Painful Memories

Kisa stood in the kitchen and scowled at the pantry door.

How many times had she wandered in here and absent-mindedly opened it? At least three times a day, and now that she was here again, she had decided to look through the whole pantry and discover just what it was that she was looking for.

Her missing memories really bothered her. She had just assumed that something would come back to her in the last few days, but all she got was static. Vivid images of the old man stirred something up in her that she couldn’t describe, but they didn’t tell her a thing about his identity or even her own.

Tink walked into the kitchen and climbed up onto the counter to pour herself a cup of coffee. She looked at Kisa and yawned, revealing a frightening amount of teeth.

“Stupid cat, litter box somewhere else.” She slugged half of her coffee and winced. “Blegh. Maybe kitty pee in here, too.”

“Hey, fuck you.” Kisa put her hands on her hips. Ever since she had almost fallen off the railing the other day, she had deliberately avoided the goblin. Being alone was difficult in a house full of so many people, but at least everyone gave her some space. In a lot of ways, it was almost like they didn’t even see her. She hadn’t decided yet whether this offended her or not, but it had given her plenty of time to think things over.

However, the one person in the house who always seemed to notice her presence was Tink, and she never failed to comment on it.

“Worthless cat lay around all day. Tink too busy for fucking.” She smiled at her own joke and then drank the rest of her coffee. “Too tired, too.”

“Wow, you’re so clever,” Kisa responded while rolling her eyes.

“Tink very clever, thank you.”

“No, that’s sarcasm, you stupid goblin!” She growled and held out her hands, her claws unsheathing. “Ugh! Why do they even keep you around?”

“Husband need sexy goblin girl. Other girls fine too, but Tink extra special.” She grinned. “Nobody smart like Tink.”

“Please. You can’t even talk straight, you brain-dead—”

Tink leapt from the counter and landed in front of her, fangs bared. She grabbed a handful of fur on Kisa’s chest and shoved. Kisa stumbled back into the shelves, causing boxes and cans to spill all around both of them.

“Ow, dammit!” She tried to reach the box of oatmeal that had fallen on the floor, leaning dangerously far forward on her crutches. They wobbled beneath her until they slid away, causing her to land flat on her face. Tears welled up in her eyes as pain shot through both of her legs, and she rolled onto her back to clutch the thick, plaster cast on her left leg. Her right leg was in a brace that bent at the knee, pins holding the thing in place.

“Easy, Kisa.” He came in from the next room over. It was a different apartment this time, and when he knelt by her side, he slid one arm behind her and lifted. “Why didn’t you call me?”

“I shouldn’t have to fucking call you,” she snapped. “I need to learn to do this shit on my own.”

“Language, Kisa. Just because you are hurt does not mean we have lowered our standards.”

“I’m not hurt, I’m crippled!” She picked up one of her crutches and threw it across the kitchen. “The doctors don’t even know if I’ll walk properly again, much less dance.”

“Anyone can dance, Kisa.” He picked up her crutch and set it just out of her reach. “Dancing comes from the soul, not the body.”

“Yeah, well tell that to the acceptance committee at Julliard!” She threw her other crutch now and clawed at the table in anger. “They don’t give a shit about my soul, they want to see me dance. A full ride! They offered me a full ride, and unless you know some miracle man who can fix my legs in the next year, it’s gone forever.”

He shook his head and clucked his tongue. “More to life than dance, Kisa.”

“You and I both know that’s the only way I was ever going to go to college. My whole future depended on being able to dance! I haven’t just lost my legs, I’ve lost my will to live.” She threw herself forward onto the table and bawled, slamming her fists against the wood of the table. “It’s not fair! I’ve been kicked around my whole life, and just when it was getting good, I get hit by a fucking car!”

The table beneath her hands vanished and she was back in the kitchen with Tink, her back pressed against the shelves. The goblin snarled, lines of exhaustion written across her face.

“More to smarts than big words,” she growled, then put her face in her hands and took a step back. “Ugh. No. Tink sorry, no want fight.”

Kisa stared at the goblin, her heart pounding in her chest. The flashback this time had not only been intense, but all the rage and misery she had felt back then had somehow carried itself forward in time, and all she could think about was how she had lost everything that mattered to her. Her legs had been crushed, her femur splintered in several places. So many dreams had gone out the window, just like her memories, and all the pent up anger in her body finally had a direction to go.

“Well, I do,” she growled, then threw herself at Tink.

The two of them shoved each other around the kitchen, grappling, grunting and claring. More containers fell, splitting open boxes of pasta and a giant bag of rice. The floor became slick with dried goods, so they ended up on the counter, throwing fists and claws at each other. Tink bit into Kisa’s shoulder, only to spit out a mouthful of fur. Kisa picked up a jar of spaghetti sauce and smashed it across Tink’s eyes, blinding her.

They fell off the counter and crashed onto the floor. Kisa rolled on top of Tink, her hands squeezing the goblin by the throat. There was an unlabeled rage now powering her, and she smacked the goblin’s head onto the floor repeatedly.

Tink just laughed. This made Kisa mad enough that she picked up a nearby can and smashed it into the goblin’s head.

“What the absolute fuck is going on in here?”

The temperature of the room dropped dramatically as Yuki stepped into the kitchen. She was covered in fresh paint and crystalline shards of ice spun in circles around her outstretched hands. Her eyes were wide open, and circles of frost had formed along her cheeks.

Kisa froze in place, then looked down at the goblin. She had just attacked a member of the house for no good reason. Granted, Tink had pushed her first, but she could only imagine how the others might see it. The anger from before melted out of her, and she let go of Tink’s hair.

A feeling of dread filled her chest, and she moved back from the goblin, afraid that Yuki might attack her.

“Tink helping dumb cat find snack in pantry,” the goblin declared. “We climb too high, fall off shelves, big mess.” She sat up and wiped some sauce off of Kisa’s face, then licked her thumb. “Still taste good.”

“Are you sure?” Yuki’s eyes narrowed at both of them. “I thought the house was under attack with all that noise!”

“Tink step on dumb cat tail when fall. Make big sound. Misunderstanding is all.” She stood up and looked around, a forlorn expression on her face. “Big misunderstanding.”

Yuki looked back and forth between the two of them and then sighed. “Here. Let me help you two clean up.” She walked to the nearby closet and pulled out a broom and a dustpan.

The three of them swept up the food  and broken glass, and then mopped up the sauce. Kisa said nothing, but Tink grumbled the whole time. Once they were done, Yuki cast a suspicious gaze over both of them before departing.

