《Fortuity》


 Fortuity Synopsis

    Fortuity: Book One of the Fate Quartet.


    Gwendolyn Girru is a Phoenix Witch due to her elusive ancestor. Although her family line has lost its wings, they have maintained their ability to control literary worlds and rewrite facts as they see fit. Gwendolyn is the youngest in her generation and has no interest in the responsibility her abilities grant her. She ignores her brother''s lessons and instead plays with fictional characters and reads her guilty pleasures.


    Unfortunately, one day, her brother has enough of her antics and sends her packing into a world doomed to end. Gwendolyn is stripped of her literary abilities and forced to adapt and control powers she doesn''t understand.


    Although the lazy witch is quick to jump at the chance, little does she know that she will have matters of the heart to contend with soon. Her list of problems grows as Gods start dropping down from the heavens to throw wrenches in the plan.


    Gwendolyn must master powers opposite hers and keep her sanity as she goes up against the God who controls her new world.


    <hr>


    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.? This story''s overarching message will cover how circumstances can duplicate the effects of fate. There will be only one chapter with a sex scene in this book, mild violence throughout it, and the loss of humanity as the main character finds herself and her true power. (aka, she''s gonna rise like a phoenix as she tries on different lives.)


    ?There are also chapters with suicidal attempts in them; I apologize in advance if that bothers you.


    ? The male lead is


    dark and an antihero who you prob don''t see the turnabout coming. The shift hits hard, which is my bad. The story took on a life of its own. The original male lead is someone none of you will ever guess. And I can''t believe how far the story came from its origins. I mean that in a good way. However, part of me worries for my mental health as I really shouldn''t have had the male lead to do certain things...


    ? There are 42 chapters plus an epilogue. There will be one random chapter for fun with weird things I find amusing and want to add about the characters at the very end of book one.


    ? I have an extra chapter planned for book one with one of the side characters as the narrator. (For shits and giggles!)


    ? I lowkey suck at writing any and all synopses, so if you read this tale all the way through and have a better way to phrase it, please help me!


    ? For reals, send halp!


    ? Comment if you notice what the pattern of titles in the quartet means!


    ? This is lowkey, just a blurb space so I can hit the 500-word count. I didn''t think it would be this hard, but I want to keep this spoiler-free so you can enjoy the tale.


    ? I never thought I''d say this, but I''ve run out of things to type.

 Chapter One

    "You look like my grandma." These heartless words were spoken seemingly without malice, but I froze nonetheless. The child, Kyle, who said this was barely older than my current body, and his innocent eyes showed only forthright honesty. You little shit, I thought as I fought the urge to take back the homemade vitamin I gave the kid. Couldn''t I have been at least be seen as a motherly figure? Even a big sister would be preferable. Why a grandma?


    I battled the desire to be petty and shook my head, "You''re older than me!" I said hotly.


    "But look at your clothes; they look like something my gran would wear." The boy said as he gestured to said clothing.


    I looked down at the soft, pale yellow shawl I wore over a long pink sweater dress. I had spent six months painstakingly creating this outfit. The thick, rosy dress kept the bitter chill of winter from my skin. The soft shawl made my skin look warm and pretty.


    My lips turned down as if I tasted something sour. "Well, your grandma has great taste," I said as I turned my nose up and swept away dramatically.


    My brother was the only one to blame for this and any other hardship or insult I suffered in this world. Maybe, just maybe, my constant seeking of his attention created my entrance into this hell. But I''m just a kid! The two of us only have each other, and he sent me packing to another world to be free of me. Literally!


    It all started eight months ago when I first burst into his study room. The door creaked and threatened to fall off the hinges, but I barely used any force. "Good morning, Gus!" I said to him with a chipper smile.


    My brother''s strong profile looked as regal as a statue as he slowly turned to look at me. His long black hair barely shifted as he moved. Gus is just so stiff that even gravity obeyed him and remained prim. His reading glasses gleamed at me in disapproval. Annoyance and disdain dripped off his dark, steely eyes as he peered at me. "You will fix that door," he stated, ignoring my greeting. Augustus, or Gus, as I lovingly called him, turned his attention back to his paperwork. The scraping sound of quill and ink didn''t stop even with my presence. His cold aura around him would usually dissuade me from communicating with him. I was fed up with letting this attitude control me. Grandma left, and now I had no one to talk to.


    So, with a jut of my chin, I ignored his frosty words and cheerfully said, "Gus, look at these!" I dropped a handful of books onto his desk. "There''s this new trend of novels. People are ''falling'' into stories and changing them!" Gus glanced at the titles idly, but I knew his eidetic mind had already memorized their names. "Can''t we recreate the same thing! Didn''t Great Aunt Belinda do that when she wrote her stories?"


    "Wrong." Gus'' stony voice said without an iota of interest. His only interest was grabbing a fresh sheet of paper, which he did before continuing to write away.


    "Isn''t it, though? She took people who were dead and gave them a chance at life again. She did this by sending them into story worlds of her making. Great Aunt Belinda was able to create a bunch of different timelines and stories." I said, nonplussed at his lack of emotion.


    "No," Gus said as his dried ink eyes narrowed and his mouth thinned. This was a shift from his regular stiff face and a clear warning.


    I should apologize and bid my goodbye right away. I ignored this instinct, which I had never done before. I, too, could ignore social cues and do as I like! "She did so-" I started to say.


    He interrupted me coldly, "Great Aunt Belinda made a deal with a Fate Witch to snatch the souls of people just before they died. She placed them in her stories and let the worlds play out. People read them as they unfolded, and fan favorites became actual books. She did not give them a chance at life again; it was merely playacting."


    My chin trembled as I pouted and said, "Sounds like what I said."


    "It was incorrect and lacked vital information." Gus'' crisp voice reprimanded me. My shoulders slumped as I scurried out of his study, finally defeated and discouraged by the ogre.


    You''d think I would take a hint, but alas, my silly fourteen-year-old self-picked the nuclear option. I was tired of spending days with no actual human contact. While fun, the rows of books that never ended were a depressing way to live. I needed someone to talk to, and my only living option was my statue of a brother. So even if he didn''t like it, I would spend time with him.


    I made it a point to drop by every day after this. Gus'' nonexistent patience thinned each day until my asshole brother finally snapped.


    "Look at this book!" I said as I proudly waved the cover of a handsome, chiseled man before my brother. Most of his face wasn''t shown as he stood with his back facing the world. His posture was toward the gruesome scene of the world ending. Behind him was a petite woman whose beauty was undeniable. Even with the world on fire, the man turned to look down at her. The sweet romantic duo offset the violent world around them. The romantic in me swooned at the image. Even in danger, he kept his love well within his sight. It was so romantic.


    I examined Gus'' expression and noted that it didn''t change. He didn''t even bother to look up at my entrance or to see the book. I mentally scolded my stiff brother. I stopped myself from shaking him and screaming, PAY ATTENTION TO ME. But nothing I did made the workaholic do so. The shock of my audacity likely forced his hand the first time. Since then, no matter what tidbits I tossed his way, he clammed up. My stony brother seemed to have resigned himself to my presence but he wouldn''t talk back. I would better serve as one of his bookcases or a decorative bookend by this point. At least he would dust me occasionally and spend a few seconds of his precious time on me.


    I sat my uninvited butt down on the plush leather sofa in his private study and started sharing the plot with him. It was a rather odd novel about a world-ending event. A meteor almost crashed into Earth. The world''s governments came together and found a way to destroy it in orbit. Unfortunately, the strange rock''s dust scattered everywhere and fell into the Earth''s atmosphere. As the dust fell, everything on Earth changed. The sun disappeared into a cloud of dust for three weeks. Crops died without the sun, and animals turned to humans for food. In less than two weeks, most humans fell sick, and those who recovered developed strange powers. Within six months, the humans with powers began to fight one another for resources to survive in this strange new world.


    This strange world would have fallen apart if it weren''t for the male protagonist. He was born again and went through the end of times twice. He grew up in a decently wealthy family who lost everything before the world crashed to an end. In the first life, he ignored and neglected his younger sister. With their ages being so close, it stood to reason that his father had cheated on his mother before she died. What he didn''t know was that she was his adopted sister. His father took in an old friend''s daughter who had no one else in the world. Communication could have been better in this family. It would have easily solved everything had it been utilized properly. Though clearly, the lack of it served to move the plot along. Still, I could relate to a lack of communication from one''s family. I, too, suffer from that every day, so it was very legitimate.


    Regardless of the cold treatment of the male protagonist, the female protagonist loved him. Her strong healing powers were used to keep him safe, and the two grew closer during the end times. Still, the male protagonist kept her at arm''s length to honor his mother''s memory. That is until she died saving him.


    "The male lead could return when he was given a second chance. He was able to repent and find out that his assumptions were wrong. He was able to fix his relationship with his true love and his father. It''s very touching. Rex''s powers grew, gaining a magical space that defied time and space. Although it''s an awesome power for keeping supplies, it''s not one I would pick."


    "What power would you pick?" Gus asked me, and I perked up. It was the first time he had spoken to me in days, and so I brightened.


    "Plant manipulation! If you can grow food, there''s no need to worry about it. You could become the plant''s sun, so it''s fine if the sun takes a nap behind space dust. Besides, who needs storage when you''re a literary witch!" I held my hand to a book on his coffee table. There was a bright red apple on the cover of it. I calmed my mind as I accessed that ball of power that burned brightly deep within me. The white fire lit me up, and I used that power to rip the apple into creation. The weight of it fell into my hand as it disappeared from the book''s cover. I took a bite, savoring the juicy crunch. No longer 2d, the 3d shiny apple tasted as sweet as it smelled. "Of course, to those more fortunate are the blessed fruit of labor." This power that ran in my family''s bloodline was extraordinary. I didn''t need any more powers.


    "Oh?" There was something strange in my brother''s voice, but foolish me ignored all the warning signs.


    "If I, a literary witch, had premonitions on top of plant manipulation, I''d be set for life. It would be easy to grow food and avoid danger. You''d have to be an idiot to die." I said with a cocky grin.


    "You''ve put a lot of thought into this."


    "I got into a fight with some people. I pulled out of a book to discuss it," I said, shaking my head at their foolery. I''m a literary witch. How could they outdo me when it comes to plotting logically? My magic relied on books! I have been reading and absorbing knowledge from the best literary masterpieces since I was three!


    "Were you fighting instead of working on your spell work?" His accusation was as scathing as his glare.


    I hiccupped and bit my tongue to stop myself from squeaking. Awkwardly, I put the apple on the table and hunched my shoulders. Oops, I shouldn''t have said that.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    My brother''s stiff expression shifted into a stony fury at my response. "You know better than to waste your magic pulling people out of stories." His nagging words pierced my ears as he scolded me.


    I made an annoyed face; he was such a killjoy.


    I wasn''t brave enough to say any of this to my brother, and instead, I opened a book and pretended I didn''t hear him. This was not convincing at all.


    "Gwendolyn," Gus said, my name, which meant business. I could count on one hand the number of times he had addressed me this way.


    My guilty eyes met his, and I pouted.


    Without wasting time, punctual Gus started reaming into me. "Being a literary witch is more than being able to rip apples off a cover. I will give you the rest of your day to complete your monthly studies before I give you a test." After finishing, he pushed up his glasses and returned to his paperwork.


    Ugh. He is such a fuddy duddy. I thought of the last time he gave me a test and how badly my head hurt afterward. He asked the most complex questions and really took the fun out of being a witch. I scurried out of his study and into my room.


    The scent of roses and old books tickled my nose as I opened the door. I could feel myself relax as I ran into my sanctuary. Pink on pink greeted my eyes. The walls were pink, with shelves with books crammed into every inch available. Other than my bed, there wasn''t any other furniture. Since I could pull whatever clothing I wanted, I didn''t bother keeping any in dressers. I didn''t need chairs or sofas when I had the most beautiful king-sized canopy bed. Pink lace decorated the outrageously princess-themed bed. I dived into it, uncaring how I scattered pillows everywhere.


    "Damned, brother." I sulked into my silk pillows that were left. Why was he so mean to me? As the only daughter of the bloodline, I was used to being spoiled. Even the ghostly ancestors pampered me! My brother was the only one in the family who didn''t give me what I wanted. It wasn''t fair. I thought of the countless books with protective, solid brothers and glowered at the silk pillows. What girl didn''t desire that?


    I ended up passing out as I ranted out all of my feelings. I woke up groggily hours later in a field of green. Wait, a field of green? I sat up and looked around me. Everything was unfamiliar; all I could see was bright green grass around me. A fluttering noise drew my attention to a piece of paper sticking out of my pocket. I opened it and almost passed out in shock.


    Dearest Gwendolyn, watching you sleep so soundly when you should be taking a test inspired me. I decided to change your written test to a practical one. Great Grandma Alduna came up with this one, and you''ll enjoy it. You are now in the novel you so glowingly spoke of. You are no longer a witch in this world. You can leave the story once it plays out, or you can remember your magical lessons and leave. If you cannot recall your studies and leave the book, don''t worry. Not all is lost. You have five years before the meteor messes up the world. Spend that time wisely. The two powers you spoke of so confidently are now your own. Good luck.


    Augustus Girru


    There was a second piece of paper, but the handwriting was different and attached to a ring. As I read the label, my heart filled with excitement. It read: Pocket Dimension Ring.


    The black gem in the center glittered like the night sky as it looked up at me. I picked it up and mutely slipped it on my right hand''s index finger. I hissed as my chest tightened and the ring connected with my soul. This was why the ring was so unique, and it would only come off if the owner died. But even in death, it couldn''t be transferred. So, when I eventually left this book, it should go with me. This ring was unique and rather generous of my brother, given how poorly I spoke of the male protagonist having his own magical space.


    This pocket-dimension ring was one of a kind. Only one could be made a year with precise craftsmanship by a specific group of witches. They were secretive, with good reason, so all I knew was the basics of this kind of power. I never thought I''d have the chance to see one, let alone own this ring. As sneaky as literary witches could be at grabbing anything, we couldn''t rip this out of a book. Powerful items and or magical artifacts had to be made just right. Taking them out of a book either lessened them to almost nothing or had dire consequences and increased the risk of backfire.


    The shiny new gift did nothing to quell my seething rage. I''m going to kick my brother''s ass. I thought as I reread the note. How could he strip me of my literary powers and then expect me to use my abilities to leave? What was he talking about?


    I closed my eyes and felt for that familiar ball of power that burned inside me, but it was nowhere to be found. Instead, I felt a new ball with a softer, warm light. I mentally touched it and gasped as foreign energy invaded my body. I opened my eyes at a strange sound and saw the grass around me explode with new growth.


    Shaking with disbelief, I watched as the grass grew tall enough to engulf me. As I tried to catch my bearings, the note from Gus began to disappear, and I stood up in a panic. "No! Please no! WAIT!" I screamed as it faded away. I could do nothing to protect the only clue from my world. I howled like a banshee, but the noise died as I watched the note''s dust settle like spores around my head. Images and information flooded me, and I gasped with surprise and pain.


    My new name was Wendy Evans. I lived with my grandfather in the most remote part of town. Considering this was a miniature mountainous farming town already remote, that said something. Green''s Mountain was the name, and the familiar name reminded me of the male protagonist Rex''s journey. It was a small part of his more extensive adventure to unite the world. Revamping this farming town was a must to provide food to nearby strongholds.


    I didn''t finish the book because I wanted to savor the feeling of pages instead of just absorbing the story. Where I left off, though, the hero was living his second life. He was quicker to travel to Green''s Mountain to create a solid colony to protect and expand the farming town. He was shaping up the survivors who were left. Rex was also eyeing a nearby aggressive territory that wanted their food.


    I hacked at the grass that grew stronger and wilder at the slightest touch of my skin. I was stuck in this world, and it would end in five years. I vowed to put my brother in a book of my choosing when I managed to get out.


    Being in Green''s Mountain could have been better, given how its resources would get targeted quickly. Also, the male protagonist would come here, meaning significant conflicts would follow suit.


    How was Wendy Evans going to fair with this upcoming storm? I froze as that inaccurate question popped into my head. I am Wendy Evans now. That meant whatever was coming to her would come to me.


    So, how would I deal with all of this? I am a literary witch with the power of plant manipulation. I had five years to attempt to master this new ability. To top it off, I was bereft of my almighty literary magic.


    Just as despair started to pierce my brain, a wiggling thought burst forth. He mentioned I was given two powers, didn''t he? And if the plant power was the first one I spoke of, the other I wanted was now mine. Did that mean I had precognition? I groaned; visions are a tricky power. If Gus went off my description of plant manipulation to grant me that power, what would be the premise for my new visions? I should have gone into detail so he could choose whatever when creating. It could be triggered by touch, sound, sleep, or whatever.


    "Asshole, jerky old man," I muttered obscenity after obscenity, hoping with glee he was reading this and flinching. "Stone-faced coal man." Okay, that last one didn''t make a lick of sense, but I felt better.


    Once I ran out of adjectives and curse words, I managed to find myself in front of a pond. I took this time to look at myself. I mean Wendy. That''s who I became, after all. I studied my light brown skin and bright green eyes. The upturned nose was certainly cuter than my original. She had the ordinary features of a child who looked her age of thirteen. There were signs of malnutrition in the gauntness of cheeks. There was nothing special about the lips or ears. My new hair was fascinating¡ªthick brown curls with natural streaks of highlights created by the sun. My own mousy hair never saw the sun, so seeing this brought a smile to my new lips.


    She was a contrast to me in so many ways. My light brown skin was pale, nearly white from never seeing the sun. While a little wavy, my dark, long black hair wasn''t a wild nest of curls. My eyes weren''t green and looked more like faded ink.


    I noted that my bright green eyes dulled by the time I finished my inspection. Was this about using my powers? Would my eyes give me away? I''ll consider that moving forward.


    I closed my eyes and tried some meditation. Once I became calm, I reached the pond with my new ball of power. A plant I couldn''t identify stretched from the water to touch my hand. When I opened my eyes to see my reflection, I noted that my eyes only glowed a little before dulling to a light green. Hmm, it may depend on how much power I used. Further exploration and experimentation of my new limits were in order.


    I spent time going through memories and making sure to catalog it all. I needed to make sure I could become Wendy in all aspects.


    I used these memories to head to my new home. An image of it flitted in my mind, and I winced. As I looked at the house through Wendy''s memories, I made notes of improvements and things I wanted to do to it. There was a lot to be done. The once-proud building was now a decrepit two-story house with a huge basement and attic. There were two bedrooms on the first floor, and the master bedroom had a full bathroom. There was another half bathroom by the living room. The kitchen and the living room were heated by fire, which was rather lucky, all things considered. A wood stove and a fireplace were great, but the lack of firewood could have been better.


    The second story needed to be rehauled massively. The two residents of the home rarely went upstairs. There could be an assortment of damage done, but when I went up there, I would know. The basement was another unknown factor, as was the attic.


    Back to the second story, there is one bathroom, three bedrooms, and a study. There is a small space for a double living room, complete with a fireplace. The most enormous bedroom with a fireplace would be converted into my personal library. My eyes gleamed at the prospect. I didn''t care if the end of the world was coming. I was going to have my stories, and I was going to read them comfortably.


    The bright green grass that rejoiced at my touch started becoming thick bushes and trees as I finally found myself in the Unruly Forest. There is an official name for the forest somewhere, but everyone calls it Unruly. Even natives in Green''s Mountain got lost in its depths. It was known to be a forest that didn''t make sense. There was no accurate map because it twisted and wound like tree roots. It led many on a goose chase, and sadly, more than one camper has died due to being lost. It was owned by the Evans family but open to the public until the last camper died twenty years ago.


    I used Wendy''s memory to enter the forest. The scent of foliage tickled my nose, and I smiled. It smelled so good. The earthy notes of fresh life made me feel at ease. This forest that so few dared to trek was part of my home. I could be safe once I entered. It would also be the best place to practice and grow my abilities. A gift from my reticent brother? I mentally scoffed at that but then paused. Was the Unruly Forest in the story? With the focus on the male protagonist Rex, it stood to reason that he focused on the farms, right? I didn''t remember a mention of it, so maybe it was something my brother added...or just left out of the main story. Only some things a writer wrote down stay as they redraft and spruce up their work.


    What use was a deadly forest to the male hero?


    My brother was powerful and skilled enough to add to this world. He was a literary witch, and if ink and paper existed, a literary witch could make anything happen. It was why my family was hunted almost to extinction. Out of all the witch families gifted with extraordinary abilities, ours had other witches turning on us out of fear. It was possible and an idea to leave it open for reevaluation later.


    Recalling the male protagonist really shined a light on what an asshole my brother was. Sure, Rex made some mistakes, but he shaped up and became an incredible male lead. Growth and development were everything my brother would never gain. My brother personally tossed me into a world where an apocalyptic event was going to inevitably happen. "You shitty buttwipe." I combined more words as I glared up at the sky. Read it and weep, jerk.

 Chapter Two

    The woods started clearing up, and I could see my new home with my eyes for the first time. I couldn''t help but cry out at the sight of it. Wendy''s memories of it had been too generous. Obviously, the structure was good, but it looked like it had at least twenty years of neglect. The old sky-blue paint had turned brown. Water stains and moss decorated the house like sprinkles on a cake.


    The rooftop had seen better days, and tiles were missing. Mishandled patch jobs on the roof prevented leaks, but a bad storm would rip them clean.


    These were just the house''s changes; I would wait to address the yard. Wendy, why were you so kind when you looked at this house? Her memories made me feel like I was in the wrong place, but I knew this was the Evans family home. That girl saw it as her castle and didn''t know any better.


    The Evans family had lost the matriarch, Wendy''s grandma Carol. Her husband was simply known as Grandpa Evans in Wendy''s memory. Their grown children were either dead or left the small town to explore the world. There could be a dozen cousins or none, for all Wendy knew. That meant fixing this house fell on my tiny, underdeveloped shoulders.


    "I have my work cut out for me," I muttered as I walked into the house. The bright green door was wide open, and I scanned the home with critical eyes. The faint scent of breakfast tickled my nose, and a smile finally graced my lips. Good food, as always, was the best thing. I eyeballed the pink floral wallpaper and was content with how it didn''t peel. Grandma Carol kept the house as lovely as possible before passing away. Like Wendy, there was little she could do physically when she lacked the strength and knowledge of building. Grandma Carol knew how to preserve the inside of her home, and she did a great job, all things considered. She was an older woman, however, taking care of her chair-bound husband and granddaughter while her own health was deteriorating.


    "Blessed be Grandma Carol," I said as I took in what a year without her did to the first floor. Wendy, and thus, I was lucky that she was around during my formative years.


    I could see the stairs that lead to the second floor from the entrance. In front of the stairs was a small dining table set. It was decorated with a cream cover. A bowl of fake fruit and flowers were placed in the center. From here, I could see dust from the disuse. To my left was the kitchen, and I excitedly looked at the wood stove. The shiny black metal looked new, likely something Grandma Carol scrapped to buy. She wisely trained the young Wendy to tend it and create food that Grandpa Evans could eat. There were four compartments, the most prominent being where the fuel would be burned for heat. There was an arch under the wood stove for firewood storage, but it needs restocking.


    To the right, it opened up to the living room. Tiny knickknacks cluttered every available space and shelf, but it didn''t look tacky. It made the living room look comfy. I was used to my family''s airy, efficient decoration back home. There was no warmth or cozy little nothings. Everything at home had to serve a purpose and fulfill a need. A strange bubble of warmth filled my chest as I poked at a strange-looking red bird with fluffy plumage.


    Of course, there was more than just Grandma Carol''s favorite knickknacks in the living room. Grandpa Evan''s favorite things were here as well. There was a decent-sized flat-screen TV with a love seat, a four-seater couch, and an old lazy boy. Grandpa Evans was sleeping in it, and I walked past him to look at the second-story upstairs.


    Like Grandma Carol, Wendy didn''t go upstairs and hasn''t since her passing. I needed to assess every part of the house to formulate my long-term plan. I had to live in this damned world, after all. Luckily, it was spring, and I could get things done before it got too cold and wet.


    The stairs were in decent shape, but I held my breath with trepidation as I went up further. The pungent scent of funk hit me like a book falling from a high shelf. My trepidation turned to a lingering sour sensation that started in my nose and pinged to my heart. Fear. It was a feeling that I wasn''t very familiar with, and the shivers of it turned my butt around and right back down the stairs.


    The upstairs arguably had the most ground to cover, with the attic being an offshoot. The heaviness of the unknown was something I should tackle when I had a better plan in motion.


    I still need to check my most crucial room, my own! My new bedroom was next to the kitchen. Grandma Carol and Grandpa Evans'' room was across from mine, and theirs was next to the living room right before the stairs.


    Eventually, I might need to go in and see if changes needed to be made, but Wendy''s room would be mine after all. I can''t trust Wendy''s judgment. Her ideas of what was grand were actually dangerous. So, I needed to see the damage firsthand.


    I opened my door with reserved hope. My narrowed eyes popped open as a happy gasp slipped out. Her room was cute. Wendy''s taste ran close to my own. "Sweet." The wallpaper had intricate red heirloom roses on a light pinkish cream background. I looked to my left and saw her bed. Wendy needed a king-sized canopy bed. Instead, it was a nice, full one. I briefly scanned the assorted patchwork quilt and pillows before looking away.


    My gaze was drawn to the love window seat across from me. The pink cushions needed a new cover, and under the seat were drawers. There were silly toys in them, but I would empty them out and fill them with necessities.


    Two bookshelves sandwiched the window seat, and I sighed at the pitiful amount of books. They were mostly picture books and random magazines. I walked up to the window and pulled aside the curtains. The bleak brown grass outside greeted my eyes, and I looked away quickly. An excellent, sturdy desk to the right of the entrance drew my attention next. I could accomplish some work here. I moved closer and saw it was littered with drawings.


    The slight smile that bloomed on my face withered as I looked at the drawings. Wendy had a life before I came into the picture. She was alive. I picked up a picture where she drew roses that looked identical to the wallpaper. My guilt combatted the sadness as my brain tried to rationalize this all away.


    I couldn''t recall a Wendy in the main story. Does the book have an Unruly Forest, either? From its inception, the Evans family was tied to the forest, so there would be no forest without them. I prayed silently that this family and forest were created by my brother. Anything else could have some dire moral questions at hand. It was more than probable with his magic, after all.


    I gulped hard and turned away from the desk as the total weight of this all finally hit me. I wiped away my wet cheeks and entered the walk-in closet. It was in the far-right corner of the room. I needed to get an idea of what clothing I had to work with next. It wouldn''t be a problem if I had my literary powers. I could pull out whatever style of dress I wanted from the stash of magazines Wendy collected.


    Racks of worn-down clothing decorated the left and right walls of the closet. There was a small window directly across from the door with a little shelf under it that brought a faint smile back to my lips. It was a nice touch.


    Okay, so I started my plan to survive with this better idea of what I had to work on. First, I needed to start with the basics of what was necessary for survival. Food was given first at the top of the list. My new abilities and powers put Grandpa Evans and me in a good position. I still needed to master this power, but I had five years to do so. All I needed was seeds, knowledge, and time.


    Clean water was next on the list and something I need to figure out. How to store it and purify it. The space dust was going to pollute water sources. And dehydration killed faster than starvation, after all.


    My shelter was third and would cost the most financially. The Evans home needed to be repaired. I need to branch out to get that done. My scrawny, prepubescent body couldn''t handle that kind of job.


    Avoid the plot of My Adoring Brother had to be fourth. I could not risk getting involved with the male protagonist, his allies, or enemies. Whether or not Wendy Evans is a creation my brother added to this world, there could be trouble. This was a born-again novel, meaning that the male protagonist lived twice. If this was his second lifetime and the Unruly Forest was newly added, there could be trouble. It was best to lock down the forest before the world ended and ensure no one could enter.


    Learning how to cook was fifth on my simple bullet-point list. I have never cooked a day in my life. There was never any need to, and even now, I hesitated where to start. I need to learn how to preserve and can food. That wasn''t something even Wendy knew fully. Luckily, this was a farming town entirely of such knowledge.


    My stomach growled at the thought of food, and I stopped my list to head to the kitchen. It didn''t take much puttering around to find the sandwich bread, peanut butter, and grape jelly.


    Peanut butter would be an excellent thing to have during the end times. This thought flitted into my mind as I slabbed the thick brown butter onto the bread. Peanut butter contains good stuff like protein, salt, and calories, right? That''s just the right thing for survival.


    And what about bread? I''d have to learn to make bread if I wanted to eat it later. What was bread even made from? It was made from flour, but how did you make flour? That came from wheat, right? Sure, I could just store a bunch of flour, but I''d have to buy or make it. Can you make flour? I''ll have to grind wheat. I could feel my brain racing as I added countless things to my ever-growing mental list.


    As exhausting and scary as all this was, I could feel excitement kick my heart into high gear. This may be the first challenge I''ve ever had in my life. Instead of reading and studying books on how people had adventures, I was having my own. The possibilities are endless! Still, my brother would receive my wrath regardless of whether I enjoyed my time here.


    I made two sandwiches, one for me and one for Grandpa Evans. I walked to the living room, where he lay sprawled in his signature chair. I put down the plate on his lap. He stirred under my perusal, and I spent this time looking at him.


    Strangely, I didn''t have much to go on from Wendy''s memory. She wasn''t close to him, but it wasn''t her fault. He withdrew into himself after Grandma Carol passed away. Grandpa Evans didn''t want to do anything besides watch his shows, eat and sleep. Wendy was grieving in her own way, and she spent as much time outside as she could to the point where her hair bleached under the sun''s rays.


    Grandpa Evans reminded me of an old, gnarled oak tree. He was thicker around his trunk and midsection, but his branches were windy and frail-looking. His roots run deep, however, and his plush seat meshed up to become part of him whenever he sat in it. His fingers curled from rheumatoid arthritis and looked permanently embedded into the chair''s arms.


    Grandpa Evans stirred when I put down his plate on his lap. He grinned and slowly ate absently. I thought I''d take good care of you as he tucked right into his food.


    If my hunch was correct, please let it be; this family was made for me. A child taking care of herself in any world would draw eyebrows, even if this world''s idea of independence and schooling was so different. He was a guardian who ran on autopilot, only eating and sleeping. This, more than anything, confirmed my hunch. It was also like the trope where the child protagonist has borderline neglectful family members so their adventures could unfold. Almost every coming-of-age adventure would be over before the first pages began if supervision was in place.


    Gus could have at least given me a calm, protective older brother. Not that he''d understand the concept at all. I sourly mumbled some insulting adjective in my head as I headed back into my room.


    I munched on my sandwich as I started to go through Wendy''s books one-handedly. Out of sheer curiosity, I tried again to access my literary ball of energy as I touched a book¡­but nada.


    I sighed mournfully and returned to categorizing the selection on hand. Aside from the trash mags and picture books, there were recipe books. I browsed through them, and once I was done eating, I started to stack the aforementioned literature into two piles.


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    The unnecessary beauty trash mags were leaving. The rest could be kept. No point in getting rid of perfectly good books of any kind, but who cared about gossip rags? Some of these spanned back decades, and Grandma Carol was devoted. It might be possible to trade these antiques.


    I left them in their thick pile on the floor and steadily put all the actual books back on their shelves. I spent the rest of the day going through the first floor this way. Anything that could be converted for use or was general trash ended up in a pile in my room.


    As I worked, I checked in on Grandpa Evans as he napped and watched his stories. I only poked him when I couldn''t hear his softer snores. He really was a simple guy. I replenished his drinking cup as needed and fulfilled my current task.


    Eventually, the sun started to go down, and this tiny, weak body slowed to exhaustion. Wendy was a wild child and often ran around all day, but even she had her limits. My stomach reminded me I barely ate, and I headed to the kitchen to remedy that.


    After washing and drying my hands, I grabbed the necessary tools for dinner. This was going to be my biggest challenge today. I needed to start the woodstove fire for dinner.


    I was more than a little nervous about this task. For starters, I''ve never done it before, and I was relying on Wendy''s memories. My hands shook, and I tried to calm my breathing to steady them and get the tinder going.


    Knowing how to do something from memory and knowledge didn''t mean I could. It took me time and several mistakes before I got it right. I watched the flames with pride before closing the little door to trap the heat. While the stove heated up, I rewashed my hands as my many mistakes had colored them.


    I went through the cabinets with an idea of what was in them already. I soon settled on making macaroni and cheese. The instructions were on the box, but the inner foodie in me thought of adding ham from the fridge.


    I pulled up my unique pink stool labeled Wendy for convenience''s sake. As the pot of water took its time to boil, I chopped up ham and tossed it and some butter into the boiling water. Wendy''s memories made me recall how that prevented the noodles from sticking to the pot.


    It took some time for the noodles to finish, and I left the fire on so it could burn out. It was a crisp spring night, and any extra warmth was ideal.


    I pulled out a glass milk bottle, and a small smile grew at the farm''s name. However, my thoughts and smile disappeared when I thought about how precious and needed milk was. We would require that during the end times. My plan for renovating the home needed to include room and stables for farm animals.


    I added the above to my mental checklist to explore and return to the present. I added milk, powder, and extra cheese to the macaroni noodles. The cheesy, melty texture made my mouth water.


    Instead of calling Grandpa Evans to the table, I set up a dinner tray for him. He had his bowl of macaroni, some veggies I cut while waiting for the noodles to boil, and a glass of milk. After giving him his tray, I carried over my own to finally look at what he was watching so eagerly.


    Grandpa Evans devoured his food. Warm pleasure bloomed in my chest as I watched him. This was the first meal I''d ever made without magic.


    I loaded up a spoon and took a hearty bite as I looked at the TV. A heartbeat later, I almost choked. He was watching a Spanish soap drama! I swallowed my food and laughter and sat back to enjoy a show I couldn''t understand a word of.


    Our meal passed in silence outside the cries of passion on the screen. I couldn''t understand Spanish but was enthralled, nonetheless.


    Eventually, the day''s trials caught up to me, and I drifted asleep. I cleared our plates and tucked Grandpa''s Evan''s blankets in around him.


    It should take me quite some time to fall asleep. At least, that''s what I thought at first when I settled in my bed.


    What about my spacial ring?


    The thought zapped me from sleepy time land with a jolt. I stared at my right index finger in the dark. The shiny stone grabbed onto what light was there and twinkled at me, and I sighed. I had no idea what it would take to utilize the ring. It was basically a new power. Tomorrow, when I have more energy, I will tackle this gift and test my plant abilities more.


    I focused almost entirely on the first floor and future plans today. A slight burble of panic grew in my chest. It''s okay. I reminded myself. I have five years to get this right. I have time. "I''ll show you, Gus," I muttered, wanting him to read this. Once I get out, big brother, I''m going to kick your ass.


    I woke to pitch-black darkness that enveloped me. Did I just wake up before the sun? I laid in Wendy''s bed flummoxed, and after delaying long enough, I slipped out of bed and took a peek at the grandfather clock in the TV room. The gleam of quality glass gave me the dreaded answer.


    I woke up before the sun?! I never wake up before any sun. I stared numbly into the darkness and rubbed my eyes. I was a lazy child who slept until noon and leisurely enjoyed brunch as I read books. Wendy is a programmed morning bird that rises before the sun. This is madness!


    I fumbled in the dark to peek out the window. The sun had just started its journey into the sky. "Unbelievable," I muttered eternal grudges and insults for my brother as I started my morning routine. The worst part I realized as I stared at myself in Grandpa Evan''s bathroom was that I was not sleepy. Shouldn''t I be drowsy and tired?


    Nope. Wendy was an energetic oddball. I exited the bathroom about an hour later, less grumpy and clean.


    Grandpa Evans spent the night in his chair as expected and was still sleeping when I passed him to start breakfast.


    Using Wendy''s memory, I started oatmeal after a much quicker go with the stove. I mentally went over my to-do list as I stirred the pot. Today, I needed to tackle the basement and attic to take stock of what we had and what needed to be removed. I needed to figure out how to utilize the ring and go into town if I had time left over.


    By the time the oatmeal was finished, Grandpa Evans had woken up. I slipped butter, sugar, and milk into our bowls.


    "Morning Grandpa Evans." My voice was much chipper than I wanted it to be.


    Grandpa Evans grunted in response.


    "I made some oatmeal for breakfast." I handed him his platter containing toast, eggs, milk, and oatmeal. We ate, sitting next to each other in companionable silence. The only thing missing from this moment was some tea or coffee. Neither was in the cabinets, so I would remedy that at the opportune moment.


    Grandpa Evans turned on the TV before he even ate his food. I watched him navigate it with surprisingly nimble fingers.


    He really loves that TV. I watched him idly, with most of my focus on my food.


    Electricity! That is something I''ll have to tackle. Is solar power a concept of this world? I racked my brain for a solution and the capital it would take.


    All too soon, my brain was filled with plans and ideas, but my plate was empty. I cleaned everything up. Then I took a step back to look at the kitchen, slightly proud of these simple morning tasks. Ha! Bet Gus didn''t think I could do this. Look at me doing fantastic despite him.


    Okay, back to the day''s tasks and time to get my hands dirty again.


    I went to the basement, glancing at the stairs that went straight up on my way. I could also see the mudroom with the back exit to the backyard. All places for me to tackle soon.


    There was an old, thick door when I reached the bottom of the stairs. I opened it and felt around the wall for a light switch.


    I only had a little to go on memory-wise for the basement. Wendy was scared of dark places, and I could feel her body tremble even as I ventured forth. I attempted to push past her fear and flipped the light switch. Thankfully, the basement was completed and well-kept, aside from the dust. There wasn''t much to see except random boxes and a door in the back wall. I strode forward with a dry mouth and opened it.


    I nearly fainted with delight and Wendy''s fear. Shelves lined the walls, and about half were filled with jars. Oh, Grandma Carol. My hands flew to them as I reached forward to examine them. Sauces, pickles, veggies, broths, and even jams. They were labeled meticulously with dates to use. To my right was an indent leading to a small cubby-sized corner. It had a prep table with a stove and a double sink. Some empty mason jars were likely meant to be filled on standby.


    I paused at the island table to my left as my attention was drawn by a book that lay on it. A literary witch always goes for the books. I caressed it gingerly, wiping off the dust as I ignored the buckets and jars.


    Once it was clean, I examined its contents. A tattered sticky note was on it, instructing me to learn everything I could and care for Grandpa Evans. This book is essential. It was filled with expert insight into vital questions I needed answers to. I held this lifeline to my chest, knowing that some of the tears were from relief and sadness.


    "Sorry it took me so long, Grandma Carol, and thank you."


    Now, the biggest question. How in the world was I supposed to use the ring? I had no magical energy, just this tangled ball of plant energy. I turn to that burning ball in my chest when all else fails. Even if the energy was different, it was what I knew. I closed my eyes and connected it with the power burning within me. I directed that energy down my right hand and onto my index finger. The ring''s band became warm, and I could see my ''space'' for the first time.


    It''s a strange place. Empty. Only nothingness, essentially a black hole of nada as far as my eyes could see. I could fill my empty pocket dimension with whatever I wanted. It was daunting that it was open as far as my little eyes could see.


    The book in my arm sunk right into the space at the merest nudge of my desire. The book then appeared by itself, floating in space. A label appearing right below it stated:


    Name: Grandma Carol''s Farming Heirloom.


    Age: 48 years


    Life Expectancy: 204 years.


    The pocket dimension was supposed to put a pause on time. As long as I kept things in it, they wouldn''t expire. I opened an eye and held out a hand toward a random jar. Again, I nudged it with my desire to have it in my space. In a heartbeat, it appeared in my space. My connection was quicker, and I was able to direct it easier.


    Name: Grandma Carol''s Special Sauce


    Age: 1 year and 30 days.


    Life Expectancy: 1 year and 50 days.


    Perfect. I swallowed a giddy laugh as I battled the urge to suck everything in my sight into my space. I failed slightly as I raised both hands and finger pistoled every jar into my space one by one.


    As I took them into the space individually, I gave myself several excuses for this immature behavior. One, they had a limited shelf life, and the expiration is coming up. Two, I can use the space to estimate if time stops completely or just slows down. With the captioned labels, I can keep track of the time rate for anything. Either way, it was all a win-win.


    Okay, shit, brother, I was a little less annoyed now. This generous gift was mine for as long as I lived, in the book or out.


    I was panting and out of breath by the time I was done. I sat at the island table and laid my head on the dusty table. Oh boy, that took a lot out of me. I gasped as I caught my breath. I didn''t have magic and wasn''t using my plant manipulation to make the ring work. It wasn''t my life force, or I''d start growing white hairs and shriveling up¡­Was it just pure soul energy? The ring is connected to my soul, and that ball of power that burns in me still has me at its core, just not my witchy magic¡­My brain and body were too dizzy to ponder over it for long. Once I gained enough energy, I excitedly left the basement and headed straight to the second story. My chest was warm with the burn of empowerment, and my head was too dizzy with possibilities to be concerned about risks.


    This was, after all, another place I needed to take inventory and see the damage. The landing was covered in boxes. I could see several doors. From a distant memory, I knew that the one on the left was Grandpa Evans''s study. The middle was a bathroom, and the right door was a junk-filled bedroom. Behind me, while part of the landing, were two sofas and a loveseat covered with protective sheets. A dusty but ash-free fireplace sat in the middle of them. It was a cozy little spot that could serve nicely on cold nights.


    I walked towards two doors I didn''t remember and saw that one was another bedroom filled with boxes. The last door had a fireplace and beautiful wood floors. The windows held a particular light, and I knew I would make this room my library. The only thing standing in my way was dust and the most significant number of boxes I''d seen yet. It was likely due to this room being the biggest that these were just stuffed inside.


    You can take the literary powers out of a literary witch and still have a witch who loves books. I inhaled deeply as an image of me lounging flooded my senses. It lingered in my brain as I relaxed briefly and returned to work.


    It was with mild relief and a headache that nothing was trash in the landing boxes. Family silverware, albums, and other knit knacks filled the boxes. Too tired to lug them all around, I slipped them all into my space. These belonged in the attic, but whoever wanted them up there couldn''t complete it for obvious reasons.


    I stepped back into my soon-to-be library. Without batting an eye, I slipped the insane number of boxes into my space. Luckily, these were labeled, so I had a better idea of what I was getting into without opening them. I leaned against the wall to catch my breath and, after I was done, pulled down the attic ladder. I climbed up and was surprised by how tidy everything was. Sure, there were even more boxes, but everything had a place, and the shelves were organized. There were even more decorative things up here, like a broken ornamental tree and seasonal wreaths.


    I connected to my space and all the newly placed boxes inside. I imagined them outside of it but organized so it wouldn''t disrupt the room. As I did this, I waved a hand and, for the first time, tried to place multiple things from my space outside of it. It didn''t look as nicely stacked as I had hoped, but it was great for the first try. I did a little shimmy of joy that was cut short by my aching body. Even though I didn''t have to carry everything physically, my body ached from accessing the space so many times. As I suspected, space was like an additional power. I needed to use it like any other and train it like a new muscle. The more I use my space, the better I will adapt to it. Only the genuinely gifted could soar without drawbacks.


    So it wasn''t surprising that I collapsed on the floor, panting. After catching my breath, I stared at a clothing rack behind some boxes. I, a growing girl, couldn''t afford to waste money on buying clothing. I needed to take whatever I could find and grow into it or learn to tailor anything to fit me. Near the rack of clothing was a sewing machine table set. I could even spot one of those freaky headless tailoring mannequins.


    I moved closer to inspect this area better and saw that under the table was a box filled with sewing books and templates. As always, finding any book was a good thing.


    I went down the ladder and started to tackle the other three rooms. I took only one trip back up this time, hitting all the rooms simultaneously to clear them. Once I returned and dumped my load, I passed out on a dusty rocking chair.

 Chapter Three

    It was decidedly brighter when I woke up and looked out the attic''s only window. I could see a very sad yard. The small vegetable and herb garden Grandma Carol took care of was barely hanging in.


    There was a group of four trees grouped together. One of them, clearly the oldest, had a giant tree house on it. It was a direct shoot from the attic window. It could be interesting to have a walkway to connect the two. I looked closer at the trees and saw flowers in some. Flowers meant fruit trees, right?


    From Wendy''s memories, I knew that those were apple trees. Apples meant jam, pies, and applesauce. The ideas were endless, though. I drooled a little at the thought.


    Unable to help myself, I headed to the trees. I passed Grandpa Evans on the way and, after checking in on him, exited the house through the mudroom. This was the only room I had yet to enter as myself. The washing machine was intact, but the dryer was faulty. The clothing line outside was what the Evans family used more frequently than the dryer.


    I approached the garden feeling stronger after my nap but not looking forward to losing more energy. However, I needed to take stock of what we had and test out some of my planty powers.


    I could see at a glance tomatoes, peas, strawberries, and a bunch of leaves and other plants I couldn''t identify. I touched all of it and watched, fascinated by how the leaves reached for my hands and sucked the energy from my body. What did I tell Gus? Oh yeah, I would never go hungry if I was like the sun to plants. Well, here was proof of how my energy worked for them.


    My knees shook as my eyes fought hard to stay open. I was burning through energy too fast. This new ability of mine was chaotic in nature. What little control I could weld was flimsy. Like the plants reaching for me, it was chomping at the reigns to break free, and just a step outside gave it the freedom to do so. It wasn''t all bad in this situation. These plants were all that Grandma Carol had left behind, and I was going to need as much as I could salvage for the future. Whatever, I didn''t have to trade or barter for the better. I sat on the ground and closed my eyes when it became too much. I needed to gather my own strength back and make sure I didn''t pass out in a heap again. Breathing techniques I once dismissed grounded me as I tightened my hold on this primal energy and beat it into submission. This power couldn''t control me. I would control it. I can give to plants, but I''m not willing to be sucked dry anytime I come outside.


    I grabbed the water pail, once satisfied that my legs wouldn''t give out. Energy and the sun were one thing, but we all needed water. Luckily, Wendy left it half full, and I eagerly fed them water next.


    I couldn''t hear the plants but felt something coming off them. Happiness? Were they happy? Some of the mottled leaves looked brighter and the fruits of their labor more tempting. Would it hurt the plants to eat them? I nibbled on my lips. Maybe it was a good thing I couldn''t hear the plants talk.


    I headed for the apple trees, unwilling to continue that line of inner monologue.


    The scent of blossoms captivated me as I grew closer to them. I got up on the tips of my toes to inhale better. A branch lowered to meet me, and I giggled. "Hello, beautiful." Like all the plants I''d encountered, the apple tree was delighted to see me. The blossoms perked up, the sprouts grew and sprouted, and the leaves looked brighter. Like everything else, it was old and needed a tender touch. I gave what was left of me to the three trees and the plants that naturally attracted and grew around them.


    Everything went dark.


    I woke up a couple hours later. The trees shielded me from the burning sun, and something lovingly tickled my skin gently. I opened my eyes to see a branch from the tree I first sniffed and touched, greeting me again. "Thank you sweetlings." I giggled and sat up gingerly, moving and pushing all the growth aside. After ensuring I didn''t harm anything, I returned to the house.


    There was a basket in the green room, and I grabbed it and headed back to the garden. It was time for a late lunch, and all my hard work made me ravenous. If I was hungry, Grandpa Evans would be so, too.


    I strode back to the garden and was shocked at how the plants offered me their tastiest berries and vegetables. Did the plants want to be eaten? It made sense if one looked at how seeds and produce spread. Or was this because it was me? Too hungry to dwell on yet another question, I grabbed what I could and headed back into the kitchen.


    I wasted no time; I washed everything and sliced up the strawberries. "Sorry, Grandpa Evans. I was cleaning and lost track of time. I said while my hands moved quickly to get the platter going for him.


    He mumbled something as he woke up to my voice. I handed him the platter of strawberries to munch as I put together the rest of lunch. I didn''t have the patience to make something on the stove, so my hunger led me to heat up last night''s leftovers in the microwave. I shelled peas and popped them into our bowls and the rest of the veggies from the garden into the fridge. Tonight, I could boil some eggs and toss them into a salad with spinach.


    When I gave Grandpa Evans his bowl of leftovers, I noticed the strawberries were gone. I switched the plates for him and joined him in the TV room to eat. I tried to engage him to little avail with a conversation, but he merely mumbled responses. I made a face. Even if Grandpa Evans was a side character that allowed me the freedom to move without a proper guardian, I needed to figure out how to help him. Is he depressed, or was there something more at play concerning his mental health? How could I help him if I wanted to? Where would we get the money? I was still determining how the Evans family home could run without working adults.


    I paused and tried to plan around this, but only so much of Wendy''s knowledge could help me. I had the smarts and expertise from my world, but this was a different one with unique customs.


    I could probably go into town tomorrow since I had most of the house sorted. I needed to be able to trade and find things that we needed. I did know that food was delivered by the neighboring farms. It was prepaid somehow. Although there was a lack of knowledge regarding the family''s finances, there had to be something in the coffers.


    I needed to move forward to fortify us for the rough times ahead.


    After lunch, I cleaned up and headed back upstairs to open all the windows. I took out the cleaning supplies and went to town. Everything needed to be wiped down and aired out. It was so dusty that I coughed during the long, grueling process. I found out the color of the walls when I cleaned them. Who knew it was a soft pale green! Certainly, not Wendy or me. The paint wasn''t as chipped as I feared, but I would need to fix it up eventually. I took stock of the condition of the wood floor on the landing and in the hallway. It looked good with all the boxes gone and the grim cleared up. You could tell that everything was made from quality wood as it stood the test of time.


    The carpet in the bedrooms was another story. I would have to scrub them and air them out another day. There was no way I could manage anymore today. My tiny arms were screaming, and my knees were shaking.


