to travel to other worlds and to make sure I end up in the right one.
I’m more than happy to wait if it means ensuring I don’t end up on a planet full of aliens. Big, green monsters? Totally cool. Tiny green, bug-eyed aliens? Nope. I’ll take my chances with my monster any day.
Prometheus singes a bug and screeches with joy. We all pause and look at the tiny creature. It makes me feel better that everyone else thinks it’s as cute as I did. Turning, I give Orcus a pointed look. He narrows his eyes. I grin and blow him a kiss. Shock ripples over his features, and I memorize the look before turning back to watch Edgar step through the portal.
“Thanks for healing me, Grand High Warlock. I’m in your debt.”
“I owed Orcus a favor. Consider the debt paid.”
What did Orcus do for Callum, a seemingly all-powerful wizard, that he couldn’t do for himself? I glance back at him, but the ogre is a vault.
“Guess I better get going.” Nervousness creeps into Edgar’s voice.
“How bad can it be?” I ask.
“I was gone for a long time,” he whispers.
“The worst will be over soon enough, Edgar. They might be mad, but explain what happened and apologize. I’m sure it’ll be okay.”
Callum gives me a confused look. “Do you know anything about folk?”
“You’re right,” Edgar says with a nod. “See you around, Daisy.” And with that, Edgar steps through the shimmering portal. His body disappears from sight but shouting and screaming come from within, and an ax slices through the portal and flies straight toward my face.
“Oh, shit,” I say, dropping to the ground. The ax whizzes over the top of my head and embeds into the trunk of a tree with a thwack.
“And that,” Callum says, “is exactly what I expected to happen.”
He and Orcus share a laugh.
I scramble to my feet. “We have to help him.”
“He’ll be okay. Folk get skittish when magic is around. Despite the ax throwing, they probably won’t hurt him,” Orcus says.
“Probably?” I screech. “Edgar!” I rush for the portal, but Orcus snatches me around the waist and holds me to his chest. “Put. Me. Down.”
“Where do you think you’re going?”
Spinning in his hold, I glare up at him. “I have to make sure he’s safe.”