“Why—” Kisa began, but Tink put a hand over her mouth and shook her head, then beckoned her to follow.

She led Kisa down the stairs to the basement—a place that Kisa hated. It was like a giant concrete coffin, and for some reason, the freezer filled her with a sense of dread.

“Fox have good ears,” Tink whispered. “We talk now.”

“Why did you stick up for me?” Kisa rubbed her arms with her hands, her body filled with a phantom chill. “I was going to beat your ass.”

Tink rolled her eyes. “Good joke, but no. Tink no worried, much better fighter than stupid cat. Not important, though.” She sat down on the floor and yawned again. “Tink no want cat to get in trouble and have to leave.”

“Why though? You and I don’t get along.”

“So? Tink not always get along with others. For long time, Tink get along with nobody. Learn how to fix everything, maybe everyone love Tink, maybe not, but had to try.” The goblin pulled her goggles off her head and stared at the lenses as if lost in a memory. “Tink make much trouble, get grief from everyone. So Tink be quiet, hope nobody notice, still trouble. Things work out, but Tink still lonely. Then husband come, make everything worth it.”

Kisa scrunched up her face. “That doesn’t answer my question in the slightest.”

The goblin groaned. “Dumb cat like Tink. Not know place yet, not even know self. Lonely, like Tink was.”

“I like being alone.”

“No.” She shook her head firmly. “Difference between alone and lonely. Right now, dumb cat is both. Maybe hate Tink, but that’s okay. Maybe if wait, dumb cat will make friends like Tink, find purpose. Husband say to give dumb cat a chance, so Tink keep mouth shut.”

Kisa frowned. “So, what, you’re gonna be nice to me because Mike said so?”

“Yep.” Tink slid the goggles back over her head. “Doll try to kill husband, now friends. Fox try to kill husband, also friends. Demon lady, too. Give extra chance, make best decision. Tink give extra chance, also make best decision.” She stood and stretched, her tail flicking behind her like a whip before giving Kisa a knowing look. “Especially because dumb cat broken in head. Tink know all about that.”

Dumbfounded, Kisa watched as the goblin walked up the stairs.

“But doesn’t mean Tink always nice,” she shouted down the stairs, then turned off the light with a laugh and closed the door.

Though it was dark, there was enough light coming in through the basement door that Kisa could still see plenty. She chuckled at how juvenile turning off the light was and waited a couple of minutes for the goblin to clear out.

She sat on the bottom step, her tail curling around her feet. Ever since the day she had arrived, she had felt lost. Her entire history was missing from her, but why?

What hurt more was that Tink had been right about her being lazy. The few times she had given any thought to attempting to remember anything, she had been filled with fear. It was almost like she didn’t want to remember, but why would that be? She barely spoke to the others, and they had given her plenty of space as a result.

But did she need that space? Was Tink right? Was she lonely?

“A second chance,” she said, her eyes on the opposite wall.

The freezer hummed, and the fur on her back and neck stood up, the room now closing in on her.

“A second chance,” said the old man, holding a dark collar in his hand. It was made of some type of dark fabric and had a silver bell on it. His face was twisted up as if in pain as he sat across from her in their apartment. “Something leftover from the old country. It may fix you, Kisa, but it will change you.”

She pulled her hair up and tilted her head back, revealing her throat.

“Do it,” she demanded, her leg throbbing. She had been out of pills for the pain for nearly a week now and didn’t care if some weird folk tale killed her.

With a sigh, he leaned forward and buckled the collar around her neck. She waited for something to happen, to feel different inside, but…nothing.

“I thought this was supposed to change me?” she asked.

“Take time. Magic never an exact science, Kisa.” He coughed, his face briefly turning bright red. “We will know in a day or two.”

The apartment shattered like glass, and she was now back in the basement once more. Only now, the light was back on and she saw a blonde woman in front of her. She projected an aura of hope and radiance.

“A second chance,” said the woman, holding the same collar in her hands. “Now that it’s off, how do you feel?”

There were no words. Kisa threw herself at the woman and embraced her, her eyes full of tears.

“You saved my life, thank you!” When she stepped back, she wiped the tears from her eyes. “If I can ever do anything to repay you, just tell me and I’ll do it.”

The woman’s eyes gleamed beneath the hanging bulb of the basement. “As a matter of fact, there is something you can do for me. It won’t be easy, but you will be helping me like I helped you.”

The room swirled again and she was now in the second-floor studio room, only now it was fully furnished. The harp stood against the wall, the strings vibrating on their own as it played a song by itself.

“Please, Emily, give me a second chance, I know I can do it this time!” Kisa was on her hands and knees. “Please don’t make me wear it again.”

The blonde woman from before regarded Kisa cooly. There was a cruelty in her face that hadn’t been there before, and she crossed her arms across her chest. Dangling from one of her hands was the collar.

“It’s just for a little while,” Emily explained as she slid it around Kisa’s neck. “I just need you to be a little bit…cattier. You owe me, remember.”

Kisa cried silently as she stared at her hands. For now, they were human. But for how much longer?

Kisa threw herself back onto the steps, her hands clutching at her throat to tear the phantom collar off. The memories were just fragments, but they had been real enough. Emily had been the previous Caretaker, and she had been partially responsible for her transformation.

Holding her head in her hands, she let out a cry that became the drawn out yowl of a cat in pain. She stumbled up the stairs and into the kitchen.

“Please, Emily, take it off!” She was pulling at the collar on her throat, but Emily was ignoring her.

“Not until you can fit through here.” Emily tapped at a cardboard cutout she had on the floor. They were in the study, away from the others. “Once you can fit through there, the collar comes off.”

Kisa growled, but crawled toward the opening. She turned her head sideways and found that it was still a tight fit. Determined to make it  through, she pressed forward until the cardboard split around her shoulders.

“Damn.” Emily shook her head. “Guess we’ll try again tomorrow.”

“No, please.” Kisa grabbed for Emily’s hand. “Please, I… I’m having trouble remembering things. I’m forgetting who I was.”

For a moment, the Caretaker’s features softened, but the moment didn’t last.

“We’ll try again tomorrow,” she declared.

In the kitchen, Kisa moved out to the dining room. Other memories were coming back, memories full of blank spots that made no sense. She could see herself sitting at a table with Emily and Tink, but the other seats were blurry. There was an argument on the stairs about being unable to go into town and shop for new clothes. Another one about helping Emily hunt down some rats.