    Wendy''s body was used to activity and all-day movement, but I pushed the limits today. Between feeding the trees and plants, checking out my unique ring, and cleaning, I was done. I passed one of the mirrors on my way to the couch and saw that my eyes were a blazing green. Idlily, I thought of how using my powers when I first arrived created that spark. It showed no signs of going away now. That meant I was truly satiated here. I dropped that thought as eagerly as I had several other errant worries throughout the day. I then dragged my arms as I slowly climbed onto the couch.


    Grandpa Evans was watching a Kdrama this time. I greeted him before quickly dozing off. A scream jerked me awake, and I gave a gasp. I looked around the darkened room and saw that Grandpa Evans was looking at me.


    This was the first time I''d gotten a chance to see his face. Mostly, he kept his head down or inside a cup or a bowl. His green eyes looked so much like mine, and I could see where I got the unusual color from. He had some discoloration from blindness, sadly, but it didn''t take away from the unique coloring. He had a strong brow and high cheekbones that weren''t tempered by age. The wrinkles around his eyes and mouth seemed to droop with sadness. He reminded me of the character Eeyore from one of Wendy''s books. I sat up to give him a reassuring smile. Another scream jerked my attention back to the TV. Wait, was it a Korean slasher film masquerading as a Kdrama? I looked away from the bloody scene. I''d never gotten into watching TV, why would I when I had entire worlds at my fingertips with books. My stomach tightened uncomfortably. Reading violence and imagining it was different from seeing it on a screen. "I''ll make dinner now, Grandpa Evans."


    He opened his mouth but closed it quickly and looked away. My eyebrows drew down in concern. He really worried me. I could see about getting a doctor to look at him. What would happen, however, if he was deemed unfit to watch me? Where would the two of us go? What would become of the house?


    I mulled over this as I chopped up spinach, lettuce, and tomatoes to make a salad. My cuts were uneven, but nothing practice wouldn''t take care of. I attempted to start the fire on the stove and only needed five instead of eight tries. Any improvement was a good thing. I wanted to make grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup. I''ve never made tomato soup from scratch, and I paused. Isn''t tomato soup just tomatoes and seasoning?


    I added water, tomatoes, and salt to the cast iron pot. After some time passed, I tasted it. It was good! A smile cracked my chapped lips, but I barely felt the pain. I set aside the soup to cool down and looked at the cast iron skillet.


    With the same kind of experimentation as before, I started the process of grilled cheese sandwiches. I knew from Wendy''s memories that grilled cheese was easy to make. I heated the cast iron skillet and pulled out the cheese and bread. After generously slathering butter on one side, I placed it down. It made a nice sizzle, and I smiled as I added cheese and another piece of buttered bread. I flipped until it was ooey gooey and made each of us two sandwiches. I was a growing girl, after all. I made sure that the first two sandwiches I made were Grandpa Evans. I wasn''t sure how he''d react to the heat, and I cut them in half and put four half sandwiches on a plate. There was room for the salad, and I set it down carefully.


    "Grandpa Evans, what dressing do you want for your salad?" I looked in the fridge and saw a ranch and a honey balsamic vinaigrette. I looked at him, but as per usual, he didn''t respond. "Groan if you want ranch." He was silent, and after waiting for a beat, I said, "Groan, if you want honey balsamic vinaigrette." There was a noise, and I grinned and grabbed it. I covered his salad with it generously and placed the plate on a platter with a bowl of cooled soup. I added a cup of milk to it all and placed it down on his lap.


    After seeing that he was tucking into his food, I added honey balsamic vinaigrette to the salad bowl. I made enough salad for the two of us. So, I tossed my uncut sandwiches into the serving bowl and poured myself a bowl of soup. I needed a platter to transfer it all and a cup of milk. I sat on the sofa closest to him, and we watched a cute romantic Kdrama together. I was still confused about the genre, but now it looked sweet.


    I fell asleep at some point, and when I woke up, there was a blanket on me, and Grandpa Evans was sound asleep. I cleaned our dishes, cleaned the kitchen, and tucked my tired body into bed.


    I woke up stiff and as grumpily as the last day. My brain didn''t ache, but I knew that accessing any new abilities would have more backlash. I need caution and control to make every use count. Like any muscle, the day after was the worst on the body. My physical body felt sore and achy but was not drained. The sweet, sweet power of a youthful, normally active body likely kept me from being completely bedridden.


    It wasn''t adequate rest, however. My sleep provided no relief, and my dreams were haunted. I dreamt that my tiny body was cut up and bruised by a force I didn''t see coming. This strange nightmare repeated itself in a loop, and I could only force it to go away by waking up. Even now, it lingered and slowed me down with its heavy weight.


    I dressed in a long-sleeved sweater and thick jeans to protect my skin. It was hard to shake the nightmare images. I spent more time braiding my hair and dressing today as I dreaded the trip I needed to make.


    I scrambled some eggs, toast, and a veggie stir fry for breakfast. After we ate, I explained to Grandpa Evans I would be going into town to get some books and other supplies. His head moved to look up, but he stopped short of meeting my eyes. My lips twisted in disappointment, but I told him I would leave him a sandwich in the fridge. I didn''t plan on taking that long, but he could easily eat if I did. He grunted, and I was relieved with the small progress we seemed to be making. ''Wendy'' didn''t talk to him much, and I planned to change that. She was still mourning the loss of Grandma Carol, and with her passing, Grandpa Evans slipped further into himself. A lot of things needed to be changed, including our relationship.


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    I filled up Wendy''s wagon with the magazines I planned on trading. I should be able to rack in fifty cents to a dollar off them, and I have at least a hundred here. We needed a lot of supplies. I couldn''t grow everything! Or I could use them to barter for knowledge. Some mothers and grandmas could teach me how to sew, cook, and crochet. I was a cute kid in need, and these magazines could help. With some broken cardboard, I slipped on a backpack and made it look as bulky as possible. I could use this later to ''pull out'' things from my space and pass it off. Before I took off, I went upstairs. I slipped in some silverware and whatever I could barter into my space. I leaned against the wall to catch my breath and massage my temple at the pain from that small action. After I caught my breath, I set off to execute the plan. The plan was as follows:


    I had to walk miles today and pull a wagon. All the sneakiness was to ensure I was consistent in case I passed someone who saw me on the road. I could switch from using the space during the tricker paths like the forest to relying on my actual body. Once I entered the Unruly Forest, I planned on slipping the wagon into my space. I could roughly finagle the damn thing through the forest. There were a lot of half paths and smooth areas. It would be too rocky and test my physical strength unnecessarily, however.


    Speaking of space, I checked the sauce caption in my spacial space. The age and the expected lifespan hadn''t shifted. Nice. So, time will stop either to a certain extent or forever until it''s taken out of space. I pursed my lips in speculative thought that was cut short due to the growing migraine from touching my space yet again. There were several lines of thought I would have to figure out, though, about the stability of this space. Would the lifespan speed up once it was out? Or start to age usually. The latter made more sense or else for convenience, but all magic had a cost. I had years to experiment with this line of thought.


    I walked out to the garden, and an unknown emotion bubbled in my chest. My previous hard work the day before had paid off, and the plants looked brighter and happier. I squatted down, laughter escaping from my lips as the plants reached for me. "It''s okay because we''re alone, but you shouldn''t do this around any company." I scolded them lightly. Leaves drooped in response, and my lips pursed in thought.


    Like before, berries were offered, and I grabbed all the bright, tasty-looking ones. I would carry them in my basket.


    Finally, it''s time to put this show on the road. I thought with glee as I headed towards the Unruly Forest.


    Once I entered the Unruly Forest, I slipped the wagon and backpack into my space. Sharp pain accompanied this, and I hiccuped at the more prolonged smack of discomfort. Again, I waited until I gathered myself, but it took a bit longer than before.


    When I was done, I walked, holding on to my basket alone. I chewed and nibbled on the darker purple unknown berries and the blueberries, leaving the juicy strawberries for last. Surprisingly, they didn''t taste as good today.


    What caused the dip in quality? I grabbed everything I could see yesterday, then used my powers to give them the juice to create more. Was it because I rushed the plant''s natural growth system? I know that plants need nutrients just like us. I had hoped to bypass that when I sped up the growing process. Without proper plant nutrition, it wouldn''t be quite right. This train of thinking made me groan, "It''s always something." I muttered to a nearby tree. It shook slightly sympathetically in response.


    I carelessly spat out seeds as I walked until I exited the forest. I still had half a basket of strawberries by this time. Which meant snackage for later.


    I gulped at the green field that graced my sight. This was where I first came into this world. Memories and emotions from that day made me stumble. I wiggled my lips uncomfortably and trudged forward.


    I could see the path I took into the forest that first day. The grass that sprang to life at my touch created a bright green tall walkway to the entrance, practically paving the way. I smiled a little before patting the grass. "I wish you wouldn''t stand out like that." Anyone who came across it would find it strange. Although remote, some people went to the Unruly Forest. Mostly when supplies were dropped off. No one wouldn''t see that as very strange in such a short amount of time.


    I staggered as my thoughts were cut off by a strange energy that started to fill me. To my amusement, the grass I had fed shrunk to an average uniform size and color. My mouth fell open, and I blinked as the energy expended some days ago provided for me today. The drained ball of power within me grew stronger and invigorated my spirits. Huh. The shortened grass tickled my legs, and I patted it. "Good job," I said as a laugh trickled out of me.


    This new power had so much potential. I could do a lot if I could store energy in plants for later use. I smiled and headed towards the road. I only had a couple of miles to walk. I looked around to ensure there weren''t any cars before pulling out the wagon and backpack. I put the basket of strawberries in the wagon, put the knapsack on my back, and energetically took off. With the flush of energy, there wasn''t any backlash.


    I hummed violent songs dedicated to my brother as I walked toward Green''s Mountain. My body was ready for a nap when I finally reached the town sign. I saw some cars and trucks go by, so it wasn''t worthless to bear the wagon''s weight. Was I overthinking things? It didn''t hurt to be too careful in a small town.


    I gazed at the big, beautiful sign of the town but felt no relief. Green fields and farm animals lay before me as far as I could see. What I couldn''t see were houses. I had a few in mind that I needed to visit first. Grandma Carol''s friends would be my first in. I could learn a lot and sell her old mags to them.


    I sat down on a patch of nice grass by the side of the road. My tiny body was ready to eat some strawberries and drink some water. The only problem was I just remembered that I needed to grab water. How could I be so dumb?! I cried and sucked on the juicy strawberries desperately. I was so thirsty. I sweated for the past hour and some change. After I spent some time recovering, I set off again. Living without being able to rip whatever I wanted into reality was brutal. Here I am scrambling to live and still falling short.


    After much more walking, note to self: you need a watch. I made it to my first destination. Grandma Carol''s best friend lived at the Simons'' farm. The Simons'' farm was the oldest, most established farm in Green''s Mountain. They were directly descended from the man who founded the town, Rupert Green.


    Thanks to a long family history, the Simons and Evans families helped each other. It was this generosity that had food delivered to Grandpa Evans and me.


    The Simons farm had it all. Cows, goats, sheep, crops, festival-typed pumpkin patches, and a corn maze. If the town had a reigning family, it was them. They hosted all the best gatherings and took charge of most town events.


    I needed to have Mary Simons, the current matriarch of the family, take me under her wing. With her, I would become connected with every respected figure in town. She could also teach me all the skills Grandma Carol failed to teach the other Wendy.


    I eyed the strong fences and open gate. A pack of farm dogs ran forth to greet me. They were friendly, but I was still concerned about their big teeth. "Get back here, you little shits!" A woman''s voice stopped them in their tracks, and they ditched their approach of me to run towards it.


    A tall blonde woman stood, her hands on her hips. She was lecturing them, but I ignored her words to better understand her. Thanks to Wendy''s memories, I knew she was Alyssa Simons, Mary Simons''s granddaughter. Yet again, Wendy''s memories failed to do justice.


    Alyssa Simons was a tall, beautiful amazon woman. Her height was at least 5''11, and her long dark blue jeans showed where most of that height came from. She wore a flannel that looked warmer than my best coat, even with the dog drool. Her strawberry blonde hair was cropped short, and the locks shook as she scolded and laughed at the dogs. Her heart-shaped face suited her short hair, as did her break from the family farm. From Wendy''s memories, I knew she was working on creating her own dog breeding and training company.


    She looked happier here than in Wendy''s memories. Alyssa spotted me and cocked her head. The dogs turned to look at me and did the same. The one closest to her barked as if to say, ''I tried to tell you!'' She patted his head absently, and I waved.


    "You''re the Evans girl, right?" Wendy was a recluse and hardly ventured past the Unruly Forest. After Grandma Carol''s death, she stopped almost entirely. I nodded.


    "Is Aunty Mary in?" I suddenly realized that this exhausting plan could fall to pieces like uncooked cookie dough if she wasn''t.


    "Yes." Alyssa gestured to me to follow her. I thought bitterly that the rocky gravel driveway was more challenging to navigate with the wagon. The smooth pavement from the road was better. But I also had to contend with eager dogs who wanted to sniff and play. After a few words from Alyssa, they stopped.


    Luckily, I was able to leave my wagon on the front steps. Before we could enter the house, the door opened. "I heard the dogs and gravel who..." Mary Simons stopped talking when she saw me. She was the beauty queen of her generation, and it was easy to see where Alyssa got her tall, stunning looks from. Her blonde hair had turned silver and was pinned into an elegant bun. Her cheekbones were still strong and elevated her face into a fine, aged beauty. Her sharp blue eyes went from alert to warm upon the sight of me. I didn''t have time to admire her outfit as she rushed towards me.


    "Wendy Evans!" Her clear blue eyes watered as she pulled me into a hug. It had been about a year since she saw Wendy.


    "Aunty Mary!" I hugged her tightly, my face happily resting on her bosom. She was warm and smelled like sugar cookies. Tears of relief leaked out of my eyes, much to my embarrassment. Without her, there was no way I was going to be able to survive.


    Mary gasped and hugged me tighter. Wendy was a quiet girl; even though she''d been told to call Mary Aunty, she never called her. I knew this would win points for me right away. I needed all the family I could get. I was pulled into the home and seated right away. A tray of cookies, milk, and fruit was set before me, and with no preamble, I started chugging milk. Mary watched me with a content smile, and Alyssa disappeared with the dogs.


    "How are you?" Mary''s soft question drew my attention, and I made a pitiful face. After Grandma Carol died, Mary offered to move Wendy into her home to look after her. It was impossible to move Grandpa Evans, and Wendy didn''t want to leave him or the house, even though she neglected both. It was best to be in the home you knew. For all her outdoor activities, Wendy was not a people person. So, instead, Mary did all that she could and settled in, making sure the two of us were at least fed. She was good people.


    I adopted a pitiful expression, "I miss Grandma Carol." I said into my cup, trying to properly mask my face into pain.


    Mary''s expression grew sorrowful, "I miss her too, sweet pea. Are you eating enough? You''re all bones. That''s it; you''re staying for lunch."


    I shook my head. I still needed to go to the mart and see what I could buy or trade. "I want to go further into town to the trading market."


    "That market is every Thursday, and it''s only Sunday."


    Shitballs. Well, I could come back later. "I brought Grandma Carol''s old magazine and recent ones she bought. I was hoping to sell or trade them for ten cents each." I deliberately lowered the price, and Mary''s eyebrows rose.


    "I''ll go take a look. Maybe I could buy them." Her gentle, lifesaving voice said to me.


    I smiled hopefully as she went outside to look at the wagon.


    While she did that, I gulped down everything on the platters. Warm chocolate chip cookies, mango, cantaloupe, and apples. This platter was a gift from a goddess. Who knows when I will be able to enjoy any of this again! When she came back, I was polishing off the cantaloupe. Mary brought her wallet and handed me a one hundred dollar bill. She said, "I''ll buy them all from you."


    I almost dropped the fruit out of my mouth. She laughed at my genuine expression of shock.


    She sat down next to me and smiled kindly into my eyes. "Wendy looking at those magazines brings me great joy and memories. Quite a few of them could sell for higher with the right buyer. This is the least I could do to help you. Your grandma would want me to do this."


    Tears of gratitude slipped down my cheeks, and I cursed this sensitive body as I hugged Mary tightly. I felt shame and guilt for using memories and knowledge to get this far. She was an honest and kind woman. "Thank you," I said out loud while I apologized in my heart of hearts.


    "I''ll have my son Bill put them away, and you can just sit here and enjoy your food. Is there anything else I can do to help you?" She pulled away to wipe my face and stroke my head.


    I nibbled on my lip as I fought the desire to ask for more. The practical side won, and finally, I asked, "Can you teach me how to sew, crochet, and cook?" These were skills I needed badly.


    "Of course. You can come every day if you need to learn. You''re so young and doing so much on your own already." She said as she stroked the top of my head.


    I was embraced tightly before being allowed to finish off the milk. Mary spent the next hour teaching me some basic stitches. I was able to put together a pink handkerchief. I was proud of the light blue edge stitching. Still, I was disappointed at how my attempt to embroider my initials looked wrong. I didn''t plan on staying for lunch, but I told Mary that I could since I had already prepared a sandwich for Grandpa Evans. She finally did ask me about him, and I said he was eating but not talking or doing much.


    Mary took me into the kitchen and showed me how to make pie crust and bread dough. I memorized every detail and movement with an intense gaze. Mary looked at me, charmed by my dedication, and we spent three hours in the kitchen making apple pie, sourdough bread bowls, a beef stew, and even lemonade. I practically drooled through the process and memorized every step as I worked with her.


    I was lucky I was able to keep my own mental capacity in this body. Memorizing things with minimum effort was the one skill, other than my magic, I had going for me. How else could I roll around playing when I should be studying? Of course, that bit me in the butt this time. I was used to putting things off at the last minute and finishing quickly. My asshole brother tossed out the usual script and took a pop quiz to a new level.


    I didn''t have to help set the table since I helped make lunch. When I sat down, I was greeted by Bill, Mary''s son, and her daughter, Lily. Lily was Alyssa''s mother. Billy had a son who didn''t join us, but that was because I knew he was in charge of the sheep. There should be others, but for the most part, everyone was busy, and lunches were packed. Farms only left a little time for idle play. Mary was the only one with free time because she ensured everyone ran their job right and fed the masses.


    I greeted everyone and was asked again how I was doing. I gave a chipper reply because today had been outstanding. No one asked how Grandpa Evans was, and I felt terrible for him. I was worried about whether he had eaten, but he wasn''t a fool, no matter what anyone said. He was just a sad, lonely man.


    We dug into the food, and I closed my eyes content. This was amazing. I praised Mary, and she chuckled and praised me for being a quick learner. I inhaled my food, dipping the tangy bread into the rich, thick broth. I could not wait to learn more from Mary. I had Grandma Carol''s book buy-on-hand experience can''t be undervalued.


    The table was cleared and reset with tea, coffee, cream sugar, and apple pie. I ignored the coffee and opted only for the pie. I was going to be a cute and innocent Wendy, after all. I could not be coffee-drinking swearbug Gwendolyn.


    Regrettably, I saw it was late afternoon when I looked at the big grandfather clock. I really needed to get back home. Most of the table talk was above my head. I focused only on the food. I heard about the farm, other farms, and some drama with the high school''s spring formal. No one asked for my opinion and seemed content to help me fill my belly.


    After we finished eating and I said I had to go, Mary disappeared and returned with a lunch pail. It was full of leftovers. There were two little sourdough bread bowls and a container of soup. Two giant pieces of apple pie were separated into one. It was perfect for Grandpa Evans and me to eat tomorrow or tonight. I thanked her with a hug.


    "Bill will drop you off at the forest entrance..."


    I shook my head. I wanted to accept the ride with every part of my being. I knew, however, that one thing I needed that I could only get by physical exertion was strength. I needed to be stronger. I had to be ready to overhaul the house, create a garden, and more. I needed to keep growing. "I need the walking Aunt Mary." Her stern gaze softened, but her firm lips were pressed. She wasn''t going to listen. "To keep caring for the house and Grandpa Evans, I need to be stronger." Her eyebrows creased with concern, so I kept laying it thick until she caved.


    "I''ll come back Tuesday if that''s alright. I''ll get stronger and will learn." I parted with her and waved as I walked my wagon back to the road. Mary waved back at me, and I could see she was still uncomfortable with me walking around. I wore her down this time, luckily.


    My trip was more manageable with the empty wagon. I could feel my stomach digest food as I walked, and I burped pleasantly, surprised by the flavors that emerged from my mouth. "I. Hate. My. Brother." I sang and burped on the way, hoping he was reading this.


    I was about halfway to the Unruly Forest when I spotted an earthworm, and a flash of inspiration struck me. I needed to learn more about the space my ring granted because information was limited. For obvious reasons, I couldn''t just throw a person in, even if they lived in a book. It felt wrong to do it to an animal, but what if I tested it on a bug? That seemed cruel, too, but if I could find the answer, I could put goats or chickens in alive. Maybe use it to save a life.


    I ran into the road after the worm, grateful it was empty. Green''s Mountain was so remote that most people forgot about it, and only locals and supply trucks would come by this road. It was easy to catch the worm, and I sighed. "Poor worm. You look like you''re drying up."


    I knelt down, and with a single thought, the earthworm was in my space.


    Name: Lumbricina, aka Earthworm


    Age: Four years


    Life Expectancy: Nine years


    Huh. So, the lifespan was shortened when it entered. What happens if I take it out? I took out the worm and watched it wiggle in my palm. Sweet. I was still grinning as I stood. My stupid butt stumbled from the force of gravity right into a car I didn''t see coming.

 Chapter Four

    Pain and panic threw me into shock as my body went flying. I don''t want to die! I screamed internally clenching my head. Power, I need my power. A bright light flashed before my eyes and without thinking I reached for it eagerly. That brightness turned into a door in my mind and unable to cope with my fear and pain I swung it wide open.


    The light faded rapidly, and I blinked as my eyes adjusted. I was back home. The smell of old fine leather books and century old dust was distinctly home smells. The dark ebony shelves surrounded me, and I could feel tears rise to my eyes. I never thought I would miss this dusty space so much. I gasped excitedly as I felt my body for marks. But it wasn''t Wendy''s body. It was my own. I was truly back! I did a little happy dance and stopped when I noticed that My Adoring Brother was at my feet. I picked it up and as I did, I spotted the gleaming ring on my finger. I took a second to access my space and noted that everything I had stashed was still in it. Huh sweet.


    Just you wait, Gus. I smirked as I stalked forward to his study. Before I stomped towards his study I paused to take in the view. How often had I strolled by without looking at the austere space I called home my whole life.


    <div>


    <div>


    Familiar bookshelves lined every wall and were stuffed with countless books. My fingers graced the covers savoring the familiar touch of them as I made my way to Gus¡¯ room. The touch of fine leather on my fingertips meant I had truly made my way home. It didn¡¯t take long to reach Gus'' room. I was too entranced in absorbing home that the journey was short. I was about to slam open his door and rub his face in his mistakes. I ended up pausing instead at the sound of voices from the barely ajar door.


    "Gwendolyn has no idea."


    "You didn''t tell her before you sent her? Augustus..." The disapproval in the voice was both maternal and ice cold. There was only one woman in the world who could sound like that, my grandma. Wait, were they talking about me?


    ¡°They¡¯ll be after her. Although she understands we have enemies she should have been warned of what stepping outside the library starts.¡± My grandmother said with the softest exhalation that was almost a sigh.


    "She won''t be able to last long. Does it matter if she knew? The spell work is ironclad, and it will pull her out before she dies. She won''t be actually harmed, and she¡¯d have an out in case she finds trouble." My brother''s smug voice made me clench my hands into a fist.


    "I know she''s not the easiest student, but she has so much potential. Doing this to her won¡¯t guide her into being a better witch." My grandmother said as she let out a full sigh this time with exasperation. ¡°I¡¯m surprised by how long it''s taken her to get out. She has so much power but she¡¯s¡­¡± She trailed off.


    ¡°An awful witch.¡± Gus interjected. Silence fell after his words.


    Grandma no! My mouth dropped open in horror. Yes, I was a bad student but even you think I''m awful?! Why aren¡¯t you telling him no?


    Gus wasn¡¯t done and his tirade went on. "Her being coaxed and spoiled has led her to becoming incompetent. She skids by on her intelligence and that''s not going to work in the long run. She won¡¯t be ready when the time comes unless given the proper push. I give her a week before she screws up and dies."


    I flinched, damn maybe I am awful. Technically I didn''t even last a week. I slowly backed away, my heart burning with indignation, pain and fury. I''ll show both of you! I''m a fine damn witch. I''m going to go back and finish what I started.


    That means I needed to get my hands on the Acquisition Room. It was the most basic of book rooms but to date our most used. The room was filled with catalogs and books on just about everything. I walked away quietly into the depths of my home on my tip toes until I got to my bedroom. Since I was traveling by choice back to the book world there were things that I wanted to bring with me.


    I grabbed my diary and other important books on my night stand and stuffed them into my spacial ring. Then without breaking stride took off to the Acquisition Room. It looked like any room on the outside but was the biggest room in my home.


    There was a ledger on the wall outside of it. Anything that I took or ripped from a book would be noted so that it would be replaced. There used to be a written form and paperwork, but literary witches tend to be methodical masterminds. We planned and sorted stuff to make life easier. I was a prime example of living smarter not harder. If you can just wave a hand and do things, why not just set up an automated system so you don''t even have to wave your hand.


    I slipped the book My Adoring Brother between my legs and held it there. Then I tapped in my ball of magic and reached out mentally to all the books on the shelves. Titles, descriptions, and more information flooded my brain comfortingly. I missed this. The energy had no drawbacks from my using it. It flowed naturally as it should, like a well-worn track.


    I needed specific books on seeds, tools, solar power, and anything else I could get my hands on. I used my right hand to flip pages and rip objects I desired from books and my left to slip them in my space. It was a symphony of my obvious mastery. I needed to fill up a library of books so all the books I could get would go in. I also needed to learn how to create a sustainable homestead and possibly make medicine. I had a basic knowledge of herbal medicine from my witch roots but sadly my family was right. As a witch I was lacking. It didn''t feel good to have the truth said about you so bluntly. I bit back sadness and clung instead to my rage. I was going to prove them wrong and win.


    I pulled out completed dishes rather than adding any cookbooks. I needed already made meals to feed Grandpa Evans and myself when I was too tired. I used a catalog of psychology books to strip every book in them and add them into the space. I was worried about Grandpa Evans and if there was an answer to his mental state, I might find some help in these.


    I grabbed a non-magical catalog of herbal medicine. I pulled out every book from that catalog into being and then stuffed them in my space. Simultaneously I pulled out every type of tool in the catalogs I could. I spent an extra few minutes going over the books to double check if there were any special tools and if so appropriately pulled them out and added. I needed everything. A mortar and pestle, double boiler, amber glass container, tins, seeds, strainers, manual pill press and anything else I could find.


    I pulled and pulled until I took almost everything from the room. Ha suck it Gus. Have fun filling the room back up.


    I was panting and my head was crying by the time I was done. I looked into my space, and it was filled with rows and rows of detailed items but there was still space for more. It was much easier to use my space ring in the real-world vs the book. I didn¡¯t have time to dwell on that, however. All the magic I used was bound to attract attention.


    I was sweaty and out of breath. I didn¡¯t bother closing my eyes and reached instinctively for that ball of burning energy within me. Then I opened My Adoring Brother and whispered, "I am Wendy I am Wendy." Over and over until I saw that shining door and turned the knob.


    I was wrapped up in a ball of pain. I inwardly cussed shitballs. I forgot I got hit by a car. Why couldn''t I have gone back to the start and woken up in the grass field?


    "She''s alive?!" A nice sounding incredulous voice greeted my ears and I dazedly looked up and met the dark brown eyes of a boy around my age.


    "Yay..." My weak voice sounded as sarcastic as I wanted it to, and I struggled to sit up.


    "You should stay down; you may have a concussion." The boy¡¯s voice held concern as he spoke. His touch was light as he tried to press me back down.


    I scowled at him and pushed his well-meaning hands away. "I barely have a scratch on me." But I was going to be bruised for sure. I opened my palm and saw that the earthworm was still there. Somehow the trooper made it through the impact unscathed. Hey there little buddy, sorry about that. I mentally spoke, attempting to not call attention to the wriggly little bug. I closed my hands and waited for the right moment where everyone was distracted, and I could put the worm back in my space without drawing suspicion.


    "You stopped breathing." The boy exclaimed and I looked at him for the first time.


    Shitballs, how was I going to explain that? I shrugged instead of saying anything and looked at the boy for the first time. Oh, my he was pretty. His dark brown eyes were framed by the thickest set of eyelashes I''d ever seen. His dark brown hair was slicked back into a more adult hair style, and he was even wearing a suit. Are those leather shoes? What kind of kid wears a suit and leather shoes?


    Wait he wasn''t the male lead, right? That¡¯s the kind of attire he was known for growing up. The book described him as a tight-lipped straight collar middle aged man child. No kid in town would dress like that. I looked at the car and noted the out-of-town license tags and expensive as fuck model. My green eyes narrowed respectively. "You''re not from here, are you?" At his little nod I could feel the knot in my stomach grow. I didn''t want to meet the main cast. I only wanted to establish my worth and let my family know they were wrong. If I changed the trajectory of the story, who knew what would happen to the plot.


    My voice was hostile as I looked at him, "Why would you be here of all places?¡± He looked away for a second and instead of looking at where his attention went, I sent the worm into my space.


    I blinked, startled when I sighed happily, looked up from my hands and met his warm brown eyes again. Oh, shit he didn¡¯t see it right? No, no way. Besides, who would make note of a worm?


    A small smile grew on his lips. "We''re driving to get to Alcom''s Cove because my uncle is expanding his fishery."


    Ah, Alcom¡¯s Cove was even more remote than Green¡¯s Mountain. A fishing town that was barely graced upon in the story. The only way to get to it was either by boat or through Green¡¯s Mountain. I didn¡¯t even need Wendy''s memories to remember that.


    I brightened and smiled up at him. "I''m Wendy." I peered up at him expecting him to give his name and prove my doubts false. I needed to make sure he wasn¡¯t Rex.


    "I''m Adam." He said as he held out his hand. I shook it eagerly, pleased that he was not Rex and therefore not the lead of the story.


    Goody. I started to stand up and he helped me, his warm brown eyes concerned. "See I''m fine." I moved my limbs and looked around for my wagon. It was also fine, but I could see the basket of strawberries had tipped. Shitballs. The biggest problem was my lunchbox had spilled and the bread was on the road. I fought tears as I turned to listen to what Adam was saying.


    "We tried to call an ambulance, but reception was bad. Can we do anything for you? Take you to a clinic in town or something?"


    We? I looked around and noticed for the first time that there were two others. Two tall men also dressed to the nines in suits. I narrowed my eyes as a warning bell went off. What if he really was the male lead? He had a similar entourage of bodyguards. The book had stated that it was common for the richer young masters of this world so maybe I¡¯m just paranoid? Still, something felt off. The offer that dangled before my eyes, however, distracted me.


    I looked at Adam as my brain churned greedily. If they''re willing to help...


    Before I could leap at the offer one of the men in suits came forward to do an inspection on my person. I passed all tests meaning I didn¡¯t have a concussion or any lasting damage that was noticeable.


    When he was done, I was finally able to be greedy. "I need compensation." I bluntly stated looking back at my spilled food. When I turned to look at the three of them, I could see all of their expressions cooled. Adam''s warm eyes shuttered and he was eyeing me with a veiled gaze. It''s not my fault they ran me over! Okay maybe it was for being in the middle of the road. But still I deserved compensation.


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    Adam gestured to one of the men who came forward and he took out a checkbook. Fools, I could see where their mind was going but I meant it when I said compensation. I wanted proper compensation.


    "I need two lemon trees." All three of them froze and Adam''s expression turned puzzled.


    "Come again?" He was clearly the young master the others were serving and so I looked at him. I only needed him to agree.


    "I need two lemon trees. That''s my compensation. I''d try to seed them myself, but I want ones that are disease resistant and have already been grafted." I was greeted with silence, so I started to ramble. "My room faces the south so they can have plenty of natural sunlight and warmth. Did you know you can grow them indoors? So, I want two with decent pots that have room for growth.


    "What would you do with lemons?" Adam sounded incredulous but there was something else in his voice.


    I paid his mood no mind as my excitement for lemons overtook decorum. "I plan on eating them of course. My first time making such a precious priceless meal that I slaved away in making." I pointed to the overturned food. "It makes sense to compensate me for that. I would get them myself but no one in town grows them since they''re imported. I can''t order them online either since I don''t have a credit card." Or a computer I amended in my head.


    I watched as Adam''s head dropped and his shoulders started to shake. "I mean it! You don''t know how hard I worked to make that food and now it¡¯s grub for birds and bugs."


    Adam lifted his head up and I realized he was laughing at me. "I was going to write you a check for ten grand." His voice was steady as his inquiring gaze bore into mine.


    Ha! You can''t buy me off with money. What use was a check for ten grand when I didn''t have a bank account? Besides my plan to barter and work my butt off the long hard way was going to show off to the family. Why get run over with a car for a measly ten grand, give me fruit and I can eat forever. "I just want two lemon trees. I''m going to make lemon pie, lemon tarts, lemon candy and more. I can use the blossoms for tea, salve or cream. I would rather have roses for that, but lemons last longer. Lemon leaf wrap is also good eating."


    "You''re really devoted to lemons." He was grinning at me, and I shrugged again. Didn''t everyone have a favorite flavor?


    "Are you going to do it?" I narrowed my eyes. Given that he could drop ten grand on this and wear those diamond cufflinks he could get a hold of lemon trees easily. Adam''s smile grew and he gave me a nod as he turned to gesture at one of his men.


    I managed to grab a lot of what I needed from the Acquisition room, but I wasn''t able to get lemons. I spent most of my time grabbing seeds rather than fully grown plants. I couldn¡¯t be too reliant that I can grow whatever I want with my power. I had only tested my power on plants that were already established. Who knew how long it would take to figure out seeds with my powers.


    I could have found a work around for the ten grand check. I truly didn¡¯t need it, however. I stripped twenty catalogs of solar panels, and I even had a decent half-cocked story about how I could sell what we didn''t need. So, getting free lemon trees was the perfect option.


    "Can I give you a ride home?" Adam¡¯s voice drew my attention back to him.


    I opened my mouth to protest but his next words stopped me, "I''ll be able to give you the lemon trees next time we meet if I know where to go."


    That''s true, he wasn''t from here so he wouldn''t know who I was or where I was from. It was easier to show someone how to get to the Unruly Forest than let them use an outdated town map. GPS didn¡¯t work in this area, and no one had bothered to create a map of Green¡¯s Mountain in fifty years. I nodded and moved to grab my wagon. "My men will get your stuff." Adam said and I paused and thanked them, pleased with the situation.


    The plush black leather seats were bouncy, and I experimented on them. I giggled but stopped when I noticed Adam was watching me with a miniscule smile on his face. I could feel my face burn bright red as I stopped and put my seat belt on. I was handed my lunch box and basket. There were a few strawberries left but the bread was gone. The apple pie had also spilled out. The tightest container full of the soup held on and I sighed. I could make toast to go with it, but it wasn''t going to be the same. I made a face saddened by the loss of sourdough bread.


    "What''s wrong?"


    I looked at Adam and noticed he was still watching me. "I worked hard on the sourdough bread bowls. They go perfectly with the soup but now it''s all messed up." I said as I opened the container for him to smell. "Doesn''t that smell divine?" He sniffed it and I noticed he was drawn in and even licked it, lapping up the broth like a cat. "Hey!" I closed the lid ignoring his bright eyes as I moved it away from him. I protected the container as if it was a precious gold stone.


    Adam lifted a brow at my antics and then held up three fingers. "I''ll add another lemon tree for it."


    I sniffed dramatically, "It''s an acceptable loss." I handed him the soup container and he held it laughing.


    I gave directions to the driver and marveled at how smoothly the car drove. I hit every bump with my rickety wagon before. In this plush lush car it was like there were no dips in the old pavement. Maybe I should get hit with a car more often. Free car rides were fun.


    It took some time to arrive at the Unruly entrance. There wasn''t any decent parking, so they pulled into the grassy area. A naturally worn path through the greenery showed where other cars had driven, mostly to deliver food to the house. It wasn''t possible to drive through the Unruly Forest given how overgrown it was. "Here is good."


    Adam made a face, and I could see it was filled with doubt.


    "It''s the Unruly Forest. My home is in the middle of it. It''s been in our family since the start of Green''s Mountain."


    "You live in it?" He seemed overly shocked for some reason.


    "Only the Evans and a few natives can make it through the forest and not wound up lost.¡± I said as I unbuckled my seat and smiled at Adam. "When do you think you will have my lemon trees ready?"


    "Friday would work." I clasped my hands at his words eagerly in excitement and wiggled. "Late afternoon we can drive back into town with them." Adam''s soothing voice was like a balm to my soul.


    "You''re the best Adam. You have no idea how much being run over meant to me." I said warmth and appreciation gushing out of my voice. I got lemon trees and the chance to fill my ring space with goodies. I didn''t realize how strange my words were until much much later. I gave Adam a half hug, grabbed my lunch box and basket and got out of the car. The driver already popped open the trunk and placed my wagon on the ground. I slipped my load into it and took off into the forest waving at the car. I deliberately walked on the well beaten tire tracks in the grass. Until I can control my green thumb, I can''t have greenery exploding all around me.


    Once I heard the car pull away and I was deep enough into the forest I started giggling evilly. Life was going just the way I needed it to. You''re going to eat shit when you see my progress, big brother. I''m going to beat your horrible opinion of my character.


    I didn''t realize how bad I looked until I got home. The entryway window showed how bloody my near death truly was. My dark hair was splattered with crimson and the long braids had come undone. I was so giddy on stealing from the Acquisitions room I didn''t take stock of how messed up I became. I rolled up my overall pant legs and long sleeves to check out my body. I could see purple and black bruises forming everywhere. It was kind of like my dream where I felt like I needed to wear something protective...oh shitballs. Was that a prophetic dream? I further examined myself, only stopping once I could see that my budding beauty would be alright.


    "Sorry Grandpa Evans, I got hit by a car on my way back. How was your sandwich?" It was nearly dinner time. He grunted and I noted that his plate was on his lap and empty. "Don''t worry I''m fine and I even got compensation. We''re going to have three lemon trees. I can make pie and so much more with them. Doesn''t that sound good." He grunted again and I smiled. "I''m going to get something for the pain and get started on dinner." I popped two Tylenol with chagrin that technically it was expired.


    I''m glad I settled for sharpening my herbal remedy skills. I had the books and tools thanks to my robbery.


    I went to the kitchen and instead of cooking I pulled out a pizza I summoned in the real world. It was toasty as if it just came out of the oven. I chose it because the book showed the steam above the pie. I sliced it and served it on a plate for Grandpa Earl. I sloppily slipped the rest of it back into my space. It would save better there than getting stiff in the fridge.


    Grandpa Evans made a happy noise when I switched his lunch plate with the pizza. I patted his head absently and put the plate in the sink. It was almost six o''clock and I''d been up since five am. Seemed like a good time for bedtime.


    I hoped into the shower hoping to get myself clean finally. Most of the stuff in my head ended up being strawberry juice not blood which was a relief. I made note of every ache and pain as the hot water cleaned me. Once I was clean, I slapped band aids and an expired pain relief balm over my flesh.


    Finally, with everything done and nothing else to take care of I entered my room. It felt like it had been forever and a day since I got up from bed this morning. What a difference a day can make. I slipped into my covers and almost instantly passed out. I barely had time to wonder what my dreams were going to be before my thoughts were silenced.


    I woke up to the sun starting to rise. Last night was dreamless and I regretted that. My body hurt more than it did yesterday, and I regretted not pulling out drugs from the Acquisition Room. I grabbed tools and knowledge to make medicine just not actual medicine. Shitballs, that was rather dumb of me. It didn¡¯t fully occur to me however to need medicine. Or even what medicine I would need. Just the idea of learning how to make it and exploring how to implement it.


    I popped more expired medication for the pain on my way to the kitchen. I was in no mood for cooking so I lazily pulled out pancakes, hash browns and bacon from my space. I plated everything and brought everything to the living room where Grandpa Evans was waiting. It wasn''t until I sat down after serving the plates that I realized I forgot the most important thing. Coffee. I summoned two mugs for each of us from the ring¡¯s space. I made sure Grandpa Evans got the black thick brew while mine was a tasty rose latte.


    I didn''t bother hiding it from him and when I looked up to see if Grandpa Evans noticed, his attention was on his plate instead. When the meteoroid particles hit the Earth a lot of people were going to get powers. Mine wouldn''t look that strange and not hiding it at home made things a lot easier. I just had a head start unless some of the abilities were originally Wendy''s. An image of the failed garden in the backyard flashed before my eyes. Never mind. That was clearly not the case.


    I set my plate down on the coffee table and sat back, enjoying the sweet rose latte. I needed this treat. I got my butt kicked and my ego shattered yesterday. It would end well since I was going to get lemon trees and a righteous victory. But I had a lot that I needed to get done around the house. I wouive years before the world as we know it ends. Then we needed to survive for a few more years as the world reached some sort of new world order and stability.


    I chewed on the rose petals that decorated the latte and smiled content so far with how I was doing. Today I needed to think about how I wanted to go about producing food year-round. The books I bought for homesteading needed to be read, studied and then implemented into plans. I needed to give my body a break and then prepare to go to Mary''s for practical hands-on learning.


    There were other farms I could learn from but right now I needed to focus on Mary. I also need to connect with the man I was going to barter with for the solar panels. In this town no one really had sustainable electricity.


    Most of the heritage farms had been around for generations and could do almost everything on their own land. The town would be fine when the water went out, but no one had solar or turbine power.


    The person I would barter the solar panels with could change that aspect of this small farming town. His name was William Harely. He ran a construction company that fixed and built everything in Green¡¯s Mountain. His family had been doing it for generations and everyone trusted his expert opinion. If I could convince him how great solar power was, everyone would shift. Especially if I gave it to him for a discount he can''t resist. I had the perfect cover story too. My, as in Wendy¡¯s, Uncle Benny was a well-known dumbass in the town. He constantly came up with random upstart companies and would waste a ton of money on the ideas. I was going to find a shed of solar panels that worked but because of his harebrained nature the company didn¡¯t even get off the ground. It wasn''t the right time to lure William in, but it soon would be.


    I lingered over breakfast and once the two of us were done I cleaned up the dishes and headed upstairs. I spent the morning cleaning up around the house and making sure the second story would be ready for the next move of my plan. The biggest bedroom up there was going to become a library. I took shelves and other furniture from the Acquisition room with this in mind. I used the space to pull out the bookshelves and tried to make sure they were as up against the wall as possible. They were too heavy for my small body. Eventually I would have William drill them in but for now I did the best I could. I laid panting on the floor for an hour after I filled up every available wall space with bookshelves. After that break I pulled out half of the books from my space and started to fill up the shelves. It took me hours and it was about lunch time before I was done. How amusing that even though I took out half of the books I owned in the space, I ran out of shelf space in my new library. This sounds like I need a second library with more shelves.


    I pulled out the lush expensive sofas, end tables with lamps, and couches from the space and laid down for half an hour once they were situated. It took me about six hours to do everything and that was the only physical exercise I was going to do for the rest of the day.


    I headed downstairs to serve lunch and once again relied on a readymade meal for us to eat. I chatted one sided to Grandpa Evans and he grunted in response. His eyes had some light in them, and it was nice to see this little shift in his gaze. Soon I needed to start reading the psych books to figure out how to make sure I was really doing all that I could.


    I looked outside the window and noticed that the sun was barely breaking through the dark clouds. A light drizzle was falling, and I smacked my lips wanting beef pho. I wasn''t sure how Grandpa Evans would feel about it. I pulled out two bowls anyway and made sure he had a fork to eat his with. He poked at it experimenting but after a bite I could hear a gasp. I fought a giggle and instead started gulping down my own hot noodles and tasty meat.


    I looked at the tv and noted that he was watching a Turkish drama today. Luckily there were subtitles. It was rather funny, and I laughed and enjoyed myself immensely. Given how much TV Grandpa Evans likes to watch I needed to make sure I invested in DVDs and possible content that can be downloaded and played on our tv. I mentally added it to my list of things to figure out and finished my hot noodles quickly. Grandpa Evans had the same gusto while shocking was good to see. He usually ate slowly and with little interest. This was the first time, aside from coffee, that I''ve ever seen him excited to indulge.


    I lazily put the dishes in the sink, gave a little kiss to a non-bald spot on Grandpa Evans'' head and went back upstairs. Since I set it up, I planned to spend the next six hours reading and doing absolutely nothing. I did just that, only moving from my spot to use the bathroom. When my stomach reminded me, it was dinner I brought out leftovers from breakfast to finish and happily watched an Indian drama with Grandpa Evans.

 Chapter Five

    Days of relative peace and ease went by until it was finally Tuesday. That meant I would head to Mary''s to learn more skills. I wanted to spend at least six months improving my sewing skills and even learning how to crochet. If I helped her cook each time, I could also learn to cook more advanced dishes. Building my relationship with her will allow me to branch out more to the other big farms and grow my homestead. I needed more than just animals or crops; I needed knowledge. I could read every day, but working with my hands to pick up the required skills was vital, and that would take time.


    I first needed to get Mary to agree to my coming over every other day for six months. At least the next six months. I had five years to prepare everything; the next six months were just the start.


    I chatted one-sided with Grandpa Evans and fed him hot pancakes with wine-mulled syrup from my space. Grandpa Evans made more happy noises as he chewed it, and I smiled as I looked over him affectionately. Good food really can make a difference. I still needed to do more for him, but giving him better food was a start.


    I left a heart-healthy pizza topped with spinach, mushrooms, and white sauce in the fridge. When I told Grandpa Evans this, he stared longingly at the fridge. I giggled heartily. Food really was the way to a man''s heart.


    I spent more time dressing up today. I wanted to persuade my need to make my own clothing by showing how bare thread everything I owned was. It was spring, and soon it would be summer. By the time winter came, I wanted to be cozy and warm.


    The dress I picked was yellow and had brightly weathered-down sunflowers on it. I neatly braided my three feet of hair into two plaits and put on a worn-out sunflower sunhat. My yellow sandals looked cute, and I admired myself vainly, noting that the bruises on my legs and arms were well-faded. I was worried about how Mary would view them, but I could use this to have her teach me herbal remedies. The cut on my head was well hidden by my hair, but it bled profusely that day. I felt terrible for Adam, who had to see that.


    Wizened from my first experience, I filled a water bottle. I put the necessity into my black backpack and then slipped it on. I wished Grandpa Evans a merry day. It was barely seven in the morning, but I wouldn''t be home for quite some time.


    I walked through the forest boldly, unafraid of the dark shadows. Fear didn''t belong in this family, and by conquering the house, it was less present, as it should be. It was almost eight o''clock in the morning before I reached Mary''s. We were all country folk, so she was up and waiting for me.


    I was wrapped in her warm bosom and loved that I could smell Snickerdoodle cookies again. Food really is the best. Warm hugs really are amazing. Human contact was something I really wanted the whole time, but my brother was cold as ice, and my grandma was as elusive as dragons. I was left to fend for myself in a dusty, dark tomb of books. I loved and hated these facts.


    I felt a little guilty for approaching Mary with ill intent and resolved to be better to lap up her love guilt-free. I spent the first twenty minutes explaining that I fell while trying to climb a tree. I didn''t want her to know that I got hit by the car. She might insist on dropping me off at home. I needed to walk and get stronger. A stronger body equals a suitable vessel for power.


    We spent three hours drinking tea while she showed me how to crochet. My fingers lacked the needed coronation, and it took forever to get it down.


    "Look at the time!" Mary exclaimed, noticing that the grandfather clock showed that it was almost lunchtime. "It''s just us today, but you must be starving!" I guiltily looked at the empty cookie and fruit platter. I also polished off the pot of rose tea she made for me. I wasn''t starving, but I gave a pitiful expression and nodded. I needed to grow, so I needed to eat well.


    "Can I help? I want to learn everything I can from you, Aunt Mary." Mary''s cheeks flushed red, and she pulled me into the kitchen.


    "We''ll put together something simple today so that you can finish memorizing the single and double stitch."


    My mouth dropped open as I listened to what Mary wanted to prepare minutes later. Her definition of simple was far different from mine. Once again, I put on an apron and made dough with her. She let me lead this time and coached me through the process. While we waited for it to rise, she showed me how to make rice and prepare beef. We cooked the rice and beef, and she showed me how and what to use to season it properly. I filed away everything. My knowledge-thirsty brain wanted to learn everything.


    As we worked, the scents that tickled my brain only fueled my growing desire to become a better cook. The scent was tantalizing, and I held in my hunger as she showed me how to roll out the dough.


    "I''ve never had piroshki before." I''d just heard of it today.


    "You''re going to love it." She assured me, and we started to fry them in oil. I watched it, fascinated by the sizzle while fighting back my drool.


    What she made was also convenient for what I wanted to talk to her about.


    "You use yeast a lot, Aunt Mary," I said as if realizing that.


    Mary shrugged casually as she said, "It''s beneficial."


    "How could you make yeast if you really needed it, but the store ran out of it." I needed to start planting little seeds into her heart to prepare her. Once the world sank into chaos, grocery stores would only be adequately restocked after a decade, if ever.


    Mary tilted her head as she considered this. "I can do it because my gran taught me, but it''s not something I''ve done in a while." Her cheeks pinkened as she admitted, "It''s easier to buy it at the store."


    "Can we practice making that? Like how we''re going to work on herbal remedies on Thursday." I pleaded, batting my big eyes up at her.


    She was too lost in thought to notice this fully. "I can pull out my great grandma''s book. The best family recipes and creations are in it. I can refresh my memory with it."


    I clapped my hands eagerly and thanked her. If you make your own yeast, I could continue to bake well into the end times. Mary reheated some leftover vegetable soup, and I sat eagerly at the table and ate with her. With the absence of others, lunch was over quickly, and I was able to spend the next three hours crocheting.


    Mary sent me home with food, yarn, and crochet hooks to practice with. I made it home before six and greeted Grandpa Evans. His head moved a quarter of an inch, and I smiled. "How do spaghetti and meatballs sound for dinner with some garlic bread?" As confirmation, I got a happy grunt and quickly pulled a serving for him from my ring''s space. I was still full from eating at Mary''s, so I nibbled on my nails as I read on the sofa beside him. Once he was done eating, I cleared his plate, wished him a good night''s sleep, and went into my room.


    I read until my eyes couldn''t open, and I passed out. I was making good progress with everything, but I was nervous at how slow things were moving.


    Wednesday meant that I spent time puttering about the home. I cleaned areas I hadn''t touched earlier in the week, practiced cooking independently, and tended to the backyard garden. It had been a few days since I got to it, so I enjoyed myself. It was an excellent time to look around and figure out how I would ''unearth'' the solar panels. There was an old shed, a greenhouse that needed to be fixed, and a well.


    I stroked my chin and puckered my lips in thought. The shed was in the best condition, so if I slipped fifty of the panels I had in it and covered it up, it would work and be believable. If these were left out here, they needed some wear and tear. My plan to get William to fix the house for free would work, and I wouldn''t have to touch money. Each of those panels dropped a pretty penny, and he could install a few onto the roof for me.


    There was a bit of concern that he might try to rip me off, which is why I couldn''t just pull up to him. I needed protective Mama Mary to slap him with the wrath only a mother could pull off.


    With more concrete ideas in mind and a decent land layout, I returned to my room to sketch. I pulled some books from my space and used them to inspire me to finalize how our homestead would look. When I was done, I started filling up the bookshelves in my room. My books differed from fiction, fantasy, and real-life necessary pages like the books upstairs. Mine was all about homesteading, herbal medicine, crafting, and psychology. I needed good access to these. After all, who knew if I''d be able to move around much when I finally had time to read. I wish my desk was closer to the bookshelves, but they encased my beautiful window seat.


    As I stared at my excellent work, an errant thought flashed. It was easier to pull things out! This meant I was improving at maneuvering at least one of my new abilities. I marveled at this fact. Time to spend the rest of my day seeing how far these fresh muscles could take me! Sadly, I didn''t last long, and after going wild, I conked out on the couch.


    My brain ached to the point where I didn''t dare think or do any sort of planning. So, I lounged on the couch beside Grandpa Evans and watched his Irish dating show. My brain could hurt, but I didn''t dare have idle hands. So, instead of reading, I practiced crocheting and chatted with him.


    Thursday''s trip to Mary''s allowed me to show off the scarf I created. She showed me how to make a basic salve, and we worked on creams and balms. I made a lavender hand salve, a rose facial cream, and honey lip balm with her. I had a basic idea of how to do this; I wasn''t that bad of a witch. But I did refine my knowledge and solidified it.


    Lunch was green bean casserole with cranberry roasted turkey and all the sides. It was an autumn feast!! I eagerly learned how to brine a turkey; for time''s sake, she showed me how she had prepped while using a brined turkey.


    I skipped all the way home, excited for tomorrow. Because tomorrow was the day I would get my lemon trees.


    I greeted Grandpa Evans and was pleased when he grunted back. It almost sounded like hi! I coated his hands generously with the lavender balm. I tried to catch his eyes. His green eyes locked with my green orbs. "I know it''s been a hard year, Grandpa Evan, but it will improve. I''m learning to care for everything, and we will thrive." I lowered my lashes to cover my surprise. A small trail of tears had begun to leak. I kissed his head and ran to the kitchen to prepare his dinner. A man needed his privacy.


    From Wendy''s memories and from what I could see, I think both of them suffered through depression in the last few years. It wasn''t just the year since the loss of Grandma Carol. We watched her slow decline, and that took its toll. It was amazing and touching to see just how much he loved her. I can''t fix him, but I will do everything possible to help him.


    I passed out as soon as I handed Grandpa Evans his plate. I just remembered that I had to return it and put it in the sink for him. However, when I woke up the following day, it was already dried in the dish rack.


    I had a hard time containing my excitement Friday morning. It didn''t help that my body wasn''t worn from the day before, and I was overly excited. I spent that morning creating an elaborate breakfast. I needed to keep my hands busy and wanted to save excellent ingredients in the fridge. I made thick golden pancakes from scratch with a mixed berry compote. I fried eggs and bacon for a savory side and even had leftover chopped berries to cut through the heaviness of the grease.


    When I was done, I realized other things would expire, so I pulled out Grandma Carol''s book and made raspberry drop cookies.


    Grandpa Evans ate more than I''ve ever seen before. He put away half of the food and drank his coffee serenely when done polishing that off. He was watching a Czech murder mystery show that I was almost drawn into sticking around to watch.


    Instead, I spent hours puttering around the house doing daily maintenance, reading, and caring for our plants and trees. I explored a bit more and found that we had pawpaw growing naturally and even chestnut trees. I could add that to my plans. I eyeballed these new discoveries, my mind already seeing where to fit them into my goals.


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    I also walked around to figure out one of our biggest problems. We were going to need animal meat. I was reading about nutrition that morning and had yet to truly consider where meat came from. It was always conveniently there for me in both lives. Sadly, I never had to handle the messy side of it, but that would have to change.


    I was going to take in livestock but was still torn on it. What would be the least troublesome? How would we house them? The fence around our home is falling to pieces like wet cotton candy. A decent storm, and it would be over.


    I struggled over this the last few days and hadn''t decided until now. Let''s get goats, chickens, ducks, and quails. Goats, the frisky leapers, needed some really tall fences. I would also need something to guard and gather all the trouble-making life stock. So that would mean some shepherd dogs. Luckily, Alyssa trains and breeds, so that works.


    According to my homesteading book, creating a rice paddy with fish and other animals could work to maximize growth. What if we had two ponds? If both had fish, we could have more than one, and the ducks could have their own that wasn''t the rice paddy. I quickly ran to amend my plans, and time passed until it was finally the appointed time to meet Adam.


    I was almost ready to leave until I caught my reflection in the bathroom mirror. I had dirt and flour on my cheeks and hair. My eyeballs were the only clean part of my face! I quickly hopped in the shower and washed the day away. I didn''t have time to wait for my hair to dry, so I promptly braided it in a single plait to get it out. I changed into a bright yellow dress, making my eyes and skin-pop. My usual sandals slipped right on, and I was ready to go. At the last minute, I put on a floppy straw hat.


    "I have to go, Grandpa Evans. The ones who ran me over are dropping off the lemon trees." He made a sound that I liked to think was concerned, and I giggled, "Don''t worry, I have it handled. I''ll be safe." I packed some cookies I made for Adam in case he showed up. I gave Grandpa Evans a little kiss on the head.


    I skipped through the woods, dragging my wagon more quickly this time. It hadn''t been a week, but I could feel my body getting better at handling physical labor. I breached the opening, expecting to see no one since I was early.


    When I saw the clearing, however, I barely stopped my mouth from dropping open. There were two vehicles at the entrance to the Unruly Forest. One was a delivery truck with a farming logo clearly not from town. The other was the polished lux car that definitely belonged to Adam. At my approach, Adam exited the vehicle. He was wearing a navy blue suit today. From his slicked tidy hair, shiny clean shoes, and sparkling cuff links, he screamed wealthy CEO. He''s a child, though! Why does he carry himself like an adult? I wanted to muss up his hair and make him more approachable. I settled for waving while wearing a sunny smile as I greeted him eagerly. "Hi, Adam!"


    A half smile grew on his lips, and he adjusted his sleeves, making his cufflinks shine more. That''s it. I''m getting this kid out of a suit. How could he expect to putter, play, or have a good time when he has to worry about expensive silk or wool? I put that plan aside and ran to meet him, leaving my wagon behind.


    "I baked some cookies. Do you want them?" I pulled off my backpack and started to rummage around in it.


    "N-" I looked up at the sound of someone saying no. One of Adam''s men had left the car as well. However, Adam likely silenced him due to how quickly he stopped talking. However, when I looked at Adam, his dark brown eyes were on me, and the men looked on the ground. How did he manage that without saying a word?


    "I would love to try one," Adam reassured me.


    I put aside my thoughts and smiled at Adam. I held up the opened plastic container and handed it over to him. "Ta-dah! I said with a grin that changed into a crushed expression of chagrin.


    There was a lot of damage to the cookies, given how I skipped and jumped around on my way over. I looked down at the crumpled mess, and my cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "I may have been too excited when I ran over, and they got jostled. They''ll still taste pretty good. I''m perfecting my technique." Adam picked up one cookie that had barely any damage and took a bite. I stared up at him, eager for his reaction. His face didn''t shift, nor could I see how he felt about it, and I mentally scolded this child, who was too mature for his age.


    "It''s delicious." He said after he was done chewing and swallowing.


    Yeah, I made it. Of course, it''s good. Adam''s expression, however, didn''t show that he enjoyed it. He wore a neutral expression, and I finally shook my head at him.


    "You need to liven up. What''s your favorite food?"


    Adam looked at me blankly as he polished off the cookie. "Food is just fuel."


    I looked at him askance with horror. "Food is life! And you have to enjoy life to live fully. Come back next Friday, and I''ll make you something to picnic."


    "Next Friday?" Adam''s expression grew strange, but I ignored it as I burrowed on. I needed contact with children my age, which was a great time to make a new friend. I''ll feed him my food to get an honest opinion and get him to loosen up. All around, it was a win-win situation. Adam''s men started to shift, and the stern expression on their faces made me take back a step reflexively.


    "I was just thinking that once the lemons grew, I could also make you some treats or lemon leaf wraps." I started to stammer and changed my mind midsentence. Walking further into town and meeting kids my age would be alright. If I ignored the gap between us, it could end badly for me.


    "I''ll come." Adam''s decisive voice settled everything, and the men shifted, uncomfortable with his choice. I looked at him, perplexed but happy.


    "I can show you Trick Waterfalls, and we can eat and play there. You can keep these cookies here, but bring back the container." Adam nodded and promptly handed it to one of his men.


    "The truck can''t drive through the forest, so my men will bring the trees to your home."


    "I''m not sure that''s a good idea. It''s challenging to navigate the forest. I can put them in my wagon and take them." I spoke. I planned to carry them just far enough before putting them into my space when I was out of sight.


    Instead of responding, Adam gestured for the back of the truck to open. There were five instead of the three lemon trees I expected to see. I tried to contain my excitement; maybe the extra wasn''t for me, but I bound for another stop.


    "All five are yours," Adam said, making my dream come true.


    My self-control was gone, and I almost tackled the trees with delight. Instead, I grabbed Adam into a tight hug. There was no way the delicate trees could handle my growing strength, so I did the next best thing.


    "You''re the best!" I said.


    I missed his reaction, but I took the time to casually ruffle his hair and then inspected the trees over his shoulder. All five of them were just under two feet. I resisted the urge to touch them, but the wind moved the leaves, and it looked like they were using their leaves to reach for me.


    My feet moved closer to them, and I giggled, "How are you lovelies? You''re just babies, aren''t you? Don''t worry, I''ll take good care of you. I''m your new mama." I probably looked insane, but the trees could understand me. I was getting better at understanding plants as well. Images came to my head of seasons. "Only three years old? Oh, my, look how tall you''ve grown." I urged them silently to stop reaching for me, and although they moved a bit, I tried to disguise it with my hand by shaking some branches.


    One of Adam''s men cleared his throat, and I pulled away, my face burning. My excitement got the better of me, and I looked like a lunatic. I avoided everyone''s eyes and kept them firmly on the trees.


    "Young Master Adam, we should get these to her home."


    "Yes. One can pull four in the wagon, and the other can carry the remainder." After some shuffling and careful moving, that was precisely the lineup. I watched the lemon delivery truck drive away and waved at the driver cheerfully.


    "Be careful and keep close. The forest is difficult even for natives to get through." I gave what I thought was a stern look to the two who carried my lemon trees.


    Adam seemed to interpret my concerns and assured me they could handle it. I grabbed his hand, pleased that although he had a cold exterior, warmth was in his palm. "We can drop them off on the porch, and I can show you the tree house."


    Adam''s hand tightened its grip once we entered the forest. I squeezed it and tried to sound comforting, saying, "Don''t worry, it''s safe, and if something happens, I''ll protect you."


    If I didn''t have Wendy''s memory, I''d be worried the first time I entered it. The trees were natural skyscrapers. You could barely see the sun once you entered. The dark forest smelled like damp life, and while I loved it, I could see the dismay of the two adults. Adam''s expression was fixed into a stoic blank slate. I could tell he wasn''t wholly unmoved by how he tightened his hold on my hand. I babbled, aware of the tension as I displayed my superior knowledge of the forest. Every part of it had a story, and I pointed out and told as many said stories as possible to pass the time.


    We got through the forest quickly, and the three following me breathed a sigh of relief when we reached the clearing. I could see pity in the eyes of the men when they saw where I lived and placed the trees on the drooping front porch.


    "Come this way!" I pulled Adam to the back of the house where the treehouse was. "This spring and summer, our home will get a makeover. I started explaining what was going to happen, pointing out everything.


    Adam said nothing while listening to my chatter. When I finally paused for air, he dug his heels in and stopped me from dropping his hand to climb the ladder of the tree house. "Why goats?"


    "I will learn how to make cheese and butter from the milk. The plan is sustainability." I spread my one free hand out dramatically at the word sustainability. Once I have everything planted, I can feed them and my family. With the crops, we can make fertilizer as well. I''m going to start growing next week."


    Adam''s expression said nothing as he took in the state of things. "Did you draw up plans?" I nodded, "Show me."


    We entered the house from the mudroom since it was the closest entrance at the back of the house. I didn''t see Adam''s men, and that was fine. They were buzzkills anyway. I brought Adam into my room and was surprised that Grandpa Evans wasn''t in his chair. I could hear the water running in his bedroom and figured he was getting clean.


    My pink girly room only made Adam stand out more when he entered. The dark navy blue contrasted with my pink and white decorations. I could feel my cheeks heat up at how he silently observed everything. My unmade bed from this morning, the overflowing shelves of books. My charming window seat and messy desk. Even my walk-in closet, where clothes were strewn on the floor as I tried to find something to wear. I could feel my cheeks heat as I realized what a mess I was. This was my private space, and having someone in it was unnerving. Especially Adam, who was so quiet and stoic today.


    I tried to drop Adam''s hand, realizing he wouldn''t let go. I pursed my lips and showed him my desk. Adam''s perusal of my room ended. He used his free hand to review my drawn-up plans, and I pointed to the books I had used.


    "How are you going to do this?" He was kind to not bring up money, but it was evident from outside the home that much work needed to be done.


    "Selling some polar panels, a relative left behind. I will barter them with William to fix the house and get a proper fence around the home." His brown eyes pierced mine, and I had to remind myself I wasn''t technically lying. My grandma owned our home, meaning the Acquisition Room was hers. Why did it seem like this kid saw everything?! Am I being too sensitive?


    "William?" Adam said.


    I blinked. Oh, is that why Adam was staring so hard? He needed to figure out who William was. He was from out of town, so I could see the confusion. "He runs the only construction company in Green''s Mountain."


    "What if he rips you off?" Adam said.


    "He won''t. I''ll have Mary helping me. She''s the big boss in town. No one dares to cross her. We''re family, and she''s my family in everything but blood. Every other day, I go over, and she teaches me to cook, crochet, and sew." I said, pumping my chest proudly of having such a connection.


    "Like handkerchiefs?" He pulled a familiar one out from his pocket, and I tilted my head. Didn''t I make that earlier this week at her place? "You dropped it, and I forgot to return it."


    "Oh, you can keep it. That was my first one. I need to get better at it." I wanted to take it back, ashamed of how it looked, but it was crisp and neatly folded. Did he have it cleaned and just hold on to it? "I''ll make you a better one to replace that later."


    It was slipped back into his pocket, and Adam released my hand. "Let me see if I can help you with your plans. I have experience with my uncle''s business."


    True to his word, Adam sat down with me in my room, and we spent time drawing and creating plans. His men came in eventually and brought the lemon trees with them. I set them up around the window seat. Overjoyed at their splendor, I sat on the window seat and looked lovingly at them. I urged Adam to sit with me to see for himself, and strangely, it didn''t take a lot of words before he did.


    Time enviably passed, and Adam had to go. I led them out of the forest and eagerly waved goodbye to them. Next Friday was going to be just as much fun.


    It was late April, so I needed to get busy planting food and preparing to have the ponds dug out. Saturday morning, I had a delivery of food, and I greeted Bill and Mary, who showed up. This was the first time in over a year that Mary had visited. My visit last week must have touched her since the journey through the forest was not easy.


    I gave her a warm hug but found her touch to be chilly instead of warm. I stiffened, looked up, and saw she wasn''t looking at me. Ah. She didn''t know the decline of the house had been this bad. I brought her in, and she smiled, pleased by how clean the house was. Grandpa Evans retreated to his bedroom, and I chatted with Mary.


    "I found something, Aunt Mary."


    She paused from sipping her tea and looked at me, "It says solar panels on it. It was in the old shed out back. I think Uncle Benny left them. I hoped to trade them with William to fix the house and put in a fence and two ponds." I ran to my room and showed her the final plans Adam and I drafted. He was more intelligent than me, so these were bound to be foolproof, and if they didn''t work, well, William was the expert, wasn''t he. He could find a way.


    I could see tears coming out of Mary''s eyes and grew concerned. "What''s wrong?"


    She pulled me into her arms, "Nothing, you sweet girl. It shouldn''t be like this. You shouldn''t have to grow up like this." She stroked my hair, and when she was done, she asked me to show her the panels. I did and noticed the shock and joy on her face. "I''ll have William come out and give you a fair price for these. You will also have some installed for the house to help your utilities."


    "Will you take a couple? I want to give you something for taking such care of me." Mary opened her mouth to refuse, and I said, "I love you and want you to have these too." I could see her hesitation, so I laid the puppy eyes on thick. "I want to pay you back, too. You are family, and family look out for one another. What happens if the power grid goes out? You should have panels, too." I could feel myself get worked up over what I knew would happen. This damn sensitive body couldn''t handle things as well, and I could feel tears come down. I wanted her safe, too. I needed her to be safe. Mary''s warmth was the maternal love I''d never received in my actual life. I tried not to think about how it was all for ''Wendy'' and not me.


    "Okay," Mary said with a shaky voice. It was against her morals to take from someone she deemed worthy of care.


    We hugged and went back inside. With that settled, we puttered away and worked on crochet together. I started to make a pale pink sweater with Mary''s instructions. All too soon, Mary had to leave, and once she did, I spent the rest of the day planting and watering seeds. It was time to experiment with my limits to how much I could feed plants my energy. They would grow if I could reach the limits, like a muscle. So, I spent all I had doing that until I was ready to drag myself into my bedroom to read myself to sleep.


    The lemon trees greeted me when I entered my room, and I greeted them back. They loved their new home, and I enjoyed the scent of fresh lemon leaves. They smelled amazing and uplifted my weary spirits. I lay in my window seat and read until I conked out.

 Chapter Six

    Trick''s Waterfall was the only part of Evans''s property with a sordid past. Several generations ago, there were twin brothers in the family who competed against each other in everything that they did. Their names were Nolan and Ryan. They were identical twins that no one could tell apart. What may have started as friendly sibling bickering turned explosive as they got older. Minor pranks turned into long-haul plots, and each one was worse than the last. Their active hatred for each other grew and brewed into a chaotic storm that created longstanding consequences.


    Their war ended with a simple coin toss before what would later be called Trick''s Waterfall. The brothers loved this part of the family property so much that they staked everything on one final bout before it. The coin they flipped to end the dispute was apparently forged by the metals they found in caves near the waterfall.


    The coin toss itself was more devious than it appeared, and no one truly understands what happens. Two brothers trekked into the woods, and only one came back. He claimed to be Nolan, but no one knew if he was actually Nolan. The strangest part of this tale is that three months later, Nolan waltzed back. He claimed he lost the coin toss and was transported to a peculiar, eerie world. He tried convincing everyone that he was Nolan, not the other twin.


    "The brothers ended up bickering over who was actually Nolan, but by this point, the family was pretty much over the whole ordeal. They were both kicked out and never heard from again." I said, wrapping up the history lesson for Adam as we stared at the majestic falls. This tale didn''t make any sense to me. It bordered as a horror story that older generations told little children to make them behave and stay away from the water. I wasn''t sure who told Wendy, but she definitely believed it. Her body was more challenging to coax as I wanted to peek into the lake that pooled under the falls.


    I turned to look at Adam, who was peering at the world with his serious brown eyes. Adam was in a suit again. His trip into the Unruly Forest hadn''t damaged his dark green suit or polished loafers. It was incredible because even though I was dressed for the forest, I even had leaves on me. His facial expression gave away nothing as he scanned our surroundings. I turned to do the same, imagining how seeing this for the first time would feel.


    Trick''s Waterfall was majestic as it was loud. It was hard to estimate the height of it, but I had to strain my little head to look up at it. The waterfall was part of the mountain and likely was made up of melted snow. The water roared as it poured out of the mountainside and pooled into a mini lake that looked ice-cold.


    Only some people really delved into this part of Evans''s property. Part of the reason was the mountains that supposedly turned the twins into maniacs. Another was apparently because of a widow who jumped to her death after the loss of her husband. Her name was lost to time, and the creek was named Widow''s Creek.


    Maybe the townspeople were onto something for saying these woods drove people mad. The Unruly Forest was full of tales and woes.


    "Have you found the caves they mined?" Adam said, drawing me out of my morose thoughts.


    I made a face and shook my head. I did try for a bit, but not very long. It was hard to enjoy the mountains when they weren''t as full of life as the forest. It was generally into the woods when I wandered, not towards the stiff, collapsible mountains.


    Before I could so much as gasp, Adam strode forward toward the mountain. I dropped the picnic basket and ran after him. "Wait!"


    I knew he heard me because his feet slowed, but he didn''t stop.


    A small smile flashed on his face, and he sounded almost excited, "Aren''t you curious?" He said.


    "Well, yes, but..." Also no. I didn''t say that last part out loud. I don''t know why this place made me so apprehensive. I only wanted to show it to Adam because it was the second prettiest part of my home.


    Somehow, I found myself wandering the mountain without a fuss, attempting to find a cave or an opening. There were no such openings, and our time to play soon ran out.


    "The brothers might have climbed up to get inside the mountain," Adam said. He was eyeballing it like he would use his smooth hands to make his way up. It was the most energy I''ve seen him exude, but it was strange. Was it because there was possible gold or metals in the mountain? He didn''t look greedy, but he was a rich kid; maybe he just had a natural familial draw to fine metals.


    "My apologies, Wendy. Your food must have gone bad, and we''ve run out of time. Can I come back next Friday to make it up?" Adam said, turning to me with regret in his dark eyes.


    It was a fun day despite not finding anything, and I overcame this weird fear. I nodded enthusiastically. The more playdates and hangouts we had were worth it.


    I walked Adam back to the entrance where his bodyguards and ride were left waiting. After they drove off, I headed back to my home. It was a far more eventful trip this time around, though.


    Whenever I was with someone, I had to be careful or cautious of what I touched or where I stepped. It took some time to train in the forest, and so far, I only had the path I usually took under my thumb when passing. The rest would take even more time as it had earned correctly the name Unruly after all.


    My eyes still burned a brilliant green when accessing my plant powers. I couldn''t walk around with my eyes closed, smacking plants away around others. Luckily, it was often only me in the woods. I could feel the world around me heave a sigh of relief along with me. It was comfortable and easy with no one else around.


    The plant life I had scolded and kept from touching me erupted into action. No longer held back by my imposed constraints, they grabbed, connected, and stole energy from me with each step I took. I''d come a long way from the start of this adventure. I willingly stroked, poked, and nudged back whatever prodded or touched me. Images, feelings, and more flashed before my very eyes. The more I used this ability, the more I could see and feel through the plants.


    It wouldn''t be long before I could become one with them and cut off from the world when the time arose. Usually, I would be more cautious in dumping so much into the path as I walked home, but my dream from last night flitted about in my mind. I felt like something was hunting me in these very woods.


    It was a strange feeling but an uncomfortable one that lingered. Even in the daytime, I worried that someone was watching me, and only by taming and claiming every inch of this land could I make sure Grandpa Evans and I would be safe.


    The trees were strange; they listened to and liked me, but I couldn''t control them. They were older than me, and many in the Unruly Forest were hundreds of years old and could block out the sun with their girth. They weren''t as greedy for my energy as other plants; if anything, they simply liked watching me. It would take time to worm my way into them, and I might have to do it individually, tree by tree.


    I started with the first tree I had stumbled into when I came here. I affectionately renamed it Originis as it was the oldest and the start of an intricate plan that would take months to develop and years to fully form.


    The tree in question was right ahead, and I hid my greedy thoughts to lay my face on its bark. This wild power was easy to burn through, but it was far more enjoyable to employ. Originis were cool to the touch, and I could feel affection and concern impart on my skin as I breathed into its hard flesh.


    "I''m okay," I said. I actually was this time. Most of the time, when I crashed into this tree, I was a little winded and might even take a nap, but right now, I am invigorated and ready to grow.


    The following week went by in a blur. My visits to Mary''s place became concrete, with me going every other day except Fridays. Those became Adam''s by default. William came over and took the solar panels off my hands. I knew that all of them quickly added up to over a million dollars, and since he acquired them for free, it was all profit. That is assuming he could sell them. This also meant I would get the cheapest house fix-up ever, free.


    After looking at my plans, he came in, made the necessary adjustments, and got to work. Our soon-to-be rice paddy, duck pond, and fences were started right away. The greenhouse needed to be fixed, and the house would take a bit longer. People were there daily, and I could see some concern in Grandpa Evans'' eyes at the noise. I fed him extra cake and cookies and spent spare time with him every day.


    I managed to get the first plan going, and it was finally time for the next.


    Sakura Haven was the only new addition to Green''s Mountain. Since its inception, the same families over the centuries have run things and stuck around. Sakura Haven was run by Sumire Okitsu, who took over for her father after his passing. She had acres of greenhouses that grew rice inside them. A big ass orchard of Japanese cherry trees and goats, chickens, and quails.


    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    It was finally time to meet her and do some bartering with her.


    I had to be more careful when considering how to barter with her. I had antique silk kimonos from a museum catalog. I really took everything I could when I stole from the Acquisition room. If she liked them, I hoped to get some quails, rice sprouts, goats, and knowledge.


    I planned to visit once the rice paddy was done, but I needed to figure out how quickly and thoroughly William could work. The water was already in the soon-to-be rice paddy, and it was filtered and everything. Time to get the fish, freshwater shrimp, and more to get my ecosystem underway.


    I was going to implement this plan on Sunday, but I had a surprise knock at the door on Friday morning. I saw a familiar grumpy suit man who worked for Adam.


    "Good morning, Miss Evans. I have a message from Young Master Adam." His crisp voice sounded as ironed as his suit.


    I blinked at him expectantly, but instead of saying anything, he handed me a bulky block phone.


    "Hello!" I said with as much infused chipper energy into my voice as possible.


    I held it to my ear, and Adam''s pleasant-sounding voice was magnified. "It''s a satellite phone. It''s stronger than a normal cell phone. This way, the signal will work." He answered my question before I could even ask!


    "I can''t make it today, but I promise I will next Friday."


    "How about the next five Fridays?" I shamelessly asked, and he chuckled. I wish I could see his expression when he laughed! How cruel this distance was.


    "Deal. I want you to keep this phone for future use." My eyebrows knitted, and I opened my mouth to protest. "It''s hard to get a hold of you. This might happen again in the future."


    We needed a reliable landline...it was hard to dispute. Wouldn''t this be expensive, though?


    "Okay, but I get to feed you each time you visit and find other ways to pay you back."


    "Deal. My bodyguard will hand you the charger. Keep it on you at all times."


    "Will do. Is it possible to have him drop me off somewhere before he leaves?" While he was here, I might take advantage of him. The man in question bristled at my unabashed question.


    "Where do you need to go? " Adam said.


    "Sakura Haven. I''m going to barter for my rice patty and some animals. William took a little while to build and fix up the land. The house fixing won''t start for two more weeks, but at least the garden and land will look nice."


    "It''s good that things are going as planned. Hand the phone to him for me, please." I promptly did it, and although I couldn''t hear what Adam said, I knew I was getting my ride. I grinned cheerfully at the man as his face became stonier. It was over in a second since he didn''t need to say anything before the phone was held out to me again.


    I took it back from the glowering bodyguard and cheerfully praised and thanked Adam. He really is a good kid. I felt blessed to have such a friend. I needed to grab the bags into which I put the priceless silk and told Grandpa Evans I would head out for a bit.


    We walked through the forest, and I chattered needlessly as we did so. "It''s amazing that you made it through the forest alone." I glanced side-eyed at the grumpy man on my side. "How long did it take you?" I was so shocked to see him the first time I hadn''t really looked him over. With the trip back to the car, I finally had the time to do so. His usually impeccable suit was covered with brambles and leaves. I had briefly only seen the man''s top half, so I didn''t see that before. I giggled, guessing that he must have spent hours in the forest trying to escape. "Next time, you can call me now, and I can guide you or come out to make it easier."


    I got nothing back from him, but I wasn''t daunted. I skipped and hummed casually through the forest while he seemed to fight every branch and leaf that came his way. It was due to his job that he was so twitchy. I wanted to tell him that shadows weren''t enemies, but I wisely kept my mouth shut.


    The ride was uneventful, and I was dropped off at Sakura Haven. "Thank you, grumpy bodyguard man, who didn''t say his name." I waved and hopped out, returning his stony stare with a sunny smile.


    I ran towards the entrance but stopped short when I saw the trees. As far as the eye could see, they were everywhere. Bright pink and fluffy like clouds. I gasped, my breath taken away by how beautiful they were. I could tell the blossoms were near their run''s end, but they still retained their beauty. They looked like bright pink fluffy clouds. How would they taste? I started to drool as I imagined eating them. I had to shake my head to clear my thoughts before I followed the sign that pointed out the office.


    I opened the door and sat in one of the lobby chairs. There wasn''t anyone in it, and I wondered how I would get someone''s attention when a woman walked in.


    I gaped once more at beauty, only it was harder to shake this time. The first thing I noticed was her elegant posture when she walked in. Her hair was pulled back into a simple bun, which only served to highlight her smooth forehead and other facial features. Her almond eyes looked at me, and like Adam, I felt like I was facing someone above my status. I was drawn to her bright red lips as she opened her mouth and spoke to me. "And who might you be?" She moved behind the desk to hang up the phone I hadn''t noticed in her hands before.


    I swung off the chair and held out my hand, "My name is Wendy Evans. I''m looking forward to doing business with you. I went through my attic and found something my Great Grandma must have left in the family." She lifted an elegant eyebrow, clearly amused by what she perceived as childish antics. I watched dollar bills appear in her eyes when I opened my bag and pulled out the silk a few seconds later. "I know how much it''s worth, but I just want to learn how to grow rice paddies and some animals. Also, can you teach me how to make traditional Japanese food?"


    Her upper red lip curled into a half smile, "Anything else?"


    I shook my head and handed her the bag. She touched the silk reverently, "You got yourself a deal, little girl."


    I was told that she would deliver what I needed in two months. I didn''t want to be responsible for animals before I was ready, so I would visit her home once a week to learn. I really need a calendar to keep everything straight.


    She served some tea and reviewed the basics of caring for the animals I would receive. I had a general idea already from what I read, but it was better to have someone tell me face-to-face. The more information I received, the better. Repetition was the best way to memorize, after all. If I was going to be responsible for life, then I needed to be appropriately trained.


    It was getting late, and I really needed to go so that I could walk home. Once Sumire knew that I would walk home, she stopped me. "My son has the car right now, but I can give you this mountain bike." I didn''t dare say no. I hadn''t thought to grab one, and it looked like it could handle the terrain. Besides, the silk I''d given her was easily worth almost 100,000. If I refused her, she might feel like she was taking advantage of me; she was, but also so was I. I thanked her profusely and haphazardly rode the bike back home.


    Wendy knew how to ride one, so this body wasn''t completely unfamiliar with it. But this was the first time I had ridden one. Muscle memory luckily took over pretty quickly. My short legs made quick work of it, and I was home soon.


    Stopping became the next challenge as the bike took me into the forest. A scream bubbled in my chest, and I closed my eyes before I could stop myself as I crashed into a bush.


    Nothing hurt, and I was able to dust myself off quickly. "Thanks," I said to the bush as I reached out to feed it some energy for its trouble. It shook as it healed the damage it took from me.


    I arrived home around 4 p.m. Once I mastered the bike, I was going to be able to travel much faster than before.


    I stacked the bike against the wall and entered. Grandpa Evans was watching a German talk show. "I''m home!" He grunted and looked up to meet my eyes. I kissed him, and he turned his head back to the TV. Talking, feeding, and engaging him properly made a difference. We still had a long way to go, as did our home. But I was sure we were going to get there.


    For dinner, I recreated Mary''s bread bowl soup recipe. I couldn''t make sourdough since I had no mother, but it tasted great. I sipped soup and chatted one-sided with Grandpa Evans as usual.


    Things were truly sliding into place.


    After dinner, I walked around the woods. I couldn''t have a day of rest; even at night, I needed to plunge ahead if I was going to win over the trees.


    Noises that didn''t appear during the day sounded off, and I''d be lying if I said my heart didn''t give a start to every single one of them. Before this ability, I didn''t realize plants had resting periods like people. It wasn''t the same as people, but I could see them drowsily acknowledge my presence even now. It was a far cry from the normal needy groping of attention my very breath brought out of them.


    As I trudged deeper into the woods, I played with my energy output into nearby life. I was getting good at moving mediation, as I called it. I could easily walk through the woods with my eyes closed during the day. I was guided by the trees and various forms of life, and it was becoming more accessible to memorize all facets of the forest.


    I don''t know why, but I strongly desired to master this at night. I''m not sure when it started either, but I found myself in the woods after dinner more times than I could count.


    Tonight was the first night I felt like someone else was out here, too. I couldn''t hear any voices or breath outside of my own, but I knew there was something human aside from me. This feeling only grew the deeper I went into the woods. I attempted to pinpoint this by directing my energy into nearby bushes, but their limited sight became my own. I needed to do something to fix this apparent weakness of mine.


    If someone entered the forest at night, I would need to know. I bit my lip, hoping it was just ghosts of the forest haunting me. But if there were ghosts in this forest, wouldn''t I see them? At my core, I''m still a witch, no matter what form I use. That thought led to more worries that I found myself foolishly falling into.


    A sharp prick of my finger drew me out of my thoughts, and I looked down to see that my hands were deep in the earth. I was on my hands and knees as if I was planning to go wholly underground.


    I blinked and, peering through the dark, only to realize I was in front of Originis again. I had dug deep enough to grab ahold of its superficial roots. Energy poured into it, and I could see the tree shiver in response. I gasped as images, scents, and feelings swamped my brain. I saw an owl leaving a branch to scoop up a poor mouse who thought it was safe. I saw nests of baby birds, leaves falling, and even the moon peering down at us.


    Originis was connected to countless plants and forms of life, and just by holding some of its roots, so was I. There was building pressure in my forehead as things began moving too fast for me to comprehend. Originis is strong, and its energy was too forceful for my tiny brain. Even as I coached myself to let go, I could not. There was no way to stop the outpour of my strength into the network.


    I didn''t last long, and soon, my mind was enveloped in darkness as I blacked out.


    I woke up on the cold ground outside my home, blanketed in leaves and branches for warmth. The sky was the same color as when I called it quits, but I could see the sun starting its journey instead of saying goodbye.


    A scent unfamiliar to wildlife tickled my nose, and I rubbed it as I coaxed myself to sit up and take stock. I was sore, but it was a pain I was growing used to. I had overdone it, and something had dropped me off at home. Could Originis have done this? It was possible but not probable.


    The only real takeaway from all this was that I found a way to master the forest. I was going to connect to the trees through their roots. Once I learned that, it would be easy peasy to take over the forest. Complete control was within my grasp, but it would take a long time to reach that level of competency. Last night proved that I had a long way to go.


    Were there limits to this power? As this body grew up, maybe I would meet them, but until then, I would do whatever it took to level up.

 Chapter Seven

    Six months moved by in a blur, and soon, it was October. There wasn''t a single moment spent idly.


    My prized lemon trees developed beautiful flowers, and I made sure to pollinate them myself so they would turn into fruit. I collected their blossoms and leaves to make the most of them. I gave Adam lemon blossom cookies and other tasty treats on our almost weekly Friday visits.


    My plant ability made strides forward in communication and control over plant life. My so-called ability of premonitions was as elusive as Adam''s smile. I was likely never going to master that ability, but one day, I would start to tackle it. I had my hands full these past months with everything else. If I could take something off my plate, it would be that annoying power.


    I did, however, make time to figure out the spacial ring. If only the damn ring came with a manual. Grandma Carol''s books and sauces had yet to age a day while chilling in my pocket dimension. So far, that was a positive conclusion that time stopped indefinitely. I''d have to check in a few years and run more tests on the limits. I would need different stages and variables to be specific. I need to find out the rate of decomposition in the spacial ring. I would need to know of and understand what happened after they were removed from the space. So far, it all led to the same conclusion that they were not affected and would typically age once removed. Only time would prove that to be an absolute truth.


    I grew and collected tomatoes, peanuts, lettuce, broccoli, sweet potatoes, cucumbers, watermelon, corn, peppers, sunflowers, and more from the garden. This, of course, was not counting the herbs I planted and harvested. With the greenhouse up and running, while some plants slept for the winter, others could bloom. Of course, I had planted pumpkins, oats, and wheat. I had made enough to feed Grandpa Evans and myself during the winter.


    I used Grandma Carol''s book to can and create ketchup, veggie pickles, and sauces. Every other unused veggie and fruit, and of course, all of the blossoms, went into the space. It was better to preserve as much as possible and only remove what we needed when we did. I would use up all of the space food to add to the amount of ingredients we had. I slipped into a system where every other food item entered my spacial ring. It was lowkey hoarding, but I had dreams every night that there wasn''t enough food. I had a lot of food in my pocket dimension, but still, I was haunted. After the car accident, I couldn''t discount the possibility of it coming true.


    I spent one day a week with Sumire, learning to care for the animals she would give me. I received three goats once she was satisfied and looked at where they would live. One was a mother, and she was still milking her babies. One of the babies was a boy, the other a girl. I had learned how to milk her and do essential grooming, and they loved all the space they had to run.


    Sumire taught me how to use my quails and chickens to help me make compost; since hers were already trained, the rest fell on me. I now have ducks, quails, and chickens. Listening to them makes me happy, but it makes Grandpa Evans happier. He often holds the baby chicks I have stored in the home to stay warm. I watch him hum to them, and my heart pangs happily.


    All the birdies love the pond, and there are blue Nile tilapia, frogs, and other little freshwater aquatic creatures. The filters keep the water going, and with the plants and bugs that go in, I never have to feed them. They feed themselves. It never gets overrun since the ducks chill in it, and I have found ways to keep the eggs safe so they can grow and have a chance. Of course, that pond pales compared to the size and greatness of the ten-foot by ten-foot rice paddy. That big baby of mine has freshwater shrimp in it. They keep it safe and running free of extra pesky bugs.


    My baking and culinary skills grew thanks to Mary''s teachings. I didn''t end up seeking another teacher. Her teaching method suited me best; she had recipes that helped me think outside the box. I learned to make yeast, a sourdough mother, apple cider vinegar, and more! I could even make flour from wheat, but I found out that nuts can also make flour! This was good because the Unruly Forest had an abundance of tree nuts. I fell into the habit of scavenging around the forest for nuts on my daily walks.


    Of course, I also prepped and did other things nongrowing. I spent every other day at Mary''s using my super duper helpful bike to get there quickly. On Fridays, I visited with Adam and did my best to get him to loosen up. I was occasionally rewarded with a smile or a chuckle for my efforts, which only made me double down.


    I found Old Tom, the Evans family cat. With him was his very pregnant girlfriend. I named her Lou. The two cats moved right in. I grew worried, however, that Old Tom only came back because he thought the new birds were easy pickings. When I voiced this to Mary, I got two shepherd dogs. One was full-grown and a trained shepherd dog. The other is still a pup that I was learning to train with Alyssa. The fully trained one was a beautiful Maremma Sheepdog named Molly. She only stayed outside since she was a working livestock dog. Nips, on the other hand, only slept in my room. And the puppy was an Australian Kelpie named Nips, for how much he loves to nip. He was a bright, happy boy who I was working hard to train while simultaneously learning to train dogs. A win-win.


    The soft, fluffy dogs kept the birds safe from the cats and could scare off any nighttime visitors. With William''s aid, the front and mud room doors had dog doors installed for convenience. Potty training was a nightmare, but Nips came almost trained, so it was a partial nightmare.


    The best reason to get the dogs was for cuddles. They brought emotion into Grandpa Evans'' eyes and loved on him in the absence of the baby chicks who grew up. We became a fun family of four at meals.


    Of course, while bird protection and love were fantastic, we also needed protectors.


    Someone was moving sneakily in the forest. The plants were disturbed and perturbed. They told me as such, but I could also see the damage from the intruders with my own eyes. These trespassers were likely charting and trying to figure their way through the forest. Naturally, with my past experience, I assumed the worst and took steps.


    My family encountered this more often than I cared to admit in the real world. Knowledge is power, and people crave power. We not only stored lost knowledge, but our blood, on its own merit, was power. What we could do or know could change the course of wars and nations. This naturally put us on the wrong end of picking a side when all our family has tried to do is remain neutral. If people perceive you as a threat and you won''t work with them¡­it can get ugly.


    While I doubted it was as dire as that, I couldn''t relax. I didn''t want another taste of death. The most apparent reason was that someone wanted to rob us. Green''s Mountain is a small town where word of mouth gets passed around quickly. All the work and new additions to my home were undoubtedly noted. With only an old man and a kid, someone could get it in their head to rob us.


    With this in mind, I laid a trap and waited. I hoped I was wrong, but I was awakened by barking one chilly October night.


    My eyes opened as my heart started racing in fear. I could tell Molly was the one barking, and given how well-trained she was, there could only be one reason.


    "Intruder!" I could hear plants screaming, much like the dog barking. I hoped it was a furry one who could be scared away. We''d had more than one false alarm in the past week. That hope was quickly dashed by the plant''s scream. This time, it was most likely a biped, not a four-legged fox.


    I sat up and watched as Nips hopped on the window seat and started to growl. I couldn''t see anything, but he must have picked up a message from Molly''s barking.


    I pulled off the covers and quietly walked to the mudroom. Molly, like Nips, was looking southward. I tried my hardest to gather courage as my heart picked up speed.


    I slipped outside; Nips followed me and joined Molly. The two nudged each other before returning to protective stances. They were bristling even more. Molly looked like a beautiful, protective mama dog, with Nips a tinier but fiercer version.


    "We can handle this," I told them, trying to inspire all three of us. I wanted to pet and hug them for comfort. We had to all stay alert and prepared, however.


    The frost-covered ground was stiff and cold. The fall night stripped what heat I had left from my skin, and I shivered. I crouched on the ground and breathed heavily to calm my heart and mind. My breath bloomed around me, and once I had collected myself, I dug my hand into the ground.


    Luckily, in the last six months, I wasn''t idle. I didn''t venture out into the forest just to scavenge. I created a surveillance network with plants and trees. I connected all of the plants in that network to our home plants. With one root, I could link all of them together. I could hear the plant''s alarm in the forest because they could contact the lemon trees in my room. I needed to come outside at this stage and physically connect with the roots; I bound them together. When I became more powerful, I wanted to erase that step altogether.


    It was a simple process that started with using the tree I first tested my powers on all those months ago. The Origin tree that I affectionately renamed Originis. It had the most energy and a protective personality and was perfect for crafting this system. I ended up creating a pentagram of trees that surrounded our home. The five of them, with their systems of plants, shrubs, and other odd life under them, created a mile radius of protection outside the property line. With this, I could not only spy but attack.


    It took a lot of time and personal growth to accomplish this. The more I used my powers, the stronger they became. Although I could always get impressions and thoughts of plants, I wanted to be able to talk to them like I would people. How cool would it be if I could see the world through their eyes or have a full-blown conversation with a tree?


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    So, I began this process to test the limits of my power and then exceed that. Luckily, these experiments proved it was more than possible. It took me months to perfect and grow capable in this regard. I couldn''t reach all the trees and plants in the forest from our house, so I supplemented it with this system until that day. I had more than enough to see around the forest. As I got stronger, I would see everything. For now, I just needed to ensure that the day happened and take care of the intruders.


    I connected with my network and flinched as the images, owl calls, and other sounds flooded my brain. It took me a few minutes to adjust before finding what I sought. The dogs were looking south, so someone was approaching from that direction; all I had to do was look, too. I connected with the giant tree that stood guard in the south. I could see that there were five human intruders. Damn, there goes my hope of it being just animals.


    "Does the Evans family have dogs?" A worried, high-pitched woman''s voice whined.


    "Don''t worry, Lisa. I''ll protect you." A patronizing man''s voice laughed at her, but it comforted the woman.


    "Are you sure we''re going to find anything of value?" A doubtful third voice joined the conversation. Seeing the details in the dark was hard, but I could make out their shapes.


    I scoffed at the sheer arrogance of them, thinking that they could come up to my home and steal my hard-earned shit. "Dumb fuckers." I muttered as rage replaced fear. The trees and plants in my network shook with my fury, further spooking the intruders.


    "Fuck did you hear that?" The girl cried out, and she was comforted yet again. I urged a tree root up, and she tripped, and her scream pissed off the others.


    "Shut up, we just follow the plan. It''s an easy gig. There''s only an old man and a child." A man scolded her as he helped her up.


    I pursed my lips as I took a moment to decide how I was going to kick their asses. If I tied them up with roots, it would be suspicious, but it would tidy them up for the police. Could I rely on fear? If I scare them into leaving the forest, would that work? Or would they come back? There was no right or wrong answer. I only had one chance to get this right. That one thought actually scared me into further indecision.


    I bit my lip as I could feel fear grow to crawl out of my stomach and grab me by the throat. This wasn''t a book. I couldn''t read it, knowing things were planned out right and I would be okay. I''m not the main character, and I cannot guarantee I will be fine in this world. I was just a dumb kid trapped in a book¡­


    I could only hope that they simply came to rob us. But would they resort to violence? The trees had made note that they had tools. The crowbars in their grubby hands can break apart doors and bash heads in.


    What should I do?


    I went over all my options fearfully. I tried imagining all possible scenarios before settling on the most tiring one. A fearful maze of hell for them. The Unruly Forest had a reputation to uphold, and I could use these guys to prove it right.


    I belatedly wish I had some dangerous plants that could give them hallucinations or something. In the literature I''ve read, plant manipulators could invoke various abilities. After tonight, I was going to practice more of that. Let''s ensure they get lost until morning, and I can call the cops.


    I took a deep breath, urged, and asked the plants to move and confuse the five intruders. I separated from the root connection for a few minutes while the plants implemented the plan. I ran back inside to grab a shawl and the satellite phone Adam gave me.


    Officers must be more savvy to make their way quickly through the Unruly Forest. I memorized Mary''s home number; her son knew his way through the forest. I could call them and hope they could lead the police through the forest and pick up the robbing bastards.


    I settled into the cold ground and tapped back into the root system. Time to fuck up their night. If I wasn''t going to have a peaceful night''s sleep, they would suffer as well.


    "Molly and Nip, calm," I commanded them. I needed to throw off the intruder''s sense of direction for this to work. If they knew that we had dogs, they would follow the barks.


    Molly went silent immediately at my command, but Nip took a minute to calm down. "I''ve got this handled. Good job, you two. Good job." I praised them and took a minute to remove homemade dog jerky from the space.


    As they ate, I started to wreak havoc on the poor fuckers who thought this was an easy gig. I moved roots, branches, leaves, and any foliage within my grasp to scare the living shit out of the group. I could hear them screaming, moaning, and crying out in pain as they were hit, scratched, and overall beaten up. The plants were as vindictive as I needed them to be. I also needed to turn them around in their pain and occupy them for at least three hours. The sun wouldn''t rise for a while, and the longer I could keep them entertained, the better.


    I listened as the group descended into chaos, and they blamed each other.


    "I told you this damn forest is cursed!" The woman screamed at the other four.


    "If a fucking child can go in and out, so can we. Suck it up. It''s not cursed; it''s just a stupid forest." Another member yelled tensely at her. The trees did not like that comment, and the next time they tripped someone, they angled it so that the man hit his head on a tree.


    "No! Ian''s going to die! Let''s go, guys." The woman was crying pitifully, and I could feel my eyebrows furrow. I wasn''t trying to kill anyone, just keep them from robbing my family.


    "It''s just a head wound. They always bleed a lot. He might have a concussion, though." This was a new voice. The only one of the five that didn''t scream, curse, or make a mess of themselves. Given the cold tone, it was safe to reason that they were more intelligent than the rest.


    "Gavinnn." That annoying woman whined, and I watched through the trees as he stepped forward to check for a concussion. Once he noted that there was no concussion and the bleeding was just the head being extra, I started my attack again. I couldn''t let him take control and keep the rest calm.


    I directed the branches to shake their leaves and wished I had the confidence to go out there in a bedsheet. That would be enough if I could scare them with the shapes of ghosts. Taking the time to strengthen my plant powers paid off this night, as I spent the next three hours using fear to redirect the intruders. I could feel the toil on my body as exhaustion battled the energy drain. I shivered, and Nips laid on me, sharing warmth.