None of it made sense! She paused as Death emerged from the office, then ducked away to avoid the specter. She peered around the corner to see Mike sitting at the desk with some books in front of him.

He looked up, his eyes immediately meeting hers.

“Oh. Hey, Kisa.”

“Hey, Kisa.” The old man was lying on the floor of the kitchen, his hand pressed to his chest. His breath was coming in gasps, and he reached up to touch her face. “You… I…”

“Shh. The ambulance is on its way.” She cradled his hand against her face.

“Death…answers before…asked…” His eyes slid down her face and onto the collar around her neck. It had only been a few days, but her leg was already out of the cast, the transformation of her body already begun. “I need…to take…that off…”

“No.” She put her hand to her throat. “You can take it off later. It’s helping, I barely have a limp now.”

“No, Kisa, you don’t…” He looked past her shoulder at someone she couldn’t see. “Oh. Okay then.” A sigh escaped his lips and then he was gone.

“No! Please, you can’t leave me!” She held his head tightly against her chest and screamed.

Kisa bolted past the study and headed straight for the backdoor, anxious to get outside of the house. Random memories bounced around in her head in no particular order, memories of the house. There was no longer enough air for her to breathe, and it wasn’t until she shoved her way into the garden and stood beneath the open sky that she felt like she could finally inhale fully.

The nymph was out there, floating on her back beneath a small swarm of birds. She reminded Kisa of a Disney princess and wondered if Naia ever burst into song.

Naia.

Kisa stormed up to the edge of the fountain and slammed her paws on the rim.

“How come you don’t know me?” she demanded. “I have memories of this place. Memories of Emily. Yet none of you seem to know who I am, and that doesn’t make sense!”

Naia lifted her head, water running in streams down her hair. “That’s a very good question,” she admitted, then sat up. The birds above her flew away and vanished in the bushes of the garden. “I’ve asked myself that same thing more than once.”

“You’re all in on it, aren’t you?” Kisa hopped into the fountain and scowled. The water was freezing. “It’s some kind of sick joke between you guys, isn’t it?”

The nymph shook her head. “No, it really isn’t.”

“Well I think you’re lying, and that’s good enough for—” she grabbed for Naia and her hands moved through the nymph, her body now made of water.

“Stop,” Naia said calmly, placing her hands on Kisa’s wrists. “Your anger is misplaced.”

Kisa pulled away and swung, but Naia let the hit connect, spraying water everywhere. She swung again and again, her rage and frustration building as she shrieked at the nymph.

“Why doesn’t anybody know who I am?” she yelled, then fell to her knees. The water parted beneath her, and she dug her nails into the cool stone of the fountain, hoping the marble would crack beneath her fingers.

Naia slid her arms around Kisa and held her tight, stroking her hair. While she did this, the back door opened and Yuki came out, covered in fresh paint.

“I saw what happened,” she explained, then pointed at one of the windows up above. “From my room. And I heard what you said.”

Kisa sighed in exasperation as the kitsune sat on the edge of the fountain. “Okay, fine, you busted me. I tried to start a fight, but clearly everyone here can kick my ass, so—”

“How old are you?” Yuki asked, then brushed a strand of hair away from her face. “‘Cause you’re acting like a toddler.”

Kisa drew back and hissed.

“The same thing happened to me,” Yuki told her. “While your memories are gone, mine aren’t. I spent years with everybody here, and I have so many memories with all of them, but theirs were taken away. I know what you’re going through—for the most part, anyway. It sucks. But it wasn’t their fault, or mine for that matter. I almost made a terrible decision because I didn’t know who to blame for it.”

Kisa thought back to what Tink had said. “Did you actually try to kill Mike?”

“Yep. Within a few seconds of meeting him, actually.” Yuki waved her hands over the water and a figurine made of ice appeared, which she picked up. It looked similar to Yuki, but this one had an eyepatch on and her face was a mask of rage. “I failed, obviously. I even trapped the guy in another dimension and turned everyone here to stone.”

“Wait, what? Stone?”

“It’s true,” Naia added. “Even me.”

She thought again of her fight with Tink, then looked at Naia and Yuki. She had spoken more with them just now than she had since she arrived. Why was that? Was she naturally aloof, or was there more to it?

“I turned everyone to stone and then got into a huge fight with a bunch of nasty witches on the front lawn. Almost died, actually. These were all things I did because I was broken and angry.”

“So, what, is there a moral to the story? Stop being such a bitch?” She couldn’t help it, the words just slid out of her mouth.

Yuki dropped her figurine in the water and summoned another. This time, it was Kisa, her hackles raised and her face frozen mid-scream. “Nobody is asking that. I mean, yeah, would be nice if you’d calm down a bit. The point I’m trying to make is that the choices we make, no matter what our mood, can permanently affect our lives. And right now, being angry with everyone won’t help you find the answers you seek. This isn’t just a safe place to stay. It’s a home, and the people here are family. We may not be best friends, but we sincerely want to help each other.”

This time, Kisa managed to hold her thoughts in. The kitsune was right. Being mad at everyone wasn’t going to help her. Still, the idea that her memories had been messed with was sorely upsetting. “So how am I supposed to act? I don’t remember anything about myself, other than I used to dance.”

“I can see why knowing who you were is a foundation for who you are today.” Yuki waved her hand over the figurine in her hand. It was still Kisa, but now she was curled up in the window of the house, a smile on her face. She held it out. “However, we often forget that today’s choices don’t have to be about yesterday. We can move forward as the person we are, the person who makes us happy.”

Kisa regarded the figurine, then took it. Obviously the kitsune had spotted her sleeping in the window. “I’m not even sure this is who I really am.”

“Then maybe it’s something we can all figure out together.” Yuki passed her hand over the surface of the water, and ice sculptures of everybody appeared, one at a time. “It doesn’t have to start with everybody, not all at once. But I think you should at least try.”

Kisa wiped her eyes, then set her figurine down and watched it bob in the water along with the rest. She spotted one in particular and picked it up. It was Tink, holding a hammer.

“Second chances…” she muttered, then dropped it into the fountain to watch it melt.

The back door slammed open and Mike came running out, his face lit up in excitement. Death followed close behind, one hand held protectively over his tea to keep it from spilling.

“Hey,” he said to everyone with a wave as he shot past, then ran down into the backyard. Yuki pulled herself out of the fountain and made her way down into the garden.

Kisa got out of the fountain and shook herself off before following.

Mike, Death and Yuki now stood by the back gate, the Caretaker holding the padlock in one hand.