    They were closer to the entrance of the forest than the house now. I even managed to have Gavin sweating bullets by this point. They were also no longer inside my system and thus out of my reach. I could push them out using this tactic, but they could always return. Now that they were outside and had time to regroup, I needed to up my game. Although they were long convinced that something was in the forest and it was messing with them. That could pass once I could no longer move things. I took a hand from the ground and dialed Mary''s number with the satellite phone.


    A very warm voice, Mary, answered the phone, and I took a heartbeat to marvel at how relaxed this woman was even though it was almost five in the morning. We are country folk, but who didn''t dread early morning calls?


    "Mary." Even if I wanted to sound chipper or like the kind bug Wendy I wanted to be, I was too tired. Exhaustion and leftover fear leaked into my voice.


    "Wendy?" Mary''s voice sharpened as she picked up on that.


    "I woke up to the dogs barking. I heard people in the forest trying to reach my home. They say there''s only a girl and an old man, so it would be an easy robbery. I''m so scared. They''ve started screaming odd things, and I hear shouting."


    "I''ll send Bill over with the police, okay? Give me a minute; I want you to hide somewhere safe under your bed and stay on the line."


    It was hard to feel secure, but something about Mary''s warm, protective energy made it possible. I nodded and said a shaky okay. I didn''t move; I needed to stay out here to monitor everything. If they came back, I could be alerted, thanks to my system. I didn''t tell her this because I didn''t want to worry Mary unnecessarily.


    What felt like an eternity, but I knew it was only a few minutes; Mary was back. "Bill is headed out, and the police will meet him there. Stay on the line with me, okay, sweetie?"


    "Okay, I''m so scared." I was, in fact, still terrified. I managed to protect our home, but I was barely hanging on. I spent over three hours using my powers to monitor the intruders. I fed the plants in the system my energy and directed their actions. I was ready to pass out, but I needed to hold on for at least another hour.


    "I know, sweetie. Hang on, it''s almost over."


    I shook as my body was ready to give out. Mary talked to me comfortably, and I made little noises. I barely held on; my body shook, and everything looked blurry.


    After twenty minutes, as I feared, the robbers tried to make their way to the house one last time. "I can hear them," I whispered to Mary. I urged the dogs to keep calm, feeding more treats so that they would have as little direction as possible.


    "Just give them a bit more time. Help is on the way, Wendy." Mary''s loving voice soothed some of the fear but didn''t help. After this, I needed to set up another system in the forest. I couldn''t rely on having just a mile of protection off the house''s fenced yard.


    I could stay out here and implement the plant system again to attack and keep them busy. I was tempted to, but if the police came in while the group was trying to break in, it would be a slam-dunk case. It would be harder for them to worm out of their attempted crime.


    I slipped inside, taking Nips with me to check on Grandpa Evans. I opened his door to peek at him and saw he was still sleeping. I closed the door and headed to the living room. It was strange to not see the TV showing some obscure show. "I''m going to be quiet now," I whispered to Mary. "I don''t want to draw attention," Mary said, her approval, and I listened to her words. She was the only thing that kept me awake at this point.


    I peeked out the window, pulling out another dog treat for Nips and a steaming cup of dark chocolate cocoa for myself. I watched for what felt like forever. The sky was lightening, but I could barely see anything as my breath fogged the window. I wiped it clean and sipped the hot drink. I didn''t dislike chocolate, but it wasn''t my favorite. Right now, it is an appropriate thing to warm up quickly with. I placed the cup in the space, preferring not to wash it. I couldn''t leave it out for the dogs to lick, so the space was the easiest solution. My teeth stopped chattering, luckily.


    My stiff, weakened body warmed up, but my knees quivered. I pushed myself far beyond my current capabilities. I just needed to hold on for a bit longer. I knew that they were approaching from a different direction this time. It was stupid because it was the same one the police would use to enter the forest; it was the only way to truly enter it. That led to the front door, but it would be a trap for them.


    I heard voices shouting, and I ducked down to avoid being seen in the window. "I can hear yelling again."


    "Breathe deeply, honey." I did as Mary instructed, but it was hard; my breath didn''t want to extend.


    The dumbasses were here trying to break in from the entrance this time. I narrowed my eyes. There were only four of them? What happened to the fifth member? I could make out details that I received from the plants; it was complicated by my dulled senses and the flawed system. The annoying woman was there, so it was one of the men. The smarter one. I tsked mentally. One asshat got away. "I see the people trying to break in; they have crowbars. They''re arguing about going back since the sun is coming up."


    "You''re going to be fine. The police are near. Go back under the bed where they can''t see you." I was relieved she didn''t reprimand me for ''coming out from hiding because it wouldn''t deter me. I needed to watch this go down to know for sure what the ending would be. I could see more shapes moving in the dark, coming up behind the intruders. The fact that the dumbass brigade didn''t notice and was loudly shouting the best way to break in made this shit too easy. They were too frazzled and exhausted from the night shenanigans. I didn''t have to do much to watch them fall apart.


    "It''s the police," I whispered to Mary, my words barely above a breath. "I think they heard them arguing about how to break in." There was a scuffle as the police made their presence known.


    "I can see brown uniformed men cuffing four as-intruders," I told Mary.


    "Wendy Evans, you shouldn''t be watching this." I could hear Mary''s stern lecture, and it was great timing now that the asshats were dealt with. I could feel the shaking come back stronger than before. The darkness at the edge of my vision grew, and I could hear myself say, "Shitballs."


    Blessed, silent blackness greeted me next.

 Chapter Eight

    I dreamt of the strangest things as I slept. I saw delicious food dancing¡ªcakes of every size, flavor, color, and type. And yet, every time I reached for one, it vanished. To make it worse, my favorite lemon tarts danced before me. I used my mouth to grab one, but all I tasted was air. I began crying and sobbing, and just as I was about to give up, I heard a voice.


    "What do you think she''s dreaming of? She looks like she''s in pain, doesn''t she?" This unfamiliar voice pierced my dream. It sounded like a kid, but my dream''s fog hindered me from discerning who. Whoever it was, they snapped me out of my la la land, and I tried to look subtly at my surroundings from under my lashes. I could barely make out two shapes standing above me. I stopped myself from peeking, not wanting to give away I was awake just yet. Since I couldn''t see where I was, I needed to ensure I was around good people. My people.


    My body was still between the stages of sleep and being fully awake. My body became more alert each second, and reality went from surreal to real. My dreams that felt so tangible were fading into my subconscious where they belonged. It didn''t feel good being weighed down by flesh and blood. It felt better to float around delicious treats, but it was time to wake up.


    My mortal flesh wasn''t too rotten off from a pain perspective. Given how I exceeded my limits, I expected every inch of my physical shell to hurt. Not that it didn''t; I got off-light yet again. How divinely lucky. Something was poking me, though. A needle? Was it what was keeping me sedated?


    "Could be the ordeal she just went through. She''s a strong girl, but she''s still a child." A warm hand stroked my forehead, moving my bangs from my eyes. I fought to open my heavy lids for eyes. With a shameful amount of effort, I kept trying. I was alive but exhausted and sore. I also knew that I was safe. I didn''t need to see to recognize that warmth. Mary she was stroking my head. Her warm hand brought me more tears, and I opened them.


    She cried out in delight, and I was gently hugged, and my sight was blocked.


    "Where am I?" I tried to peer past the bosom of Mary, but it was impossible.


    Mary pulled away, and her warm blue eyes inspected me. "You''re at home."


    I opened my mouth to ask about Grandpa Evans, and Mary, the mind reader, smiled before she said, "He''s fine. He ate an early lunch and is sleeping in his room. I''ve been staying over to take care of you. Wyatt has helped around the house as well."


    "Wyatt?" I said as I looked at the boy, who waved eagerly. He was the voice I heard as I came back to reality. I scanned him, noting his shaggy blonde hair and striking blue eyes. He wore a smirk on his face as if he knew something I didn''t, and instantly, I bristled. Something about him put me on edge, and I had no rhyme or reason to be so wary of him. Yet I was.


    "I''m going to make some phone calls to let everyone know you''ve woken up and make sure the doctor can come over."


    Mary patted my head and ran off before I could say more. A zap of sadness shot through me as I watched her retreating back. No one could pamper like Mary. My lips jutted as I pouted, wanting all the fuss and frills.


    "You''ve been out for two days." Wyatt''s voice drew me out of these yearnings.


    I met his curious gaze as my mouth dropped." Two days?!" I hissed in shock. No way was that true.


    "You slept like the dead. Everyone was scared. You only made any noise or fuss when they tried to move you. You didn''t want to leave this place for some reason or Grandpa Evans." He informed me with very little compassion in his voice.


    I looked at the IV that was attached to my arm. I took it out and held down the hole it exposed. No wonder I dreamed of nonstop food. My poor body was starving! I missed so many meals!


    As if reading my mind, Wyatt asked me, "What were you dreaming of? You were crying out in your sleep."


    "Food." I answered honestly, "I dreamed of all the meals I missed while I lay in this bed." I moved my body to test out how it felt. Everything was shaky from disuse, but I was in decent shape. I overextended myself nonstop for hours and paid the price. I was lucky to be still alive. It was more than possible to die while exceeding power limits. Usually, when I trained, I took breaks and naps in between it all. Powers were like any other muscle, and you couldn''t rush it all at once. Only with time and methodical improvement could you grow. When the asshat brigade came, I burned through my power. It could have easily been life or death. Naturally, my body conked out for days to rest.


    Would it have been alright, though, had I croaked? I should have been able to jump back into the book, right? What if the asshat brigade robbed me while they were at it? It was better to be safe than sorry. They did the crime, and hopefully, they would spend time repenting.


    Wait, how did I go to the bathroom? A gnawing fear about how squeaky my bottom was made me lift the covers to peek...


    Yup, the most embarrassing thing was that I was wearing a diaper. It was to reduce accidents while I was out of it, but that didn''t stop my face from burning a bright red.


    The door creaked open, and I opened my mouth, ready to talk more with Mary. To my surprise, Nips pranced in.


    "Nips!" I opened my arms to my beautiful boy. He looked in my direction politely but loped towards Wyatt instead of me. Wyatt''s face lit up with a massive grin as he hugged my Nips. The two gave love and joy to each other, to my dismay, as my presence in the room became that of a jilted mother.


    I picked my jaw off the floor at this picture of pure betrayal and said, "Nips, it''s me!"


    Nips once again looked at me before showering all his love again to Wyatt.


    My lips quivered as my heart began to pang sadly. I was only asleep for two days, you fickle dog!


    "He just needs some time to adjust, I''m sure," Wyatt said as he looked at me with sympathy and pity.


    My pain promptly turned to anger. "What kind of dog treats did you feed my puppy?" I accused him unfairly, but I was the injured party here. After everything we''ve been through! I gave him so many bribes and treats, too. Nips somehow forgot about me for this stupid boy!


    Wyatt opened his mouth, but Mary reappeared before he could say anything. I buried my pain and rage to accept all the fussing I needed.


    I burrowed into her arms for twenty minutes. A loud groan from my stomach reminded me that only one thing was missing from this lovely scene.


    "Can I have some apple pie?" I peeked up with my big eyes only to be met with Mary''s steel firmness of a professional baseball player.


    "Nothing too strong until we know you''re better for sure." She said as she lovingly patted my head and batted aside my pleading.


    I nodded happily, unaware of what would come once I reached the dining room table.


    I watched as platters filled up the once-empty dusty wood top. Wait a minute, why did Wyatt and Mary have a plate to load up their food? Where was mine?


    To my horror, Mary brought over a tray with bland rice soup, crackers, and bananas. I ate my whimper of pain, knowing that she did this out of love.


    Wyatt and his stupid smile eagerly ate a little of everything on the table. I watched as he even mopped up the remains of his thick lamb stew with Mary''s special bread.


    I cried in my heart of hearts as I slowly sipped away at my plain soup. Without May''s loving gaze, I would have returned to the bed to sneak food from my space. I didn''t want to break her heart and worry her, however. Remember, I told myself as I sniffed the excellent food and attempted to trick my taste buds as I swallowed. She''s doing this out of love. Just imagine you''re eating Wyatt''s soup, not this soup. It could have worked if my taste buds were better at defining food than my crappy nose.


    The only good part about being placed back in bed to rest was that I didn''t have to clean. Wyatt washed the dishes, and I tucked myself into bed. I snuck out a raspberry almond bar and ate it under the covers.


    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    Although my body felt solid and healthy, my brain was tuckered out. Taking out the single bar wiped me out, and I could feel the land of dreams calling my name. Too tired to bother much, I hid the bar wrapper under my pillow. I could barely keep my eyes open, so I passed out.


    The next day, the doctor came. I wanted to appear as if I was in the best health, so I pinched my pale cheeks to gain color. I sat up and grinned at him sunnily. I looked the very picture of health. Now, let me get out of this bed! I implored him silently with my eyes.


    "Everything appears to be on the mend." The doctor said. I saw Mary''s worried face above him, and they smiled brightly.


    "Let''s keep her on the regime at least until Monday." NOOOOO, I screamed internally. My smile faltered, and Mary walked the doctor out of the house, asking him questions.


    "Crap." Today is Friday. I need to meet Adam. If I don''t show up, he''ll be worried, and Mary guarded that satellite phone like it was her baby. She seemed to think that the only thing my fragile body could handle was going to the bathroom and sitting at the table.


    All the progress to show how capable I was to her was washed clean with this incident. Damn you, asshat brigade. I knew from Mary that they were going to be in jail for a long time but damn them even further.


    "Whatcha up to?" Wyatt''s eyes gleamed at me mischievously. I snorted; there was no way I would tell this unknown kid that I planned to sneak out. "I could help you?" His grin curved as he stood on my bed and looked up at me. "We can help each other out. Friends help each other out."


    "We''re not friends," I said ruthlessly blunt.


    "We can be, and I can be of use to you."


    "What do you need?" I narrowed my eyes suspiciously. I had mere hours before Adam arrived at our usual spot to wait for me. How could this kid help me get out from under Mary''s grasp? Even if he did, why would he? Neither had explained his identity to me, and I knew he wasn''t related to Mary. I knew the Simons family, and no Wyatt existed in that familial tree. Who was this kid?


    "I''m an orphan. I live at the church in town. The orphanage is dinky, and we don''t eat enough. Only three of us are there, so resources aren''t wasted on us. Let us stay here some nights for a sleepover. You can put us to work around the home, and we could have a warmer bed." He said in a rush.


    I stared at him, puckering my lips in thought.


    I could weigh the pros and cons, but I mostly saw the pros. Undoubtedly, Wyatt had wandered the home and seen extra rooms. There was a lot to do in the house now that we had crops and animals. I could have him deal with the messier side of having livestock. I was still wary of killing to eat, so having extra hands would be nice. I would have more time and energy to train my powers with help around the home. I could doubt this deal and not have strangers in my home. However, how could things have gone differently if I had backup of any kind? Even though I didn''t know Wyatt, I was open to friendship.


    "I''ll feed you guys and give you food to take with you. I would need you mostly around harvesting time to help with the livestock. We could give this a try." Keeping them in the long run could be worthwhile if we all clicked. There were three empty rooms upstairs, and I loved having Adam as a friend, but I wanted more social contact. I needed it. I wasn''t doing so well talking one-sidedly with Grandpa Evans. The open connection we gained before I reconnected for two days was closed again. The fear of losing me ruined the progress. Let''s shake things up and give myself less work around the farm and time to train. Maybe the wipeout after the asshat brigade wouldn''t happen again.


    "You have a deal." Wyatt held out his hand, and I shook it.


    "Now, what were you planning?" He said with a smirk.


    "I have to sneak out for a couple of hours, but Mary barely lets me out of her sight."


    Wyatt seemed surprised as he asked me, "You want to sneak out?"


    I nodded, "I have to meet up with my friend. He''ll be waiting for me."


    "I thought you were going to ask for food," Wyatt said, peering into my eyes with far too much doubt.


    I snickered. I had my space to keep me full while the regulated meals left me wanting." This is more important." I insisted.


    "But you clearly love food." Like Nips with a bone, Wyatt wouldn''t let it go. I shoved his head off my bed, and he laughed.


    "I''m a lady. I can eat like a bird if I need to." I said primly as I lifted my nose in the air.


    "You nibbled on your pillow when you were out of it." The Wyatt said with a far too knowing smirk. His smile grew as he pointed out the pillow in question.


    My face turned red, and I looked at the offending pillow. I looked back at Wyatt and his stupid, smiling face. I grabbed the pillow in question and tried to hit him with it. The goblin dodged it, his shining blue eyes laughing.


    "I''m glad this is what you want." Wyatt stopped laughing to turn serious. At my curious look, he elaborated, "Ever since you dropped, Mary hasn''t slept to take care of you." My eyebrows furrowed as my face grew pale. "Her son offered me room and board to help her take it easy, but she hasn''t at all."


    Mary no! I now needed to make sure she took a break. I needed to make her some sleepy-time tea. It would be all herbs, and we''d have time to make sure she drank it and relaxed enough to let it take effect.


    "I have a herbal tea that might help her sleep. But I doubt she''ll nod off if I''m awake." I nibbled on my lip.


    "We can fake your sleep, then have her drink the tea so you can sneak out." It seemed like the best plan, but I couldn''t help but feel guilty. I adored Mary, and she loved me too.


    "Let me ask for the satellite phone before we do this." If I could call Adam instead, I wouldn''t feel like a trash person for tea drugging Mary. She needed sleep, but was it right to do it that way?


    "Bill took it this morning when he dropped off the doctor." At my wild eyes, Wyatt shrugged, "It died, and they couldn''t find the charger." That was my bad because the charger was in my space. "Bill took it to find a new charger to charge it."


    "Okay, we only have one option." And I had a sea of guilt in my gut.


    "Operation Tuck Mary is a go!" He cheered, I shushed him, and he grinned back at me. He was an infectious one, and his warm energy was contagious.


    The operation was a huge flop. No matter how hard we tried to get Mary to sit still for more than a few minutes, she wouldn''t. She was a woman after my heart, bustling about the home, garden, and animals. We figured Mary would sit still once the homestead chores were done, but nope. She started cooking and baking extra food, and she checked in on me in between it all.


    "What were you supposed to be here for?" I grumbled lowly at Wyatt, and he laughed good naturally. Collectively, we watched Mary run about. It''s been almost three hours since she had her first cup of herbal tea¡ªtime to crank up the charm and give her another.


    Mary sipped at it as she wiped the counters clean of flour and dough.


    I yawned, "I think I''m going to nap."


    Mary checked my forehead and shooed me off to bed. A few minutes later, Wyatt said he wanted a nap, too.


    I got dressed as quietly as possible. I wanted to be able to slip out the second Mary slowed down to rest. With two cups of potent tea from herbs I grew, she would be out when Mary allowed herself to sit down. l slipped on a pair of jeans and the pink sweater I knitted. Then I laid face down on my stomach, not trusting my eyes to spill the secret of my being wide awake.


    I imagined an endless book, started counting page numbers, and reached almost two thousand before my door creaked open. I could smell Mary''s snickerdoodle scent as she kissed the back of my head before she left. I counted about another two thousand pages before I snuck out of bed. I crept out to the living room and saw Grandpa Evans watching a Swedish game show.


    He looked the same as before. Relief filled me when I saw him in his chair watching TV. "Grandpa Evans." I tried to whisper, but his response was a grunt and rocket snore hybrid. I laughed silently before tiptoeing over to where Mary was.


    Mary was on the couch, and I snuck up to see if she was awake. I fell into the trap of just joining Grandpa Evans and passing out. It was a nice one.


    To my happiness, she was out cold. I did a little shimmy and slipped out the front door. I was late, and Adam was waiting for me. I ran all but through the forest, but I only got far before I noticed that someone was behind me.


    "Go away!" I hissed at Wyatt, who cheerfully followed me.


    "Friends, don''t let friends sneak out alone to meet unknown friends." He sang cheerfully as he dodged my swatting arms.


    I scowled; he took this friend thing seriously.


    "Adam is a good guy," I said, primly turning my nose at Wyatt. I didn''t need to explain, but still, I would defend Adam. Adam was my first friend. He gave me five lemon trees and made time to see me. Adam seemed to like my company, and I''ve never had someone go out of their way for me before. How could he not be a good guy! I adored Adam, and I wanted to be able to tell him what had happened. He would comfort me in his adult-like manner and help me feel like everything would be alright.


    I tried to lose Wyatt, but I found that to be impossible. The toad had long legs, and the one instance I almost lost him, I stopped myself. He didn''t know the Unruly Forest; if he got lost, it would be bad. It would take too much of my newly conserved power to find him.


    Wyatt cheerfully chattered, and for once, I was treated to my own medicine. Damn, no wonder I didn''t like this kid. He was enjoying my misery. Sorry, Gus. I get it now. Still, you''re not forgiven for dumping me in this world.


    Through great suffering, we made it to the entrance of the forest. I could see Adam''s car and was pleased to see him standing outside it. His posture and face looked relaxed, but there was something stormy in his eyes.


    I opened my mouth to greet him, but Wyatt spoke first. "Is that him? Hello, friend of my friend." I glowered and playfully shoved Wyatt aside. He retaliated by dropping his arm on my head. "He should join the sleepover we''re having."


    I ignored him to smile at Adam and note what he wore today. Soon, I would get this kid in jeans. Adam''s brown hair was slicked back, and wearing a crisp green suit. It made his brown eyes pop. Those brown eyes locked onto mine. I could feel my smile drop at the glacial coldness in his gaze.


    "Go back into the forest and wait for me. Don''t wander off, though." I glanced at Wyatt, my expression serious.


    Wyatt made a mock, painful gasp, but I ignored him as I turned to race towards Adam, except he was gone.


    Wait, where did he go? Did he enter the car? Oh no, the car was starting. I moved without thinking and latched onto the car door and opened it. I sat down on the plush leather but paid no attention this time.


    Even though I clearly entered the car, he didn''t look at me. His hard eyes remained fixed on the window. Adam looked pissed. It didn''t take a genius to see why. He waited for me to attend our play date, and I arrived hours late with another kid. His posture was turned away from me, and anger seemed to radiate from his body. He looked scary, and not for the first time, I could see why he was called a young master. If I didn''t know him, I would probably fear him. But I knew Adam. This stiffly vexed kid was more than just this exterior. Adam was my friend. He visited me and treated me well. Adam was attentive and far more admirable than he needed to be. He was a steady force to my erratic nature and someone I could turn to. Adam was a good kid, and I didn''t want to lose his friendship because he thought I ditched him for Wyatt.

 Chapter Nine

    The car was still moving, and I took a second to glance at the two men in the front seat. If Adam hadn''t told them to stop, they likely wouldn''t.


    Boldly, I grabbed one of Adam''s hands with both of mine to get his attention and make contact. He was cold to the touch, and as I hoped, this contact made his gaze shift from the window to me. Ah, there was hurt in his eyes. See, I messed up. "I''m sorry." His hand tightened on mine, and I could feel my words fall out. "A lot has happened. There was a burglary attempt a few days ago. I managed to get the police over, but I became sick after." His hand tightened painfully, but I kept talking as if I hadn''t noticed. "Mary has been staying at the house to make sure I get better. I''m fine, but she hasn''t let me out of her sight. She took the satellite phone, and I haven''t been able to call you. That kid back there," because we were truly away from the forest now, "He''s someone Mary''s family brought over to help her with the housework, hoping she''d slow down."


    "Are you feeling okay now?" Adam''s face looked worse than before, but his voice was warm. His hold on me loosened, and I mentally breathed a sigh of relief.


    I would not allow miscommunication and misunderstandings to get in the way of our friendship. Luckily, my gambit worked.


    I smiled, "I''m strong. Mary just worries a lot. She''s going to stay over until Monday before leaving with Wyatt."


    "Is he staying over for the sleepover he was talking about?"


    I made a face, "Kinda. He will come back over with some of the other orphans at the church to do work later and get some food. If you don''t count the study I cleared out, there are two empty rooms. They can stay there. Wyatt sold me on the idea kind of easily."


    Adam lifted a brow, and his lips twisted in a barely passable smile, "You seem close."


    Did we? I stopped myself from protesting. My initial annoyance with Wyatt could change as we work together. We might build an actual friendship. Or he may continue to annoy me. "He stole the affection of Nips." I was still sour about that. Why did the dog act like he didn''t remember all our good times? "I could use the help on the homestead, however. I need to be completely sustainable in five years."


    "Five years?"


    I paused, realizing I hadn''t ever told Adam that. I shared my planning and steps with him, but never the why. I couldn''t give away the plot of the novel, but what kind of friend was I if I didn''t inform him of some of what was to come? He may be a character in a novel, but this chilly hand felt too real to ignore.


    "Everyone should prepare and plan. All it takes is a disease or world-shattering event to endanger people''s lives. We should be able to provide for ourselves. I can''t rely on anyone but myself, and I have to take care of Grandpa Evans." I alone had to keep the roof over our heads going while preparing for the end. I didn''t say that to Adam.


    As if he could hear the words I didn''t say, Adam looked out the window in thought. "Wendy, you''re not alone." His eyes turned to connect with mine, and I enjoyed his warm, liquid orbs. I could feel his support, and my throat tightened with emotion.


    I quickly tried to shove the mushy feelings away and grinned back at him. See, this kid really is my best friend. Back at the Library it was mostly just my brother and myself. I never had the chance to meet other witches or connect with children my age. "I''m glad you''re my first friend Adam. I''ll support you, too."


    "Friends." He seemed to ponder the word. "Friends have sleepovers, don''t they?"


    What. I blinked. Why did he suddenly sound like Wyatt? "Yes." I drew out my agreement nervously.


    "Then when should I come over tonight?"


    I blinked, all pretense of calm gone as my mouth flapped like a fish.


    "You want to join?" Would Mary even allow that? I could feel my face scrunch in thought. "I''m not sure Mary would allow that."


    "It''s your home," Adam said rather bluntly.


    Ohhh, Adam was right, but Mary was the adult sent over to care for me. If she saw something she didn''t like, I wouldn''t put it past her to just remove me and put Grandpa Evans in a home. I didn''t want the old man to lose even more. He was puttering about quite happily before the robbery attempt. He''d likely do better once I got better and the house cleared out.


    "How about when they leave?" Adam amended his words after I voiced all of that.


    It was more than possible, and it felt absolutely wicked to do. We were kids, and sneaking around and testing boundaries were things kids did. Grandpa Evans wasn''t a firm guardian; although Adam had been over before, he had never slept over. I nodded, excited at the idea of a sleepover together. "Okay."


    A huge smile broke across his face, and I stared, stunned, as it swiftly disappeared. Why didn''t this kid smile more? Without thinking, I reached forward to move his lips back into a smile. "It''s a good thing you don''t do that often. It''s like a weapon. Though you really should, smiling brings happiness." I pulled away and showed a bright, cheeky grin of my own. I could hear a chuckle in his voice as he told his drivers to turn around.


    "I''ll come over when they leave. Can you get the phone back?" Adam asked me.


    I gave an overly confident thumbs up. I could feel my heart pump at the thought of doing something mischievous. Was this why people turned to a life of crime? It was exciting and scary! I didn''t need to ask Adam if he needed help navigating the forest. He knew his way pretty well after six months and some change. Before it started getting really cold, we explored all the best parts of the forest.


    "Don''t wear a suit," I said, finally plucking the courage to tell him.


    Adam stared at me blankly, and I laughed at his confusion. "Kids shouldn''t dress or act like adults; we''re children. Wear something casual." I said matter of factly. Adam looked down at my jeans and nodded.


    "Tell me more about that night," Adam said, changing the subject. His serious brown eyes locked with mine, and I winced.


    I quickly broke down the whole experience with the intruders. I skimmed over the details that would reveal my powers and praised and thanked Adam again for the phone. It wasn''t long before we arrived at the Unruly Forest, and I hugged Adam before running off.


    To no surprise at all, Wyatt wasn''t far from the entrance. He couldn''t make his way back to the house. He lay on the ground sleeping, and I nudged him hard in the legs.


    "Come on. We need to get back before Mary wakes up." I said.


    He startled me with a jolt, and I gasped as he grabbed and pulled me down.


    Wyatt held me under him, and I could see his blue eyes cloudy with sleep. He wasn''t quite awake. What kind of kid is startled awake like this? His fingers wrapped around my neck, and the air in my chest was lost within seconds. Desperate, I head-butted him, and he jolted. I could see it in his eyes when he realized it was me, and he rolled off me.


    "Sorry, just don''t touch me when I''m asleep." The sunny boy from before was gone and replaced with a seriousness that startled me. He got off me, and I gasped for air.


    "Noted." I managed to say; my lungs were burning. I could feel a spark of temper rise, but the look in his eyes stopped me. He looked like he was haunted by something. There was terror and fear in his eyes. Some of the books I''ve been reading for Grandpa Evans came to mind, and I thinned my lips in thought. Maybe while being an orphan, he''s gone through some things. Or he became an orphan due to it. I didn''t want to prod into his life, however. I just met the kid. I stamped out the inner fire inside me; lashing at him was unnecessary. "Let''s get back before Mary wakes up. I can show you how."


    I could see the surprise on Wyatt''s face. He likely assumed I would question or flare up at him like before. I wanted to, but was it right to? It wasn''t any of my business. His personal story was his. If we ever became really good friends, he could divulge. Until then, we all had secrets, and I didn''t really want to know his.


    I had enough on my plate.


    We walked silently, which was slightly uncomfortable until we returned to the house. Mary was still asleep, and I smiled at her gently snoring body. I waved at Grandpa Evans and gave him a peck on his head and a half hug. I glowed happy when I saw his lips curve into a half smile.


    Today really is a good day. I got a smile from two of my favorite people today!


    I walked upstairs to the library and wasn''t surprised when Wyatt joined me on the stairs. I assumed he was headed to the room he had been using, but instead, he followed me.


    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    I gave him a look when I tried to close the door on him, but he cheerfully slipped in.


    "What do you want?" I hissed, closing the door. I didn''t want to wake Mary, who needed to rest.


    "Why didn''t you ask me why I reacted like that?" The warmth disappeared in his eyes, but the smile remained firmly on his lips.


    I stared into those eyes of his and wondered if they represented the real him. I didn''t have many people for reference, but I had enough, given all the books I''d read. It was clear what trope of character he was. If Wyatt was all smiles and cheer on the surface, the real him was much more profound and dangerous.


    I crossed my arms and pursed my lips at him. "It''s not my business. Why should I ask when it''s clear you have some kind of trauma."


    "Trauma." He said the word as if he was digesting it. He spoke it again, playing with the word, and I could see I stroked a cord.


    I sighed and moved to the shelf where some psych books were. I scanned the titles before finding one about childhood trauma. "Here," I said as I held it out to him.


    He took it and lifted a brow, "You''re not going to ask if I can read?"


    It was common for parents to teach learning basics here since only kids twelve to fifteen went to public school. It was the only reason I wasn''t in school yet. Private schools for more affluent and more bustling areas started much younger. Green''s Mountain was a farming town, however. Kids, toddlers, and teens were needed at the farm, and having your kids work for you was much cheaper than hiring someone. So a lot didn''t even go. Grandma Carol had been a teacher before she retired, so I grew up learning my letters early. Not everyone had that chance.


    The town''s orphanage was run by the church, so it was safe to assume that Wyatt had learned to read. So I shrugged at his question, "Are you looking for a fight? If you haven''t learned, I can teach you." My tone was conversational as I grabbed a book and plopped on a lush loveseat.


    I could feel his gaze as I turned pages and eventually felt the cushion dip as he joined me on the loveseat. I scowled at him, "I plan on changing my positions as I read, including stretching my legs on the couch."


    Wyatt was smiling, and once again, false warmth deepened his gaze. Seeing it was good, but I still felt wary of the kid. Instead of giving me space, he leaned on me as he read, and I could feel my eye twitch. If I shoved him off and started a tussle, the noise could wake Mary. I felt like he knew this and was pushing me on purpose.


    Two could play that game!


    I dug my elbows into him as I got myself comfortable on the loveseat and started to read. Time passed, and eventually, Mary came up the stairs to find us. I ran to give her a hug. She had more color in her cheeks. I still felt bad for giving her tea to sleep. I was happy to see her regardless and happy to see her looking healthier.


    She was warm as always and smelled like cookies. Mary stroked my head as she inspected me. The familiar question on her lips was, of course, "How are you feeling?"


    "Good. You look better, too." I could have crafted my words to be more delicate, but I blurted it out in a rush. "I''m grateful for you looking out for me, Mary, but you have to take care of yourself." There was a softness in my eyes that I tried to will away. Mary was precious to Wendy and to myself. She genuinely cared about me, and that warmth was addictive to feel.


    Mary''s face bloomed into a smile, and we spent a moment hugging. "Let''s bake something yummy for dinner together. "She squeezed my cheeks, and I squealed with joy. Sure, I had food in the space I could pull out, but nothing beats home-cooked goodies made with a loving touch.


    It never ceased to surprise me that kitchen adventures with Mary were never quite what I expected them to be. What she meant by ''together'' was me just sitting around tasting food for her. I tried to keep my expression neutral, but she could see I was crestfallen.


    "Let me take care of you. I''m leaving Monday, but I''ll be by often to check on you instead of you coming over. Give me this time to make sure you''re okay." Mary said with a warm gaze.


    See genuine affection and warmth. I''m not worthy. I smiled brightly once again, fighting any wetness. I love this woman. If only I could take her with me back to the real world...I could, couldn''t I? It was possible to summon people. I know my grandma did it when she went on the hunt for lost knowledge. It was how she managed to get to the Library of Alexandria.


    Once I left, I could bring her to me...but should I? While I was lost in hopeless thoughts, Mary bustled around in the kitchen, and I opened my mouth each time she brought forth something yummy to taste.


    I forgot about Wyatt until he reappeared. He watched me, amused by something, and I scrunched my face at him. "You really do love food." He whispered. His breath touched my face, and I rolled my eyes and pushed him away.


    "Go do something," I said. Instead of disappearing, he sat on the couch and talked to Grandpa Evans. There was some kind of countryside home decorator show going on, and Wyatt had a lot to say about it. The traitor Nips lounged in Wyatt''s lap, begging for and simultaneously doling out affection.


    The weekend passed in a blur, and although part of me was relieved to have complete anatomy of myself, I would miss having Mary over. Even the fungus Wyatt grew on me. He would start coming over with the two other town orphans, and I was eager to meet them. I was getting practically free help around the homestead. I was going to get a lot more done. I had to be careful, however. Several times during the weekend, I almost pulled things out of the space around Mary and Wyatt. I was too comfortable getting out what I needed at home. I can''t drop my guard.


    Bill came over to help grab Mary''s things, and Wyatt helped him carry that and some of the medical equipment used for me. I sat with Nips, watching everyone trek through the forest to load the car. Only one of us was allowed to openly whine and cry during these procedures.


    Finally, I walked with Mary and Wyatt to the car when it was done. You could hear Nip''s cries through the forest. I glared at Wyatt, blaming him for charming my dog so thoroughly. As if he felt the heat of my stare, he turned and smiled at me cheerfully. Damn. There had been no further hint of darkness in his gaze, but I couldn''t help but wonder if it would show itself again and when. He was an enigma, and while I was glad to have him over to help around the homestead, part of me wanted to take back the agreement.


    I didn''t, though, because I needed to keep training my powers. I could handle Wyatt so that I could better prepare myself. If the asshat brigade hadn''t been dumbasses, there''s no way I would have won that battle. I needed to become more powerful and capable, so I needed some downtime. I had five years to get everything prepared and ready.


    Mary smothered me in hugs, and we parted. She promised to visit every other day this week to check on me further, and I smiled. I would get us back on schedule by visiting her two weeks from now.


    I pulled Wyatt aside because a nagging worry was wriggling in my head. "Can the three of you get here?"


    "When will you need us?" He answered my question with a question, and I barely refrained from replying with violence. What was it about Wyatt that made me want to shake him? All he had to do was smile to make my top blow off.


    "If the three of you come over with Mary, that will be an easy way to get here, but what about after? Harvesting should be about three weeks from now, maybe sooner. You guys can stay over however long it takes." If things worked out, maybe longer, they would have to get the church''s approval. "Would that get approved?"


    "No problem." Something glinted in his eyes, and as much as I wanted to press, I could hear Bill shuffling as he waited on us.


    "We have each other''s number, so I''ll call. Once Mary sees that I''m fine, we''ll be able to have a more concrete schedule. I don''t normally just stick around home, so we''ll revisit this then."


    Wyatt nodded and gave my hair a ruffling before getting into the car. I waved as I watched them exit, a strange feeling in my chest. I got the satellite phone back, but could I call Adam now? I didn''t want to be left alone.


    My head hung as I turned around and started the trek back home. "Wendy." That sounded like Adam? How strange, I turned around and was shocked to see it was. His car was so silent I didn''t hear the giant beast creeping up on me. He was still in the car, but the window had been rolled down. My mouth hung open before spreading into a huge grin. I ran up to the car and leaned over.


    "I was just thinking about you," I said, marveling at how quickly he showed up.


    His lip quirked, and I continued to talk happily, wanting to see more amusement in his gaze. Like a torrent, I could not stop talking as I bombarded him with questions and words. "I have the phone back so I can call you and was wondering if I should. However, I don''t know your schedule, and you seem busy. Are you in school? I assume you are, given how smart you are." And rich, but that wasn''t polite to say, was it? "How did you get here so timely? Mary and Wyatt just left with Bill." I opened my mouth to catch my breath, but Adam tapped my face with a big brown envelope before I could say more. It was the size of a book, so I knew it was good stuff. Still, my eyes crossed as I tried to look at the words scrawled on it while it rested on my face.


    "I''m glad you got the phone back. My schedule is busy since I am my father and uncle''s heir. I don''t go to school. Instead, I have private teachers and tutors; I know they just left. I saw them drive by." Adam said, answering my questions more effectively than I had asked them.


    I grabbed the envelope and opened it as I listened to him talk. Private teachers? Is that how he gets his education? I think I underestimated how rich Adam is. Of course, if he was a double heir, it might need to be more balanced.


    "Come in as you read." I stepped away from the door, and Adam opened it. I briefly looked at the two men seated at the front before settling beside Adam. A dark pane of glass came up to give us privacy, and the intrigue thickened! I opened the big envelope with glee.


    "What is this?" I looked at the pile of paper in my hands. The rest of my questions died in my brain before they could be formed. Holy shit, this was the criminal record of the asshat brigade. I floundered as I quickly scanned and read through them all. I lacked literary powers, but I was still a fast reader.


    It was what one expected from small-town petty thieves. Their crimes started from a young age and escalated as they grew older. They had a slap on the wrists each time, and because they had family that would bail them out and maybe oil up the system, they were freed each time except this time. My eyes grew wider as I read further and saw they were being sent away. Far away. Holy shit. My mind jumped to the conclusion that Adam made this happen. I mean, he just handed me the court paperwork on this mess. But he couldn''t be that powerful, right? He was a kid. Just a rich kid.


    I don''t know what my expression looked like when I looked up to meet Adam''s gaze. He looked unbothered and calm as always. It was as if he didn''t just hand me something neither of us should touch or see. I nervously licked my lips, unsure how to feel, "There was a fifth man." I watched Adam''s eyes and noted that they darkened with something? It was protective, for sure, and for entirely new reasons, I was glad he was my friend. "I think he was their leader, given how they communicated."


    "You were out there with them?" He asked with zero emotion. I looked up to see his eyes; I shouldn''t say yes.


    I almost admitted right then that I had powers. Almost. Adam''s tone and gaze seemed to invoke answers to come out of me, and I bit my lip to stop myself. "They claimed the forest was haunted and that they were being attacked. That was me. I did it to slow them down. I think it spooked their leader, and I know it scared them."


    Adam''s dark eyes were hypnotic as they connected with mine, and I could not pull away or keep silent. "Did you catch his name?"


    I gestured to the mug shots and gave them a brief look as if I didn''t already know. Ian, Lisa, and more. The only name and face I didn''t see was Gavin. "His name was Gavin." I gave a brief description without prompting, as though I felt compelled to give it up. Adam''s aura was too much! He was a mini-boss who was going to rock the business world. Well, he would have if it wasn''t all going to shit in a few years.


    "How were you able to do it? From the reports, it was like the forest was attacking them."


    I broke away from Adam''s powerful gaze, knowing I couldn''t tell him. And yet, before I could stop myself, I whispered, "I''m a witch."

 Chapter Ten

    Surprisingly, I didn''t hear laughter and peeked up at Adam from under my lashes. His gaze was still serious, and I found myself bolstering in confidence. I am a witch, and although I shouldn''t tell Adam or anyone, it was the truth. Eventually, powers would be as common as the sun, so it wouldn''t need to be kept secret for too long.


    I could feel a smile on my cheeks as I repeated, "I''m a witch. I have traps in the forest and used them to buy time for the police to come."


    There was no hint of mockery or laughter in his gaze as Adam held my gaze, and I could feel myself relaxing more.


    "Do you have a last name so we can track Gavin?" Adam said, and I blinked at how smoothly Adam moved back to the topic of Gavin.


    "No, but he didn''t spook like the others. He was more level-headed and kept them moving forward. I''m sure he just decided it wasn''t worth it anymore by the end." I said with a twist of my mouth. Gavin was suspiciously calm the entire time.


    "I''ll let the proper authorities track him down. If he was guiding the thieves, he''s most likely a well-known associate of the four."


    I gathered up all of the documents and slipped them back into the envelope. When I was done, I swung my legs and pursed my lips, "No comments about my being a witch?" I grinned at him, trying to hide my nervousness about his reaction.


    "I''ve seen what you''ve done with your limited resources. Things just seem to fall from the heavens to aid you, Wendy. If you''re not a witch, you''re the luckiest girl in the world."


    I laughed at his words, not surprised that he noted how suspicious some of my luck had been. Cheekily, I said, "You fell from the heavens one day, too. That was pretty lucky."


    A smile, a big one this time, grew on his face, and I froze. I needed to take a picture in my mind to keep for later. Adam really needed to smile more!


    "More like you fell from the heavens in front of me." He said.


    I laughed again, "I did go flying." Of course, that was due to the car accident. But I did. "Are you able to stay longer?"


    "No, I must return to my uncle''s for my lessons. I wanted to come over and deliver you the good news. They won''t be able to bother you again."


    I made a face, "They''re going far away but only for four years." It was a simple petty crime, after all.


    "With records like that, do you think they can stay on the right path and stay out of prison?" Adam asked with a wry slight twist of his lips.


    No, the only reason they''d be able to escape hard time is because of their family. Their pull in Green''s Mountain can no longer serve them in the big country prison. Mary had more pull, and so did Adam to get them serving a hard time. The odds were they would fuck up and stay gone. At least long enough for the world to go to shit, and in that case, I''ll be stronger and ready if they dared to come back.


    I handed the envelope to Adam and paused. I knew he had to leave, and I needed to thank him, but would it be presumptuous to thank him? What if Adam had nothing to do with sending them away and just managed to get ahold of their records? My love of plot brought this line of thinking, but it could be wrong.


    But as I looked into his eyes, I dismissed that thought. Why did I feel he had handled it and could do even more if the need arose? It was a strange concept to swallow. The way he seemed so dependable. I picked up a mini-boss for a friend!


    Still, even if this was just my love of plotlines speaking, I needed to thank him for handing me this file and giving me closure over it all. Mary was very tight-lipped about it. "Thank you, Adam. I feel more relaxed about it. I was worried about them coming back. No one told me what happened to them, just that they were gone." I said, even more grateful that he was my friend. I could sleep a little better tonight.


    "I told you you''re not alone." Adam''s voice relaxed the last bit of tension I didn''t even know my body held. It felt good to be able to rely on someone to feel safe. Sure, I felt safe with Mary, but this was different. I didn''t want to examine why, so instead, I gave Adam a hug. Every hug I''ve ever given him before was stiff. He never responded, except this time, I felt his arms wrap around me to reciprocate. I found myself laughing merrily as I squeezed him tightly.


    "Neither are you. One day, I''ll return the favor." I think he said something in return, but my braid muffled his mouth. When we pulled away, I was unsure what to do with myself, so I hastily left the car. I still felt strangely vulnerable, and since he needed to go and I wanted to hide, it was best to run away.


    "See you Friday," Adam said, and the car drove away. Damn, maybe I really am the luckiest girl.


    When I got home, I ensured the plants and the animals were doing fine. I checked in on the mama cat and saw she hadn''t started giving birth. She seemed content and mewed at me as I stroked her fur. I wish she wasn''t so high in the treehouse, but she didn''t like dogs. With how much Nips wanted to nip, I could see her concern. "Hang in there, Big Mama. I''ll keep checking in on you."


    I went inside and started watching silly cooking shows with Grandpa Evans. I could see he was relaxed with the extra people out of the home. I even caught him humming the show''s theme song, and my mouth dropped open. I started receiving grunts as answers, a half smile, and now humming? I could feel warmth bloom in my chest. Maybe the little things I was doing for Grandpa Evans were really helping? It was too soon to see, and depression wasn''t something simple. There was no one answer, and I struggled to feel like I was helping him. These little steps were like treasures dotting the horizon and made me feel better.


    The rest of the day passed without much to note, and the kittens were born on Tuesday. I checked on them after lunch and was happy to see two babies suckling on her. Old Tom was with her, looking mighty proud as he napped as if he had done the work. I laughed and checked on the nursing mama and her babies. Given that she was nursing and barely awake, I felt she was done having the kittens. Two Babies was a small litter, but it was not bad. One was orange, and after a quick check, I saw it was a boy. "Lil Tom." The name came to my mind and out of my mouth immediately. It was perfect for the little one that looked like his dad. The other one was a girl who took after her mom. She had dark, inky fur and white on her face. I couldn''t get much of a look before Big Mama stirred. I could see her protective gaze on me and backed away respectfully.


    I wasn''t about to get in between a mama and her babies. "I''ll come back to check on you guys later." I stepped down the ladder and headed inside to let Grandpa Evans know. He could hold one once they were big enough, and maybe I''d see an even bigger smile than before.


    Wednesday came, and with it, Mary. She brought Wyatt and his friends, and I took special care when getting dressed. I could crochet scarves and sweaters with Mary''s help and my nimble fingers. As I progressed, I could stitch together clothing and was decently good at it. So I wore one of my new outfits that would work for fall and with some layering for winter. The sweater dress I crocheted would one day become just a sweater as long as my legs continued to grow. Under it, I wore green leggings that I bartered for. My hair was braided into two plaits, and I pinned them back to keep them out of my face. Today was a test. I needed to see how quickly Wyatt and his friends could learn and if we could mesh. As annoying as I found Wyatt, he was helpful around the homestead. I hoped his friends would be as well. If things worked out, we could keep this up for years; they could move in when things went horribly wrong.


    I sat on the couch in the TV room, swinging my legs. "I''m a bit nervous," I told Grandpa Evans. "Wyatt and his friends are coming over. They may stick around a lot more if it all works out." Grandpa Evans looked at the door, and my smile split my cheeks. "You have to be comfortable with them as well. You seemed to like Wyatt." The kid had sat next to Grandpa Evans and talked for hours. Grandpa Evans didn''t shift or look uncomfortable like he had when Bill and others spoke to him. That was a positive reaction for Grandpa Evans. He grunted, and I bounced a little in my seat. It was amazing how well things were going overall. Maybe too good? I shushed that negative voice in my head.


    There was a knock at the door, and I opened it, knowing who it was immediately. Mary wore a beautiful light green sweater over an orange and brown pumpkin dress. Her hair was pinned up, and her smile brought forth a matching one in me. She had little decorative leaves in her hair, and I ran to give her a hug. Behind her was Wyatt, wearing his typical shit-eating grin. I barely gave him a look and instead looked at the two new kids.


    One was a girl, and the other was a boy. They both had caramel-matching skin, deep black hair, and hazel-blue eyes. It was a fascinating combination, and given their similar colors, my first guess was that they were siblings. They couldn''t be too far apart in age, or they were twins. Cool.


    "Hi, I''m Wendy," I said cheerfully, greeting them after I parted from Mary.


    "Good morning, I''m Lucia, and this is my brother Lucas." The girl''s bright eyes were shy as she introduced herself. Given the similar-sounding names and their appearance, my hunch was correct.


    "I''m Wyatt!" Wyatt spoke up unnecessarily, and I gave him a look as I thinned my lips.


    I rolled my eyes as I snipped back, "We all know who you are." There was scattered laughter at my words. Wyatt smiled the hardest, strange kid.


    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    "Let me show you around the house. We have goats, dogs, ducks and more. Big Mama just had her kittens, and they''re so cute!" I clasped Lucia''s hand and led her outside. Her brother and Wyatt followed while Mary got busy in the kitchen.


    I pretended not to notice the basket and bags she brought, but my mouth watered. Mary will make some amazing things today, and I could finally enjoy everything.


    We barely got a few feet outside the mudroom before we were bombarded with love from Nips. The traitor started to give me love, but when he spotted Wyatt, she turned tail right to him. I gasped and tried not to overreact. Molly, the more loyal dog, greeted me, and I praised her hard work.


    In the days following Wyatt''s absence, Nips had become more of an outside working dog. I preferred to keep him next to me, but the pup was determined to work. Scaring off predators was a job he was already bred and ready for. Having the intruders sparked the need to make it a twenty-four-hour job. I had hoped that he would work during the days while Molly rested for the night. No ciggy.


    "This is Nips and Molly." Wyatt was too busy laughing and petting Nips. I noticed that Lucia had a trace of fear in her bright eyes, but her brother was stoic. His stance was protective, and I smiled wistfully. She was lucky to have such a brother.


    Brother. My heart picked up speed as I remembered my own. How could I forget the jerk for even a second, let alone days! It had been months since I entered the book, but I was extremely comfortable now.


    I nibbled on my lip nervously as I mentally kicked myself in the butt. How could I forget? I got so caught up in ensuring we had a sustainable farm that I forgot why I was here doing this work.