“This is it,” he told Yuki, “the gate we need to the Underworld!”

“I’m not so sure,” she told him, eying the gate with suspicion.

Death put a hand on the gate and leaned against it casually. “I am no fabricator of untruths, Lady Yuki. On the other side of this gate lies the spirit realm.”

“So then all we have to do is get this open, right?” Mike shook the padlock, but Kisa was no longer paying attention. Her eyes slid up the length of the gate to the top where there was a small gap between the bars and the archway was. The world went silent, and now she was standing before the gate, Emily at her side.

“Get back in there,” Emily commanded, pointing up at the gap. One of her eyes had gone black, and an eerie mist surrounded her body. The last couple of days had been like this, and the others were unable to see it. “I won’t tell you again.”

“I was attacked,” Kisa explained. “Not by the shadows, but something else. You said that they wouldn’t notice me!”

“Nobody is supposed to notice you. That’s the whole point of using the collar to turn you. If I wasn’t paying so much attention, even I would barely notice you.” Emily took Kisa by the chin and examined her face. “Hmm. You aren’t lying. Tell me, what was it? What attacked you?”

“I never saw it,” she replied, then yanked her face away. “I heard it growling and then it chased me. I never found his castle, and I was lucky to make it back here alive.”

“Fuck!” Emily put her face in her hand and the mist coalesced around her like a cloak. “I’m running out of time, Kisa, and I need you to get it back!”

“I can’t do it, Emily! I was lucky to get away! That thing was huge!” The moment the words left her mouth, the collar had appeared in Emily’s hand once more. “No, I’m not letting you put that back on me. I can barely remember my own name anymore. I feel like there’s an actual cat growing inside of me, and she’s taking over. I thought I owed you for getting the collar off of me in the first place, but now I see that I’m just a tool for you and your weird games. I’ve heard the rumors from the others, and I would rather leave and take my chances with the rest of the world than stay here and have you turn me any farther!”

Emily tilted her head, appraising Kisa. It was impossible to tell if she was angry or not, but the blonde turned her attention back to the gate and crossed her arms.

“Go to your room and pack,” she said, the collar dangling from her hands. “Have Tink help you. I’ll come to see you off.”

Kisa said nothing, her eyes filling with tears as she turned away.

She was back in the present, viewing the gate through tear-laden eyes.

Yuki was now inspecting the lock and Death was sitting on a nearby rock, enjoying his tea in silence.

“I’ll see if we can use a hacksaw on it,” Mike announced.

“It won’t work.” When Kisa spoke, they all turned to look at her as if noticing her for the first time. “A hacksaw on the padlock. Nor will acid, an axe, whatever you have.”

“Kisa.” Mike crossed his arms and tilted his head in the exact same spot Emily had stood those many years before. “How do you know?”

“The gate, it goes somewhere. It’s something I remembered, just now while standing here. You can’t break the lock, nothing will. Emily couldn’t get it to break, either.”

“Did she have a key?”

Kisa took a deep breath and shook her head. “She used to. I never got the full story about it, but I vaguely remember something about getting tricked and the key getting busted.”

“Well, damn.” He looked at the gate and then back to Kisa. “You seem to know a lot about the gate.”

“She wanted me to go through it. I can fit through the gap at the top.” She swallowed the lump that had appeared in her throat. “Why do you want to go in there?”

“Death told me it’s a gate to the Underworld. I can use it to return to the faerie realm to rescue Cecilia. Why did Emily want you to go in there?”

Her heart was pounding now. “She wanted me to steal something from someone on the other side. Something she gave away and desperately wanted back.”

Yuki knelt next to Kisa so that they were eye level. “What did she want?”

“I…don’t remember that part yet, it was something…small. In a container.” Kisa pressed her hands against the bars and felt a cold rush of air blast her from the other side of the gate. “There’s a guy who lives on the other side, a shadow man. I’ve seen him before, but don’t remember where. She wanted me to get something back from him, but she couldn’t go herself because of the gate.” Hot tears ran down her face and she brushed them away. “She kept making me wear the collar. Every day I wore it, I became more cat and less human, but I also became smaller, harder to notice. She used to have me go out into the neighborhood and practice stealing, because we discovered that people don’t notice me, not even if I’m right in front of them. I would sometimes walk into people’s homes while they were eating dinner, and rummage through their cabinets. It’s part of the magic that changed me.”

Yuki put a hand on Kisa’s shoulder and squeezed.

“You’re…not going to make me go through there, are you?” It was a question she was afraid to ask, but it needed to be said out loud. She needed to know what the answer was, because her future depended on it.

“Hmm?” Mike looked at the gap above the gate and then back at Kisa. “You fit through there? Seriously?”

Kisa nodded. “Barely, but I can.”

“Huh.” He turned to look at the gate, and then back at her. He thought for a good minute before shrugging. “Unless there’s a way for you to open it from the other side or something, I don’t see why I would. I’m the one who has to go after Cecilia after all, so sending you in doesn’t help me. But,” he knelt next to her as well. “Can you tell me what you saw in there?”

She shook her head. “I never saw it, but there’s something in there, something big. It wasn’t supposed to be able to see me, but it can, and I barely got out in time.”

“Okay, then. Death, any clues?”

“Mike Radley, I’m afraid my knowledge of the afterlife stops at a gate much like this one. I am blissfully unaware of what lies beyond the veil.” He sipped his tea. “However, I know that a gateway such as this will allow your body to cross over with you. Such a thing is extremely rare, and I haven’t decided if I am surprised that you have access to such a thing.”

“Kisa.” Mike was looking at her now, and there was nothing but kindness in his eyes. “If you remember anything else, please let me know. Thank you for telling me about the gate. Even knowing something is waiting on the other side is very helpful, even if it’s unsettling.”

“I…well…you’re welcome.” She bit her lip, unsure of what to say next. Her mind was a storm of memories and emotions, and she needed to get away from everyone. Without another word, she backed away from the group and then ran up to the house and inside, hoping to find somewhere she could be alone.

Deciding that her room was the best option, she ran inside and picked a corner of the room to lie down in. There was no furniture yet, only the boxes that had belonged to her that were full of her clothes and various linens. Wrapping herself in a blanket, she shivered at the distant memory of a throaty growl, just on the other side of the bars.

Should she leave? Whatever Emily had been caught up in, maybe Mike was caught up in it, too. It was impossible to know, not without being able to read his mind.

However, he didn’t seem interested in bossing her around. If the stories were true, he had given the others plenty of chances to fit in, and didn’t seem interested in pursuing anything other than helping his friend, Cecilia.