    "What do you need us to do?" Lucas spoke up, and our eyes connected.


    He had an emotion in his gaze that spoke of advanced maturity. A kid shouldn''t have clouded eyes like that! He reminded me of Adam at this moment. Wyatt had a similar feeling in his eyes when he dropped his mask before. The only normal kids seemed to be Lucia and me at this point. Why were all of these kids so jaded and mature in this world?


    What an awful writer making a world where children couldn''t be carefree!


    "What can you do? What sort of odd jobs do you normally pick up?" I countered. Wyatt and I had set up the deal before but still needed to hash out the finer details.


    "We can tend gardens and crops. We are usually a set of extra hands for the run-of-the-mill farms. Lucas and Wyatt can carry heavy things and or transport them with barrels. More often than not, I bake and babysit for families with babies." Lucia spoke up, and I shifted my eyes to her. She looked sweet and kind; what was she doing with Wyatt?


    "I won''t need baking or babysitting. I mostly do farm work with animals, transporting crops to the basement, and animal care. I''ll finish giving the tour, and we can go from there." I showed them the growing fall crops: goats, chickens, quails, ducks, and ponds.


    "Most of what I will need help with this year is harvest. Come spring, it will be planting. I have enough rooms upstairs for each of you to have your own bed when you can help." If these three provided extra hands


    We all shook on it, which was a cute moment where I felt my age mentally. I was typically a little immature, especially since I came into this world, but this was good. This was the start of something. We got to work, and I showed them all the little tricks and tips on caring for the animals and what to look for.


    Once the animals were cared for, we picked apples for a couple of hours. I used this chance to get to know Lucia. She was the first girl my age I had come across in Green''s Mountain.


    I sent Wyatt and Lucas off to do the heavy lifting we needed, like moving the compost around and whatnot, so Lucia and I could pick apples and get to know each other.


    "We could make pies, tarts, and even muffins with these," Lucia said before me, and her bright eyes gleamed excitedly. A fellow foodie!


    I had to stop my drool, "I''m learning how to bake, but apple muffins?" I loved blueberry muffins, but I have yet to try apple muffins.


    "They''re delicious."


    "You''ll have to show me how," I said, imagining what they would look and taste. There was a comfortable silence for a few minutes before I broke it, "How old are you and your brother?" I didn''t want to ask why they were orphans, but I was curious.


    "We''re thirteen." Lucia smiled, "How old are you?"


    "Twelve." How are they thirteen? Lucia and her brother were both taller than me! Not fair genetics, not fair.


    Lucia''s eyes widened with surprise, "You''re twelve?"


    Sensitive, I bristled a little, "I''m still growing, so I''ll get taller."


    Her laughter sounded like a bell, and I found myself smiling with her, "No, I''m just amazed at how much you''ve done even though you''re so young." Lucia said as her eyes curled up into sweet crescents.


    I had done a lot and should be proud, but "I''m not sure it''s enough." I said with a sigh.


    Lucia''s eyes widened into confused miniature moons.


    "I need to make sure everything is running smoothly. This is just the first year. It''s too early to tell." I said before abruptly changing the subject.


    So we talked about farms, people in Green''s Mountains, and everything else we could think of. The only subjects we didn''t touch on were the orphanage and the church that ran it. I was burning to understand why these kids were running around. How exactly did the system work? However, this was the first day, and I could see how gentle and sensitive Lucia was. So we spent hours going through apples, picking them, and setting them aside for storage. After that, cracking chestnuts and other nuts and other goodies ready to eat.


    By noon, I was grinding my teeth, hungry, and we called a break to go inside.


    Mary had prepared a feast of creamy potato soup, freshly baked bread, a spinach egg bacon salad, and a sweet potato pie for dessert.


    There were six chairs if the table wasn''t extended and chairs brought up from the basement, and the seating went as follows. Mary and Grandpa Evans sat at the head of the table. I was overjoyed that he joined us since he only moved from his chair to sleep, wash himself, and use the bathroom. Lucia sat next to Mary, and on her other side was Lucas. Next to Lucas was Grandpa Evans. On Grandpa Evans'' left side, I sat, and next to me was Wyatt. He was across from Lucia, and I noted how Lucas and Wyatt exchanged looks before they sat. A silent understanding passed between them. I was the last to sit because I was paying so much attention. Lucas wanted to make sure he was on one side and Wyatt would be on the other side of Lucia before Mary plopped down.


    The evident protectiveness of the two boys over her made me concerned. Just what had these three gone through? I couldn''t ask very well, though I was dying to find out. However, I wanted to avoid touching the dynamic with a ten-foot pole. They''d been together for who knew how long and had formed their little pack.


    I watched as Lucas and then Wyatt filled up Lucia''s plate. At any point, she would ask for something; another stepped in to help. It was sweet that she didn''t even seem to notice. This must be a common occurrence.


    I listened to everyone talk and enjoy themselves as I shoveled food into my mouth. I spent a lot of time talking before, so it was nice to listen to them chat amongst themselves for once. Also, it gave me a chance to examine everyone. Lunch wrapped up as I watched the undercurrents like it was TV as I filled my belly.


    Wyatt and Lucas barreled in the apples to the basement as Mary, Lucia, and I worked on quilting. It was getting colder, and the best time to have more blankets was now. I was able to finish up my current quilt, and Lucia was able to start hers.


    Her eyes gleamed with joy that she could come back and finish it. I told her to take it with her, but she said working on it with me would be fun when we complete most of the hard work during the day.


    To my surprise, Wyatt was good at crocheting and winked as he settled beside me and started making a scarf. The only one who didn''t join in on the crafting was Lucas. I noted that he disappeared outside. I didn''t pay much attention. I was more focused on pushing Wyatt off of me. Why did he lean on me so damn much?


    Time passed, and eventually, Mary gathered the three kiddos, and they left. I got a lot done today around the home and have energy left to experiment with my powers. Since almost all of the leftovers had been sent off with Wyatt and the twins, I pulled out two grilled salmon wraps from my space. The tomatoes, lettuce, peppers, and onions smelled so fresh I was tempted to eat them now. I needed to wait, however. I knew that since I was going to overwork my abilities, I needed to have dinner out and ready just to eat. I slipped the wraps into the fridge and kissed Grandpa Evans'' head.


    "How do you feel about them coming over more often?"


    He made a noise and met my eyes. I stood as still as possible, and once I could start feeling the strain of it, I miraculously heard, "Fine." My heart skipped before pounding with joy. I tried to contain this happiness and managed to stop myself from squeezing him into a hug.


    "I''m glad they''ll be over more often. Maybe for longer if things go well." This was just the start, and as lovely as extra hands were, extra hands meant extra mouths to feed.


    I headed down to the basement where the apples had been stored. It was chilly down here, and the root cellar that I had planned needed to happen. A natural fridge that I wouldn''t need to pay for. With a wave, I eyed the barrels and boxes of apples we packed today and slipped half of them into my space. There were well over five hundred apples in my space now. Three apple trees that I could boost with my powers were easy pickings.


    A third of spring''s harvest was in my space. One-third had already been canned, juiced, or prepared in some way. Half of that yield was in the space. The rest was here in the basement on the shelves. I took what Grandma Carol left behind and expanded on it. We were starting winter in a good position. Grandpa Evans and I didn''t eat much, and we still had fall harvest to add to the space and the basement.


    If things were going so well, why couldn''t I stop feeling like it wasn''t enough? I had dreams where I found out there wasn''t enough food. I was haunted by these fears. My fingers twitched, but I stopped slipping more food into my space. If we were going to have more people over, I had to be more careful about how well-stocked things were. People would notice. Excuses could only go so far. In a town this small, I couldn''t claim that I sold things nonchalantly. People saw everything in Green''s Mountain.


    I headed up the stairs, and after patting Grandpa Evans'' shoulder in passing, I left the house and entered the forest. I needed to find a way to connect with all the plant life in the forest. If I could expand my power of plant manipulation, I would be able to keep the line of communication open all the time.


    I walked to the biggest tree in my pentagram, Originis. I touched the stiff bark, inhaling and exhaling deeply. I watched the cold bloom my breath before me and plopped my butt on the ground. I flipped and laid my back against the tree, dug my hands into the dirt, and connected.


    It was the strangest feeling. I was used to the controlled flow of literary magic. The flow of literary magic was direct and like a math equation. The written word could have nuances and twists, but everything was still organized and controlled. The filtration process meant that power was contained and managed. Literary magic was chaos turned into order by the power of words. When I tapped into that ball of magic power inside of me, it gave me a way to sift the world into order.


    Plant manipulation was something else entirely. Primal, instinctual, with no clear rules or guidelines. It was brimming with energy, and I was merely a conduit given access. Like any visitor, I had no real control when tapping that power ball.


    And yet, I felt more empowered by plant manipulation than I ever have with my literary abilities. Literary magic gave me absolute control, yet my new power emboldened me.


    I grew hot as my mind drifted through the forest, ping-ponging off the vast plant life. I spoke to everything my mind touched. I pushed power into every leaf, branch, and root to grow and stay strong. I fed the forest all I could to better my understanding and connection.


    I''m not sure how much time passed as I connected, but I was barely able to keep my eyes open when I slipped back into my body.


    I stumbled into the house out of energy and could barely open the fridge to give Grandpa Evans the plate of wraps. I shuffled to my bedroom and passed out on my bed. It was more than worth it, but once again, I overdid it.

 Chapter Eleven

    I woke up the following day with a headache from hell. I reached for that ball of power inside of me. "Noo," I screamed as my hiss of pain turned into a yelp. Today, I would have to lay off my powers as much as possible. There was no way I was going to be able to handle it. Luckily I didn''t overdo it as bad as the night the asshat brigade tried to intrude.


    I stepped outside to feed the animals and check on the plants. I didn''t last long but had enough strength to do the basics.


    I lay down in the cold, frostbitten grass when I was done, unable to stop my eyes from closing. The stiff, cool grass tickled my face, and I inhaled sharply when I felt a flush of energy invade my body. I sat up, enjoying the energy shot. This was the second time I''d absorbed vitality from plants, but I''d never put energy into the grass. Did that mean I could take energy from any plants? The influx of theories that sprung from this excited me. It could be due to yesterday''s exploration or just another facet of my abilities to explore. My stomach prompted me to drop this line of questioning and go back inside. My brain was still sleepy, but I was awake enough now to eat food.


    I decided to cook breakfast instead of pulling something out of my space. I went all out making a spinach omelet for Grandpa Evans and myself. It was made from spinach grown in the renovated greenhouse. We watched a British cooking show as we ate.


    Today was Thursday, which meant tomorrow was Friday. Adam was coming over for a sleepover! Mary was supposed to come over with Wyatt and the siblings as well. I nibbled on my lip. While it was a good idea, I wanted the two visits to be separate from each other.


    With the morning chores done, I put all that to bed and laid on the couch, drinking coffee with Grandpa Evans. It was easy to just nap the day away. Which, funnily enough, I ended up doing. I got up only to go to the bathroom and make food for us. Then I laid back down and fell asleep.


    Friday morning was quiet until Wyatt and the twins came over. Bill dropped them off with a note from Mary. She could not come over, and while I was disappointed, I was also relieved. Mary dropped everything for days to take care of me. She had a lot already on her plate.


    There was less for the crew to do this time around. I was still a little sleepy. So we spent time getting to know each other.


    To my delight, it was Lucia who proposed this. No one asked background questions. We discussed favorite colors, food, holidays, and other simple, noninvasive things. Bill came to pick them up after lunch, which Lucia and Lucas had put together. I sat nervously, eyeing the door for Adam to arrive.


    Sitting on the couch watching TV with Grandpa Evans was the best trap in our home. Something about him was comforting, and the living room made one sleepy. So soon, I found myself fighting the desire to sleep.


    I heard a knock at five past five and dashed to the door.


    An Adam I''ve been waiting to see since our first encounter greeted me. He was in casual wear! I grinned at him and grabbed his hand to lead him inside. I was surprised to see that his bodyguards weren''t right behind him.


    I didn''t ask him about this and instead started showing off the improvements he hadn''t seen before.


    "I brought this for you," Adam said once I slowed down. He held a small pink box in his free hand, and I stiffened. Small boxes were usually jewelry, right? That''s what Grandpa Evans''s favorite Turkish love show said.


    I shook my head as I refused it. "You being here is gift enough. I''m making Japanese curry for dinner. Have you had it before?" I tried to stir the conversation to a new topic. "I learned it from..." Adam opened the box as I tried to distract him, and my mouth hung open. Inside was what looked like the perfect lemon tart. A dab of cream was erected in the center of the tiny dessert.


    "It''s for dessert. I have a cherry one for your grandfather." I could feel my cheeks stain with hunger and embarrassment.


    I hope he didn''t notice, as I thanked him profusely. Who put dessert in tiny boxes like that? Apparently, rich people.


    My mouth salivated at the bright tart, and I leaned forward. "After dinner." I fought a cry of sorrow when Adam closed the box. He had a half smile on his lips, and my cheek stain deepened. Was he laughing at me? Did he understand my misunderstanding?


    I looked into his eyes and saw he had warmth and humorous light dancing in his deep eyes. What a butter! He was laughing at me!


    I should have been outraged and maybe planned a little vengeance, but I was too happy. This playful moment showed how close we had become. Friends played pranks and had little jokes at each other''s expense. Crap, now I was sounding like Wyatt.


    A loud banging sound came in from the TV, and I looked at it. How strange. I tried to look at Adam, but the thumping sound from the TV was followed by a doorbell. The black screen of the TV greeted me, as did the absence of Grandpa Evans. That''s strange; it''s five, which means Grandpa Evans'' favorite Korean talk show should be starting. Where did he go?


    "Wendy. This hasn''t happened yet." Adam''s soothing voice drew my gaze towards him. "So wake up."


    As if on cue, my brain did just that. I was startled off the couch and fell to the floor with a thump. As I sat up, blinking and trying to gain my bearings, I noted that Grandpa Evans was, in fact, watching his favorite Korean show.


    I dreamed that Adam came over? As I rubbed my head, I heard loud knocks at the door. Instead of the excitement I felt in my dream, all I could taste was dread in my mouth.


    The last vivid dream I had was when I dreamt of being hurt. The next day, I got hit by a car. This dream also felt real. This time, I was transported into the moment with Adam. Gus said he gave me premonitions, but I hadn''t had any luck triggering them.


    Dreams could be the answer. Premonitions could arise from a need to protect oneself, like with the car accident. What did this one mean? Or was I just overreacting? That dream may be a lucid one with no definitive meaning. I had little experience with lucid or vivid dreaming in my natural body. My daydreams would take over my sleeping moments. They never got my heart pumping with tangible emotions or made it hard to discern reality.


    The repetitive knocks at the door slapped me out of my thoughts. I''d have time to deal with that later. For now, I needed to figure out who the guest was. It should be Adam, given the time, but why did I fear the opposite? The knocks at the door were mildly worrying due to their fierce pounds. Adam wouldn''t knock like that. So, it was likely one of the impatient bodyguards.


    I gathered my courage from the pit of my stomach and walked to the door. The peephole was uselessly dirty on the outside. Huh. That''s the one part of the house I didn''t think to clean. People wouldn''t usually show up here, though, that I wouldn''t know. A terrible excuse but the only one I had at the moment.


    I pulled a metal bat from my space and hid it behind my back as I opened the door.


    A man I didn''t recognize stood on the front porch looking excessively out of place. My eyes blinked as I fought the inappropriate desire to laugh. His dark brown hair was slicked back in a familiar style. The black wool suit he wore was likely worth more than the house I was peeking out of at him. That estimate didn''t include the cufflinks customized with the letters CRW. He looked like Adam, only more stiff. Also messier than I''ve ever seen Adam. This man''s presumably once impeccable suit was littered with little leaves and tiny brambles.


    Still, I couldn''t help but lift my eyes to meet his dark, turbulent gaze. My expression shifted into confusion as I laughed at him internally and asked, "Are you lost, sir?"


    The man stiffened with unwarranted ire. As I suspected, my words were salt to the torn edges of his fine suit. He was the type used to people knowing his name and status. The man was obviously here with a purpose. I''d have to be an idiot not to see the familial connection with Adam. I should have expected a visitor from Adam''s family at one point. Was this his father or uncle?


    "I''m Charles Wickham, Adam''s uncle." The man said slowly with incredible difficulty.


    There dies that irrational minuscule hope he was just a random rich dude who got lost in my forest; I sighed mentally. Adam''s uncle being here meant the odds of Adam appearing tonight were even lower. I put the bat I held behind my back into my space ring. My posture relaxed as a result, and as if mirroring me, so too did Adam''s uncle.


    "Nice to meet you, Mr. Wickham. I''m Wendy Evans." I said with a bright smile that didn''t feel as genuine as I wanted. I played dumb and tried brightening my smile as I asked, "Where''s Adam?"


    Mr Wickham attempted a smile in return, but his eyes were more forthright and displayed his disdain. "Adam won''t be able to make it to your sleepover. There was a family emergency, I hope you understand." He said, his eyebrows moving on his face as if to help convey his sorrow and support his words.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    My own eyebrows knitted on my face with far more conviction and genuine emotion, "Is Adam okay?"


    "Thankfully, my nephew is safe." Mr. Wickham said.


    There was a moment of awkward silence as I waited for him to elaborate. He didn''t, and we stood there looking at each other for an excruciatingly long time.


    Jerky Dickham.


    To break this monotony, Mr. Dickham looked at his watch and began to fuss about time. It was good he broke the silence because I wasn''t going to for a jerk. "Adam wanted me to pass this on to you. I have to leave now." He said, then with abrupt rudeness, he thrust something into my arms before taking off.


    I watched the man dash undignified towards a couple of familiar suited men lingering near the forest entrance. The bodyguards Adam usually has around. Did they help guide Mr. Dickham? I snorted as I watched them inelegantly try to leave. They crashed, almost tripped, and looked like a mess as they tried to navigate the trees.


    The laughter helped because the last thing I wanted to feel was the crushing pain of disappointment. Which is what came over me the moment the suit circus was out of sight.


    I bit my lip and looked at Adam''s gifts.


    I inhaled sharply when I realized there were two cute decorative velvety boxes. One was a soft pink, and the other a bright yellow, just like the two in my dream. I opened the pink box with shaky hands and saw a note and a dessert.


    In scrawled cursive, I read, "Wendy, I must express my regret about canceling today. I hope the dessert I planned is to your liking."


    The overly formal tone of the note worried me. I thought I made more progress in helping him become more childlike?


    I changed gears to something I could directly take action upon. I looked back at the pink box and studied the flower-shaped cookie inside.


    Huh, so it''s not a lemon tart. Damn, after that dream, I really wanted one. Still, this cookie looked too lovely to devour. The delicate pink icing raised the edges into realistic-looking petals. The gold-speckled sugar pearl in the center gleamed at me and brought it all together.


    I closed the box and put it into my space. I opened the second and saw a ginger snap cookie. Grandpa Evans would like it. Maybe next Friday, when Adam comes, he''ll bring a lemon tart like in my dream.


    It took me some time to realize that neither Adam nor his snobby uncle had said anything about when I''d see Adam again. It would be even longer after this realization that I would see him.


    The following week ran smoothly like a well-floured rolling pin. Wyatt, Lucia, and Lucas came over every other day that week. It was pumpkin time, so most of our time was spent toiling away. At the end of the day, the trio walked away with their own barrel of pumpkins and some of my experimental vitamins.


    I still found it strange how the trio preferred working on my farm over staying at the church that cared for them. Of course, I appreciated it, but my curiosity increased as we got along.


    The only tangible change, aside from this fattening nosiness that swelled my brain with ideas, was Adam''s absence.


    The note he courteously crafted gave no clue if he would show up the following Friday. I expected Adam to come but received a phone call the night before. The brief one-minute call confirmed that Adam would not come for the foreseeable future.


    That hurt.


    Another week passed, and we were done with the fall harvest. The four of us kids got it done remarkably fast. Of course, it helped that there was only so much land to cover. It was Wednesday, and Lucia, Wyatt, and Lucas were over. With most of our work done for fall time, we split into separate activities when they came over. Wyatt began canoodling with the breaker of hearts Nips in the front yard. Lucas disappeared, likely finding work to do


    Lucia stuck to me and joined me in the living room with Grandpa Evans. Grandpa Evans was knee-deep in a whodunit marathon. Aside from the overdramatized cutscenes, we all did our thing in amicable silence. I was doing my damndest to create an embroidered rose on a handkerchief when Lucia tapped my shoulder.


    "Are you okay?" Lucia asked me. Her soft, worried eyes made me look away.


    "I''m a bit tired, but okay," I said with a small smile. I couldn''t bring myself to break into a wide grin. My dreams haven''t been getting any better lately. Unlike the strangely vivid scene with Adam, my current dreams ran on a loop of despair. Even though I put my all into growing and storing as much as possible, my slumbering brain decided it wasn''t enough.


    "You keep looking at the door. Are you expecting someone else?" Lucia asked persistently, which was odd for the soft girl.


    Adam. The answer came to my mind before I could stop it. Instead of saying that, I shook my head and changed the topic.


    It worked because Lucia wasn''t one to push boundaries. Or at least that was what I thought. The next day, when the trio wasn''t supposed to show up, they did. As did Adam.


    The morning started off like any other until after breakfast. The stormy feelings I stifled within made me long for weather powers. I wanted the skies to reflect my turmoil. Instead, the sky was calm and unbothered by my personal problems. It even showed off by being a bright robin blue.


    Grandpa Evans pulled me out of my funk as the morning''s highlight.


    "Thank you." A gruff, familiar voice said to me after breakfast. Startled, I turned around and met Grandpa Evans'' watery eyes.


    My own eyes grew wet as I slapped on a smile, "Of course, Grandpa Evans." It was the first almost complete sentence he had spoken to me! I rode high on that cloud until the door was knocked on a few hours later.


    Lucia, Wyatt, and Lucas stood outside, the crisp air carrying their breath and bringing a chill into my home.


    "What are you guys doing here?" I asked, bewildered that they came on a day we hadn''t arranged.


    "Well, gee, that''s one way to talk to your friends," Wyatt said with a grin before he bent down to greet Nips, who came lopping over at Wyatt''s scent.


    "We just thought we could come over to play." Lucia smiled, trying to smooth over the tension in the air.


    "Unless you''re expecting someone else?" Lucas spoke up then, and I blinked at the boy. He was hardly one for words, and with a sister like Lucia and a friend like Wyatt, he didn''t need to be.


    "I''m not, but you can come in." I stepped back and gestured for them to enter. One by one, they trekked in.


    I led the trio upstairs so that Grandpa Evans could enjoy his German news show without us being loud.


    We entered my library, and I settled on my favorite chair. Lucia sat in a seat closest to me, and it was then that I noticed she was carrying a bag half her size.


    "I brought some board games." She said as she opened her bag and started bringing them out. "It''s going to get colder, so I was hoping we can still come over when we''re not needed. We can play instead."


    "What if you get snowed in here? Would the church be upset?" I asked. I tried never to bring it up, but why were these kids allowed to roam all over town with little supervision and protection?


    Wyatt snorted, "They''d be grateful to have fewer mouths to feed." I couldn''t read his eyes as he spoke, but he began to play fight with Nips after those words.


    "Are you guys asking to stay here during winter, then?" I asked as my brow furrowed in thought. Was this why my dreams kept haunting me that what I was doing wasn''t enough. Were there going to be more mouths to feed?


    Lucia''s cheeks flushed red at my blunt question before giving a little nod. "We wouldn''t be much trouble. And we can help with the winter chores you need to be done¡­"


    Why didn''t they ask other homes or farms this? Was it because I was a kid as well? How awesome would it be to have more people to talk with and play with? If I were reading this passage, I would shake the Wendy in the story just to say yes. Can''t she see how nervous they are and how they''re trying to hide it?


    Small doubts sprouted up, and I held up a hand. "Give me some time to think about it. I need to¡­" Think of how to hide my powers. When they visited, it was hard to stop myself from lazily slipping things into my space ring. When harvesting, planting, or watering, I constantly told plants to stop reaching for me around them. Just the thought of doing that 24/7 brought upon waves of exhaustion.


    That was the negative aspect of it, but what about the positive? It was simple, really. I would have people I could converse with easily every day. People with whom I could feel connected and be friends with. How strange the old me, who first joined this world, would jump at this chance.


    Was I over seeing people, or did I just like being close but having distance?


    Grandpa Evans is another factor to take it slow, but he didn''t hide when they came over. It would be a good idea if he was okay with their company. "Let me ask Grandpa Evans what he thinks." I finally said after some deep soul-searching. "It should be fine; we have the rooms up here that you guys already use. It would make more sense than three trekking back and forth in the cold."


    The tension in the room dissipated, and I watched them relax. "Let''s play some games," Lucia said brightly with a warm smile.


    Lucia pulled out one game at a time and explained it as she did so before putting it down to explain another. The first was Payton''s Payday. Payton''s Payday was a turn-based game where you relied on cards to dictate your placement on the board and how much money you lost each paycheck. Way too realistic, I thought, turning that one down as I heard how it was played.


    Gaolbreak was about a prison break. Each player had a team consisting of four pawns. The bright colors distracted a younger person from the dark, undercurrent adult theme. Your goal was to move your collective crew to home base, i.e., freedom. In your attempt to move across the board, you could send others'' pawns back to prison, i.e., the starting zone.


    Consortium sounded much like Monopoly but was far more cutthroat and seemed to have a mafia twist. Your pawn piece choices on the board were an assortment of paraphernalia.


    The last was the strangest one of all. Lucia made a face when she pulled it out of her bag. "I don''t remember this game. Wyatt, did you put it in the bag?" She turned to ask him, and he shook his head. Ha, I wasn''t alone in assuming he did something when things changed course.


    "I''ve never seen that game before." Wyatt''s denial was met by skeptical looks from everyone in the room. Only Nips seemed to believe in Wyatt.


    "Neither have I," Lucas said. When Lucia repeated the same thing, I reached for the game. Lucia passed it on to me quickly, and so I inspected it.


    Even the box was strange. The previous games had bright colors and kids on the cover having a good time. This game''s box was brown and dark; it didn''t exactly scream family-friendly. The brown made it look like it was bound leather. Holding it, I saw the light play with it, making it shimmer. The word Effaced was scrawled in big, bold cursive that looked burned into the box. Instead of a company name I could recognize in a moderately corporate world, all I found was: From the one who brought you destiny, Keeper Mordecai.


    I tried to rack my brain; who is Keeper Mordecai? While I didn''t know Mordecai, the title of Keeper rang a bell. I could feel my mouth go dry, but the doorbell downstairs rang before full actualization could hit.


    "I''ll get that. Why don''t you guys pick a game and set it up." I hurriedly said before I ran out, clutching Effaced to my chest. Before anyone could react, I was long gone and had closed the door.


    In the hallway, I looked at the box, closed my eyes, and touched it with my senses, fearful I was wrong. There was something else about this box¡­or rather what was coming from it. Power was pouring out of the box, and I knew I was right when I used my other senses. It wasn''t just any powerful energy, but magic, to be exact. Magic that felt and smelled similar to my own. This game came from my world somehow from the Keeper of all beings.


    I slipped it into my space, or I should have attempted to, but it flickered as if it rejected being concealed. Shitballs, how is that possible? I had to find another way to hide it until I could figure out what it was.


    The knocking at the door startled me into moving. I ran down the stairs, taking only a pitstop to stuff the board game under my pillow on my bed.


    When I went to the front door and opened it, I was surprised to see Adam.

 Chapter Twelve

    The tangled emotions Effaced brought me were washed away with the sight of a familiar face. Adam wore a maroon suit with a black undershirt. The lack of a tie made Adam appear nearly casual. Well, as casual as the upper-class boy could attempt. His brown hair was slicked back as usual, and he wore a half smile in greeting.


    "Adam, you''re here. What a surprise!" I said as I beamed at him. All the little worries that grew in my chest evaporated upon the sight of him.


    "I hope it''s not a bad time," Adam said with a touch of regret on his face. "I meant to come sooner. It just wasn''t possible."


    "Your uncle came over. He told me there was a family emergency." I said as I reevaluated Adam. He didn''t look injured or out of sorts. Did his father go through some difficulty? Come to think of it, I haven''t heard anything about his mother or if he has siblings.


    "My¡­sister," Adam said with great difficulty, and I clutched the door. "She''s fine now, but things were uncertain."


    "So you have a sister," I said thoughtfully. Was I a bad friend for not knowing this? Or am I too used to dominating the conversation, and it was never brought up?


    "Only recently¡­ It''s complicated, but we''re family now." There was warmth in his gaze as he said this.


    So, a new sister? Instantly, my brain rushed toward how a wealthy family welcoming a new child could become complicated. Countless stereotypical storylines ran through my head. At the top of that list was an illegitimate sibling. Instead of asking, I kept my mouth shut.


    "I always wanted a sister," I said with a wry smile. What I got was a fuddy-duddy, Gus. "Were you happy to meet her?"


    Adam''s expression was blank for a second before he gave a slow nod and said, "When I was younger, I wanted nothing more than a sibling. If I had one, maybe there wouldn''t be much pressure, but she isn''t what I expected ." Adam said as his eyes swirled with regret and something else I couldn''t identify.


    "Tell me later?" I asked, unsure how to navigate this new facet of our friendship. Another day, I would ask Adam about his family. His expression seemed entangled with it; maybe later would be better when things weren''t so fresh.


    "Soon. Right now, I still need to process how I feel." Adam said as he ran a hand through his hair, and I watched, fascinated by how he mussed it up. He must really be conflicted to do that to his hair. I reached out with a smile to grab his free hand. Adam squeezed it, and I squeezed back.


    "I get it. Family is complicated." I said with a small smile. Oh wait, I forgot one of the most important things, "Wait, what''s her name?" I asked with a sheepish smile, "I should have asked you sooner."


    Adam opened his mouth, but Wyatt, the interloper, started yelling from the upstairs hallway. "Wendy, what''s taking you so long? Are you putting together snacks or something?"


    I groaned as soon the thunderous chorus of Wyatt and Nips came barreling down the stairs. Per usual, when Wyatt was over, Nips became his conjoined twin. The two looked at Adam and me with identically surprised expressions. Nips stayed glued to Wyatt instead of greeting Adam or even myself. Damn, he might as well be Wyatt''s dog.


    I moved to pull my hand free so I could stomp up to Wyatt, but Adam''s grip on my hand tightened. That grip stopped me from taking more than a step, and I looked back at Adam. The vulnerability from before was gone, and in its place was a polite mask.


    The two hadn''t had another chance to meet in the previous six months. I had certainly complained about the loss of Nip''s affection and Wyatt''s antics enough for Adam to know Wyatt well. Adam had yet to meet Lucia or Lucas, though. Today may be the perfect day for that to change.


    "Are you staying, or did you just come by to talk?" I scanned Adam''s eyes as I asked him this.


    "Staying," Adam said, then looked past me at Wyatt and Nips. "You weren''t joking, Nips really does love Wyatt."


    I made a sour face at that. "Why''d you have to remind me?" I said with some difficulty.


    "Hi, I''m Wyatt. We haven''t met properly." Unable to remain ignored, Wyatt stepped forward to shake Adam''s hand.


    Once again, I tried to drop Adam''s hand, but he didn''t let go. I gave him a look, but he disregarded it as he used his other hand to shake Wyatt''s. How strangely precocious this interaction was.


    "I''m Adam," Adam said with a polite smile. The two looked amicable while I looked cross. Why am I stuck in this odd position next to these two? I wiggled my fingers, and Adam squeezed back. He met my gaze with mischief in his eyes. What a poop.


    "We were just about to play a game. Join us?" I asked Adam, and he gave a little nod.


    "Well, let''s go upstairs to play then. What game did you guys pick?" I turned to ask Wyatt, more than a bit curious about the games of this world. They all sounded similar to the ones from mine, but each had a unique twist.


    "We picked Gaolbreak," Wyatt said with a gleeful wiggle of his brows. Nips yipped in either agreement or for attention, regardless of why Wyatt reached down to stroke his fur.


    "You band of miscreants," I said with a grin.


    "Who else is here?" Adam asked and I mentally oopsy.


    "Lucia and Lucas, her brother. They came over for a surprise visit with Wyatt." I gave a few more details about them as we headed up the stairs. I told Adam about them, right? Or did I forget that?


    "I remember what you told me about them," Adam said reassuringly. It was as if he could hear my worries, or maybe I carried them on my face.


    We made quick work up the stairs, Wyatt leading the charge. "We''re back and with an Adam!" Wyatt announced loudly as he burst open the door. Nips barked along with Wyatt as the two barged into the room.


    Lucia looked up, sweeping a stray lock of hair behind her hair as it fell. Her smile paused as she took in the presence of Adam. I watched her eyes examine him. Her eyes looked him up and down before dipping to Adam''s intertwined hand with mine.


    Awareness of her eyes and Lucas''s on this heated up my cheeks as I once again moved to drop Adam''s hand. This time, he let go, and I quickly moved to sit down next to Lucia.


    "You''re going to have to explain the rules," I said as I looked at the board that had been set up. It sure looked cheery and safe for a kid-friendly game about being a criminal.


    Adam and Wyatt sat down as Lucia explained the rules. To my annoyance, Wyatt took the empty seat next to me. Adam then sat across from me. Lucas came over and took the final open seat next to Adam. Nips laid on Wyatt''s feet, and I looked away to take in the rules.


    Gaolbreak was as explained before, but you took turns using cards.


    "It''s like the game, sorry," I muttered under my breath. But instead of just moving your pawns to the end, you were trying to escape.


    "Like what now?" Wyatt leaned in to whisper loudly in my ear. I pushed at him, shoving him away from me. I ignored his jester cackle and met Lucia''s eyes.


    "How are we deciding the order of turns? I asked as I grabbed one of the pink pawns.


    "The game''s rules say the order goes by age. Youngest goes first." Adam was holding the rules sheet as he said this.


    "Lucia and I are thirteen. Wyatt is fourteen." Lucas spoke up, and I grinned, smelling victory. I get to go first!


    "I''m thirteen as well," Adam said, returning my smile with a small one of his own.


    "Yes!" I stood up, cheering shamelessly at being the youngest. "I''m twelve!" I said as I looked at Adam.


    "One can certainly believe you''re the youngest." Wyatt''s voice tickled my ears, and I turned to see him smirking.


    "At least I act my age," I said with a prim sniff as I sat down to grab the three other pink pawns.


    Lucia, always the peacekeeper, looked at Adam, "When''s your birthday? I share a birthday with Lucas, and it''s February 3rd."


    "My birthday is-" Wyatt started to interject, but I shoved a throw pillow over his mouth.


    "You''re the oldest. We don''t need to know it." I snipped at him before looking to hear Adam''s response. I wanted to know when his birthday was. How could we be friends for so long without my knowing this? Today, I learned the actual details of his life. I failed as a friend, and it was time to change that.


    "My birthday is December 31st." Adam looked at Lucia as he said this, which gave me time to mentally mark down that date.


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    "We''ll have to do something around then for it," Lucia said with a soft smile, and I joined in with a bright yes. It kinda sucked that she beat me to the punch, but regardless, we needed to do something for Adam.


    Adam looked at me, "When''s your birthday, Wendy?"


    I looked away from everyone as I said. "Oh, it''s already passed. It was in March." My actual birthday was today. Wendy''s, on the other hand, had already passed. Technically, I was right on both accounts. My chest stung at the realization I would have to celebrate in secret. I was fortunate everyone gathered here today. It would have been a lonely day otherwise.


    It was also great that this world kept to the same twelve-month calendar as mine. Of course, it was created by an author, so it made sense that it was similar. This world didn''t have horoscopes based on a star sign. Instead, their system was quite simple. They divided people up by the time of day they were born. It took Morning Bird to a whole new level since many people born in the morning would not identify that way.


    "I read in a book once that the month and date you were born determines your personality. This horoscope depends on when the stars aligned when you were born." I said, attempting to change the subject. I could teach them this since the writer of this world lazily slapped them in the same solar system when creating this world.


    "Is it accurate?" Lucia asked.


    "I''m a Pisces if it is. Their symbol is two swimming fish." I made an attempt to draw this in the air and pucker my lips to gulp at the air.


    "What about March 24th?" Wyatt asked as he bonked me with the same pillow I tried to smother him with.


    "An Aries. The symbol is a ram." I said, then watched as Wyatt''s chest pumped up at my words, and I rolled my eyes at him. He certainly fit the headstrong, active type. "Aries are confident natural born leaders."


    "You and your brother would be the water bearers, aka Aquarius." I grabbed Lucia''s hands and smiled. "You bear with a lot of other people''s stuff. But also are clever, kind, and intellectually innovative. "


    "And Adam would be Capricorn. The symbol for a Capricorn is a sea goat. Which is symbolic of how Capricorns have good IQ and EQ capabilities. Another cardinal sign like Aries, so a real leader type." I grinned at Adam.


    "What about October''s horoscope?" Adam''s question threw me, and I blinked at him, pulling my hand away from Lucia. I wrapped a hand around my midsection.


    "It depends on what part of October. Technically, two overlap with that." Who did Adam know that was born in October? His new sister?


    Before I could ask, Adam was already talking, "The end of October, right before the end of the fourth week."


    I paused before saying, "That would make them a Scorpio." Like me. I added the second part silently in my head. I looked down at the board game and started to place my pink pawns in their designated cell space.


    "What are Scorpios like?" Wyatt''s question ripped my attention to him. He shrugged at me when I shot him a look, "It''s the only one you didn''t go into detail for."


    They''re the best sign, I almost blurted out. Instead, I silenced that thought and said, "A Scorpio tends to be independent, stubborn, and curious. Although they can hold a grudge forever, they''re one of the most loyal signs."


    "What is their symbol?" Adam asked this, and I looked at everyone''s face. Of all the horoscopes, why were we focusing on the one no one technically had in this room.


    "A scorpion, but according to many astrologists, they''re also the phoenix." I smiled as I said this. There was a reason why every witch in my family was born at the same time of year without fail. The magical power that granted us so much was due to our familial connection with one unique creature, the phoenix. It was very fitting to be called a phoenix witch.


    "We can go into this later. Let''s play. Be prepared to lose." I urged everyone to move on, and luckily, the conversation shifted.


    While I watched Lucia decimate Wyatt and send one of his pawns back to its cell, I sunk into my thoughts.


    The Keeper on the box Effaced couldn''t be the Keeper I heard of in passing. My Grandma prayed to that Keeper, and their name wasn''t Mordecai. Was it just a coincidence and the name of a company? Even as I hoped, I knew it was fruitless. That box contained magic from my world.


    I came in second place, sadly. Adam, of course, came in first. He had top-shelf luck. Lucia came second to last, with Wyatt taking third. Lucas sweetly forfeited so his sister wouldn''t fall to last.


    The visiting trio, plus Adam and myself, ate some snacks as we talked further.


    Sadly, it was getting late, and the trio needed to go. Wyatt and Nips ran outside to play and say goodbye while Lucas cleaned up our mess in my library. I was still determining where Adam went as we dispersed, and soon, it was just Lucia and me in the kitchen. Of course, Grandpa Evans wasn''t too far in his usual seat watching a strange Nigerian comedy show.


    "Keep the games here so that next time we can play some more," Lucia told me as she wiped up the counter before her. I''d tried to stop the girl, but she shooed me off so she could clean.


    "I''ll ask Grandpa Evans tonight about you guys staying here overnight. It was originally mentioned in my deal with Wyatt, but even without the help on the farm, I''d like that." I said.


    "I hope he says yes," Lucia whispered fervently, and I nodded.


    "Are you guys coming over on Monday then?" I asked her, catching myself in time from slipping my unfinished cup into my space. Dang, if it went into the space, that delicious last few sips would be kept hot.


    "Yes." Lucia helped me finish cleaning the kitchen, and soon, we were all outside saying goodbye. Well, everyone but Adam, who was still suspiciously absent.


    "Goodbye, friend," Wyatt said with a tireless grin as he used his height to pat my head.


    "Goodbye, friend," I said as I reached to flick his forehead. He dodged at the last second, and soon, it turned into me trying to chase him down to flick his forehead.


    Lucia broke it up, and soon, I was waving at the trio while they entered the forest.


    Now, it was time to go find Adam. Where was he?


    I found Adam in my room, of all places. He was seated at my desk, and I quickly looked over my room. Crap, he saw the messy state it was in. Once again, my bed wasn''t made, and things scattered here and there on the floor.


    Adam looked up at my entrance, and I gave a smile. "They left." I moved closer to him as I spoke to see what he was looking at. I wasn''t sure what I left on my desk. Organization of the physical world wasn''t my priority when I laid my head down at night. Testing and strengthening my powers meant I was lucky to not faint when I was done most of the time.


    My plans for the Evans home were off my desk. Those were turned into Willaim, who was still working on the homestead or scrapped because I didn''t know what I was doing.


    What was the last thing I wrote at the desk? Random scribblings between the lines of my attempt to translate my world''s language with the variation of English Wendy''s world utilized. My chicken scratch was barely legible, so I doubted Adam could read and understand it. I never needed to write as a literary witch. With a wave of my hand, my thoughts could appear as letters before me. I always thought Gus was strange for choosing to write out what he wanted. Maybe he was onto something¡­if someone was going to take a look at what you wrote, you need to be able to actually write.


    So, it was lucky that my writing was unreadable. Adam shattered this thought with his words in the next heartbeat. "Who is Gus?" Adam held up a piece of paper as he asked me this.


    I took the sheet and saw that I wrote, "Suck it, Gus." As the title of an Ode to my brother. The title is always one of the essential lines of any work. It was also the one line that I made bold and readable. I attempted to bite back a chuckle but failed. I looked away from Adam as a laugh spilled from my lips. "Oh, it''s nothing." I managed to say this in between my laughter. Luckily, my terrible handwriting was in my language, making it harder to understand.


    Adam leveled me a look, and I made a face, and soon, I felt compelled by his boss'' energy to spill.


    However, I managed to maintain my secrecy and said, "Gus is short for vagus. You know, like in the body." I looked down at the sheet, avoiding Adam''s eyes.


    I heard a soft chuckle, and my eyes shot up to see Adam smiling. "Are you creating a language or translating?" Adam asked as he gestured to the paper on my desk.


    "A bit of both." I shrugged as I put Gus'' ode back on the desk. "Are you leaving soon or¡­" Can you stay the night? I stopped myself short of asking Adam that.


    "Can I stay the night? We talked about it before." Adam was looking at the desk as he asked me this.


    "It would be a lot of fun if you did. And I do owe you one." I said as I sat on my bed and swung my legs excitedly.


    "I''ll phone for some clothes and food to be delivered." Adam pulled out a satellite phone to do that, and I left my room to talk to Grandpa Evans.


    Unsurprisingly, Grandpa Evans didn''t have an opinion on Adam staying over. By the time I reentered my room, Adam was off the phone.


    "So what should we do?" Adam had a twinkle in his eyes as he looked at me.


    "Goalbreak round two?" I said with a wicked grin.


    We played a few more rounds, and much to my dismay, I lost each time. We only took a game break when Adam''s clothing was dropped off. Along with the clothes was a bundled-up meal for all of us to enjoy.


    The food was spread out on the table, and I stared in wonder at all the dishes I couldn''t name in sight. I wiggled in my seat as the scents from the delicacies washed over me. Even Grandpa Evans had an eager glint in his gaze as he joined us at the table.


    I loaded Grandpa Evans'' plate first by taking a bit of everything the spread offered. When it came time to fill my plate, I did the same. There were noodles and veggies, spiced and diced in ways I''d never seen before. I found myself drooling a little bit but had the grace to look at Adam to thank him.


    "It''s my turn to feed you," Adam responded with a slight smile on his lips.


    My mouth was too full to respond properly, but I gave a thumbs up in thanks. This delightful explosion of flavors could only be bought with the most expensive of tastes. It was all so good!


    The highlight of all the tasty food was the finale. Bite-sized desserts offered us half a dozen variations.


    I stared at the lemon tarts that appeared on the table as I slowly swallowed my last dinner bite. Those lemon tarts looked like the one from my dream. I reached for one and brought it up to my nose to sniff. It even smelled like it. I took a chunk out of it and marveled at the sweetened sour that coated my tongue. The cream from the rose topping had a charred covering that deepened the flavor. I made a noise before downing the last of the bite.


    "The tart is that good?" Adam''s question drew me out of my thoughts.


    I raised my head to meet his eyes. My tone turned sheepish. "I had a dream you brought these before. They looked just like this one but were in a box. Like the box the cookies were in."


    "They were made by the same chef. Maybe that''s why you dreamt it." Adam said nonchalantly, and I peeked at him. How was he not bothered by my talk of magic or dreams? It was strange for such a logical kid.


    "They looked exactly like these tarts, though. And there was a cherry one for Grandpa Evans." I said before darting my eyes to look at Grandpa Evans. He was happily munching on a cherry one.


    Prophetic dream or happenchance? I guess it was just one visit off.


    "That could be, or you just really like lemon tarts." Adam''s voice interrupted my thoughts, and I laughed. I must have started talking out loud. Oops.


    "It''s possible; I love almost anything lemon," I said with a little shrug as I popped the rest of the tart into my mouth.


    After the lovely grub, we went on a walk around the property. Molly and Nips greeted us and soon joined us on our merry walk.


    There were many new things to show off, but walking around after all that food was still good. When we were done, we said goodbye to the pups and headed upstairs to the study. Old Tom greeted us, and I gave his little head some extra love.


    "I have some homework due tomorrow," Adam said, and I tsked mentally. Not even during a sleepover could he spend a whole night being a kid?


    "I''ll just sit here and read a little." I smiled brightly in an attempt to reassure Adam. I watched Adam sit on the floor to use the coffee table as a desk. I should have brought in a desk for the library, huh. I lounged on the sofa behind him, looking up occasionally to see his head make little movements as he wrote. That was how an average person wrote. How the heck could Gus be so stiff. I shook off the mean thoughts about Gus and returned to my book.


    Unknowingly, this night would mark the first of several nights we sat in companionable silence, each of us doing our own thing.

 Chapter Thirteen

    I woke up the following day with a mixture of drool and sweat on my face. Old Tom''s big butt was on my head, and it was cooking me from the inside out. I shooed him off and looked at the fireplace. The fire went out, so naturally, the cat sought the warmest place he could to warm his butt. One lamp was still on, and it lit the dim room enough for me to see Adam sleeping on the couch across from me.


    I must have fallen asleep before he did last night because a blanket I don''t remember wrapping around myself was on my person. Adam also had one, and seeing his face so unguarded was strangely captivating. His all-too-serious expression was relaxed, and he looked his age in rare vulnerability. His suit was replaced with a silk pajamas. I looked down at yesterday''s garb that I still needed to change out of. I couldn''t help but admire Adam. Although he was a kid, he was more together than I was.


    I couldn''t spend time lingering in my library. The first thing I needed to do was figure out what time it was. Was I up in time to do morning chores, or did I wake up too early due to a butt on my head?


    I looked at the clock on the wall and sighed. Oh, the woes of the morning bird crew. I stood up and shivered at the crisp chill in the air. We didn''t have heating outside of fireplaces and blankets in this home. Given all our preparation, spending money on something we might only be able to use solar power didn''t make much sense.


    I regretted this choice as I tiptoed on the chilly wood floor. I draped my blanket over Adam, hoping it would warm him before leaving the library. Old Tom followed the blanket instead of me, and I watched as he lay on Adam''s legs.


    I was the first one up as usual, and after changing into some warm, thick clothing and relieving myself, I stepped outside to greet Nips and Molly. The next hour plus was spent feeding, cleaning, and checking on all our livestock.


    Big Mama was in a mood, and I could see why the coward Old Tom chose to hang out indoors last night. The treehouse where she and the kittens stayed was insulated now and even had a fireplace. Without a human up here, though, it was never lit. I resorted to tucking in lots of blankets and keeping a small heater in the main room to keep the chill off them.


    By the time I entered my home, the sky was brightening up. I wanted to cook breakfast and see if I could use some leftovers from last night, but when I opened the fridge, there was brand new food and ingredients. Huh, just how much did Adam''s men bring over to feed him? It wasn''t like he was going to starve here!


    I used the expensive milk, eggs, bread, fruit, and syrup to create a breakfast spread of pancakes, scrambled eggs, and fruit bread. Any extra fruit could be used as toppings for the pancakes.


    Adam came down the stairs just as I was setting the table. His hair slicked back into its usual hair, but he was wearing jeans and a button-up plaid shirt. My mouth dropped, and I almost dropped the plate of pancakes.


    "Casual wear!" I cheered at him.


    Adam chuckled and sat down. "I figured it would be a day of firsts."


    Before I could ask him to elaborate, Grandpa Evans came out of his room. He looked like he had just showered and, like Adam, promptly sat at the table. He picked his usual spot where a piping cup of coffee awaited him.


    "Good morning, Grandpa Evans."


    "...ing." He mumbled before grabbing his cup of black coffee.


    My smile grew. Today was going to be a fantastic day.


    Or it at least could have been. After the scrumptious meal, Adam got a knock at the door from the suit circus. There were some terse words, and I worked my hardest to make it look like I wasn''t eavesdropping, so of course, I was too far away to hear anything decent.


    "I have to go." Adam''s expression was dark, but his tone was regretful. "It''s a family emergency."


    I tried my best to school my expression as I half-heartedly smiled, "There seems to be a lot of those lately." I finally managed to say.


    "Things will get better," Adam promised me. After gathering all of his things, he left all too soon.


    Well, at least I got to spend my birthday with my friends.


    With the game plan for the day changed, I decided to try my hand at my premonition abilities. The dreams I brushed off seemed determined to reappear. Maybe the dream with Adam showing up with a lemon tart could happen exactly like that? Or was everything symbolic given over time, the casual clothing and the lemon tart appeared?


    I sat outside in the chilly cold air and attempted to meditate. Maybe by training my mind to reach out¡­nope, all that did was call the resting plant life to attention.


    I moved inside and into my library. I could try fire scrying next. That was a thing, right? I lit the fireplace and stared deeply into the flames. They danced and ate the wood as I began to sweat from the amount of concentration I was pouring into this. My eyes grew dry until I finally collapsed on the floor.


    Should I just try going to sleep? I was too wired, so the only way I could wear myself out was to push my other power. I pulled some seeds from my ring and attempted to germinate them with willpower alone. It was interesting because no matter how much energy I powered into the seeds, they didn''t budge.


    Once again, I was soaked with sweat and effort but had nothing to show for it.


    Was it possible to store energy into seeds? What did I need to do to make plants sprout from a seed? In books, this went without saying, so what was I missing? Maybe dumping energy wasn''t the right move. Doing that with an established plant was quite simple because they could use it to grow. Perhaps instead of dumping, I used my energy to unfurl the seed and imagine it growing as I nudged it mentally¡­well it was worth a try.


    Two hours later, I barely made one pumpkin seed budge. This was going to be my next challenge. Learn how to weave this primal energy into a delicate song that seeds could respond to.


    Shitballs.


    I finally wore myself out enough to be sleepy. I trudged down to my bed and collapsed face down on my soft pillow. Or at least that was what I expected. Instead of softness, I was greeted with the hard cover of a box under the thin pillow. I gingerly rubbed my nose as I was startled, wide awake now.


    Oh, the game Effaced. I stuffed it under my pillow because I couldn''t put it into my space. I sat up and removed my pillow. The game box was as strange as I remembered, and I opened the box, not sure what to expect.


    Instead of a game board or instructions, I found what looked to be a dnd map terrain under the lid. It was so snug that my little fingers couldn''t take it out. A bird pawn was on the board, and when I lifted it up, I read the name Wendy. Only it was in quotes as if it were false. I set the pawn back on the board as the hairs on my neck rose. Like the pawn, I, too, was practically alone, surrounded by a forest¡­


    I gulped and slammed the lid of the box on it. Again, I attempted to slip the box into my space and again was thwarted. I eyed my bedroom and decided to slip it as far away from me as possible on the top shelf of my closet. The magic coming off the box accompanied by the pawn in a forest¡­did my grandmother send it to help me leave? But then, why was it labeled otherwise?


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    I patted my head as I reassured myself. "All is well." I lay in bed and repeatedly told myself that my dream would show me a scene from the future. And it would be a future I could take charge of. My premonition power would shine a light on the future.


    It didn''t. All I dreamt about was a screaming baby. When I ventured into the living room, I found Grandpa Evans watching a midwife show¡­so no wonder I was haunted by babies. The sounds must have carried over into my dreams.


    I waited until there was a commercial to deliver leftovers from dinner as lunch.


    I sat beside Grandpa Evans and waited until he had that happy, blissful smile from the good food before speaking. "Lucia, her brother, and Wyatt were wondering if they could stay over more when they''re not helping on the farm. What do you think of that Grandpa Evans?" They could stay the night and leave in the morning if it got late. If they stayed over longer, I should run it by Grandpa Evans.


    "Good." Grandpa Evans'' voice was barely audible, and I gasped as a smile grew on my face.


    "It will be more lively here then," I said before tucking into my food. Joy filled my heart, and I munched on my food. I couldn''t wait to tell the trio the excellent news. Maybe when I did, they could spill the deets on the church.


    The rest of the weekend slipped by without much change. I didn''t get the desired breakthrough with getting a seedling to sprout or having a premonition.


    Monday came around, and the trio arrived on time. They were dropped off by Bill, with whom I traded goods. With our home becoming more sustainable, I wanted to ensure I was also giving Mary things.


    Lucia wore a relatively thin blue dress with a brand-new shawl. At my perusal, she informed me that Mary gave it to her.


    "Come with me." I took Lucia into the attic, where some of the clothing I was trying to repurpose was. "Let''s see if we can make clothes today. And whatever you can make, you can keep."


    Lucia brightened up at my words, but Wyatt was barraging between us before she could say anything.


    "What about the boys? Can we make some clothes?" He huffed his chest as he followed us up the stairs.


    I rolled my eyes. Unlike Lucia, the two boys had heartier hand-me-downs. Girl dresses were thinner than denim jeans. They didn''t need something cute and fresh like Lucia did. "If you want to."


    "No," Lucia spoke up, and I blinked in complete shock. Her voice was firmer than I ever heard it. The only time it came close was when she turned red in the face at Wyatt, who arrived covered in mud and dead fish. "This is a girl''s time only."


    Wyatt was so comically shocked his foot stopped midstep, and he blinked. He looked at me, and I could read something flicker in his eyes. Oof, it looked like he blamed me.


    I''m not corrupting Lucia!


    We had fun going through the clothing and using the sewing machine. I was barely adept at it, but Lucia showed me how to work it like a pro.


    When there was a lull in teaching, I told Lucia that Grandpa Evans was fine with them staying longer during the winter.


    The sparkle in her eyes warmed my heart.


    Time passed, and soon the trio left. With the homestead running like a nonstick frying pan, I didn''t need to do much, nor did the trio. They came over again on Wednesday and, of course, Friday. Once again, I found myself with a full house, with Adam joining on Friday.


    When all five of us gathered, we opted to play in the forest. Soon, a tree-climbing challenge was thrown down between Wyatt and me.


    "You''re going to lose," I said with a smirk. I had ways to cheat, but I wanted to honestly wipe the smug smile off Wyatt''s face.


    "I''m not losing to you, soft hands." Wyatt snorted as he sloppily slipped into some stretches.


    "Are you sure about doing this?" Lucia''s bright eyes shone with worry as her head whipped back and forth to look at us.


    "It''s perfectly safe," I said with a wave of my hand. It was cute that Lucia worried, but even if one of us fell, I would risk exposing my powers to prevent permanent damage.


    Wyatt lumbered off towards Adam and Lucas, who were talking about smart people stuff. I watched the three with a roll of my eyes before looking at Lucia. She was also looking at the three of them.


    "Should you be wearing that ring when you do this?" Lucia grabbed my hand to examine my spacial ring.


    I watched it sparkle, used to its beauty, and shrugged. It''s not like I could take the dang thing off.


    "Where did you get it from? I''ve never seen anything like it before." Lucia moved my hand as she spoke. She seemed utterly charmed by the thing.


    "My brother." I clamped my lips shut to stop my automatic response from digging a grave. I quickly pulled away my hand. Lucia wasn''t one to pry or gossip, so the conversation would end with that.


    "What, brother? I haven''t seen him before. Why is that?" Adam asked me, and I made a face. I didn''t even know he was listening. Wasn''t he and Wyatt going on about something a few feet away?


    I chuckled nervously, waving my hand as if to blow the conversation away like a breeze. "You just haven''t met him."


    "But Mary said your only male relative alive is Grandpa Evans. In fact, I''m pretty sure you''re an only child with no male cousins who could be like brothers." Wyatt''s grin as he said this showed his shit-starting nature.


    Damn it, Wyatt. I temporarily glowered at him as I tried to mentally backpedal. Just flap my whole family tree into the conversation. Why don''t you?


    "He''s like a brother. You''ve just never met him." I said, quickly trying to amend my words.


    "So, your first love?" Wyatt asked with a huge grin. I could feel my cheeks pale as I avoided everyone''s gaze.


    Ew. "Don''t make me vomit. He''s just an ass." And my actual brother.


    "Who gave you a ring." Adam''s words pierced through my nausea. "And you wear it every day."


    Damn, they were all looking at it.


    "It''s just so pretty," Lucia remarked as she looked at it.


    "It''s not like I can take it off." They all made a face at that. "It''s true. Try pulling on it."


    For the next hour, they tried every manner or trick known to man, but the ring didn''t come off.


    "And the unexplainables keep adding up, Wendy." Adam''s quiet words were just for me as everyone grew tired and bored. So much for winning a tree-climbing contest; everyone was worn out. They wandered off and left the two of us. Plus, the ring.


    I met Adam''s eyes and wiggled my brows. "I am a witch."


    "I''ve always wondered about that ring. You never take it off. "


    I laughed, "It can never come off. It''s bound to my soul."


    "Your soul?" Adam''s questions about this seemed endless. He was finally curious about magic, but it was the wrong thing!


    I nodded. We were approaching the colossal space dust shitstorm. I could be more frank. The strange would soon be the norm.


    "No matter where I go it goes. It''s a type of magic." I tucked my hand behind my back and out of sight.


    "Your brother gave it to you for protection?" Adam''s piercing eyes seemed to look past my body to see the ring on my finger.


    I made a face. How could Gus be protective of me? He dropped his only sister in a world doomed to end. If anything, Gus was trying to kill me! He took sibling fighting to a new level. "I''m not sure. The ring is exceptional, but he isn''t protective of me. I''m not sure he even likes me."


    Adam voiced doubt, and I sighed. "No, he did it just to brag about the chances he''s given me." There could be more to it, but this was Gus.


    "Your brother must be powerful," Adam said as his dark brown gaze met my shifty orbs.


    I didn''t want to spend time fluffing up Gus'' capabilities, but he is a herculean witch. The strongest of his generation and better than I would ever be. Acid rose in my gut from these thoughts, and I had no idea what my expression had shifted into. It must have looked funny because Adam laughed.


    "He''s more powerful than I am. I can''t figure out how to leave. He undoubtedly could do it whenever he wanted." I said as I looked at the ring, and then I sighed. This ring was the only ability I had an almost complete understanding of using. I was failing as a plant witch because I couldn''t get a seed to sprout. My ability of premonitions was short changed as well. How could I be proficient in something I couldn''t bring out?


    My grandma and Gus were right. I was just a waste of a witch, and it was finally biting me in the ass. I was used to the ease of my natural talents. Without them, I couldn''t glide through life with everything dropping into my hands. I couldn''t access my literary powers to leave or do anything here. Death was an impossibility, but only because of the safeguards Gus put into place. He taketh and giveth the giant butthead.


    "Leave?" Adam''s question was so quiet I barely heard it.


    "Leave this world."


    I jerked when I realized I had spoken that out loud. My eyes widened guilty, and I laughed awkwardly. Luckily, Wyatt, the interloper, chose that time to break into the convo and pull us away for lunch.


    I managed to escape being alone with Adam for the rest of the day. I helped distract Adam with the one place he seemed the most intrigued, Trick''s Waterfall.


    His fascination with the place never really wavered. It could be a boy thing rather than an Adam thing. I thought as I watched all three boys scurry up the cliffside.


    "Monkey boys," I said as Lucia and I watched them disappear.


    "Is there really treasure?" Lucia asked with a sparkle in her eyes.


    I shrugged. There might have been more to the family tale than I gave credit to. There was a gleam of adventure in her eyes, and that, coupled with the monkey boys'' excitement, I, too, was swept up in it.


    Before I knew it, Lucia had me by the hand and just past the waterfalls towards the vast mountainside.


    Usually, in stories, there was a secret cave behind the falls, and it was the first place I''d looked when I first came here. There was no such secret.


    Some grass and other odd brambles brightened at my approach, and luckily, Lucia was too distracted to notice.


    I let go of her hand to brush and shoo aside the plant life when a shout from above startled me.


    Two things happened at once. I tripped over my feet at the noise and dove face forward into the rocky mountainside. As I tried to react by protecting my face, the plants in front of me rushed at me, and rocks tumbled as their roots destabilized the mountain.


    And if all of that wasn''t enough, with the plants stripped from a cliffside, a cave several feet away was revealed.

 Chapter Fourteen

    My hands stung even more than my scraped pride. A pair of firm hands helped me untangle the wispy plants from my person.


    "Thank you," I said, smiling brightly when I was free. The wattage of my grin turned up when I met the dark brown orbs belonging to Adam.


    Lucia''s gorgeous blue was also there, but it was less surprising.


    "Are you okay?" Lucia asked.


    I gave a half-shrug. I was lucky that the scarce plant life shielded me. Also, I dropped Lucia''s hand. That meant I didn''t take her down with me.


    "There''s a secret cave!" I said, expecting to see Adam eagerly tackle it and change the embarrassing topic.


    Instead of looking at the cave, Adam was looking at where I fell.


    "How did you manage to trip?" He said.


    I could feel embarrassment heat my cheeks, and my lips thinned.


    "Someone yelled and freaked me out," I said, throwing the hot potato on one of the monkey boys. "Wait, why are you back down here?"


    "I heard you cry out on my way down with Wyatt," Adam said. Then, his earnest eyes were looking at the cave.


    Oh no, Wyatt. As if my premonition abilities were finally working, Wyatt appeared with a literal bang. He was several feet above us, taunting me, of course.


    "Wow, Wendy is such a clutz. She took out so many innocent lives." Wyatt''s booming voice came from above. I didn''t have time to even glower properly up at him.


    Monkey Boy jumped off the mountainside ledge. One second, he''s making me wish I had taken down the mountain and him on it, and the next, he was on the ground with a thump his knees would remind him about in twenty years.


    "Where''s Lucas?" Lucia said, looking for her brother.


    "He''s up there. I think he''s making a nest." Wyatt said before running towards the cave.


    "I call dibs!" I said, chasing after him. It was my sacrifice that exposed the treasure cove. I get dibs!


    Trying to race against Wyatt was an impossible task. The oaf had longer legs and more stamina than me. I opted to cheat, and so I jumped on his back.


    He took it like a champ as I landed square on him. It was unfair how he didn''t even flinch. He just kept running for it.


    I could hear Lucia admonish both of us, but it was hard to focus on her words.


    Wyatt tried to dislodge me as I stuffed my fingers into his ears to give him wet willies. Our tussle ended at the entrance of the cave in a draw.


    And that was only because of the sight that greeted us.


    The exposed hole was only a few feet wide and not even five feet tall. It looked like someone had taken a scalpel and was trying to crave out an eye, only they did it vertically instead of horizontally. That weird shape was barely worth noting.


    It was what was inside its depths that mattered. Our bickering stopped just a few steps into it after all.


    The expected darkness was interrupted by pale blue dots of light splattered everywhere. What was even more impressive were the teal floating bubbles. The hauntingly beautiful color stole away every sour feeling in my heart and replaced it with wonder.


    It''s so beautiful. The tension escaped my body, and I slipped off Wyatt''s back.


    "Mushrooms?" Wyatt said, and for once, I said nothing snarky.


    "They look like floating jellyfish."


    The two of us were silent when Adam and Lucia caught up to us. They were equally awed by the sight, and we all stared.


    Suppose they were mushrooms that makes them like a plant. That meant I could connect or do things with them. It would be cool to control glowing floating mushrooms!


    I''ve seen fungi before. Fall was here, and the forest was bursting with mushrooms everywhere. Those paled in comparison to what I saw here. The mushrooms in the forest were also unnerving whenever I spotted one. They were deeply connected to my trees but didn''t respond as quickly to my presence. They didn''t need me the same, but I was helping the forest, so they tolerated me. At least, that was how I read their cold indifference.


    I poked the closest one to me. I didn''t put any energy or thought, just a nudge, and yet it was as if fireworks were inserted. Everything in the cavern grew brighter in color, and spores rained down on us.


    The four of us were coughing and gasping for air as we ran out of the cave.


    "Let''s go clean up," Lucia said. And in agreement, we all returned to the house after grabbing Lucas along the way.


    I didn''t tell anyone but noted how the spores fell from us and ingrained themselves in my trees on our trek back. The bright glow briefly flickered in the wind as the spores settled.


    I bit my lip, unsure of what was to come. It wasn''t like the spores were what drove the Evans twins mad.


    That familial tale was just a family bedtime story.


    ..right?


    Everyone cleaned up and went our separate ways until it was just Adam and me. We waited for his ride to get him to the clearing outside the Unruly Forest.


    "Wendy, about before." Adam started to speak, and I froze.


    The day''s excitement made me forget that I was trying to escape being alone with him! I blurted out way too much to him!


    "I saw the spores settle in the forest!" I said quickly as I tried to ensure the conversation didn''t go to world escaping and witchy abilities.


    "Spores?" Adam said, following my conversational lead.


    "The forest is going to change with them. If the survivors can beat the other fungi."


    The conversation lulled; there wasn''t much to add to that. Adam opened his mouth to bring up my slip, but his ride appeared before I could rudely change the subject again.


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    "Wendy, we''ll talk next time." He said, giving me a firm look.


    I bit my lip and nodded. I wish Adam would laugh at me and not treat what I said seriously. Clearly, I was just a deranged kid! But Adam was kind, serious, and way too observant.


    I watched him leave, waving at the sleek car as it soundlessly disappeared down the bumpy road.


    I entered the forest, trying to spot the bright invaders. The air didn''t taste any different, but I could sense only so much. I all but ran to Originis.


    With a touch of my hands on her rough bark, I instantly connected to countless lives. I expected a battlefield to be ringing clear and throughout the forest.


    Instead, what I got was the quiet before the storm. I only understood how connected a forest can be once I received this power. To most people, it was quiet, with the occasional animal sounds, but every inch of the forest was alive. The cave spores had slunk into this peaceful equilibrium, and I had to warn my forest.


    Only time will tell what the changes will bring. For now, I couldn''t see Jack diddly shit.


    And while I waited for the war of the fungi to begin, I had to take how I would start my own battle by keeping my mouth shut to Adam.


    After that slip, I feared meeting Adam for the first time since I knew him. This was worse than my witch slip-up or any other embarrassing thing I''d done in front of him. I barely got away with that line of questioning, and only because he let me.


    How would I explain what I meant by leaving this world? The truth was harsh because this is a fictional world. I agonized over how to solve this to no avail. As luck would have it, Adam didn''t come by the following week. Yet again, there was another mysterious family emergency. There were three more until a month had passed, and no Adam.


    Now, I was no longer worried about what to tell Adam but what the heck was going on in Adam''s family. Was his new sister severely sick?


    That month, the weather moved into December, bringing frost and changes.


    Grandpa Evans could use complete sentences, and the trio of kids had moved in. All three lived upstairs. The unabashed joy on their faces humbled me. For all my gripe about this world, I''d never had to share a room with another. How did that feel? Wait, I take that back in case Gus reads it somehow.


    I couldn''t make the trip to see Mary every other day like before. Morning dew turned into frost traps that weren''t safe for me to walk or bike to her place. Mary didn''t have time to be a hostess anyway. She was buckled down by all the work at her own farm. During spring, I would make more of a point to visit, but like Mary, I would be boggle down by snow soon.


    Everything was going as planned. The kittens were growing up strong and left the treehouse. Lucas seemed the most attached to them and always had at least one perched on his shoulder. Lucia took over the household chores and made me feel obsolete. Wyatt, of course, had Nips shadowing him, so I took comfort in Molly.


    The forest was still deadly quiet, with undertones that were hard to decipher into human language. The spores had spread undoubtedly, but they weren''t hostile. There was no murder, and try as I might, I couldn''t connect or communicate with them well. Either I was just a lousy conversationalist, or they were being purposefully obtuse and speaking a different language to me.


    Only the latter made sense. I used my free time to study fungi but did not return to the cave. I know my friends made their way into it and safely returned without attached spores.


    If I went, it would only spell trouble. Fungi reacted to me, and they entered my forest thanks to that. The decay of fall and winter was also perfect timing for their invasion. In spring, there might be even more changes to my forest.


    I checked on my forest every day, and when I started going out at night, I saw that the mushrooms lit up my forest with endless, unique colors. The glow began as tiny specks on the ground, on some bark and bushes. But now, almost mid-December, they were like tiny jellyfish buds hanging off whatever surface they could linger on.


    What would happen to the rest of my forest''s plants and animals?


    Is there such a thing as a peaceful fungi takeover?


    The routine I created was disrupted as the first snow fell.


    I woke up in a foul mood that day and was utterly exhausted. This was rare because my body was always primed upon waking up.


    A combination of growing pains and the damn midwife show Grandpa Evans wouldn''t stop watching created a nasty morning funk. I lay in bed, delaying the inevitability of getting out of it. As my day started, the dark sky looked like an inky blank slate. It was too early for Grandpa Evans to be watching that damn show.


    I threw off the covers and opened my door to go mute the damn tv. The living room was empty, and the TV was dark when I exited. I blinked, my mouth falling open in shock. I heard a baby crying. I know I heard it. Was it just a dream?


    This funk of not knowing what was a dream and what was reality went on as the day grew long. I made breakfast to chop up some fruit and take my emotions out on the veggies.


    The old tradition of sitting around the TV didn''t go away with the new faces at home. We all made room around the TV, and everyone enjoyed their meal as the Finnish Dance Competition flashed on the screen. Well, everyone but me. I glared at the TV as my brain tried to figure out what the hell was going on.


    More than once, whenever I had a wacky dream, the TV had a starring role. I''d take it apart if I was alone in the room to see why it was messing with me.


    "Are you okay?" Lucia''s gentle voice broke through my mental funk, and I blinked as I met her warm gaze.


    "Yeah¡­I just had a weird dream last night." I shoved a spoonful of oatmeal into my mouth and averted my gaze.


    "Do you want to talk about it?" Lucia leaned in to whisper even quieter.


    Before I could tell her no, a knock at the door gave me the perfect excuse to hold up a finger and rush to the door.


    I opened it and was shocked to see a very pregnant woman looking down at me rather impatiently.


    I''d like to think she simply had the wrong home, but one doesn''t mistakenly enter the Unruly Forest. Let alone navigate it on a simple whim and find the home tucked away inside it. How in the hell did she get here, and who is she?


    "You''ve grown so much, little Wendy!" The woman erased her frustration off her face and replaced it with a more repulsive, sweet expression.


    I blinked, my gaze going down to her belly. My father didn''t have a second wife, right? I mean, Wendy''s dad didn''t, right?


    "I''m your cousin, Sunny!" My confusion was clear as day on my face, so Sunny supplied this fact.


    I stared blankly at her, unable to process this. I looked her up and down and saw we shared the same brown locks. But that was as far as the family resemblance went. Sunny was so plump I couldn''t make out her features.


    "Can you help me bring my bags in?" She didn''t wait for a response after she asked and simply brushed by me and entered the home.


    "Who are all these kids?" Sunny said as she looked at the trio with disapproving eyes.


    "My friends that came to help on the homestead," I said, ignoring her bags, and followed her into the home.


    "Are they living here?" Sunny said as she went to the kitchen to grab herself a bowl of grub. Everyone watched her brazen attitude with varying degrees of shock. Even Grandpa Evans turned away from the TV to look at her.


    "I''m going to need my old room back," Sunny said after she grabbed a bowl and moved Wyatt out of his seat. She plopped down and started digging into the bowl with gusto.


    "Wait¡­" Her old room? I scoured Wendy''s memories and recalled no such thing.


    "You were a toddler when I stayed here, short stack," Sunny said around yet another mouthful of food.


    Shortstack?! I''m a growing girl! I puffed up my chest but was interrupted by Wyatt holding up a picture frame.


    A younger Grandpa Evans, stood next to Grandma Carol. They were both holding onto a little bundle that looked just like me. Next to them was a man who was clearly an unjaded Uncle Benny. Next to Uncle Benny was a younger Sunny.


    So she was my cousin? Wait, she''s so far along¡­the dreams I''ve been having where I didn''t have enough food and could hear a baby crying¡­


    Shit.


    So, all my thoughts and ideas around winter were again changed. Sunny took over Lucia''s room. I tried to fight it because it was the second biggest room upstairs. Lucia was too nice. The boys gave her the third biggest, and then they took the last to share.


    Sunny was strange but interesting. Grandpa Evans smiled at her when he saw her but didn''t say much in the way of words. Sunny was unbothered by this and quickly made herself at home. She never did anything except for eating and became a permanent fixture in the TV room alongside Grandpa Evans. She gabbered to him like I did in the early days, and I felt a ping of jealousy.


    "What will we do if the baby pops out during a snowstorm?" Wyatt asked me, and I paled at that imagery.


    "Have you ever helped an animal give birth?" I asked; it was essentially the same thing, right?


    Wyatt nodded, "We should still ask Mary for advice." He said as he stroked his chin.


    For once, Wyatt had a good idea. Mary sent over a bunch of tips, but other than that, there was only so much else to offer. We had to wait and notify the midwife and then wait for the baby to come.


    The only good thing to come from all of this was that babies stopped screaming in my dreams. Now, I had to wait for it to happen in reality instead.


    Days passed with Sunny grating everyone''s nerves like a nail file on a lime. She slowly chipped away at our sanity while eating all of our food. Sadly, the dreams were right; there just wouldn''t be enough with this glutton.


    Worst of all, still no Adam.

 Chapter Fifteen

    "Look at this!" Wyatt said. I turned to see that he was holding up a creepy-looking stuffed moose, and I made a face. He set it back down with a laugh at my expense before browsing some more.


    We were out of the home today and doing what we could to distance ourselves from Sunny. We had the perfect chance to run to the town square because the winter celebration of Caelis was going down.


    Caelis was the long-awaited celebration of the harvest after a long year. It was also supposed to represent the moon Goddess Caelestis'' rise to power. Winter and fall were her seasons, but she fully came into her power as the night and wintry moon goddess when the first hint of snow came.


    On our way to the town square, I learned much about the three Gods this world celebrated. Grandma Carol never taught Wendy any of it, preferring even more pagan thinking. My family magic might have a hand to do with that. Grandma Carol and the rest of the Evans clan were alone in their backward beliefs. This world was strangely united in what they believed, and they believed in Caelestis, Aphra, and Acuzio.


    Aphra was the Goddess of spring and rebirth, and Azuzio was the God of summer and fire. The three were siblings, but it was clear that Caelestis was the most powerful. Unlike the other two, she had two seasons.


    Strangely, their names sounded familiar, but I didn''t read them in the original book. I chalked that up to the numerous books I''ve read. I likely saw them somewhere else, so it struck me as familiar. I didn''t have much time then to fully realize why because we had arrived at the town square. Bill was kind enough to drop us off, so Lucia pulled me around, trying to find a gift to thank him. Unlike us, he didn''t get time to play around. He was heading back to the family farm to bring more produce for his mom to sell. Everyone loves Mary''s cooking, which she took advantage of during this time.


    I left Lucia to handle Wyatt expertly and passed out some free vitamins and other things I had crafted. If you''ve read this far into my diary, you should remember Kyle. He''s the little bugger who called me a grandma after getting free shit. I had slunk off after this exchange to pout when I heard my name.


    My real name.


    "Gwendolyn." The low voice whispered again, and I followed it. I managed to slip in between and around the thick, cheerful crowds until I found a suspiciously dark blue-clothed tent. A silver moon that shone and sparkled was the star and center. I lifted the flap and peered inside my nerves.


    "Gwendolyn." An older woman I''d recognize anywhere greeted me. She was wearing the dark red robes of a phoenix priestess. The robe shimmered as if it was spun with gold. Growing up, I''d always been afraid to touch or smear it with my grubby hands, but at this moment, I threw myself into her arms and cared not for my snout.


    "Grandma!" I said as I hugged her fiercely as I sobbed with relief. She patted my head, and it was with reluctance that I pulled away to look at her.


    "Gwendolyn." She said as she patiently wiped away my tears with the sleeve of her robe. I watched transfixed as the robe remained dry and stain-free. I should have known it was magicked all these years. What a waste!


    "What are you doing here?" My grandma eyed me as she bluntly asked me this.


    I blinked, knowing that admitting I couldn''t get out of this world was proving what a waste of a witch I was. Even though it was the truth, I didn''t want to say that. "I have friends here," I said as I lowered my gaze to my hands. It wasn''t technically a lie but was not the complete tale.


    "It''s natural for our kind to spend time in books like this, but you can''t make a habit of staying for too long. You can fall into a trap many readers do where you can''t escape. Our kind experiences the story in even greater depth, and too often, it''s harder to get free." My grandma was scanning me as she said this. I could see her weighing the option to pull me out and end my time here.


    I opened my mouth and was speechless for the first time in a long time. Not that long ago, all I wanted was to leave this world. I have Grandpa Evans and friends now, though. My forest, pets, livestock, and many others rely on me. I had created a life for myself with my two hands.


    And there was Adam. I hadn''t spoken to him in over a month, but he was still essential to my life here. "Are you going to pull me out?" My mouth was dry as I asked this. I didn''t have the bluster and bravado I usually employed to deal with the world. This was my grandma. The matron of the family, the reigning high priestess, and the most powerful entity I have ever known. I know where my bread is buttered. I couldn''t demand anything from her.


    She sighed, and this somewhat human action lifted my eyes to meet hers. For the first time in my life, my grandma looked tired. There were wrinkles where there was smooth skin once, and a strange emotion in her gaze. "Is everything okay at home?" I asked without thinking.


    My grandma''s eyes crinkled at the corners before she cupped my left cheek. "Everything is fine, and you don''t have to leave if you don''t want to. I just want to warn you of the dangers of living in a book."


    I gulped and found myself looking away. My typical icy grandmother was downright emotional right now. She usually was a cross of cruelly stern and loving that was more gracefully done than any book villain.


    "I can give you time to say goodbye to your friends." My grandma''s words once again drew my gaze to her.


    See it wasn''t really an option, she expected me to go with her.


    I stepped towards the tent''s exit and lifted the flap. Every part of me screamed, desiring to tell her I wanted to stay. If I left now, I wouldn''t even have a chance to say goodbye to¡­Adam.


    I found my voice and turned to look at my grandma, "What happens when I leave?" I said. It was something I had never really considered. "Gus'' spell allowed death to be a way, but when I leave leave, what happens?"


    "Everything that was created by our family''s magic disappears. The Unruly forest, Evan''s home, the people created in the family, and even the memory of you. Wendy is your conduit Gus created for you in this world. She wouldn''t exist without you. What''s left is a complete reset to undo our influence and connections in this world." My grandma''s matter-of-fact voice made my heart pang at the weight of her words. When I officially leave, everything that is Wendy will go as well. I should be gleeful that my assumption that she was created by our magic for me to play a role¡­but all I felt was hollowed out by the despair that nothing I did or the connections I made were real.


    Sometimes it really sucked to be a reader. Sharp pain in my heart threatened my balance as I used everything I had to stand still.


    "This is put into the spellwork used to weave the magic because of situations where worlds were irrevocably changed. I lost my sister to such a world because she didn''t want to leave." My grandma''s words floated above my head as I stood there, reeling from her previous assertions.


    I didn''t want them to forget me. I didn''t want to leave. And yet, even as I stood there trying to open my mouth to tell my grandma no for the first time in my life, I froze. I didn''t have the courage. I didn''t even know she lost a sister.


    Seeing how speechless I was, my grandma gently pushed me out of the tent, "Say your goodbyes so we can go."


    I turned to look back at her and noted that the tent had changed from midnight blue to a striking red. A gold symbol of a flaming bird replaced the silvery crescent from before. It shone like a beacon among the dark blues and silvers that every other tent and stall had.


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    The beacon to lead me home.


    I dragged my feet as I looked around, fighting back tears. I didn''t have to look far. Lucia, Wyatt, and Lucas ate crescent cookies at Mary''s stall. She was serving them piping hot cocoa with whipped cream. It was the picture-perfect scene of a commercial.


    I lost my courage to go forth and tell them goodbye. My feet were as heavy as cement, and I stopped.


    It could be worse. If no one remembers me, then they won''t have to miss me. But what about the weirdness of the church? Would Mary have met them if it hadn''t been for me? Where would they be this winter if not at our home?


    I bit my lip as I turned to run away. Moments like this seemed so easy when you were reading a story. How simple it was to yell at the characters in a story to do the right thing.


    What is the right thing to do in this moment? What choice was I supposed to make? How could I figure out what the right thing to do is?


    Do I stay in this world I''ve grown to love with the people I found or return to my real family? If I pick the first one, will I be reopening my grandma''s wounds? My mind swirled with these complex thoughts until I found myself in front of the red tent.


    If I went in now, I could go home, and it wouldn''t matter if I didn''t say goodbye to my friends.


    Grandpa Evans wasn''t real.


    This thought hurt to even think, let alone confront. Grandpa Evans opened up so much these days, and not only did he smile occasionally, but he was speaking in complete sentences. If I didn''t have him to strive for, there''s no way I would have put the home together so fast. I wanted to take care of him and myself.


    But he wasn''t real. None of this was real. This whole world wasn''t meant for me. Which is why no one would remember me.


    Not even Adam. I wish I could see if he was okay before I left. With so many family emergencies, something had to be very wrong, but he never had the chance to honestly explain. I was going to miss him the most out of everyone. After all, he was my first friend. I wish I could have said goodbye¡­


    I lifted a hand to open the tent as I steadied myself and used my other hand to impatiently swipe the tears that spilled down my cheeks.


    "Wendy?" An all too familiar voice had me dropping my hand and blinking away tears. Standing a few feet as if my heart had summoned him stood Adam.


    "Adam? How¡­are you here?" I hurriedly tried to dry my face, but it was too late.


    "What happened?" He strode over and placed himself in front of me. Effectively blocking me from entering the tent without moving past him.


    "Nothing." I stammered, confused at this turn of events. Tonight was going the exact opposite of what I thought it would. First, my grandma and now Adam were making an appearance.


    Adam used a silk handkerchief to wipe my cheeks and then my soggy hand. He said nothing while he did this, and I took this time to examine him. He was in casual wear again this time. Dark blue jeans with a black wool coat. His brown hair was loose, and a smile came to my lips as I watched it move with his every movement. Would this have happened without me? My smile disappeared. If Adam doesn''t remember me¡­


    "I''m sorry for taking so long to return to Green''s Mountain. My sister gets sick easily. I''ve been trying to get along with her. We didn''t have a chance to before." Adam smiled wanly as his warm brown eyes locked with my own.


    A warning nagged in the back of my mind like a cockroach. It was a persistent bug of thought, and I mercilessly squashed it. I didn''t need to follow it down a rabbit hole when I already had enough worries on my plate at that very moment.


    "How did you know Caelis was happening tonight? Did you come to look for¡­" Me? I stopped myself short of saying this. Why was I so cowardly in front of Adam right now? I felt vulnerable and exposed. That feeling made me want to burrow in a ditch.


    "You." Adam finished my sentence as he scanned my face. "I came to see you. What happened to you, Wendy?" He didn''t ask; he just stared at me, his orbs seeing everything.


    I opened my mouth but closed it as my eyes looked to the side. I already spilled the beans about leaving this world. It wouldn''t be too stretch to tell him I was going. Technically, he wouldn''t even remember, so it wouldn''t be a big deal. I gathered my courage and lifted my eyes to meet his own. Upon meeting his gaze, I lost my courage. I could feel it crumble like a soggy milk-soaked cookie. Before it completely fell back into the pit of my stomach, I grabbed Adam''s hand.


    A heartbeat passed, but before I could start our goodbyes, the little shit kid from before crashed into us. Adam''s grip steadied me, but the offender slammed into the ground as Adam moved us out of the way.


    "Kyle, watch where you''re going, or no more free samples!" I scolded the bugger, using annoyance to cover up my fear and embarrassment.


    The shit made a face at me. One of his friends who had been chasing him helped him up. "Kyle, you know her?"


    Kyle scoffed, shook his head, and said. "I don''t know her." My heart stopped at his words.


    My grandma''s words flitted before my mind, and my mouth went dry. Was it already starting? Panicked, I looked at Adam, but he was furrowing his brow at the two shits.


    "Only grannies know grannies," Kyle said with a chortle before running with his friends.


    My still heart began to pound. I clearly had over-thought it. The interruption only paused the needed conversation. At that moment, I thought of how having Adam say that to me would feel. Or how I would think if he did the same to me. I don''t want to go. I don''t want to say goodbye. I took a breath, steadied my nerves, and pasted a smile on my lips.


    "It''s your birthday," I said to Adam. I had a gift for him, but it was at the house.


    "Caelis is always extra special to me," Adam said as he returned his gaze to me.


    "I¡­I need to do something in this tent real quick." I said. "Wait for me?" Adam let go of my hand as he nodded, and I held my breath as I entered the tent.


    My grandmother was standing in the same position as before. Like a statue, she towered over me. Was she even breathing? Before I could check, my grandmother inhaled sharply and breathed openly.


    "I''m not really here. This is a conduit of my power." My grandmother said that by way of explanation. "When you''re older, you can learn how to do this efficiently to conserve magic."


    Sidetracked, I could feel my brain rushing, "So it''s like a remote-controlled golem?"


    My grandma made an exasperated expression before shifting her face into the ''look.'' I reflexively straightened my back and got her message to knock it off.


    "Grandma¡­I want to stay." The words came out of me with great difficulty, but I did it!


    My tiny spark of joy was crushed under the weight of my grandmother''s steely gaze. This expression is where Gus got it from. Maybe one day I can embody it, but today, I felt overwhelmed by its display.


    "Are you sure?" My grandmother''s words held a note of anguish in them but also pride.


    I mutely nodded my head, unable to push my voice out again.


    "I had hoped for a different answer." I stiffened at her words, but she continued, and warmth infused my chest, "But I''m proud of you for sticking to your guns. You know the risks, so I won''t stop you from staying in this world." My grandmother stepped forward and grabbed me into a surprisingly tight hug, and I held on just as tight.


    "Blessed be Gwendolyn, and be safe. You''re not alone in this world." Her words held a strange, strangled connotation.


    "Blessed be Grandma." I smiled through my happy tears. Stupid and oblivious me said though I would soon learn, "I''m not alone; I have an amazing group of friends."


    My grandma opened her mouth, but before she could say anything, she flickered once, twice, and like an old TV, faded to black as she disappeared from my sight. Her dazzling red robe didn''t have time to catch up, for it remained in the air as if her shoulders were still there. I watched, transfixed as it caught up to reality and started to fall. I grabbed it, marveling at the lingering warmth from my grandmother in its silk.


    I attempted to slip the robe into my space, but like the weird Effaced thing, it wouldn''t go in. The two things were different and unique and had magic from my world. Why wouldn''t they go into the ring then? It carried over things from the acquisition room that was ripped into being by magic! There must be another reason.


    I didn''t want to walk around the moon goddess'' festival wearing a blazing, fiery gold robe. I laughed at the pickle I was in as I exited the tent. Adam was leaning against the entrance with a complicated expression.


    I looked at what he was looking at. It was a beautiful blonde, and a pair of familiar suited men were at her side.


    "Is that your sister?" I asked. I hadn''t met her yet and looked at Adam, who wasn''t pleased.


    "She was supposed to be resting at home. I wanted to spend time today here with you." Adam ran a hand through his hair, and I ignored the happiness of his words.


    "Well, she''s your sister; of course, she wants to spend your birthday together." Wait, the last time I asked him her name, he hadn''t had a chance to tell me. "What''s her name? You didn''t tell me last time."


    The ground began to shake, and I could feel my stomach plummet again. Why was tonight so chaotic?! I was too stunned to move; Adam reacted first and covered my head with his body. The shaky ground only lasted seconds, but the chaos was undeniable. Cries and panic erupted around us.


    "Are you okay?" Adam asked me, and I snorted.


    "I should be asking you that," I said, tweaking his nose. We pulled apart, and I watched him habitually sort his clothing. "Thank you for saving me again." Too much had happened for me to promptly thank him before.


    "Wendy!" Lucia came over, and soon, Adam and I were separated. He needed to help his sister go home, and I needed to help Mary''s stall.


    Caelis ended with an actual bang that many took as an ill omen for the upcoming year. What little hope I had that the red tent would go unnoticed was to no avail. The God of summer was blamed, and the following sacrifices to appease him started a heated debate.


    None of this had anything to do with me, so I ignored the adults to help clean up the physical, not the spiritual mess.


    It wasn''t until I was lying in bed that night that I realized yet again I hadn''t learned the name of Adam''s sister. I wasn''t a bad friend! I was trying, but it hadn''t worked out yet. I''d try again when I gave him his birthday present.

 Chapter Sixteen

    I fell asleep that night under the fiery robe that carried the smoky scent of my grandmother and the incredible warmth of a heater. Even in the morning when I was awake I stayed wrapped in it. It felt cozy as I wrapped myself up like a slab of ham in a sandwich wrap under the blazing deli display heater. All was well as I lazily rested in bed until Sunny slammed open my door.


    "You didn''t knock," I said with a scowl at her rudeness. You''d think our family had no manners with how she barged in.


    Instead of hotly retorting back per usual, Sunny''s expression grew a creepy, eerily chipper smile. I recoiled from her joy and finally took note of the food on the platter she was carrying. Oh no, is that a revenge breakfast? I tried to flee but was wrapped too tightly in the red robe.


    "It''s such a wonderful day." Sunny sang as I huffed and puffed myself into a bigger mess on the bed. "The sun is up, and I was so worried that you would miss breakfast I came to bring it to you."


    I cried out in horror as the robe clung to my skin and handed me over to Sunny on a red platter.


    "Your first moon came, so we have to celebrate it with a celebratory meal in bed." Sunny grinned at me, and I stopped struggling to meet her cheerful gaze.


    "My what now!" I cried, trying to look downward to see if I was bleeding. My first period as Wendy and my first period ever!? In my world, I hadn''t experienced it yet, but that was chalked up to the typical age range in my family being longer. Witches tend to live hundreds of years in my family. We started periods much later for that reason.


    "Of course, I thought the red was just some residual from that bright robe, but when I looked closer, I saw it was your first period."


    Sunny set down the platter, and I gagged at the overwhelming red that painted the tray. The berries looked sort of normal, but a big bowl in the center of the platter held what seriously looked like a heart.


    "You have to replenish your iron," Sunny said as she took a fork and knife and began to cut small pieces of the strange red thing. "Say ahhhh."


    I''m ashamed to say that I never stood a chance against the pregnant woman. She was stronger than she looked, and my grandma''s robe was impossible to escape. And she was a pregnant woman. If I struggled too hard, it could hurt her. So I laid there, opening my mouth like a robot, and chewed away. It didn''t taste bad¡­she just wouldn''t tell me what it was.


    When the torturous breakfast was over, I was allowed to escape to clean myself and my bedding. Grandma''s robe must have been magicked because it was clean. I hand-washed it and hung it out to dry anyway.


    Most of the day was spent with Lucia and Sunny. They told me about their first periods, and we spent the day with idle girl chit-chat. As we did this, a lot of pampering was done, and we did each other''s hair. It was a lot of fun, and despite Sunny being annoying,


    Sunny had a lot of wisdom regarding womanhood. Sunny seemed almost sweet during this time. Aside from the few barraging comments and cruel asides¡­she was downright human. It was nice to see a glimmer of her behind the hardened mask she wore.


    "I knew it was approaching from how bloated you were getting. You look more pregnant than I do!" Sunny laughed loudly at her own joke, and I rolled my eyes


    And the moment was over. Ruined by a crude cousin.


    "It doesn''t look that way at all," Lucia said, and I glowed from the warmth of her backing me up. That glow promptly died at her following words, "You just ate a few too many sweets, that''s all. Salt just does things¡­Oh, Wendy, I didn''t mean it that way."


    Some of my pain must have shown on my face. I ran away to hide. I wound up in the tree house, unsurprised that one of the kittens was trying to grasp the last rays of sun through the window.


    "Hi, stinky pus," I said affectionately, picking up the protesting cat and snuggling with him. Lucas named and cared for all of them, and I could barely tell them apart. They all looked the same and picked him as their human to some degree.


    To my surprise, the kitten started purring, and I curled up on the small chair with the cat, soothed by the reverberating kitten.


    Lucas found me, and he looked as surprised as I was. The two of us weren''t exactly tight. Without the buffer of Lucia or Wyatt, we rarely ended up together. I could recall one previous solo conversation, which was as brief as my sulkiness just now.


    "This is the first time we have been alone together," I said as he sat down. I half expected him to leave when he saw me. The treehouse had become like his personal domain- his and the cats. No one really bothered coming up. Wyatt tried to make it a hang-out place, but Nips was his shadow. Hauling up the growing puppy was hard work, and just as hard was listening to the cries from the ground when Wyatt was in the treehouse.


    Lucia didn''t like cats much, which was funny if you thought about the twins. It was like they purposefully chose to be opposites in how they acted and what they liked. It made sense to want your own niche, but it must be nice to have a twin. Someone destined to be with you and look like you¡­I suppose not everyone thought that way.


    I took myself out of my thoughts to take a look at Lucas. He nodded when I spoke but didn''t seem to care to say anything. He really was the strong, silent type.


    I watched his surprisingly skilled hands brush each of the cats. They started to appear individually, more than I realized we had, and each presented themselves to him. He brushed, clipped their nails, and gave gentle pets.


    The cat in my arms had stopped purring, and I looked down at the bugger. He looked up at me expectantly, and I gave a little pet to his head. Immediately, the purring started back up. A smile escaped my lips, and when I looked up, Lucas was watching me with a small smile of his own.


    "I''m grateful for what you''ve done, allowing us to stay here," Lucas said, and I blinked, surprised at how even and steady his voice had become. Not only had I never heard him string that many words together, but he sounded way too old. Far too many kids were not really kids in this world.


    "Lucia doesn''t have a female friend. Wyatt and I are¡­" Lucas paused, and I saw him struggle to form the words he wanted to say.


    "I get it," I said with a soft smile. I didn''t get it, but I got what Lucas was getting at. "I''m just as grateful."


    We shared this small moment between the two until all hell broke loose.


    Sunny went into labor.


    And instead of helping or aiding as planned and expected, I blacked out. I woke up light-headed and embarrassed on my bed. I must have been placed there because I have no recollection of how I got there.


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    I could hear nothing, and I gingerly got out of bed and ran into Wyatt and Grandpa Evans in the TV room. There was a little bundle in Grandpa Evans'' arms, and when I looked closer, I realized it was a baby.


    "This was the look on your face when you crashed into the ground." Wyatt made a startled, ugly face before choking on his joke. The warm flutter of excitement only a baby could bring was washed away with annoyance only Wyatt could create.


    I tackled him, and we started to tussle until Lucia stomped over from the kitchen. She pointed a wooden spoon at the baby before pointing it at the two of us. I''d never seen her look so fierce. We pulled away, each holding part of the other, only reluctantly letting that go last.


    "Sunny''s resting, and Grandpa Evans saved the day," Lucia said as she left, returned with snacks, and sat between us.


    "What''s the baby''s name?" I asked before I jammed a strawberry tart into my mouth.


    "Sonja." Lucia''s warm voice and smile practically glowed. "Grandpa Evans did all the work before the midwife got here."


    "How long was I out?" It sounds like it was longer than I thought.


    "Only two hours." Wyatt supplied this. "That baby slipped right out of Sunny. The midwife came for the afterbirth. She spent more time tending to you than Sunny or the baby."


    Lucia shook her head and whispered to me in a low whisper, "Wyatt fainted too. Only Lucas managed to help. The midwife said your low iron was likely to blame."


    This first period of mine was becoming a bummer rather than the exciting new milestone I thought it would be. How embarrassing to lose my cool and pass out before I could be helpful to the midwife or Sunny.


    "Isn''t Sunny short for Sonja?" I paused, remembering the old photos with names scrawled on the back.


    "In a sense." Sunny''s voice interrupted the conversation, weaker and more tired than I''d ever heard. She was slowly heading down the stairs. I could hear her mumble something else but couldn''t quite make out what she was saying.


    Sunny shooed us from the coach and took it over, forcing us three kids to the loveseat. She then grabbed the platter of snacks left behind and inhaled them down her gullet with surprising speed. I watched mournfully as she ate the pieces of fruit one by one and then moved on to using all the hummus to eat the veggies.


    I looked over at Wyatt to see how he was dealing with the loss of food, but his face was comically horrified. I nudged him with his own elbow while Lucia, Sunny, and even Grandpa Evans started talking.


    "Why the face?" I smiled at him, wondering why he was so horrified.


    "Did you hear what Sunny said?" Wyatt met my eyes, and there was no game or hidden motive, just genuine horror.


    I shook my head, surprised at the depth of emotion in his gaze.


    Wyatt opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, there was a knock at the door. Mary, Bill, and other familiar adults came in with gifts and food.


    It was busy for a long time after that because Green''s Mountain went out of its way to celebrate the birth of babies. Since Caelis was just a short distance behind us, wintery moon-themed food, gifts, and blessings were in order.


    Sonja, unlike her mother, Sunny, was quiet. It was startling how peaceful of a baby she could be. She laid in Grandpa Evans '' arms when she wasn''t feeding off her mother''s breast. The two were inseparable, and even more surprising than all of this was how he sang and talked to Sonja. He took walks outside to give her fresh air. He was like a new man.


    It was touching, and for an all too brief time, life was bliss. We were snowed in and had enough food, firewood, and entertainment. The livestock was protected from the elements and any predators with Molly and Nips.


    But when the snow melted after two months, spring started to come. And with that change. The trio returned to the church, and soon it was just Grandpa Evans, Sunny, Sonja, and myself. It was different, but the trio did visit to help with spring planting. And they came to celebrate their birthdays with me as well.


    Sunny started leaving the home come spring. She was away for a few hours, then a day here and there. It was strange because it was almost as if she picked the moments anyone would come over to be MIA.


    Adam also came back with spring. I was able to give him his late birthday gift of a photo album and an assortment of tasty goodies I made for him. His visits picked up right where they left off. Sometimes, he could spend the night; other times, we only had a chance to hang out in the library while each of us worked on individual projects. It was comforting and normal. This strange peace was destroyed when Sunny disappeared for good.


    Aside from the note, it was decent of her to leave after we found formula for baby Sonja. And the note meant we didn''t have to send out the search dogs. It was a bland note only highlighted by her stating that she couldn''t care for Sonja the way we could¡­the way we were.


    I burned the note and prayed that her daughter never discovered this happened. Against all the odds, I prayed that her mother would come back before her daughter had memories of her absence. I felt uncharacteristically angry, and I stuffed that down into the deep recesses of my body to pick up Sonja and hold her close.