Emily had made Kisa fit, had made her wear that collar until most of her humanity was gone. More memories flooded in, dark ones of her final days in the house, and she shivered. It was the opposite of the warmth and light she felt now in the house, and she was conflicted. If Mike opened that gate, would the darkness come back?

There was no way to know.

“Second chances,” she muttered to herself, wondering if the house was still worth it. Maybe she would be better on the streets, or try to carve a niche out for herself elsewhere. Through the haze of broken thoughts, she remembered how people’s eyes would move across her as if she wasn’t there.

Out in the hallway, she heard a loud bang, followed by the guttural mumblings of an angry goblin. The door of Kisa’s room was shoved open by a pair of rats, and Tink backed in, another rat helping her carry something.

“Get the fuck out!” Kisa shrieked, standing up and baring her fangs.

The rats bolted, including the one who had been helping Tink.

Undeterred, Tink dragged the object through the door and then got on the other side and pushed.

“Are you fucking deaf?” Kisa cried out. “I want to be left alone!”

“Oh, Tink know.” She stepped to the other side of the object and pushed it across the floor until it was up against the wall. “But now Tink carry everything, so stupid cat face wait even longer.”

“Why won’t you…” Kisa’s protest died off when Tink walked back into the hall and came back in carrying a large horn. It was the top of the phonograph from the sitting room.

“Tink hear cat face talking,” the goblin explained. “Make Tink think. When Tink sad, Tink can fix. When cat face sad, need dance.”

Kisa growled, but kept watching as Tink installed the horn on top of the phonograph. She fiddled with some screws that she pulled out of a pocket in her dress, then flipped her goggles down to inspect the device. With a satisfied nod, Tink plugged it in.

“Old phonograph big fun, but break easy,” she explained. “Tink planning to take apart, but cat face more important. Tink move fuse to second floor for power, but only until tonight, then move back to third floor.” She pulled a record from a drawer beneath the phonograph, then set it down on the turntable.

“I don’t need a musty old…” Kisa’s protest died when the sounds of Die Puppenfee filled her room. The song was bright and cheerful, the exact opposite of how she currently felt.

Yet…something about the light-hearted tune carried by the flutes reached deep into her heart and pulled. She blinked, stunned by the playful progression that signified the toymaker’s shop.

“Tink leave, but first help.” The goblin pushed the boxes up against the wall. “Plenty of space for dance now. Maybe cat face feel better.”

Kisa looked at the goblin. Had she really done all this for her?

“Thanks,” she said, her attention focused on the phonograph.

“Tink help cat face, maybe help fix head, or even heart.” Tink slid her goggles up to her forehead, then scrunched up her face. “Maybe never fix taste in music, though. Tink prefer Puccini.” With that, she walked out of the door and closed it behind her.

Kisa focused on the music flowing from out of the phonograph. It was easy to let the world slide away and allow the music to flow through her. Her movements were second nature, her steps light, and she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror as she moved. She was rusty, but her own natural grace took over as she let the music carry her away.

She danced. The movements came back to her, and she spun about the room, twisting and dipping, The song was playful, and she caught herself smiling in the wall mounted mirrors on the other side of the room.

She didn’t know who she was, or what the future held. But for now, in this moment, Kisa was able to lose herself in the music, to become somebody else. To allow the grace of the orchestra to move her limbs, to express herself with her body.

This was who she was. Like the old man had said, dance was never about the body, but the soul inside. And right now, her soul felt fine.

It wasn’t a long song, but when it was done, she was breathing hard. The world was somehow cast in a finer light, and she approached the phonograph and opened the drawer beneath it. There were dozens of records inside, and more than a couple were unlabeled. She chose one of the unlabeled ones and set it on the phonograph.

“Fucking goblin,” she swore with a smile on her face. It would bug her a little knowing that she owed Tink anything, and part of her was willing to bet that Tink knew it. Still, she couldn’t help but grin as the next song started and she closed her eyes, ready for it to carry her away.

---

“What do you think?” Mike asked. He sat in the front room with two key fragments sitting on the table. Tink and Ratu sat across from him, and Jenny watched from the arm of a nearby recliner.

After Kisa had left the backyard, an epiphany had struck him. He found Cerulea throwing rocks at some squirrels and had her go tell Ratu to bring him the key she had been making for Emily, then went to his room to get a piece of a key he had found.

It had been taken from inside of Yuki’s tower. It had been kept in a hidden room that he had stumbled across when he met the shadow. The other fragment looked different from the last time he had seen it. Emily had given it to Ratu in order to create a magical key to open a portal to speak to an elder god, but Ratu had caught on to her insidious plan and stalled long enough that Emily had finally died of old age.

Next to each other, both fragments looked like they were made of the same material as each other, and also similar to the invincible padlock that had been installed on his back gate. Tink had eventually come along to inspect the lock and had revealed it was a divine object, much like her goggles.

And much like her goggles, it was nearly impossible to destroy.

“Can it be repaired?” he added.

“I suppose it’s possible.” Ratu held up the two pieces. When she pushed them together, they didn’t seem to line up. “It’s hard to tell if there’s a third piece or not. If so, it’s just the stem we are missing.”

“Tink think maybe three pieces.” The goblin yawned. She had been up all night trying to string new electrical wire through the house. Even now, except for Kisa’s room at the top of the stairs, the second floor was completely without power. “Need figure out third piece, key no fit all the way.”

“Hmm.” Mike tapped his fingers on the table and looked at the two key pieces. “Do you suppose the third piece is hidden away somewhere else? And for that matter, do we even need it? We have the head of the key and the teeth, why not just make a middle piece?”

“Why not? It’s just a magic key to the Underworld, why not just put something together and hope for the best?” Ratu crossed her arms. “If you insist on pursuing such a task, count me out.”

There were footsteps on the stairs and seconds later, Yuki appeared. Her hair was combed out and still wet from a shower. She had been covered in paint, but was now clean.

“What did you find?” she asked.

Mike showed her the key pieces and explained where they had come from.

“I remember this one,” she told them, turning it over in her hands. “Well, kind of. It was in Emily’s Jewelry box, she found it in the basement. Well, not the basement that’s down there now. It was part of some vision she had long before I moved in, but she told me about it all the same.” Yuki fingered the broken end of the key. “However, it used to be longer, that much I know for certain. The only part missing was, well, that part right there.”

“So Emily broke a piece of the key off before giving it to Ratu? Why?” Mike picked up his part of the key, the teeth. If the key was supposed to be so important, why had Emily broken it up?