    She smelled like sunflowers and hope and had a touch of Grandpa Evans'' pine soap. "I didn''t have my mother either." I whispered to her, "I turned out just fine, and so will you." To this day, I wasn''t sure what exactly happened to my mother¡­just that she and my father were gone. My grandma never went into any details, and I found myself curious for the first time in forever. I was never brave enough to ask, but maybe I should when I return to my world.


    After that, I let down my guard with Sonja and carried her as much as possible. That lucky baby was always in someone''s arms. She was the first baby of the year to be born and the only one for a decent while. People actually ventured out to the Unruly forest to give gifts and see her.


    The only thing spring didn''t bring was a change to my powers. I extended and built upon my plant network, grew my capability of sustained space access, and was able to turn on the frequency at which plants seemed to talk.


    The glowing fungi that overtook my forest hadn''t done any visible damage to it. During the day, everything looked normal, but the forest was alight with spores when the sun went down. It was weird. I kept waiting for it to do something, but nothing happened.


    The spores seemed content with spreading, and they spread. I saw the damn things all over Green''s Mountain, but no one seemed alarmed. It didn''t help that with the heat of the sun coming back the only place the spores were thriving was my forest. They waned in brightness and invasion for the moment but they would undoubtedly spread come fall again.


    I had to shelve that growing concern for something I could change. My ability to get seeds to grow with a thought.


    I tried several seeds I had pulled from the Acquisition room. But I got nada, zilch¡­bupkis.


    I was peering at the seed as my fingers rubbed the smooth edges. The energy I had poured into it smoothed over the rough edges. I''d tried repeatedly to make it grow, but it felt as dead as my hope that I could make it happen.


    It was a late spring afternoon, and I wasn''t alone. Adam was with me. He was working on homework or something, I assumed, as I lay on my library sofa.


    "What are you doing?" Adam asked me, and I looked to meet his gaze.


    Summer was coming, and the heat in the room made me sleepy. I yawned and held up the seed in my palm. "It won''t grow, and I can''t figure out why."


    Adam lifted a brow as he reached over to pick up the seed. He rubbed the tiny thing between two fingers before lifting his other brow. "Is it a dud seed?"


    I blinked. A dud? Is that a thing? A small laugh escaped from his lips when he saw my expression. "Not everything can grow, Wendy. Some things, even seeds, are doomed to remain the same."


    I dropped my head back on the sofa and sighed. A dud seed? I hadn''t tried to pool power into seeds from this world. There was no need to since most of the plants I had going would keep going. I didn''t plant anything new this spring; I just pushed some energy into the plants we already had to get them back going. So, the seeds I had were the ones I pulled from the Acquisition room from a book about seeds. Why would they be duds¡­unless only good-looking seeds were picked¡­what if they weren''t even seeds? What the heck had I poured my energy into?


    "I don''t think it''s a seed." Adam''s voice was equal parts regretful and laughter. I could tell he wasn''t laughing at me but was enjoying the situation.


    I flipped over to bury my face into the pillow to hide my internal screaming and my pink face.


    Luckily, I was stopped from further embarrassing myself because of a knock at the door.


    Neither of us moved until the pounding on the door continued.


    "Lucia took Grandpa Evans and baby Sonja out." It had been a big deal the first time Grandpa Evans left the house, but now it was becoming the norm. I sighed as I sat up. It was good to run, but I''d prefer lounging and taking a lazy moment. With a broad smile, I scooted out of the room and swung open the front door.


    A vaguely familiar man smiled at me with a strange sort of tenderness. "Wendy."


    Three things simultaneously happened at once. First, he said my name as if he knew Wendy wasn''t my real name. Two, his voice sounded so familiar that thirdly, I recognized why.


    My mouth that opened in greeting instead screamed bloody murder as I tried to close the door on him.


    The man stuck his foot in the door and pushed forward. "It seems I finally have you alone. Let''s make this quick, shall we?" Gavin said with a sickly sick grin.

 Chapter Seventeen

    As he entered my home, I was off-kilter from his perusal. He looked like an ordinary man. He was willowly thin, but everything else about him screamed nondescript side character.


    And yet I fell on my butt and stared up at him in horror. Memories of when he led the group through the forest sucked me back into that awful night.


    "Gavin?" I asked, even though I knew that was his name before it had fully formed out of my mouth.


    "Wendy." He smirked as he said my name. But he tilted his pronunciation again, making it sound like he knew it was a fake name. "It''s time for you to go."


    Yet again, things moved quicker than I could react to. Adam appeared seemingly out of thin air. His appearance shocked Gavin, who looked visually perturbed, and he even recoiled away from us so swiftly that even I got whiplash.


    Gavin rapidly spat out words I couldn''t understand. Adam bravely placed himself in front of me just in time because Gavin had recovered. I wanted to do something, even if that meant exposing my abilities. There were no plants in the front of the house or even on the porch¡­come to think of it, the plants outside hadn''t alerted me to his presence, and even Molly in the back didn''t bark. How did Gavin slip in so effortlessly?


    As these thoughts formed, Gavin was already on the move. He attempted to shove Adam aside, but with ease, Adam dodged his hand.


    I pulled out a bat from my space and attempted to swing it down on Gavin''s outreaching hand.


    Gavin caught it and, with a smirk, crushed the wooden bat with one squeeze of his palm. He''s not human. Panic and fear curdled my stomach into a sticky, untangable mess.


    An uncharacteristic roar from Adam caught Gavin and me off guard as Adam launched headfirst into Gavin''s stomach. The two tumbled through the opened front door and off the porch.


    I tried to catch up with them, but I was already out of weapons. I focused on defensive strategies. I hadn''t come up with anything to attack someone with; even the thought made me uncomfortable. At this moment, I derisively regretted this choice.


    The seconds I took to race towards the two wasted my chance to see how the scuffle ended. Gavin was running into the forest for all he was worth. I spared him only a nanosecond of attention and instead lasered in on Adam. He was on the ground groaning with his eyes closed. I couldn''t see any blood, but a bruise was forming on his forehead.


    "Adam!" I knelt down to look at him, but with my nonexistent medical experience, there was little I could deduce. I did the only thing I could do. I ran into the house, grabbed the satellite phone, and returned to Adam. He was still groaning and twitching but wouldn''t respond when I called out to him.


    I called the number for Adam and connected to his bodyguards as I hoped. I only managed to tell them that Adam was unresponsive after falling before the phone clicked.


    "What the hell!" I screamed as I redialed them. While the phone dialed, I realized something was happening above me. I watched transfixed as a slim helicopter touched the ground. We didn''t have that big of a front yard, but it was just enough for them to land safely.


    Doctors, actual doctors in scrubs, came running out to examine Adam.


    One of the men from the suit brigade pulled me aside, and I shakingly explained the incident. With complex expressions that gave away nothing, they grabbed Adam and disappeared.


    Only the disruptive wind was my companion. What felt like an eternity to recover from this was over in mere minutes.


    A loud crashing noise from behind me had me turning defensively. If Gavin came back this time, I would use the trees! It was a red-faced Wyatt who looked way too excited.


    "Did you see the helicopter that flew by! That was my first time. It''s so fast blah blah blah." Wyatt said excitedly.


    Okay, that last part was different from what he actually said. Still, he might as well have said blah blah blah because he started spewing nonsense facts about the type of helicopter and how expensive, sleek, and fast it was. How did a country boy know so much about such a stupid thing?


    My lip quivered as I lost the battle to contain my tears. It was hard to follow along with everything. My eyes met Wyatt''s, and he frowned when he saw my teary eyes.


    "Wendy, are you okay?" Wyatt''s gentle question opened the floodgates. I started to sob, and when he approached me, I launched into his stinky arms for comfort. I think this action shocked both of us because he faltered, and a tree had to catch the two of us. Between sobs, I told him that Gavin from the break-in night had come up to the house, pushed his way in, and injured Adam.


    Wyatt, for once, said nothing as he awkwardly patted my back.


    "We''ll call the police and make sure to report it," Wyatt said once I wound down and the entire tale was spoken.


    "Tell them what?" Lucia approached, her eyebrows lifting at the sight of Wyatt hugging me. We weren''t exactly on the best of terms most days, and this was the first time any touch between us wasn''t a physical altercation of some kind. I awkwardly tried to pull away, but Wyatt tightened his arms, to my surprise.


    "One of the men who wasn''t apprehended from the break-in last year came back. He injured Adam." Wyatt''s calm voice was so unusually steady I relaxed. I could hear his heart; like his voice, it was calm and consistent like a drum.


    Strange. Who would have thought I''d ever seek comfort from Wyatt. The initial break-in allowed us to meet, so it may have stayed in his mind.


    Lucia came forward to embrace the two of us, and we had a moment before it was down to business.


    A police call and an all too quick report later wrapped it up with a nonexistent outcome. The police did nothing but take down what happened and Gavin''s description. Worst of all, the number I had for Adam was disconnected.


    I was left in the dark.


    I did the one thing I could do and buried myself in work to keep my hands and mind busy. Lucas, Wyatt, and I ran around together, checking doors, windows, and other possible entry points. We didn''t have cameras, but we had to devise a plan for alert and prevention. While we walked around the perimeter, I checked on my plant system. It was still active, and nothing was perturbed. It was time to upgrade my system, so I didn''t have to be connected to the plants to be alerted when trouble came.


    Why couldn''t I talk to Adam? What if Gavin came back? I wouldn''t get answers to anything.


    Days went by, and no matter how many times I tried to call Adam, all I got was a disconnected sound. I lay on my bed, allowing this dark cloud of emotions to take over. Adam tried to protect me, and he was injured¡­or worse. I had no answers or way to get ahold of him. I could not talk to him outside of this phone or him coming over. This disturbed me, but there was nothing I could do about it. I had no magic to cast a searching spell, no last name to look him up¡­


    I have magic, though. Some part of me would, or Gus'' note to me, not have said I could use my lessons to escape this world. I never really tried after the first attempt¡­once again, a sharp stab to my chest reminded me of my complacency. I skated by doing the minimum because my natural talent for magic meant I never had to try. I could try to do some kind of spell. My grandmother''s conduit had done magic to change the tent to our family''s colors, and she left her robe to me. The Effaced board also had magic coming off it from home.


    I could wing it somehow; I thought about the needed supplies. At the very least, I had to try. I waited for Grandpa Evans to take a nap with baby Sonja. They could sleep for three hours on the couch, and Grandpa Evans was outstanding about changing and feeding the baby. He came to life for her, still singing and chatting with her.


    I grabbed my diary and my grandmother''s robe and Effaced. On the way out the door, I caught sight of my hair, which was loose and unkempt. My eyes looked wild, and my skin flushed. I spared my appearance a brief glance before I sprinted out the door.


    The trees welcomed me with a shiver as I entered the forest. With no one around, I let my power loose and allowed my connection to tether. Leaves, branches, and even the glowing spores tickled me from my head to my toes.


    I needed to try the spell at the center of my plant network. The original tree I tied the plant network to had grown, and I welcomed it as an old friend. "Originis." I laid my forehead on the warm bark and felt the tree shiver. Originis had a pulse, and I could feel my heart match its beats. A bubble of happiness, the first in a long time, started to spread in my head.


    "Let''s do magic." I felt a thrill in the pit of my gut as I spoke and pulled away from the tree. I missed that familiar hum of magic.


    The red robe almost slipped off my tiny shoulders as I used a stick to draw my family''s house sigil in the dirt. I crafted the sigil so that Originis was in the center of it all. "I''m a witch, damn it. I should be able to do something to fix this. Plant power just doesn''t cut it."


    The symbol glowed red, and a relieved smile broke the fear I didn''t know gripped my heart. My magic is still here, even though I''ve assimilated into Wendy. I am still Gwendolyn.


    I sat down with my butt to the tree as I closed my eyes and reached for that familiar ball of energy. All I could see was that ball of primal energy. Instead of giving up or poking it this time, I tried to push it aside. My power should be underneath it, right?


    That inner part of me was entangled firmly with this ball of energy. If I were to rip the two apart, there was no telling the amount of damage it would cause.


    I opened my eyes to see if anything had changed after my attempt. My family symbol went from glowing to burning, and I sighed as I stared at it. The glowing fungi spores were pulsing almost in time with the tiny embers.


    I held a hand to where I had stored my diary and the Effaced box. My diary was more than an ever-growing novel of everything I''d been through. It was magicked to release lessons and charmed to grow as thick as my life lasted. I never bothered writing in it or studying it after I learned to access my magic through my inner self. I thought I wouldn''t need it at the time, but now I need it more than ever.


    Magic was still pouring off them, and I closed my eyes. My hands attempted to leech the energy into me, and it worked. Both of them launched off the ground and into my awaiting hands, though Effaced clapped me on the head before falling into my arms..


    In response, the energy in the forest grew thicker with spores, flames, and magic.


    Something wet trickled down my forehead, and I lifted a hand to touch it. Blood. I was bleeding. Effaced grew annoyingly hot, as did my diary. I stubbornly kept both in my arms as I sucked their energy into me. Using my blood as ink, I onehandedly drew my family''s symbol, but this time into Originis'' bark. My magic relied on symbols and words, though words were just symbols at the heart of it. If I use my family''s symbol with my name, I should have enough power to do a location spell on Adam.


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    "I, Gwendolyn Girru, known as Wendy Evans in this conduit, call forth my magic." My words and blood seemed to stir the air and make it pregnant with brute magical energy.


    I did it. I have my power back! That all too familiar ball of energy was burning in my center, and I didn''t need to close my eyes to feel it pulsating in my blood, feel that hum of power in the air.


    Now, all I needed to do was find a way to trace Adam¡­Oh, but I didn''t have anything of Adam''s, did I? I wasted a few precious seconds using my blood-free fingers to pull things out of my space. I had plans I crafted with Adam that had his handwriting. I got nada when I tried to use it to trace his whereabouts.


    "How do I have nothing from Adam to find his whereabouts?" I whined to Originis as my mind pulled up a blank. The lemon trees could have worked, but he''s never touched him. I pulled out the little dessert boxes. The combined sparks of essence were enough; I just needed his full name to finish the literacy spell.


    That spark of my power was fading, and I closed my eyes as I wrote Adam''s name on the tree. I didn''t have his surname to add, but my magic could at least show me any Adams that were around? There couldn''t be that many people named Adam.


    Wait, his uncle came over and gave his name, right? "Charles¡­Dickham." I smiled as I sat up. No, that was the dumb nickname I gave him. Shit, what was his name? I pulled the phone book out of my space and thumbed through the pages with one hand.


    I spent the next few minutes saying various versions of his surname until one felt right. "Charles Wickham!" A smile grew on my face when I finally had it. How is it spelled? While I worked out the various ways to spell it as I thumbed through the pages¡­ none of it panned out. Either Charles didn''t have his name in the phonebook, or I wasn''t remembering it right. This small phone book included Green''s Mountain and Alcom''s Cove. When I first met Adam, he said he was visiting his uncle in Alcom''s Cove¡­that didn''t mean he lived there, though. With a suit like that, maybe he just had business there.


    But I had the spelling, and maybe this was Adam''s surname, too, if his uncle was from his father''s side? I tried to write it, but it must have been incorrect because it faded. "Ugh, what is your last name, Adam?" It was yet another big mystery¡­


    Back to where I started, but for a brief moment, searching for information gave me hope and something to do. My energy was fading as my hope died. And without both, what was the point? The flame symbol burned bright and hot for a second before it went out, leaving only scorched earth behind.


    The spores that came to life settled back into the crevice of the forest, and the energy of the two burning objects in my arm went cold, and I dropped them to stare at my hands.


    I failed.


    "Adam, where are you?" I flopped to the ground in agony. "Please be okay." I curled up into a ball, wishing I had asked for a power to give me actual answers. I couldn''t use my premonitions to scry even if I wanted to.


    I could try, but it wouldn''t be a good idea. I unfurled from my ball and tried to think of something I could do. My grandmother''s robe had wrapped around me in my writhing, and a sharp stabbing pain hit my chest.


    If I left with my grandmother, Adam would never have gotten hurt. If I wasn''t here, then Gavin wouldn''t have attacked, which means Adam wouldn''t have defended me. I''m the reason for his pain. I don''t even know if he''ll be okay after the incident, and it was all my fault.


    My selfish greed changed everything for the worse. I hurt my first friend, and now I can''t reach him.


    I didn''t bother covering up the still-smoking ground and instead tossed anything I had out into my space. I searched for Effaced, but the dang thing must have been sucked dry and disappeared as a result. I trekked home with a heavy heart. I needed to do something to undo all of this.


    Life was even more challenging after the realization that I was a piece of selfish shit.


    Lucia, Wyatt, and Lucas visited more often and spent the weekends over, but their presence barely helped. I spent most of my time in the forest wrapped in dirt and tree roots as I tried to recover from my greed. I couldn''t tap into my witchy powers again, and I chalked it up to Effaced being my one shot at it.


    My time in the woods wasn''t all pointless. I went out into the woods daily, and even without my literacy witch powers, I had plants.


    I took seeds from nearby plants and attempted to breathe life into them. Due to the amount of concentration and force of power, I was used to putting into the other seeds, I hadn''t expected the reaction I got. Everything exploded around me in sprouts, and I gaped as everything grew and grew¡­


    "Adam was right about those not being seeds, so now I can grow anything I desire¡­" Yet I couldn''t share the news with him. I rubbed my heart as I sorted out the mess of roots and sprouts around me.


    Every day I tried to call Adam, and without fail, no matter the hour I attempted this, the line was dead.


    Each day that passed, I could feel a dark and twisted thought grow in the pit of my stomach. If I left, wouldn''t everything be fixed? That thought wouldn''t leave; instead, it took root, growing stronger and more challenging to dismiss. I tried meditating with my grandmother''s robe, but that didn''t work. I attempted to find the door that had helped me leave before, but it was impossible.


    There is a more drastic way to ensure I left, which is how I found myself on the roof of the house, getting ready to leap. It should be high enough that I wouldn''t break a leg or just hurt a rib cage. I needed to make sure my neck snapped and or my head slammed hard enough on the ground.


    My absence should be enough to fix all of this. The book world could reset. At the very least, Gavin wouldn''t go near Adam, and¡­maybe everything would be okay.


    "Just jump, Wendy," I said this to hype myself, but my knees locked, and I couldn''t move forward. I pumped my arms, trying to get my legs to move. I jump, kill myself, and then Adam will be okay, and none of this would have happened¡­ I''ll go back home as I should have before, and everyone will forget me¡­What was the point of being here anyway? None of this mattered if Adam was gone.


    That thought stopped me, and I froze. My affection for Adam ran deeper than I thought, but it was worth it. He was worth this.


    Wait, when I first left this world, I had a body to return to. My grandma did the same, but she was able to make it go¡­the world remained the same after she left, but maybe that''s because I was still here? She was simply following the magic that brought me in.


    My lip quivered as I felt my body tremble with emotions. "Stop delaying it. Here I go. Time to reset everything and go home." My voice cracked at the word home. It was hard to call that place home. Despite everything that happened, this was my home. The Unruly Forest became more than just a project. I loved this place. I love this world, but¡­ it''s not my world. It''s not my place to be here, and I messed up everything enough already.


    I can do this; it won''t be too painful, and once I''m on the other side, my grandma can help me get rid of my conduit so that Adam will be fine and everything will reset. No more excuses to stop me. Time to do it.


    "What the fuck are you doing?" A hoarse yell startled me, and I turned around to see a seething Wyatt.


    I tried to run to vault myself off the roof, but Wyatt was quicker. My face turned red as the two of us scuffled, and with far too much ease, he had me pinned on the tiles.


    I avoided Wyatt''s red face as he glared at me, panting with fury and effort. Why was this monkey boy so strong? This was the second time he pinned me, and now escape was futile.


    "Oh, hi, Wyatt. I didn''t see you there." I grinned up at him, attempting with all my might to look unbothered and like a girl who hadn''t just tried jumping off the roof.


    Wyatt, for obvious reasons, was unfooled. He held my annoyingly weak arms above my head and used his free one to squish my face as if to force the truth from my mouth. "Wendy." He didn''t need to call me out. His heated and furious face spoke volumes.


    I ignored the brewing storm and attempted to shrug my shoulders, but they were snugly pinned; he wasn''t giving me an inch. I tried to say, "I don''t know what you''re so upset about." But it sounded more like a hogposh of words.


    I was tempted to use my powers to urge a tree to grab Wyatt off me. I hadn''t gone on the offensive like that before. There was no telling if I''d mess up, and if I messed up, the jump on top of that¡­why was nothing working out the way I needed it to? It was like something else was nudging things to make it difficult¡­maybe I was cursed?


    As I spent this time lamenting and trying to find a plan of action, Wyatt was becoming more and more irritated. I could feel it reach a boiling point as his body tensed, but all he said was, "Why were you trying to jump off the roof?"


    It was an open-ended question. I wish he''d simply ask if¡­but with why, I had to answer just as directly¡­or maybe not. I tried to blink my eyes innocently, but the pressure of his fingers on my cheeks made it hard to bat my eyes. "Whatever do you mean?" But again, it sounded all jumbled.


    I just needed to distract him long enough. I used my fingers, still trapped under his warm hand. I twirled my index finger and thumbed it subtly as possible, but I must have moved too much because he pressed down harder.


    I''ve never seen Wyatt look this mad. Something else was brewing in his eyes, but I don''t think it was directed at me because it looked like¡­pain. We bickered like siblings and weren''t best friends, but I think I touched a raw nerve¡­or I had more place in his heart than I thought I did. At the very least, he would be sad to see me jump off a roof, and for that, I felt my own pangs of sadness. He shouldn''t have witnessed this. Next time, I''ll hide it better.


    I''d miss you too, Wyatt, but this was for the best.


    "I was just trying to grab my¡­" I furiously jerked my head and gestured with my eyes to my right.


    Not trusting me for a second, Wyatt turned slightly and saw my bright red robe flapping in the wind. I tossed it when I first got to the roof. I watched it float like a shimmering giant leaf until it landed in a tree. I left it when I opted to jump off the roof. I wasn''t sure if the magic on it would interfere with my attempt to leave this world. I''d use it the next time if things didn''t work. This was all a work in progress, and once I got home, I was going to read up on everything on world-hopping and the rules of magic that my family imbued into their spellwork. I didn''t want to be this vulnerable again.


    "I just wanted to jump and reach it." I attempted a smile, but again, the pinching of my face showed I did nothing to persuade Wyatt. It wasn''t easy pretending I hadn''t used my powers to urge a nearby tree to grow by a lot. I would have to give it some energy for its efforts because now it was low on reserves.


    The level of distrust in his eyes was frankly astonishing. I wasn''t the kind of person who screamed suicidal, after all. I could barely go through with it after all. Have some faith¡­I was asking him to have faith and then just forget me. None of this conflict would matter if I could just leave this world and reset the board.


    But I''m more of a coward than I thought. I didn''t much care for pain, and even if I broke free from Wyatt to finish this¡­could I go through with it? The momentum was over, and where determination once filled me was replaced by apprehension.


    "Wendy." Again, all he said was my name. I drew out of my thoughts to stare into his disbelieving eyes. Still, he got up from me; he didn''t let go though and grasped one of my wrists tightly as if I would attempt to sprint off the roof again. Before I could breathe a sigh of relief, he smacked my forehead with a flick of his fingers. My still-healing forehead wound twinged, and I glowered at him.


    "Doing this won''t fix what happened with Adam," Wyatt said sternly.


    I jerked and met his eyes, trying to push any guilt aside. "Why would grabbing my robe have anything to do with Adam?"


    His hardened blue orbs became more severe, and I looked away. Why did I feel like I was being scolded by a big brother who knew far too much? There was no way that Wyatt did, though. I met his eyes and gulped at the emotions that churned visibly on his face and in his eyes.


    "How much do you know?" I asked him so softly I was sure he hadn''t heard me.


    Wyatt''s grip loosened before it tightened, and he said one word that stopped my heart. "Enough."


    Enough? About what parts? "About?" I said.


    "You." Wyatt''s voice was clear and precise while mine was unraveling by the heartbeats.


    "Wendy, I never forget anything I learn or hear, and I have above-average hearing," Wyatt said. His words despondently echoed as I tried to pierce his meaning.


    I feel like he was trying to tell me something, but what? "You make that sound as if you hear everything and remember it just as well." A memory from months ago flashed in my mind. Sunny had said something that no one but Wyatt had caught. It wasn''t the first time he heard things we couldn''t. I never did follow up on that.


    "I know how close you are to Adam, and I understand what you''re going through. Lucia''s been hurt because of me before, and I''ve never forgiven myself."


    She had? Lucia didn''t say, but there was still so much about their past that I didn''t know. The doors to their life before I met them were firmly shut still.


    "It will get better. Adam will recover. He wouldn''t have defended you at risk of his own life if he didn''t care about you. So cherish your life. Don''t take stupid risks." Wyatt lifted his hand, and I flinched, expecting another smack to my forehead. His touch was gentle this time as he patted me on the head.


    "This isn''t the way to reach Adam," Wyatt said.


    But it was the way to help him. I lowered my gaze to the roof tiles to hide my scheming. Wyatt, you''re wrong. And, "You''re suspiciously sweet."


    "You''re strangely dumb but consistent," Wyatt said with a shadow of a smile.


    This time, it was Wyatt who initiated a hug. He yanked on the arm that he was holding until I fell into his arms. I tried to stop the tears that I wanted to drop, but I was becoming quite the crybaby because they spilled down my cheeks, shamefully thick and unending. I wiped my snot and tears on Wyatt''s shirt, blowing with all my might as I gave into the volcanic emotions I''d been holding onto. To his credit, he said nothing and didn''t seem to mind that I was using him as a handkerchief.


    The ache in my chest that wouldn''t go away made it hard to breathe, think, sleep, and even eat. How could I plan when I only wanted to scream and curl into a ball? I was trapped without my magic in a world that wasn''t mine¡­ I had ignored this surmounting panic with all I could, but it was ever present, and without a buffer, I had to confront an ever-growing fact.


    I just wanted Adam back.


    A strange crash jerked both of us, but Wyatt firmly held me to his chest so I couldn''t see what had happened. "A tree just broke¡­" Wyatt muttered, and I flinched. If it was the tree I urged to grow, then it was my fault, yet again, someone was hurt. I cried harder as the dam entirely broke.


    Why am I such a failure? If I went to fix it, would I only make it worse?

 Chapter Eighteen

    I could fix the tree, but it was harder to kick Wyatt out. It''s my home, damn it.


    He finally left, and I ran to fix the tree the second he did. My grandmother''s robe was gone, but the tree was fixable.


    Strange how yet another thing from my world just disappeared like that¡­It didn''t go flying, right? I don''t think the wind could have picked it up like that. I searched but couldn''t find it.


    For the first time in a long time, I made dinner for Grandpa Evans'' and Baby Sonja. I''d been lazily pulling out meals, and Grandpa Evans still resolutely said nothing about it, even with the recovery of his words.


    I think he simply didn''t care, or it was due to him just being a creation of my family''s magic to get along with me¡­ I''d distanced myself after my Grandma told me the truth about it all and hadn''t done much to fix it. The finality that I would have to lose him was at war with the fact that he was made by magic.


    Everything hurt.


    I watched them eat and took enjoyment from it. I cleaned the dishes and went to my room to lie down. Nibs strangely followed me and laid down beside me. "Do I smell like Wyatt?" I said absently to the pup that grew.


    Nibs sighed but said nothing as I hugged him close.


    "I don''t understand where it all went wrong, Nips¡­why can''t I make things go right?" My greed must have been my curse.


    I passed out somehow but feverishly. I woke up alone with a pulsating forehead. The lack of sleep, eating, and exertion of my powers must have finally caught up to me because my head was fuzzy and uncooperative.


    "How inconvenient." I moaned, too weakened to flail on my bed in agony.


    Wait, was this inconvenient? I tried to sit up, and the pulsing pain made it a challenge. I didn''t have a thermometer in my space; I''ll get on that if I remember after this, but I had to have a fever, right? I could probably make it worse¡­it would be a more painful way to die, but maybe I deserved that. Maybe this is why my body broke down to give me this out.


    I managed to shuffle to the kitchen to grab the thermometer. It was high, and my laughter of joy became an annoying cough.


    The fridge was full of food so Grandpa Evans could feed himself and the baby¡­I tried not to think further about certain implications as I shuffled out the door into the forest. I could lay in fish ponds in the back, but Wyatt said he was coming back today to check on me. He would find me too soon.


    I needed to go further into the forest, where I would only be found once it was too late.


    My errant pace turned into a frantic race against time at this thought. The thick trees grew more dense as I urged them all to grow and block the path of whoever got in my way.


    No one would see me. I''d like to finish it this time. I ran until I couldn''t, then pushed myself some more. Finally, I made it to Widow''s Creek. The creek emptied into a lake. Part of that lake reached out to sea, but that wasn''t important. What was important was how cold the creek could be. Green''s Mountain was massive, and the Unruly Forest was a mini country with mountains. I could climb up where the elevation was cold and die slowly, freezing to death.


    It was slow going as I made my way up, following an all too familiar trail. I blacked out a few times as my brain and body gave out, but I finally reached a high enough peak that the chilly air bit through my fever.


    My shivers were becoming more pronounced, and I felt wetness gathering in my eyes. This was painful. I shouldn''t cry because it needed to be done, but this was the worst.


    I lay on my side as I stared up at the sky. The sun was finally rising, and the dark, unfeeling night was banished by an array of light and color. It was beautiful.


    My thoughts became more disorganized as I found random things coming to mind.


    I would miss baby Sonja''s squeaks and the quiet smiles Grandpa Evans rarely dolled out. Images of my friends dance around in my head and clashed with what could have been our future.


    I couldn''t feel the rays of the morning sun, but it was strangely symbolic that the hottest entity in the galaxy was sending me off. Soon, I''d be¡­


    A figure popped into being and floated in front of my eyes. I blinked furiously, trying to make sure I was still coherent. It''s too soon to be hallucinating, right?


    How else would I see Adam in front of me?


    I closed my eyes hard and then reopened them a heartbeat later. He wasn''t there. I closed my eyes again to handle the crushing weight of angst as everything went black.


    I woke up in bed with my head uneven and my memory loose. Was that a dream? I closed my eyes and passed out again.


    A cool hand was on my cheek, and I grabbed it, shamelessly rubbing my face as I leeched the comfortable temperature from its skin.


    Wait, whose hand was this? I peeked from under my eyelashes and saw no one. I blinked rapidly and then turned my cheek to discover the hand was gone. Just how high was my temperature?! I pulled out some ice from my space and sucked on it furiously. If I kept losing my brain like this, I might just pop.


    It hurt to move, and pulling out something from the space only made me feel worse. Of course, it wasn''t as bad as the realization that I couldn''t rely on Grandpa Evans to come take care of me. The only one he seemed to care about right now was Sonja. I get it¡­ she''s a baby, so I shouldn''t feel hurt, but laying in bed with my brain was bound to spell trouble for my mental well-being.


    This sucked.


    I fell back asleep, drifting in and out, aware of a cool hand and even an ice pack periodically placed on me. My eyes were too heavy, and my body too tired to look.


    "Why isn''t your fever breaking?" A familiar voice said.


    Adam''s voice. I opened my eyes to see him peering down at me. He looked the most frazzled I''d ever seen. He was wearing black silky pajamas, and his hair was mussed.


    "Adam?" I said, expecting this dream to end as quickly as the rest had.


    He dropped the ice packs when I spoke, but his gaze never wavered from me. I didn''t hear them hit the ground, and part of my heart cracked at the realization that this, too, really was a dream. Regardless if it was a dream or not he was here!


    "I''m sorry," I said as yet another round of shameful tears started gathering in my eyes. At least I can still dream of Adam.


    "No. I should be the one to apologize. I¡­I¡­¡± Adam said, but he couldn''t seem to finish his sentence. He dragged a hand through his hair, and his expression became pained. "Forgive me. I had the timing of everything all wrong."


    I coughed as I tried to laugh. Adam wrong? How was that possible? "How could you be wrong? I''m just glad you''re alive." I held a hand out to him, and he grabbed it tightly. His cool, firm grasp reminded me of the hand that had aided me before.


    "Wendy, don''t try to hurt yourself anymore," Adam said, and his grip on my hand tightened. "Don''t try to leave this world again."


    I gaped at him and tried to shake my hand loose, but he didn''t let go. Dream Adam knew too much!


    "Promise me, Wendy," Adam said, and I attempted to look away from the force in his gaze.


    "I can''t promise that, Dream Adam," I said, closing my eyes and trying to slip into a fresh dream.


    "If you leave this world, I''ll find you again," Adam said. I felt the bed dip from his weight as he sat and then laid down next to me. I was soon wrapped in his arms, and I took a moment to marvel at how real and silky his pajamas felt on my skin. It was less fun a few seconds later when my heated skin no longer had a refreshing, smooth place to put leech comfort from.


    "You''re too unguarded," Adam said above my head, and I blinked, wondering why this felt so real for a dream.


    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    He pulled away to cup my cheek, but I couldn''t see his expression. Everything was growing hazier, and my brain was beginning to pound harder. It shouldn''t hurt this bad in a dream, right? I was too dizzy to feel connected, but my eyes shouldn''t have difficulty staying open either.


    "What if I said this wasn''t a dream?" Adam said his voice was so soft and gentle I almost missed it over the pounding in my chest.


    This was definitely the best dream ever. I squeezed Adam with what strength I had. Emotions bubbled up in my chest, and something I hadn''t wanted to identify but knew it was there grew too strong to ignore.


    I love Adam. Not just because he was my first friend. I like liked him. It was more than a crush, but we were too young for anything deeper... right? I pulled away to look into his dark brown eyes. Nope.


    I fell in love with a boy from a fictional world. What a cliche I turned out to be.


    As a reader, I often felt pangs of the heart and enjoyed the wild climax of a story that pushed characters together, but this was too much. I was the ultimate cliche of a reader! But it didn''t feel too bad. Dream Adam was rubbing my back and taking care of me again.


    It was alright for me to have these feelings for Adam, though. He wasn''t a vital or crucial character in this world, but Adam was essential to me, and that''s all that mattered. I could take him. As long as I was here, there was no stopping the possibility of something more. I could feel the inferno grow in my heart as understanding replaced all the uncertainty that filled my recent days. My actions made sense, and the things I wanted to avoid thinking about were for a reason.


    I was sent this dream for a reason, just like all the other times when I learned of something. Maybe this, too, would come true, and Adam would come back and soothe away my fever. He was fine.


    "Dream Adam, don''t fall in love with someone else," I said. My flimsy hesitation was being banished by my selfishness. I don''t want to share him with anyone. I''m a greedy person. I want you to just be mine, Adam. Just mine.


    "That could never happen. I''m already yours." Dream Adam said, and I could feel a stupid grin split my face. Even in a dream, Adam spoiled me. He used his cool fingers to wipe away the tears that hadn''t cleared from my eyes.


    "I''ve never been in love before and haven''t liked someone as much as you," I said. My words felt strange on my tongue, but they were true. I loved my Grandma, but she wasn''t as available or warm to me. Gus was an ass, and my parents were gone. Book crushes didn''t count as tangible connections. This was different; Adam was a unique presence in my life.


    "I feel the same. I''m glad I found you again." Dream Adam said.


    Again? What did that mean? This was a dream; if it was prophetic, it could happen when he returned. Which told me that Adam was safe.


    "Don''t let Wyatt touch you so casually," Adam said abruptly, and I blinked at the tone shift.


    Monkey boy Wyatt? What did he have to do with this? "It''s just Wyatt, and he''s in love with Lucia," I said. Wyatt had to be. He always wanted to be with her and picked on me for being with her more since I met her. Lucas had the excuse that she was his twin, but what did Wyatt have?


    "What if it was you he liked?" Adam said.


    I blanched at the very notion of such a thing. "It''s impossible," I said as I shut my eyes and laid my head on Dream Adam''s chest. It was very comfortable, given the coolness of the silk had returned. I rubbed my head, trying to find the most comfortable spot. It had to be cool and feel just right.


    "Wendy?" Adam said, drawing my attention to him.


    "Hmmm?" I managed to get out of my mouth. This dream was rather long.


    "Drink this." He said before pulling me away from him. I attempted to lock on, but my weak arms were once again a hassle.


    Dream Adam held out a funny-looking cup with some funny-looking liquid. "Oh, no thanks," I said, turning my face away.


    As if he was expecting this, I didn''t entirely turn my head away before my cheeks were gripped and my mouth was forced open. The bitter medicine went down, and I could feel my mind reject it even as my body seemed to embrace it by swallowing.


    "Take care of yourself until I come to get you," Adam said, and I giggled at the forceful conviction in his voice. He really was too mature for his age. Laughing caused coughing to erupt, and Adam rubbed my back as I worked it out.


    "What trouble could I find myself in when I''m sick?" I said when I finally stopped coughing.


    Adam''s laugh felt funny on my head as I felt it from his chest, "With you, anything is possible." Adam said, and it didn''t sound like he was joking.


    I woke up, and it was bright outside my window, and there wasn''t a trace of Adam in my room. I looked at the pillow he had laid on, but there was no indent, just my drool and hair.


    What a good dream, nonetheless. I lay on my bed, lost in thought.


    My happiness was pierced by a resurgence of negative thinking. What if it was just a fever dream? If it wasn''t a prophetic dream, I had no idea if Adam would get better and return.


    Sonja''s happy cries drew my attention. I attempted to gather my courage to get out of bed. After I visited with my grandmother, I tried to distance myself from her and Grandpa Evans. If I left this world like Wendy, they would disappear.


    I rolled over to groan into my pillow. This adventure was turning into a heavy story filled with consequences no matter what I did. I told Dream Adam I couldn''t promise I wouldn''t try hurting myself. Maybe I should go along with that, though, until I knew for sure he was okay.


    "Hey, if you''re awake, get out of bed." A brisque voice said, startling me out of my self-condemnation.


    I''d recognize that squeaky voice that was trying to deepen. Wyatt. I lifted my head to peek and saw he was in my doorway. If I didn''t get up to let him in the house, he must have helped himself. I scowled at him.


    Dream Adam''s words echoed in my head, and I tried to gaze at Wyatt with fresh eyes. I never really paid attention to Wyatt''s appearance before. He was lanky and had growing muscles but looked like any other annoying teen boy in Green''s Mountain. His blonde hair was a mess, per usual, the short stubs sticking out like a porcupine. His bright, clear blue eyes shined through the dirty face that never seemed clean. His expression looked annoyed, and his lips were snarky as he stared back at me. Nowhere did I see an expression of being in love at all. Wyatt looked like a frustrated brother getting his little sister up.


    Dream Adam was worrying for nothing.


    "Why do you look so weird?" Wyatt said, and I covered my face. I must have started grinning while recalling that dream.


    "I had a good dream," I said, flopping deeper into my bed.


    "Come get breakfast," Wyatt said. Just like that, he was gone, and my door closed.


    I got up, not because he told me to, but because I was hungry and I got dressed. I felt so good today¡­did I dream of being sick? My throat was dry, but there wasn''t a sign that I was ill. That''s weird but definitely points towards it being a prophetic dream that Adam would return to me.


    The funk of everything brought a dark cloud over my head as I joined everyone. It turns out Grandpa Evans, Sonja, and Wyatt were at the table. The table was laden with food I recognized as about to go bad from the fridge.


    "Where''s Lucia?" I said, looking around for her. I went for the biscuits and butter first.


    "She didn''t come," Wyatt said as he sat down and started piling food onto his plate. I stopped buttering my biscuits at this.


    I made a face, so then why did Wyatt come over? He couldn''t be that worried about me trying to off myself?


    Again, Dream Adam''s words came to haunt me, and I made a face. No, it couldn''t be that serious. Lucia would probably come over later today, and Lucas was too.


    My butter knife was yanked out of my hands, and when I looked up to protest, Wyatt had already started using my butter on his biscuit.


    "When is she coming over then?" I said, biting my tongue. I shouldn''t start a fight yet. I opted instead to take over feeding Sonja, who was grinning at me with her mouth open like a baby bird.


    "She''s not coming over today. She''s at Mary''s with Lucas." Wyatt said before stuffing the buttered biscuit into his mouth. Why was he so freaking casual?


    "Ah ah!" Sonja made noises, and I used that as an excuse to feed her and avoid looking at Wyatt.


    "I''ve already taken care of the livestock," Wyatt said. A jolt of guilt made me sit up at that. I hadn''t neglected them but had certainly stopped putting in the care I used to on the property.


    "Thanks, Wyatt," I said. I know that Lucas mostly came over for the cats most days, but Wyatt and him were helpful.


    Breakfast passed quietly, and Grandpa Evans took Sonja to where a little inflatable pool had been set up. Summer had arrived during my mental gymnastics. I watched them for a moment.


    I never thought I would see Grandpa Evans smiling and playing with water toys. Sonja was quite the water baby. Her chubby arms flapped around as she giggled. Nips loved water apparently and had opted to jump in the pool and serve as a life watchdog. It was strange to see him abandon Wyatt, but maybe the appeal of Monkey Boy had finally worn off.


    Sonja hit all her milestones without her reckless mother, who abandoned her. I scoffed at the memory of Sunny, who blew in and out of our lives with zero care for the damage she had wrecked.


    I turned to go inside. I needed to spend time reading today. This melodramatic tension was killing my joy, and a good book would make it all better. I was on the stairs headed upstairs when Wyatt interceded me.


    He grabbed my arm, and I turned to scowl at him. "What?" I said all but a snarl.


    "Where are you going?" Wyatt said. His eyes were bright, but his expression was solemn.


    "To my library," I said. Did he think I was going to the attic and thus the roof again? Not with him here.


    I shoved him off me and ran up the stairs to my library. Unsurprisingly, he accompanied me. I wanted to be mean and shoo him off. In fact, I should because this was Wyatt we were talking about. Strangely, having him here gave me comfort in case Gavin came again. He was taller than Adam, older, more robust, annoying, and somehow strangely dependable. I kept Dream Adam''s words in mind and put distance between us.


    This is why after I found a book instead of just relaxing in the library; I ran to my room. All the while ignoring Wyatt''s watchful gaze.


    However, I was safe in my room and closed my door with pride. Privacy was a girl''s best friend.


    Instead of being able to sit comfortably on my bed, however, the lemon trees caught my eye. They had bloomed. I didn''t see buds last night, but this could be another thing I had neglected to pay attention to. I leaned forward to sniff the blooms and appreciate them.


    I should trim them up a bit and prepare for incoming fresh lemons. I pulled out my garden shears and hummed as I got to work.


    What should I make for Adam while I waited for him to come¡­if I tried the phone, would he answer today?


    The shears toddled in my hands as I bit my lip. "Adam," I said his name, knowing there would be no response. I needed to see him in real life to be sure he was okay.


    The shears were snatched from my hands again, and I saw a glowering Wyatt.


    "What are you doing?" I said, reaching for them back. Wait, I was starting to sense a pattern. "Did you think I was going to harm myself with that?" Or the butter knife?


    Wyatt simply looked at me, and I gawked. "I love myself too much to do something like that!" I said, my hands going to my hips.


    Wyatt simply held the shears away from me, and overcome with frustration, I did the one thing I seemed to do best, took it out on him. I charged, and the two of us tussled. The shears were tossed to the side, so it was all physical.


    "You''re too much!" I said, trying to pin him and get my revenge. He said something muffled that I couldn''t understand, and I managed to get his powerful ears covered as I had him by the head.


    I was just about to pin him for good when I stupidly slipped off and hit my own head on the wood floor. I groaned, but it wasn''t Wyatt who aided me, but Adam.

 Chapter Nineteen

    Shit. This was not how I wanted to look when Adam finally came back for a visit. My hair was undone from my carefully plaited braid. I could see pieces sticking out in all directions. The overalls I had put on were messy, with the straps slipping down because of the fighting.


    Contrary to me, Adam looked dressed to the nines. His hair was mussed a bit, but his dark green suit was pressed and tidy. He had on a brown bow tie and brown dress shoes.


    I could feel my cheeks flush red, not from exertion but embarrassment. Adam said nothing, his expression neutral as he bent down to take my hands and help me up.


    He looked like he¡¯d spent the past month plus healing. I couldn¡¯t see any long-term damage from Gavin, only a faint healing bruise on his forehead. We were nearly the same height, so I could get a decent look. Still, I wanted to make sure all was well. I lifted my hands to dig around further to examine it, moving Adam¡¯s hair to look deeper.


    Adam¡¯s expression had a faint smile, but his overall well-being was very visible. ¡°The door was open, and no one responded when I called out.¡± He said.


    I opened my mouth to say something, but nothing came out. I ignored my eyes that wanted to grow wet and instead hugged Adam tightly. I spent so much time saying sorry and feeling sorry. There was one thing I forgot to tell Adam. ¡°Thank you for protecting me against Gavin,¡± I said finally. I was so grateful that he helped me, guilty, yes, but grateful. ¡°And thank you for coming back.¡±


    His arms held on to me in response, and I could hear his heart pumping in his chest. My own heart jumped in response.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry it took so long,¡± Adam said, and I laughed at how his voice reverberated through his chest. It was like the dream I had last night. I froze, maybe a little too much like the dream?


    ¡°Welcome back, Adam! Glad to see you¡¯re better.¡± Wyatt said, reminding us both of his presence.


    I separated from Adam all smiles. The dream was coming true in various ways.


    With Nips distracted adequately by the pool still, we could all go up to the treehouse. There were cushion chairs and a mini loveseat. I dove for the seat cushions. We were, of course, greeted by several cats who were soaking up the sun. I found a familiar chubby cat and picked him up to play with as we started talking.


    ¡°My father didn¡¯t want me out of the home, so recovery was longer than necessary,¡± Adam said.


    ¡°The phone couldn¡¯t go through,¡± I said, lifting my eyes to meet Adam¡¯s dark brown orbs.


    ¡°That¡¯s my fault,¡± Adam said without elaborating. ¡°Both of you should know there¡¯s a manhunt for Gavin, and he should be found shortly.¡±


    Adam¡¯s family should have the right resources, so how did Gavin escape? How was he still on the run? That was terrifying because he had entered the forest without disturbing anything and had been gone just as quickly.


    ¡°You¡¯re not alone in this world.¡± My grandma¡¯s words came to my mind, and I froze. Was Gavin like me? Someone not from this world? That could explain why he was after me. He seemed to want to send me off.


    ¡°Wendy?¡± Adam said my name, and I looked up, dazed. I tried to blink away my worries, but things became so complicated with these thoughts.


    ¡°Sorry, I was lost in my thoughts,¡± I said, smiling apologetically.


    ¡°You have thoughts?¡± Wyatt said with a chortle at me, reaching out to ruffle my hair. I dodged his hand, and for a moment, his expression froze. Maybe I averted it a little too dramatically. I just needed to make sure that Wyatt didn¡¯t have a crush on me. I couldn¡¯t blame him; I am amazing, but my heart belonged to Adam.


    I was saved by Nips, who noticed that Wyatt was up in the tree. He was barking, and Wyatt sheepishly scratched his hand and said bye to us. Nips wouldn¡¯t stop until Wyatt went down. We tried, and it was hard on everyone listening to him yip, whine, and scream until Wyatt showed himself.


    ¡°He used to be my dog,¡± I grumbled. It would be forever confusing how swiftly Nips forgot all affection for me, something I could never forgive when constantly reminded of the betrayal.


    ¡°He changed after the first break-in attempt,¡± Adam said, musing out loud, and I looked at him.


    ¡°Yeah. It was like Nips forgot me and attached like a baby duckling to Wyatt while I slept those two days.¡± I said. Lamentations wouldn¡¯t change anything, but that betrayal was the worst.


    Adam reached out to ruffle my hair, and I smiled at him before patting the cat in my lap. ¡°His loss,¡± Adam said. ¡°Did something happen between you and Wyatt? You two looked like you were fighting.¡± Adam said.


    ¡°He¡¯s just overthinking my actions; besides, we normally fight,¡± I said.


    ¡°You strangely dodged his hand just now,¡± Adam said, and I flushed.


    Could I tell Adam about the Dream Adam interaction? I looked up from the cat, my face bright red as a tomato, and blinked rapidly. ¡°Did I? I¡¯ll have to say sorry later,¡± I said.


    Adam¡¯s expression was strange, but I didn¡¯t take the time to dissect it. Instead, I looked down at the cat, who was proving a great distraction.


    ¡°Did you fall in love with him?¡± Adam said. His voice was so soft I almost didn¡¯t hear it over the pounding in my chest.


    I jumped and looked up from the cat. ¡°No. I like you, not Wyatt.¡± I said. My face turned even redder in color.


    Adam said nothing at first, instead moving closer to sit beside me. He cupped my red cheek, and I saw a smile on his face that showed off his bright, neat teeth. ¡°I like you too, Wendy.¡±


    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    My heart stopped. This was better than a dream.


    ¡°Why did you avoid Wyatt if you weren¡¯t aware of him?¡± Adam said, removing his hands to pet a cat that came up to present herself to him idly.


    ¡°Dream¡­¡± I said, barely stopping myself from talking about Dream Adam to the real Adam.


    ¡°You dreamed of him?¡± Adam said, his eyebrows knitted.


    ¡°No!¡± I said, holding up my hands. ¡°I had a dream of you telling me to stop letting him touch me.¡±


    Adam¡¯s cheeks turned red, and we awkwardly avoided each other¡¯s eyes. This was so embarrassing. Most people can tell dreams from reality, but I was struggling. Adam knew what he was getting into by liking me, right? This wouldn¡¯t scare him off? I looked up and saw him covering his mouth with a hand. His face was bright red, and he was trying to protect his expression.


    This was the most frazzled I¡¯d ever seen Adam. Typically, he was confident and always calm. Even when he said he liked me, too, he was smooth and practiced.