“Why did she give it to Ratu? I haven’t heard this story.” Yuki sat down at the table, her face all business.

“She needed me to create a special key that would allow her to open a doorway to somewhere else.” The naga scrunched up her face. “Hold on…nobody talk for a second.”

Everyone went quiet. Mike looked around, wondering if the naga heard something.

“Aha!” She stood up and held out her hands. “The key, let me see it!”

Yuki handed it over and Ratu inspected it for the hundredth time.

“It’s the magic, don’t you see? Emily gave me this key because it had the potential to open a door into another world. Without the other half, she had no idea what it was meant to be used for, but she did know what it’s purpose was.” Ratu’s voice was climbing with excitement.

“And?” Mike looked at the others to see if they had followed Ratu’s logic. Yuki wore a mask of uncertainty, and Tink, her goggles still over her eyes, had nodded off.

“Why break a piece off before giving it to me? Because she needed it for something else! Yuki, where is the wardrobe key?”

Yuki’s ear twitched, and she pulled the key off of a silver chain around her neck. Mike had given it to her when she moved in as a reminder that he would never lock her away in her tower again. She handed it over to Ratu, who held the keys next to each other.

“It’s the same material,” Ratu explained. “Emily knew what the key could do and used a part of it to make the locking mechanism of the wardrobe. We have all three pieces right here already.”

“Um, Ratu? I’m no expert at puzzles, but they aren’t going to fit together like that.” Mike picked up the last piece and held it out. “So what’s next?”

“That’s easy. The key was already broken, but the magic is intact. I bet I could get it to go back to its former shape with no problem in a day or two. Then you can unlock the gate and…and…whatever you’re planning to do next.”

He chuckled. “Yeah, well, that’s the next part of the puzzle, right? We need to figure out what comes next, so I think I need to speak with our resident librarian. And potentially Lily, if anybody spots her.” Again, he wondered if it would be a good idea to get everyone on a cellphone plan. Could a cellphone survive a shortcut through Hell? He could always get Lily an old Nokia.

“Well, if you have no further use of me, I will be off.” Ratu scooped up the key pieces and stuck them in her sleeve. “Yuki, could I get your assistance setting up my crucible? Your magic will save me some time, though I suspect that this will still take me at least a few days to accomplish, so unless it’s urgent, I suggest you wait until you hear from me.” She walked past and Yuki followed. Tink’s head had fallen forward, and he gave her a gentle shake.

“Why don’t you go take a nap,” he suggested. “The house can wait.”

“Hmm?” Tink shook her head. “Maybe husband right. Go find place for good sleep.” She yawned again, revealing all her teeth. “Husband call if need Tink?”

“Always.” He watched her leave and turned his attention to Jenny. “So what have you got going on this afternoon?”

The doll shrugged.

He put his hand down near her feet. “I’ve got some research to do if you want to come keep me company?”

The doll walked onto his hand and he carried her back into the office. Death had already proudly displayed the map that Mike had drawn up above the desk with a single nail, which caused him to laugh.

He sat down at the desk and opened the drawer to pull out a few pens and some paper, which he handed over to Jenny. The doll picked up one of the pens and started scribbling while he continued to read through the books Sofia had gotten him. Through the ceiling, he could hear the sound of music being played, something classical by the sound of it. It seemed to help him focus on the words in front of him, and he smiled.

Now that he had a solid lead on getting to the Underworld, he needed a plan. But what? And what waited for him just beyond the gate? Kisa had seemed quite shaken up by the experience, but this also made him think of another problem.

The shadow.

Lily had mentioned that it was waiting for him in the Underworld, and now Kisa was telling tales of being asked to steal from someone. He felt like it wasn’t much of a leap to assume that Emily was trying to steal something from the shadow, and he had a good idea what it could be.

A piece of her soul.

Driven mad by handing it over to the shadow, Emily had spent the last few years of her life pursuing something, and he had no idea what that thing could be. Short of asking her about it, there simply wasn’t any way of knowing what had happened.

“Hey.” He looked over at Jenny, who had doodled something horrific. It looked like a child’s rendition of a witch being burned at the stake, and a figure similar to Jenny stood off to one side with a big grin on her face. “Do you have any ideas about this shadow person? Or what Emily was up to?”

Jenny paused in contemplation as if thinking, and then drew a quick picture on a fresh sheet of paper. The ghost likely didn’t have the energy to speak to him directly, which meant he would have to wait. It took her a minute, but she had completed a silly version of what the shadow looked like, then wrote the word BAD above it.

“Yeah, I figured. Any idea where he came from?”

Jenny scribbled again, then stepped away for him to read. He felt a chill run down the back of his neck.

VAULT

“He came from inside the Vault?” It was an incredulous idea, but that room was full of dangerous objects. Perhaps Emily had gotten her hands on something that allowed him to cross over, or even attach himself to her.

Jenny underlined the word several times, then dropped her pencil.

“Damn.”

He pondered the implications of this and was interrupted by the sound of someone coming in the back door. By the sound of it, it was Beth and Quetzalli, and they were walking toward the stairs.

He moved to intercept them. Beth looked disgruntled, and Quetzalli was discussing in great lengths how clouds were formed in the sky.

“Hey, both of you. Quetzalli, I need to talk to Beth in private, do you mind?”

The dragon paused mid-sentence, her hands held a couple inches apart. Miniature lightning bolts were bouncing between her fingertips, filling the air with crackling sounds.

“I’ll tell you more about storms later,” Quetzalli said. “It’s probably for the best. Cumulonimbus cloud formation is far more complicated than cirrus cloud formation, and you probably have a lot to think about.” She gave a wave and headed upstairs.

Beth watched her leave and then followed Mike back to the office. “Thank you,” she said with a quiet tone. “I learned more today about weather patterns than I care to ever know.”

Mike grimaced, then pointed at the spare chair by the desk. “I really do want to talk to you about something, but now I’m curious. What even started that conversation?”

Beth sighed. “Sully and I had plans to go for a walk today, but decided that the front yard was a bit small for it, so we went to the greenhouse. Well, Quetzalli was there with Dana, and she ended up joining us on our walk.”

“Oh. I’m guessing it wasn’t as relaxing as you were hoping?”

She shook her head. “Dana was attempting to fix her drone issue for the centaurs. Quetzalli was actually helping her for a bit, something about electromagnetic interference, but Dana ducked out saying that she needed to replace a rotor, and that’s how we ended up spending our morning. Walk was still nice, but hard to get a word in.”

“Hmm.” Mike looked at Jenny, who was once again scribbling circles on the paper. Life in the house was becoming quite the juggling act when it came to everybody’s needs. How had Emily found the time to travel the world in search of other creatures to come live with her? “Tell you what, I’ll take Quetzalli tomorrow. That should give you plenty of time to yourself. But I’m going to need something from you in the next couple of days.”

“Oh?” Her interest piqued, she leaned forward against the desk. “Like what?”

He explained the discovery of the gate and how Ratu was working on making a key to let him in. “So, in short, it looks like I’m headed off to the Underworld in the next few days.”

“Do you need help with your research?” Beth asked.

“No, I have Sofia helping me. I actually need something from my lawyer.”

“As long as it doesn’t involve another discussion with the faerie queen, I’m all ears.”

“Actually, it’s something way easier than that. I’ve been thinking a lot these last few days, ever since the incident with the queen. When I look around this house, I feel like I’m in the middle of a storm just waiting to happen. Emily was involved in some weird shit; the Society, or whatever is left of it, is still out there; and only god knows what is waiting for me around the corner. I’m trying to treat this more like a chess match now, maybe move my pieces the way they were meant.”

Beth nodded. “I know how you feel. My life has never felt so out of control. Trapped in a mirror world, seduced by faerie magic, soul spliced to a demon. I don’t even get to brag about these things at my next high school reunion.”

He chuckled. “I doubt anyone would even recognize me at mine. I transferred to my last school halfway through my senior year.”

“So what do you need from me?”

“I need you to help me draft my will.”

Beth frowned. “Okay, that’s not what I expected you to say.”

“Well, hear me out.” He let out a long sigh. “So many of my problems were caused by my predecessor, and the geas hasn’t helped me by shielding memories from everybody. And here’s the other thing. The geas activates when the current Caretaker dies, right? Well what happens if I take two steps into the Underworld and somehow trigger the spell? Like, do I qualify as dead, or does the geas keep operating? I really don’t know.”

“Hmm. I see your logic. I guess there’s really no way of knowing.” She tapped her fingers on the table. “Damn, that would be pretty bad, wouldn’t it? You would step through that gate and this place would shut down until next of kin could be found.”

“And everyone inside would forget. This whole thing is about memories, Beth. It isn’t just that the home closes up, it’s that we all forget each other as well. Would I forget everyone? I really don’t know.”

“Wow.” Beth leaned back in her chair and contemplated the ceiling while twirling her hair. “I guess there’s always the fact that you might actually die while on this trip of yours, if we’re being honest about it.”

Mike gulped. “Yeah, there’s that, too. It’s not something I like to think about, but it’s possible that it could happen.”

“Okay then, estate paperwork is fairly standard. I could have something ready for you in a couple of days—unless you need it right away?”

He nearly laughed. He could tell from the way she asked that she was hoping he didn’t need it right away, no doubt exhausted from her morning with Quetzalli.

“No need. Jenny, can I get one of those papers, please?” He looked at Jenny, who was busy doodling a storm cloud. A piece of paper near her foot moved toward him, as if pushed by an invisible hand. He trapped it under his left hand and grabbed one of the spare pens with his right. He scribbled a quick sentence and then signed his name and dated it, then slid it across. “I’m sure this is perfectly legal, since I did it right in front of you, but if you could please have it converted to fancy lawyer speak, that would be great.”

Beth picked up the paper, her eyes sliding across the text. He could see the slight tremor in her hands as she lowered it to look him in the eyes. “You can’t be serious.”

“I am dead serious,” he said in his best Death voice, then spoke normally. “I want to leave everything to you and Dana. You both live here already, which means if something happens, the house should remain as is, and nobody gets locked away. You both become Caretakers, I imagine, but that’s something you’ll have to figure out with Naia. I have no next of kin that I’m aware of, and I’m fairly certain the law doesn’t recognize goblin marriages as legally binding, so Tink is out.”

Beth’s face had clouded over, and she read the paper again. “You really think that Dana and I can handle it?”

“I think you could handle it all on your own, to be honest. You know everybody, and they respect you. This decision feels right and is the best way to protect the house. I don’t want the next Caretaker to make Tink live in the garage again, or to force Jenny back into the Vault. So much progress has been made, and I want it to remain, and that’s why I chose you. I believe in you, Beth, even if you don’t believe in yourself anymore.”

He sighed. “I know you’ve been struggling with what happened with the queen. And maybe even Oliver, too. I’m sorry I haven’t been a better friend about it, and I think part of that is because of who I am. When I see the others, I feel an immediate responsibility to do everything I can for them. Maybe that’s who I am, or maybe it’s the house, I don’t know. I share souls with half of them, so they’re like an extension of who I am.

“But you? You’re different. I knew you briefly before this whole mess, and I’ve always just thought of you as someone who got sucked in, just like me. You seem like this woman who is so far beyond anything I have ever accomplished. Smart, strong, and definitely loyal. You could have bailed long ago, or even sold us out to the Society when things got hard. But you didn’t. You’ve fought alongside us, forgiven the others when they were wrong, and, well…you just fit in here.

“I guess I’m trying to say that if anybody asked, I would explain that I felt like you would be far better at this job than I ever was. I think you would be better at most things, actually. So when I see this strong, fierce person come down on themselves, I honestly don’t know what I’m supposed to say to help them feel better. We all make mistakes. I’m certain I’m destined to make several more. And it’s lame to say this, but I kind of figured that you didn’t need my help. We might live together, and even be friends, but I just felt like you were so much closer to some of the others that they would do a far better job at it then I would.”

Beth was quiet, her eyes alternating between him and the paper. When she broke the silence, there was a slight hitch in her voice. “I felt like I let you down. I used to be so good at my job, and things started falling apart for me. Some of your stuff got auctioned off, I almost got you killed a couple of times, and the ordeal with the faerie queen was so disheartening. I sometimes dream that we’re back there, and she tells me to do horrible and embarrassing things, and I happily do them because I’m under her thrall again.”

“I’ve been the reason for your abduction, near death, possession—for so many things. I try to live with these mistakes as best I can in the hopes that I don’t make them again. But it’s definitely hard when I feel like so many people are out to get me.” He forced a grin. “It isn’t paranoia if they really are out to get you.”

Beth let out a laugh. “That’s the truth.”

“If you ever want to talk about the faerie queen, I’ll do my best to listen.” He put his elbows on the desk and rested his chin on his hands. “I’ve been through enough therapy that I can at least sound like I know what I’m doing.”

“That won’t be necessary. The therapy part, anyway. Just talking is nice, though. Especially now that we aren’t in the middle of a life-or-death situation.”

“Yeah, it’s something new I’m trying.”

Beth pretended to scratch her eyebrow, but he saw her wipe a tear out of her eye with her thumb.

“And Dana?”

“Dana was never declared legally dead, so still has all her rights. Ratu thinks that she can fix her, and I think she would make a fine Caretaker as well. She’s probably the only one Lily would listen to, really. Also, feeding her might become a problem, but I know you would be up to the task of finding a solution. I think of her mainly as a backup plan. If something happens to me and you, then she will be ready to keep the ball rolling. No more mysterious inheritances, no more memory wipes. So…do you have everything you need?”

Beth nodded and held up the paper. “Yeah. I can start working on it tonight.”

“Good.” He smiled. “We’ve got time, and I’ll try to keep Quetzalli out of your hair. Oh, and is Sullivan still in the backyard, or is he back out front?”

Beth shrugged. “I imagine he’s back out front, tending the roses. The centaurs let him do that, and he really enjoys it.”

“I bet.” He stood. “I need to ask him something. Need anything else from me before I’m off?”

She shook her head. “No.”

“Tell me if that changes.” He walked around the desk and was at the door when he heard her speak again.

“Mike?”

“Yeah?” He turned to look at her.

“Thank you. For still believing in me.”

He nodded and left her behind.

When he stepped onto the front porch, he looked over at the empty swing and sighed.

“Soon,” he said, then looked across the yard. It didn’t take long for him to make out the pale features of Sulyvahn kneeling behind one of the bushes. When he walked up to the dullahan, the man stood and gave him a small bow.

“M’lord,” he offered as a greeting. “And to what do I be owing this pleasure?”

“I’ve been thinking recently,” Mike replied. “About a lot of things. This house, the people in it, my place in the universe. You know, the small things.”

“Aye.” Sulyvahn snipped a stray twig off of the bush. “And have ye found yer place, m’Lord?”

“That’s still a detail I’m working on. However, I’ve also been thinking about where you fit in.”

Sulyvahn said nothing, his attention on the bush.

“I was wondering if you would like to come inside and talk about it?”

The dullahan looked up, his dark eyes unreadable. A small grin formed, then turned into a crooked smile. Though the dullahan’s eyes were the darkest black he had ever seen, for just a moment, he thought he felt a trace of Cecilia in them.

“That be a fair offer, but the weather is nice and it’s a few more roses I be having to tend yet. Could we be having our talk out here, instead?”

Mike looked up at the clouds above. The sun was shining, and a pleasant breeze had scattered the scent of flowers across the yard. It really was a beautiful day, and maybe it would be a good time to stop and smell the roses.

“We sure can,” he said, then picked up the dullahan’s bucket and held it out so that Sulyvahn could toss in a trimming. After all, he may as well help out a little.

---

Cecilia had been staring at the sky for most of the morning, watching the pixies weave in and out amongst each other as they delivered messages to the visiting delegates. The scenery never changed, which meant there wasn’t much to watch most days. Boredom was a new feeling for her, but she knew better than to show it.

The queen was holding court, and was currently scolding a group of dwarves for digging into a hillside and pissing off a slumbering wyrm. The dwarves were upset because the wyrm ate a few of them and were now demanding the queen’s involvement.

The faeire queen wasn’t having it. The dwarves had trespassed on the wyrm’s territory and were clearly at fault. She sent them away with a promise not to cook them up as a stew for the wyrm for wasting her time. When she sat down, she cast a weary gaze over the congregation.

“Despite hundreds, if not thousands of years of life, I am constantly surrounded by squabbling children. If only I could tell them to grow up, but alas.” The queen sighed and looked over at Cecilia. “How are you feeling today?”

“Lonely, bored and frustrated, Your Majesty.” Cecilia shifted in her seat, causing it to sway.

“Your dear, sweet Mike is sure taking his time.”

“Through no fault of his own. Time flows differently here.” Cecilia was tired of this game. Once every few weeks, the queen would mention that Mike had yet to return, but Cecilia knew better. She was more afraid that one day, the queen would come to her and tell her a hundred years had passed and Mike was dead and gone. Then the taunting would end, and she would likely have her freedom.

If the queen was in a good mood, that is.

“As it does. No matter. You know what will happen if he dares to show his face here again, don’t you?” The queen looked at her, her eyes sparkling.

“I do.” Cecilia frowned. The queen had spent countless hours regaling her with all the things she wanted to do to Mike should he return, but the general gist of it was that she had no intention of letting him leave with what he wanted. She had yet to divulge her specific plan for handling Mike Radley, but Cecilia had no doubt that it was devious.

“Well, I do suppose he’ll show his face here eventually.” The queen smirked, then leaned back in her chair. “But I’ll admit, I’m getting tired of waiting for him.”

Cecilia kept her mouth shut.

“Do you miss him still?”

“Every day, Your Majesty.”

“Really? You’ve spent far more time with me in here than you ever did with him out there.”

“The heart knows what it wants, Your Majesty.”

“You don’t have a heart. Not a real one, anyway.” The queen waved her hand dismissively. “Never mind,  that’s just semantics. I didn’t make your kind to love, so what do you suppose happened? A flaw in my design? Or perhaps something happened to you in the mortal realm?”

“I couldn’t say, Your Majesty.” Cecilia kept her gaze forward, afraid to betray anything.

“Ah, well. I’ve still got some time to think on it.” She turned her attention to the court. “Next!” she called out, then rose to meet a delegation of seelie from the northern plains.

When the queen was adequately far away, Cecilia closed her eyes and concentrated.

Mike was awake, which meant she couldn’t see him in his dreams. It was something she had discovered some months ago, that she could visit him in his dreams. She had even talked to him briefly, but the dream had faded.

Undeterred, she cast her mind out to her brother instead. While she couldn’t communicate with him, she could sometimes see through his eyes. Most of the time, it wasn’t of any use, but even brief glimpses of the house brought her strength.

Sulyvahn was standing outside. It was a sunny day at the Radley house, and time had slowed to a crawl. Currently, he was looking at Mike, whose mouth was open mid-sentence.

Warmth bloomed inside her chest, and she fought to keep the smile off her face, lest the queen see it. At the current speed, the conversation with Mike could be days or even weeks from her point of view.

Content for now, she watched.