    ¡°What if it wasn¡¯t a dream? And I wanted that?¡± Adam said through his fingers.


    I don¡¯t think I could turn any redder, but my body beat the odds as I noticed the color on my arms and hands.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll listen,¡± I said. We got quiet as we avoided looking at each other and focused on the cats we petted.


    This was broken up by Wyatt, of all people. Never had I been more grateful for the interloper. I had no idea what to say to Adam; he seemed just as conflicted.


    Adam left soon after but promised to return on Fridays like before. Wyatt caught a ride with Adam, and I watched them go, wondering what they would talk about.


    Adam said he liked me too! I felt like I was on cloud nine for the rest of the day, let alone the days it took for Adam to visit again.


    Wyatt came back after he caught a ride with Adam. He came back with bags, and I would complain, but it was nice that he took over the livestock and maintenance. I could focus on cooking again and plants.


    Lucia and Lucas had stopped coming over as often. So it was special when they did.


    The news that Gavin was captured and in prison came, and the tension that created terrible dreams went away. Adam came over weekly, and there were no more family emergencies to disrupt our time. I wondered briefly why his bodyguards didn¡¯t escort him more stridently, but I suppose it made sense with Gavin locked up.


    The one thing I didn''t do, which I admit I was strangely nervous about, was ask any questions about his family. More than once, when I tried, strange things happened, or we were interrupted. My dreams also gave me no peace and countless scenarios where everything fell apart the moment I questioned things and held my tongue.


    Things were finally peaceful again and Adam was back consistently. I didn''t want to ruin it. Plus Adam was coming out of his shell and showing emotions and playfulness that weren''t there before. Anytime his family was brought up that smile disappeared off his face.


    Adam and I didn¡¯t progress past sweaty hand-holding and smiles, but just being with him made me happy.


    My relationship with Wyatt and Lucas stayed the same but my friendship with Lucia deepened. We had a guilty pleasure show called, ''What is Love.'' It was rather scandalous for this small town given that unique variations of what people considered love were talked about and explored. The one that made most of the matrons of Green''s Mountain ban it from their homes was the episode about self-love. In it a woman married herself and opted to forgo traditional marriage. The show called it Narcissus but the older generations called it blasphemy.


    Lucia came over weekly to devour each scandalous episode with me.


    The rest of summer passed in this way as we finally entered fall. A lot of harvesting and prep work needed to be done. It was all hands on deck, and even Adam was here with us, plucking pumpkins from the vine.


    It was the perfect fall day to do it, too. The ground wasn¡¯t too soggy, and the sky was bright and dry. Our wheelbarrows were full, and we had the chance to rest after all the hard work. Lucia took over the kitchen and made lunch while Wyatt trailed her. Nips trailed after him, and it was a funny sight. Lucas went to his sanctuary in the treehouse.


    That left Adam and me in the field, watching everyone wander off.


    We were resting under the apple tree. The ecosystem around it hadn¡¯t been cleared, but there was a space I managed to secure a bench under. I wanted to be able to sit under the tree and have a connection to my plant network. I was too tired for power work, so instead, I laid down with my head in Adam¡¯s lap. He was reading some kind of thick, complicated-looking book. It was peaceful, and I used this moment to look at my space ring.


    I was growing and changing, and my powers and capabilities were developing, but this ring didn¡¯t change. It was soul-bound and followed me, but what would happen if I left this world? It would just follow, right? I had it in my world when I returned to rob my family. But the ring prevented my grandma¡¯s robe from being put into it. Wasn¡¯t her robe soul-bound? I¡¯d never been able to put it on before, and I¡¯d tried. I even wore gloves as if that would hide the fact I touched it. The robe ran through me like I hadn¡¯t tried to drape it on my shoulders. I could wear it here in this world now, though, well before it disappeared.


    How did she take it off if it was soul-bound? And what powers did her robe have? By that logic, could Effaced be bound to someone¡¯s soul? I couldn¡¯t put that in my space either. Maybe it had nothing to do with soul-bound items but conflicting magical signatures, and all my previous assertions had different answers?


    I didn¡¯t realize my eyebrows were furrowing, and I was mumbling until firm, cold fingers poked my forehead. I looked up crosseyed for a second to see Adam had set aside his book to peer down at me.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been muttering in what sounded like another language for the past ten minutes,¡± Adam said.


    I hiccuped in shock and tried to cover it up by coughing, thankful I could cover my face and hide the guilt. Had I been talking in my native language? ¡°I was just thinking out loud, I guess,¡± I said. ¡°Sorry, Adam, for years, I was always alone. I got used to talking out loud because I didn¡¯t have anyone to talk to...¡±


    Adam pressed his finger on my brows, forcing them to relax. ¡°What were you thinking about?¡± He said.


    I sat up and brought my knees up to my chest. ¡°I was just wondering about all the things I don¡¯t understand. If I had studied more, maybe I would have the right answers¡­¡± I said this, knowing it was particularly vague. I had spilled the beans on a lot, but there had to be a limit to what I dumped on Adam or what he could believe.


    ¡°What differences would knowing more bring you in the here and now?¡± Adam said.


    I blinked at the simplicity of his words. Aside from Gavin, who was dealt with, knowing all of these things didn¡¯t change the present and how much I loved it. ¡°I guess right now it doesn¡¯t matter,¡± I said with a twist of my mouth at the sourness that thought brought for some reason. ¡°I¡¯m not used to feeling so powerless or not knowing things.¡±


    Adam¡¯s hand lifted some of my hair off my face, ¡°You¡¯re not powerless, and you¡¯re not alone anymore.¡± He said as he tucked the loose hair behind my ear. ¡°Talk to me instead of yourself, and let me do all the worrying.¡±


    Why was Adam so sweet! I swallowed the squawk that wanted to come out. ¡°We can always worry together,¡± I said. I didn¡¯t want to rely solely on him without giving him something in return.


    Adam¡¯s lips quirked before a full smile grew on his lips, and a dopey one grew on my own face. ¡°Soon, everything will make sense. There is no point in rushing it and growing wrinkles.¡± Adam said.


    I jumped and covered my face. That joke could have come from Wyatt, but it slipped out of Adam¡¯s mouth with far too much ease. I playfully moved to bonk him in mock retaliation, but he caught my fist and kissed the top of my hand.


    We had yet to kiss or do anything else, and I would be lying if I said I was more than ready for my first kiss.


    I leaned forward with my eyes closed, but instead of finding Adam¡¯s lips, I got greeted by Old Tom¡¯s backside. The dang cat had to fall out of the tree at that exact moment.


    Adam¡¯s choked laughter led to me chasing him and the cat around the backyard.

 Chapter Twenty

    Fall slipped into winter, and with it, Lucia, Wyatt, and Lucas moved in again. Sonja mainly stayed in Grandpa Evans'' room, so there was no shuffling of rooms around.


    Sonja had grown up, and her first birthday was approaching. Adam''s was also coming up. We planned for everyone to celebrate Caelis together. This was going to be a proper Caelis. I knew there was no way my grandmother would be dropping by, and without the looming threat of Gavin, it would be peaceful.


    I wore my long hair loose, and the curls obeyed, thanks to Lucia''s gentle hand. I was tempted to wear a blue or black dress, but the red tent from the previous year danced around in my head. My family''s colors were red and gold. Not the winter blues or the Goddess Caelistis'' silver and black-blue colors.


    I settled for a pink dress lined with yellow. I was an off-brand Phoenix witch. I giggled at the inside joke my outfit meant. It was true to my lineage but also respectful to the Goddess the world was celebrating this night.


    "You wore pink last year as well," Adam said.


    I looked down at this dress. It was a different dress but still pink. "I guess I did it unconsciously last year," I said.


    "How so?" Adam said, leaning over to whisper into my ear. We were in Mary''s car driving over. I tried to ignore how much I loved his voice so that I could answer.


    "My family''s colors are red and gold. One shouldn''t wear red to a winter goddess'' celebration. Still, I can''t wear her colors because of my family''s patron Goddess'' colors." I hiccuped at the slip-up but locked our gazes instead of avoiding Adam''s eyes. He knew I was a witch, so this wouldn''t be too out of the box.


    "What happens if you wear those colors?" Adam said.


    "I don''t think anything does. It''s disrespecting my family''s Goddess for another''s¡­or I''m overthinking it." I said with a nervous laugh. Maybe I was being foolish? No, my grandmother changed the color of the tent last Caelis for a reason.


    As if he was thinking the same thing, Adam said, "The red tent from last year was red with a gold bird."


    "My grandmother did that, or at least her magic did. I''m not entirely sure how that happened." I said.


    "Another mystery," Adam said. "Don''t worry about it now."


    He was right; no sense in doing so, but my brain was already wondering.


    Caelis was a lot more fun this year. The scents of snow, people, and burning herbs were so distinct to the event that it made me smile. People were more wary this time around. However, the ''bad omen'' from last year was quickly forgotten as the alcohol started filling cups.


    "Degenerates," Wyatt said, and I laughed with him as we people watched. With some of their inhibitions gone, the adults were acting slightly wilder.


    "Let''s go," Adam said. He grabbed my hand and led me away from our group. We wandered stalls as I waited for the perfect moment to give Adam his birthday gift. Again, he was here to celebrate it with us, and I wondered why he wasn''t home. He hadn''t mentioned his sister or the rest of his family in a while. But he looked more tired and spent any moment he could, even with me, studying. His workload increased, but he came to spend time with me when he could. If I started worrying or asking questions, he might be troubled again. This was supposed to be a day of fun.


    So I silenced my brain and followed Adam through the throng of people. We wound up near an old willow tree. Silver lanterns hung from its branches. There were also pieces of paper tied, and we watched as people tied more.


    "That''s not a willow tree, is it?" I said, marveling at the amount of paper the tree was holding.


    "It''s a wishing tree," Adam said. "What''s a willow tree?"


    "It''s a tree that looks like that, but instead of paper, there would be leaves," I said idly as I walked up to the tree. I set down Adam''s gift so we wouldn''t have to break contact and used my now free hand to touch the bark. I could feel a strange energy coming off the tree. I couldn''t poke it mentally and inexplicably found myself drawn to it.


    I jerked my hand away seconds later with a hiss. Adam grasped this hand in seconds, and his cool touch was a comfort.


    "What happened?" He said, still examining my hand.


    "I was rejected," I said, gazing at the tree. This tree was old. Older than any other I''d come across in this world so far. Even trees a few hundred years ago responded to me positively. How could this tree push back at me and burn my hand? It had to be ancient. Maybe older than everything in this world.


    A world tree?


    "What tree?" Adam said, and I inwardly cursed my silly habit of speaking thoughts out loud.


    "Nothing. Just strange. I haven''t come across anything that could¡­"


    "Burn you with a touch?" Adam said, wrapping a silk handkerchief around my damaged hand.


    "A world tree, is that a witch thing?" Adam said when he seemed satisfied with his handiwork.


    "A multiple-world thing. A world tree is a mythical being that supersedes all life in any given world. It has a symbolic form in a world that showcases the vitality of the world. It grows from a world seed that blooms into a world¡­but how is that possible?" I said as I studied the tree. This was a world within a book. Could my guilty pleasure book be a world book? World books were books that were actually linked to real worlds. That meant that this wasn''t just a¡­


    I could feel a headache forming. I just told myself I wouldn''t overthink things, and yet here I was.


    "No one else has trouble touching the tree," Adam said, and both of us observed as people came and left to tie slips of paper on the tree.


    "I think it just reacted to me because I tried to do more than just touch it," I said. "It must be the oldest tree in town. It''s impossible to be a world tree." I was just overthinking.


    "Do you want to tie a wish to it?" Adam said. He was way too easygoing with my random blurbs of information, but looking up at him, I didn''t mind. Better than him to start avoiding me as a crazy woman.


    Both of us split up a bit to write down our wishes. Like all wish lore, you couldn''t share what you wanted, or it wouldn''t come true. I wanted to know what Adam wrote, but in mine, I wrote that I wanted to be with him forever. I signed it Gwendolyn'' Wendy Evans'' Girru, and enclosed my words with my family sigil. I was more Wendy than Gwendolyn by now, but if words have power, let my actual name grant whatever good luck it could to make it come true. After I folded it, I again drew my family''s symbol, but this time on the outside for good measure. I kissed it for extra extra measure, then twisted it while saying a quick spell to bless it into being.


    "If you don''t tie it, it won''t come true," Adam said, and we both glanced at my injured hand.


    "It should be fine. That was probably just a warning. It is impossible for it to be a world tree. But maybe it''s just picked up the energy from all the wishes over the year." I said, looking at the tree that looked normal. There was a sign that I missed before that explained how long wishes had been hung on its branches. It was just a strange tree. I didn''t dare connect with the tree mentally or physically to avoid being warned severely again.


    We both worried for naught because, without further incident, we tied our wishes to the tree.


    "Adam," I said, noting that he was staring at the tree strangely now. He turned away from it to look at me, and I held out his gift. It was in a bag, and it was obviously his birthday gift, given what day it was today.


    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    He accepted it, and I did a little wiggle filled with nervous energy as he started pulling things out. First, was the card I had thoughtfully written that none of you reading need to know.


    I had gifted him one of the watches I managed to get from the acquisition room. It was black, sleek, and very expensive looking. The gold engravings had a company logo that didn''t exist in this world. Wrapped around the watch was a handkerchief. I always remembered my promise to make him a better one.


    I stitched pink lemon blossoms on the corner of the white handkerchief. Adam was etched in brown and resembled branches. There were even little green leaves along the hard lines. I''d gotten a lot better with Lucia and Mary''s help.


    "Happy birthday, Adam," I said, avoiding his gaze as he took out my gifts. I was feeling nervous about his reaction.


    "Thank you, Wendy," Adam said, and I heard an emotion I didn''t recognize in his voice.


    I looked up from the ground, and our eyes met. "Help me put it on?" Adam said.


    I don''t think he really needed help, but I smiled, happy to help. His skin was cool to the touch, and I took the chance to admire him as I did this.


    When I finished and looked up to see Adam''s reaction to wearing the watch, I noticed his face beside mine. Kissing distance. I flushed at this development. It had been months since both of us said we liked each other. Aside from the normal hand-holding, nothing else had really changed.


    "Wendy, if you don''t want me to kiss you, say something now," Adam said. His words were a mere breath on my face.


    My lips trembled at his directness, and I stopped myself barely from biting them, knowing there was no way I could reject him.


    Adam pressed his lips to mine in the next heartbeat. It was chaste, but my breath was still caught in my chest. My first kiss!


    The rest of the night was a blur. I know I made it home safely because I found myself in my bed. Lucia was in my room with me as we had a mini sleepover. Her brother and Wyatt were somewhere.


    "So you and Adam," Lucia said, and I stopped reminiscing on the kiss to look at her. She sat on my window seat, brushing her hair and admiring my lemon trees.


    I wanted to say something, but instead, I just grinned.


    Lucia''s smile grew, "I had a feeling but wasn''t sure. I was worried you liked Wyatt because he likes you." She said, and I swallowed the laugh that wanted to rip out of me at the absurdity of that pairing.


    Lucia''s and Adam''s observations, however, stopped me. Why did both of them think that? Wyatt and I made no sense.


    "That would be impossible," I said, rolling in my bed as I tried to retain the feeling of my first kiss. Monkey Boy was not going to ruin this!


    "Why? Wyatt is so open with you and playful¡­ he''d never treat me that way." Lucia said, and I stopped rolling to take a look at her. She had shifted herself to face the window. Unknown to her, I could see her reflection in the window pane. She looked embarrassed, nervous, and hurt.


    I waved my hand and tried to summon a carefree laugh that wouldn''t create further pain. If a girl was around Adam, I''d be less gentle than Lucia¡­but I''d still feel hurt.


    "Wyatt is gentle to you because you''re someone to protect and cherish. He sees you as a girl. Wyatt sees me as an annoying sister." I said, flapping my hand one last time as I laid my head down. "If anything towards me, he feels a sense of¡­" I paused and thought about the way he looked at me. It wasn''t with admiration or love¡­


    "Of what!" Lucia all but shouted, and my lip quirked in response.


    "Duty. He acts like he owes me something, which is weird." I said. "My only conclusion is letting you guys on the farm, but I don''t think his feelings for me are that strong. He doesn''t like me like that." At all.


    Lucia''s face turned red, and I watched, entertained, as she gave a jerky nod and then ran to turn off the light. She lay down in the bed next to me.


    "I like Wyatt." She said her voice was as quiet as a butterfly''s wings.


    "I had a feeling," I said, trying to quiet my voice but failing. I wanted to tell her I thought he felt the same but couldn''t be sure. Everyone seemed to think he liked me. What if I was misreading this and in the wrong?


    We held hands and whispered well into the night. It was mostly girly notions, wishes, and hopes for our future with the boys we like.


    The new year came and went without much fanfare. Caelis was the way to honor the Goddess and usher in a bright new year, so most adults slept the festivities off the next day.


    With no bad omens to start the new year, I fully expected another year to go by smoothly. Instead, the new year started with a bad dream. I fell asleep clutching Lucia''s hands but woke up in my brother''s study. I wasn''t alone. Gus was there working hard as usual. He had yet to notice me like so many times before; why should a dream be any different?


    The sound of quill and paper was strangely comforting, as was the scent of old books, ink, and the faint aroma of coffee.


    "Did you forget the deadline?" Gus said. He didn''t even bother looking up when he spoke. His quill never stopped moving, and I rolled my eyes.


    This was a nightmare, not just a typical dream, right? I owed Gus some assignment; he was haunting me in my dreams now. I looked down at my right hand; Adam''s handkerchief and my space ring were on it. A clear sign I wasn''t truly back home at the Library. I wouldn''t have Wendy''s hands.


    "It''s good you''ve come by to talk," Gus said.


    I flopped on his lush leather sofa, fully expecting Gus to keep rambling on while I ignored him. He did, and I ignored him as I flipped through a book he had on the coffee table. It was rather strange, and its cover reminded me of the box Effaced. The book''s cover shimmered, and I grabbed it by the corner and shook it. I don''t know what I expected to fall out of it, but nothing did.


    "Gwendolyn." A rather sharp voice snapped me to attention, and I set the book down guilty. Gus was looking at me, and he looked, no. I shook off that thought before it could fully form. There was no way my fuddy brother would actually be concerned about me.


    "Augustus," I said, mimicking his voice. I can be serious, too, brother overlord.


    "The world is going to end, Gwendolyn. I hope you''ve spent your time wisely since you''ve decided to stay." Gus said, and I hiccuped. Oh shit, he was worried that I forgot about the world ending. It hadn''t completely slipped my mind but wasn''t as pressing as before.


    Why did I choose that type of world to find love?


    "Spend the rest of your time wisely, Gwendolyn. You only have a few years left." Gus said, but his attention was back on whatever he was writing. I waited for him to say something, anything else, but he had already dismissed me in his mind. Cold and unemotional Augustus Girru.


    I could feel my eyelids shutter. He was never going to care about me, was he? I was misguided by the hope he would be worried about me. What kind of brother acted like that if he thought his sister could die? Even if it was just a fictional world¡­he should care, right?


    Before I could say something snarky, however, I woke up. It was dark outside, and with a heavy heart, I avoided waking up Lucia to do the morning chores.


    The homestead was pretty self-sufficient, so I had nothing to do but wait, even with the deadline looming. The daily task of slipping what I could into the space for storage was going great. The livestock was great. The house was great. The overall setup was great. All I had were check marks next to things I planned.


    I guess the one thing I was never going to be able to check off was a brother who cared about me. Maybe it was my fault we couldn''t get along. I wasn''t the nicest, and I''d done nothing but make fun of him¡­but he was my brother, and not once had he made an effort. If I acted out, he would at least make a face and turn towards me. Without that, all I had was his closed study door and unseeing eyes.


    And now, maybe it wouldn''t matter. He dropped me off in this world, and it would end soon. I hope that was just a dream¡­and that he hadn''t summoned me to say goodbye like that. Why hadn''t he pulled me out if it was so simple for him to do that? Even if this was a conduit, shouldn''t he care about me to some degree?


    Days passed in a blur as I accepted that my reality sucks.


    "Kitten for your thoughts?" Wyatt said, drawing my attention. He was holding up something that did not resemble a kitten.


    "All the kittens are grown," I said, rolling over to avoid looking at him.


    He was the only one here today. Lucia and Lucas left to go over to Mary''s. I tried to reassure Lucia as she left, but she looked worried that Wyatt and I would be alone. We weren''t completely alone. Grandpa Evans had wandered off with Sonja for a picnic. He really didn''t want to share the growing kid, and as she got bigger, I could see why. She was precious and looked like Grandma Carol. Also, Nips was lounging in Wyatt''s lap. The betrayer of hearts.


    "Wyatt, do you have a crush on me?" I said, turning over to eyeball him. I had to know once and for all. That way, I can more confidently tell Lucia and Adam no.


    Wyatt''s fake smile grew, and I watched, horrified, as he shrugged and set the cat down. "If I said yes?"


    I threw grass at his face, and he laughed as he shook it off. Instead of throwing any of it back, he stuck a blade of grass in his mouth and made some sounds with it. Nips moved his head to chew on the fallen pieces, and the two looked identically foolish.


    "I''m serious. I''ve been told twice that people think so." No time to beat around the bush, Wyatt. I gave him a stern look as I went on, "Yes or no."


    "My feelings run deeper than a simple yes or no." Wyatt used his blade of grass to tickle Nips'' nose.


    I gave him a look. He was lying. "It''s straightforward; don''t make it more complicated than it needs to be." I scolded him.


    "I guess you can say I have a sense of¡­duty," Wyatt said, drawing out that last word.


    I hiccuped with shock. Oh shit, he totally heard our conversation that night. "How did you hear that?"


    Wyatt tapped his ears. Could his sense of hearing be that strong? How was that possible? No, when it came to Lucia, Wyatt was a downright stalker.


    "I do think of you like a little sister," Wyatt said with a smile that gave away nothing. Why was he being so cryptic with his feelings? He''d come a long way from that strange boy in my library for the first time, but moments like this reminded me how much of an enigma Wyatt truly was.


    "But you''re in love with Lucia, right?" I said, feeling smug that I had it all right. There was nothing he could tell me to convince me otherwise.


    Wyatt closed his eyes, and no matter how I prodded him, he refused to answer. Okay, keep your secrets, monkey boy.


    Weeks passed with the same old same old happening. Before I knew it, Lucia and Lucas''s birthday had come up. But before we could celebrate it together, tragedy struck. The church had decided to send Lucia, Wyatt, and Lucas to Alcom''s Cove. The fishery up there needed help, and the church seemed inclined to send out orphans to handle things.


    Adam also disappeared because his father wanted to send him to a private school.


    Sonja was grabbed by Sunny, who came down to get her daughter and disappeared into the night.


    And Grandpa Evans died from the heartbreak. All of this happened in about the span of a year.


    I spent the next two years in darkness.

 Chapter Twenty One

    Part II


    I was seventeen before most of us were all reunited together. Over the years, we had visits but it wasn''t the same.


    Adam came over at least once a month to spend the night before disappearing with a kiss in the morning. Although we couldn''t see each other daily, we spoke on the phone whenever possible. It was a long-distance relationship that worked.


    Lucia spent time over and bashfully told me of her milestones with Wyatt. Lucas stayed the same and mainly came to see the cats who made him a great-granddad. Unfortunately, I didn''t see Sunny or Sonja again, but I know Sunny stopped by Grandpa Evan''s grave. She left the snack that only the two could enjoy by his headstone. A lot of good her action did.


    It wasn''t enough.


    Mary, of course, wanted to take me off the property and bring me to her home. I fought tooth and nail. And I won. I was fifteen and, according to the law, could inherit the family assets and be my own person. Yay for small-town rules in a book world.


    It hurt that I spent what little time I could have with Grandpa Evans distant from him. This further cemented the realization that my mistakes seemed to cost those around me. I needed to be more careful and less selfish.


    And it especially hurt that his death timed so well with my fifteenth birthday. Maybe the loss of Grandpa Evans happened because he was created by my family''s magic. And once Wendy no longer needed a guardian... let''s just say it was too coincidental that he left this world.


    We were mere months away from the end of this world, as everyone knew it. The meteor that was going to change this world would strike this summer.


    I spent most of my nights watching the stars, and tonight was no different. I hadn''t really taken the time lately to look up. I was so busy zeroing in on the present and the future I didn''t have time to add to my plate.


    The pitch-black sky was lit up with bright stars. I didn''t recognize most of the alignments from my world, but I knew they were native to this one. The lazy world creator of this book kept the same planets but was liberal with the stars. It was strange to see alignments like the squirrel.


    "Wendy." Adam''s voice reminded me I wasn''t alone tonight, and I turned my head to smile at him.


    We were up on the roof, lying down and star gazing. It was a rather romantic way to spend a rare evening together.


    "You have leaves in your hair," Adam said before reaching over to pluck them out.


    Okay, it was supposed to be a romantic evening for us. I played in the forest and clearly missed some of the leaves that the trees rained down on me.


    "Were you playing in the woods again?" Adam said with a hint of a laugh in his voice.


    I made a face and nodded. "I wanted to try something new before you came over." And I failed. I''ve read time after time that people with plant manipulation can grow plants on their bodies as weapons to swing around.


    I could still turn on the same vibration as plants, connect with them, and sprout seeds into plants, but not make them a weapon out of them.


    I think I lack the conviction to hurt someone.


    I remember all those years ago when I used to worry about eating plants that I grew. The impressions I picked up from them turned into something more substantial. Given their process, it made sense that plants wanted to be eaten. They had millennia of evolution that liked to be sprouted in poop.


    On the other hand, encouraging them to smack someone in the head while I had it wrapped around my arm was proving a bit more difficult hurdle. It seemed to be against both our natures.


    "What''s wrong?" Adam said. His hand went to the back of my neck and rubbed it gently. He started this a year ago; this coaxing method was my favorite.


    "I don''t think I can be violent," I said. I should be able to just command the plants, but I didn''t have the heart to, and they weren''t particularly violent, at least the ones I tried urging. Should I just go for the plants that ate bugs? Where would I find those?


    Adam laughed and pulled away to cover his mouth. He''d grown so handsome over the years, and this moment was ruining that.


    Adam was wearing black slacks and a black shirt with gold buttons. He had on bronze gold line emerald cufflinks and the watch I''d given him. The clothing sparkled, and although simple, you could see the quality from a mile away. He had grown taller over the years. I miss the days when he was at my eye level. I had to go on my tiptoes to muss his hair or kiss him now. Speaking of his hair, it was still thick, lush brown, and it was slicked back, but I''d grown to love that style. I had a reason to muss it and touch it every time I saw it.


    "I''m being serious!" I said, pouting, reaching over to muss up said hair. Adam laughed harder at my actions, and I ended up locked into his arms as he avoided my wrath.


    "Didn''t you chuck a pie at Wyatt last week?" Adam said when he finally stopped laughing.


    I hiccuped in surprise. "Wyatt told you? Well, did he tell you he said my pie was too dense and needed to be fluffy and airy?"


    "So you threw it?" Adam said with a smile.


    "He said it needed air," I muttered into Adam''s chest. It had grown broad and defined, and I could feel my heart race for entirely different reasons. Adam''s heart was calm and steady against my cheek. Unfair.


    Adam reached out to pat my head. His hand traveled from my forehead to the back of my neck, and he started kneading it again. Against my will, I was calmed.


    I wanted to sound as calm as possible, but my voice gave away my fear when I said, "How much time do you have left?"


    "I can stay the night," Adam said.


    It had been a while since he had. The older we got, the more bold we became regarding our affection. We had done almost everything but the actual deed by this point. I wanted this to be the night we finally connected, but Adam was holding back for some reason. He wasn''t alone; part of me was hesitant, too.


    "In my bed?" I said, my green eyes connected with his brown. Adam had taken to staying in Grandpa Evans'' room after our teenage moments became too much. Enough time had passed, and it didn''t rip the breath out of me to have someone in there, and it was across from my own room.


    "Wendy," Adam said, but there was something turbulent in his voice, and he was unsure. His expression was neutral, and he wore what I affectionately called his Zeno look. Like the father of stoicism, Adam removed emotion from his expression. His body had grown tense, and his heart was pumping wildly.


    My boyfriend wasn''t as unaffected as he wanted me to believe he was.


    "A girl had to try right," I said, laying my head on his chest. For now, this would do. Part of me wanted to wait until this body was even older. Adam was already eighteen, and the time we would spend apart would only grow. There was no telling what would happen when the world started to end.


    I would be satisfied with this, though. I''d rather have him in my life than push him away forever like Grandpa Evans.


    "Your birthday is next week, and we can spend time together then. I have something for you." Adam said, and my head jerked up at that concession.


    "Lucia is bringing Wyatt and Lucas over, though," I said, trying to stop my stupid lips from grinning.


    "I''ll be coming over before they do. You''re not going to be alone that week."


    I let my smile loose as I wrapped my arms around his neck and said. "I love you so much. Have I told you that recently?"


    "Only every day since we started dating," Adam said with a chuckle.


    Adam ended up leaving that night to deal with an issue his father was having. Although he was barely done with school and his family wanted him to reach for higher education, he still worked at two companies.


    I watched him grab his stuff, trying not to sulk. It was weird how they placed so many burdens on him when he was still so young.


    I walked him to the door, trying not to drag my feet. I didn''t need to walk him through the forest; he knew his way around by now. I loved to do it to spend as much time as possible with him, but he always turned me down so that I wouldn''t get cold in the woods.


    Adam spoiled me beautifully.


    He leaned down to kiss me at the door, and I reached for his head to pull him closer. One of Adam''s hands cupped my cheek while the other covered the back of my neck.


    I deepened the kiss, and he made a noise as our bodies plastered to each other. It was wicked, but I wanted to make it as difficult as possible for him to walk away. He said my name with a hoarse voice, and I felt a twinge first in my heart and then in the parts where our bodies rubbed.


    "You are trouble," Adam said when he finally pulled away and tweaked my nose.


    "You knew what you were getting yourself into," I said with a smirk.


    He smiled fully then, and it was so beautiful and unguarded. Adam took my breath away all over again. The butt then disappeared into the woods while I was collecting my brain, which popped into pieces at my feet.


    How did I get someone so amazing?


    I took time to savor that moment with him, but then I had to shelf it.


    I had my own trip to plan. I was going to spend time at Alcom''s Cove to see Lucia. Wyatt and Lucas would be coming over to make sure the homestead was good during that time and help out those in town. There were no longer orphans that the church housed, so they stayed at an apartment they saved to get in Alcom''s or my place when they came by. Both locations were used differently throughout the year to pick up different jobs. Growing up helping the farms in town led to experiences that aided them as adults. Maybe that was the church''s plan, but I doubted it.


    "You want me to get you a what?" I had difficulty keeping up with the current conversation because my brain was blank. There was no way Lucia was asking me for this. We were sitting in a diner by the ocean. It wasn''t a normal one because they primarily served fish. I really wanted a big juicy hamburger and settled for a peanut butter milkshake and fries.


    "Please, Wendy," Lucia said, her eyes pleading to me like a lost puppy. She''d grown into one of the most beautiful women I''d ever know, but the girl was still as delicate as always. Her fluffy hair and quivering eyes made her look like Nips. The same breaker of hearts that Wyatt took with him to Alcom''s Cove.


    "I''ve never done that before," I said, fiddling with my straw in my drink. "I don''t even know what brand to buy or what''s the best one to get."


    Lucia grabbed my hands and squeezed them tightly. "Pretty much no one in Alcom knows you. You can slip in. If I go in, everyone will know I think I''m¡­" Her caramel skin turned red, and I watched, fascinated at the change.


    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    "If you''re pregnant, you need to be comfortable saying it," I said. I wanted to pet Lucia''s head, but she was surprisingly strong. She had my hands in a grasp so tight her knuckles were turning white.


    I looked down, wondering how I was going to finish my drink.


    "I''m sorry!" Lucia said, letting go of me. Her eyes scanned my hands, probably assuming she hurt me in some way, the gentle soul, and I noticed the way they lingered on the scar on my right hand. That weird wishing tree had burned me all those years ago, and the scar had never really gone away.


    "I''ll do it," I said. Lucia did need to know in the end. And how fun it would be to hoard it over Wyatt''s head that I have a secret I can''t tell him. I hide my grin in my cup. Of course, I wouldn''t actually tell him, but messing with Wyatt was always fun.


    Of course, it was a lovely daydream that couldn''t come true. Everything went off without a hitch until I was in the store. The feminine health products were numerous, and I blinked at the wide array of things.


    How was I to know what was the best product when they all claimed to be? One of them, if not all, had to be lying.


    I picked the one that was the most expensive. Horrible logic, but it was probably the best one I would get right now. I should have walked out, but I decided to stay.


    I walked around idly, going up and down the aisle as I checked out things they had for display. There was more than just the tampons, pads, and pregnancy tests. There were things like heating cream and lube.


    When Adam touched me, I hadn''t had an issue with becoming ready, but maybe a little something more would be a good idea. I noticed the condoms as well, but how big was Adam? There weren''t actual sizes shown, just labels that were inconvenient. If I bought the wrong size, I could be back here buying my own pregnancy test.


    I held out my free hand as I tried to imagine his length and the corresponding condom when I saw someone I never should have seen at that moment: Adam''s uncle.


    I don''t think Mr. Dickham knew it was me because he barely glanced in my direction before he kept walking. I hadn''t seen him since I was a child, and it wasn''t a particularly memorable meeting either; it was just unpleasant for both of us. So, like me, he''d want to forget all about it.


    Besides, why was this rich dude even buying his stuff in the store? These were horrible odds for me.


    Nonetheless, I shoved the box of condoms I was considering back and ran to purchase the pregnancy test. As much as I wanted to just leave, I didn''t come this far to go back empty-handed.


    As cruel fate would have it, I ran into him at the checkout line. It was strangely packed, and I tried hard to cover the labeling of the box in my arms covertly. If I had known I would be standing in a room full of strangers, I would have grabbed more things to cover up the tests.


    Mr. Dickam''s eyes narrowed on me, and I could sense some glimmer of recognition in his harsh eyes. Crap, the longer I was exposed to him, the faster he was going to put the pieces together.


    "You''re Adam''s friend, Wendall, right?" Mr Dickham said, earning even more explosive adjectives in my head.


    He didn''t even try to get my name right.


    "Next!" The cashier said with a bored tone, and I took that cue to ignore Mr. Dickam and buy Lucia''s pregnancy tests. I clutched the cloth shopping bag to my chest and sprinted over to Lucia''s.


    She was in the doorway, unable to wait, and ushered me in like we were trying to commit a crime.


    "Ta-dah!" I said as I brandished the box. "Now go pee!"


    Lucia tripped a couple of times to the bathroom, and I helped her. I wouldn''t help her do the peeing, but I sat outside the door and listened in.


    It gave me time to admire the three-bedroom apartment they owned. It was close to the water, so they had a fantastic view, and the expansive windows displayed the ocean''s full bounty.


    "I saw Adam''s uncle at the store," I said conversationally.


    There was a clanging noise in the bathroom. "I''m okay!" Lucia said before I could ask. "Did Adam''s uncle see you with the pregnancy test?"


    After that, there was a noise from Wyatt''s room, and I furrowed my brows. "Yes, but I don''t think Mr. Dickham would recognize me. Wyatt is gone, right?" I got up, thinking I should check, but again, there was another clanging noise from the bathroom.


    "Yeah. I saw Wyatt leave on the ship this morning with Lucas and Nips." Another clang from the bathroom.


    "Lucia, maybe you should just pee in a cup and stick the thing in there," I said, torn on which door I should open. I either imagined something coming from Wyatt''s room due to guilt of what we were hiding, or something fell over on Lucia.


    "I did it." She said, and I could hear her washing her hands and coming out with the pee stick. "Now we wait."


    We sat down awkwardly in the living room. "Is it possible you''re pregnant?" Lucia said as she played with her hair.


    I made a face as I stretched out my legs on the couch I took over. "I''m still a virgin," I said. "You should know this, Lucia."


    Lucia turned red and gave a jerky nod. "I just thought how affectionate you both are¡­"


    You and me both, sister. We explored each other thoroughly but still needed to complete our union.


    "Adam is Adam," I said with a laugh. I wasn''t sure why he held himself back, but he did. "And it''s probably for the best that we haven''t gotten that far. I can''t risk getting pregnant."


    Lucia furrowed her brow at me, and I felt compelled to explain, "It''s a shifting world, Lucia."


    "You''d make a great mom," Lucia said as the timer ticked.


    "Adam would make an even better dad," I said. "Kids tie a piece of you forever with another. That might not be in the cards for us. His uncle called me Adam''s friend Wendall. Adam probably hasn''t told his family, which means we''re not really dating." I said this in a rush, knowing I had to get it off my chest. With how much Adam did for his family and the weight on his shoulders put by them, their approval was ultimately what he was after. He was slated to take over two companies and would need someone special to stand next to him. "I''m not his life partner. I''m not enough for him; he needs someone else." It was a fear I hadn''t wanted to voice out loud. I would have to be completely insane, though, to ignore the social distance of our worlds forever. His uncle''s scathing, dismissive look boiled my blood, but it also hurt me. It didn''t matter how unique my true lineage was; I was just a mountain orphan in this world.


    I couldn''t be a partner his family could be proud of with my current background. I rubbed my chest and rolled over on the couch to hide my face. These apathetic thoughts sucked. Being in love sucked when it made you only more vulnerable. His smile from the other night flashed in my head, giving me enough hope to dash these surmounting thoughts. That happenchance with his uncle crushed my hope into oblivion.


    "Wendy, what do you mean by--" The sharp, shrill beep of the timer went off, and we both rushed forward to read the results. Our heads bonked, and we laughed nervously as our eyes stayed on the stick.


    "It''s negative," Lucia said. The air went out of her sails, and I hugged her.


    "You and Wyatt are long-term. Just give it time, and you''ll have beautiful blue-eyed babies."


    Like Nips with Wyatt''s socks, Lucia looked at me with pure determination, "You and Adam are too. Just talk to him so you two can build a beautiful family together. What''s stopping you?" She was prompting me to not give up.


    Lucia underestimated my selfishness. I knew my faults, but I wouldn''t let Adam go. I loved him too much. I may not be the perfect partner, but he was stuck with me until he grew sick of me and disappeared forever. And if a better woman appeared for him, I''d fight her too. I just needed someone, anyone, to tell my woes. For now, my biggest obstacle was clearly "Time." I told her with a half snort. "We might run out of time soon."


    "There''s plenty of time for a family. Just imagine what that would look like." Lucia said, clasping her hands at her heart and letting her blue eyes twinkle like stars.


    I tried to imagine a son or a daughter with Adam''s smile or eyes, and I could feel wetness in my eyes. "Maybe if I''m lucky." I''d have to be very lucky to make that happen. Lucia was sweet and blessed; she fell in love with an uncomplicated guy like Wyatt.


    I left Alcom''s Cove shortly after. I should have waited for the proper train but hitched a ride with a friendly lady truck driver. I couldn''t tell Lucia this and left a note as I slunk into the night. I was wearing an overpriced Alcom''s Cove Sweater plastered with the ugliest fish I''ve ever seen, which was the main export of this small town. Whoever first thought to eat the Glutt fish was one crazy mofo. It was purplish black with the biggest ugliest eyes I''ve ever seen before. It dripped and smelled something fierce. It ended up as one of the tastiest fish in the world, though, and it was in abundance here. It proved to be the exception not the rule for what lies under the surface and Alcom''s Cove was rightfully obsessed with plastering the ugly bastard everywhere.


    The ride was mostly uneventful except when we were about to reach Green''s Mountain. I could feel something urging me to get out of the truck and run into the woods, and I gave in to the impulse, much to the driver''s confusion.


    I jumped out of the truck, using the lush greenery to cushion the blow. I took half a heartbeat to caress the plants, thank them, and give them energy.


    The lady driver''s cries were soon drowned out by the huffs of my breath as I ran deeper and deeper into the woods. This wasn''t the Unruly Forest; this was a pure forest that belonged only to nature. Yet I saw the floating glowing specks I had somehow managed to put out of my mind. They had slowly taken over most of Green''s Mountain, so it wasn''t surprising they were also here.


    What was shocking was the feeling that they were drawing me to something, urging me to follow.


    And I did.


    The trees broke up to show a clearing that smacked of summer. The cold night had shifted into a hot, balmy breeze. The glowing fungi went from pale blues and greens to oranges and reds. They floated like dandelion puffs that sparked and twisted in the air as if alive. This is the first time I''ve seen them do this.


    I blinked and turned around to blink at the thick trees behind me. They were still there, as were the paler, inanimate spores. The clearing was still before me when I whipped my head around to double-check.


    I was ready to turn back into the trees to take off, but my exit was cut off when a voice called out, "Wait and stay around before you miss the chance of a lifetime." The voice was familiar, and I whipped again to look.


    A table had appeared in the middle of the clearing. A familiar face sat at the table, and I blinked, confused. It was Sunny. She had dropped all the baby weight, and her hair was cropped to her ears. It curled around her face in wild spirals that looked more like a pasta bowl with mixed noodles than a head of hair. She was wearing a black tuxedo with no adornment.


    This was a dream, right? As I blinked, an older man appeared behind her wearing a matching tuxedo. He stood behind her and looked like a butler escorting a young lady.


    Sunny wasn''t a young lady; she was a brute of a cousin. What kind of dream was this?


    "I''m hungry, let''s have some meat!" Sunny clapped her hands, and the middle of the table became a grill. I watched, perplexed beyond belief, as she started grilling meat.


    "We''re just waiting for one more," Sunny said, stuffing her face. It was reminiscent of the way the Sunny I knew ate. This was not her, though. There was something off about her, and I took a step back. I wanted to run away after all.


    When I took that step back, I fell into a rigid body. Familiar hands steadied me, and I saw Wyatt looming behind me. His perpetual smile was missing from his face, and I hiccuped sharply with shock at seeing his true nature so openly displayed. No longer carefree, his sharp jaw was fierce and hostile. He looked ready to fight, but he wasn''t looking at me. He was glaring at Sunny. This was the Wyatt I got a glimpse of in my library all those years ago.


    Wyatt was well over six feet by this point. His blonde hair was long and usually tied back, but it was now loose and wild. He was wearing only boxers and looked like he had been sleeping. Still, I could feel my shoulders relax at the sight of him.


    "Come and sit down Gwendolyn and Wyatt," Sunny said with a smirk that carried knives as she gestured to two chairs that appeared at the table. The voice was friendly, but there wasn''t anything nice about Sunny knowing my true name. My legs moved against my will, and I sat at the table. Wyatt was right behind me, guiding me with a hand on the small of my back. It was strangely comforting that I wasn''t alone in this moment.


    The haggard old man moved over to scoot my chair in. I was able to get a better look at him. His skin was like pale cream. His eyes sparkled, and it was hard to gauge their color. Why were they seethrough like stained glass? Was there glass in them? His hair was the color of snow, and it was hard to tell how old he was. But he had to be someone''s grandpa with snowy hair like that!


    His suspiciously smooth hands lingered, and I kept my face neutral as I felt something fall into my sweater''s hood. What had he put there? "Careful." The man''s words were barely above a whisper, and I gulped. I could feel Wyatt stiffen on the other side of me. With his superior hearing, he may have heard more than I did.


    The old man seemed less scary than Sunny at the moment, so it may be okay to leave it be for now.


    It also didn''t hurt that Sunny''s eyes had narrowed speculatively, and I felt cornered like prey. He wouldn''t have been so secretive if it hadn''t been a secret from her, right? Maybe the man was on our side?


    "John!" Sunny said sharply, and he all but ran to stand behind her again. The snarl disappeared from her face, and she looked me over as if trying to figure out what John had been up to.


    She opened her mouth, and I felt my shoulders grow tense. However, a loud crack of glass cut her off from speaking. Everyone but Wyatt turned to see him holding half a plate. The other half was on the grill sizzling.


    "Oops," Wyatt said with an unconvincing shrug.


    With an impatient wave of her hand, this strange Sunny made the mess disappear, and an elaborate tea party was in its place.


    Despite the seriousness, strangeness, and overall scary moment, I could feel myself drool as my fingers itched to try the lemon tarts and cute flower cheesecake slices.


    I didn''t realize I had reached for one until Wyatt smacked it out of my hand. I almost thanked him, but he was staring at Sunny.


    "What do you want?" Wyatt''s deep rumble voice was free from the lightness he often infused it with.


    "Is that any way to treat me?" Sunny said with a chipper laugh. "You''re acting like you''re meeting the undertaker and not the granter of wishes." She lifted a teacup that seemingly filled itself.


    I wrinkled my nose at the strong scent of booze that wafted off it.


    "What do you want?" Wyatt said again, and he smacked my hand, which had, by itself, I swear, picked up a treat and was inching it towards my mouth.


    "I''m bored," Sunny said mournfully as she clacked the cup down. "I thought things would go faster, but you''re all boring me."


    Wyatt grabbed my disobedient right hand, which was reaching again for a lemon tart, and held it tight. He clearly no longer trusted me not to eat the possibly dangerous food. I just wanted a taste. Some of my favorite treats were on this table. Grateful, regardless of the possible loss of free food, I squeezed his hand, still unable to find my voice for some reason.


    "What do you want?" Wyatt said through gritted teeth, and I gulped. There was fear laced in his stern tone. Was Wyatt scared?


    "I want to play a game!" Sunny said, clapping her hands. She didn''t seem to mind that I was mute, and Wyatt only asked the same thing repeatedly. Her lips curved mischievously while her eyes squeezed into happy crescents. "So I''ve summoned my two wishers to play a game with me."


    I looked at the table; there was only food on the table. Was it a food-eating contest? I must have said that part out loud because Sunny laughed at me, and Wyatt gave me a quick look of disbelief.


    "Eating could be involved, my dear Gwendolyn," Sunny said.


    "How¡­How do you know my real name?" I said. This was starting to feel too real to be a dream. Wyatt''s tight grip on my hand, the mixed scent of sweets and booze, and let''s not forget the chilly air that banished into a warm summer breeze.


    "We are family, after all, Gwendolyn Girru. I know everything about you." Sunny said, but I hiccuped in surprise as I saw her eyes open slowly to reveal glowing, hot-like, flickering embers as her pupils.


    "You''re not alone in this world." My grandmother''s previous words came back to haunt me yet again.

 Chapter Twenty Two

    I felt my blood go cold as I looked at ''Sunny'' with fresh eyes. As if sensing my in-depth perusal, Sunny finally dropped whatever facade she had about her power.


    I watched as her power exploded from her chest in bright lights, like an aurora borealis of gold, orange, red, and black.


    If the ball of power I carried in me was a spark of energy that could fill me up, whatever this person had was a sun whose heat had no match. This wasn''t witch energy I was feeling coming off in waves. Nor was it like anything I''ve ever felt. I thought my grandmother was powerful, but this was way above her pay grade.


    I turned to see if Wyatt was seeing this, but his expression was blank with the same level of tenseness.


    Mortals would be oblivious to this. But I, a witch in a normie''s body, recognized what kind of powerhouse I was staring at.


    "You''re a deity." My voice came out as a gasp. It hurt to breathe as the energy expanded and filled up the area. Wyatt''s grip was so tight it became painful, and I spared him a look again. He was pale now, and maybe he knew what I did.


    A weird chipper sound almost broke the tension with its little jangle. "First prize goes to my lovely relative Gwendolyn." Sunny laughed, "Oh, you guys probably don''t know what that sound is. It''s a lottery chime. I don''t think this world has casinos. Seems strange, but maybe I''ll give the idea to a mortal who amuses me. The sound means you win a prize when you hear it." It rang again, and she wiggled in rhythm with it.


    I wet my dry lips with shaky effort. "Your power hurts." I managed to get out through gritted teeth. My right hand was burning. I looked down briefly to see the old scar from the Wishing tree. It looked fine, but what wasn''t okay was the feeling of sizzling flesh of an old wound.


    "You''re the only one in this world who could sense the scope. I haven''t had a chance to show off in a long time." ''Sunny'' said with a giggle but her power grew stronger and I gasped. She was holding back? The bright glare of her strength swelled, and I closed my eyes as I tried to leave the table.


    "Enough, you''re hurting her!" Wyatt yelled; he let go of my hand but was using his arms to furtively protect me. I''d thank him if I wasn''t trying to catch my breath.


    ''Sunny'' puckered her lips and squinted at me, "Am I? This is her prize for getting the first question correct. I''m showing her who I am."


    "That''s a bullshit prize," I said, glaring at her through my fear. If she wanted to kill us, she would have done so already. What did this ''God'' want from us?


    ''Sunny'' held out a hand, and a coin appeared. It traveled across her knuckles as she looked at me. "I suppose it is." She said slowly and flipped it into the air, catching it casually. She glanced at it and gave a short sigh. Like a candle, her power was extinguished in the next few seconds, and I could finally breathe.


    A gust of wind swept through the table, knocking over the abundant table of food as a child might knock over a tower of bricks.


    The being known as Sunny disappeared before anything could splatter her fine suit.


    Wyatt turned to me and held out a single finger that air wrapped around, and I watched transfixed as he sent the spores and John several feet away from us. His gaze was fierce as he hurriedly said, "No matter what, she will not hurt you." He emphasized both of those words. "Be bold and don''t be afraid."


    Before I could question him or say anything, ''Sunny'' was back with a fierce expression. "Wasting food is a sign of bad character and morals Attarib."


    Attarib? I looked at Wyatt, who was glaring at Sunny. Should I call him Attarib?


    "I don''t know what you''re talking about," Wyatt said with a straight face, but he had yet to retract the finger that spun the offending gust.


    ''Sunny''s eyes narrowed, and I gulped as the fire in them grew. I watched the flames lick her face as they burst forth, and in horror, I saw the fire melt away the flesh of her skin. Glaring white facial bones grew red, then black under the crackling heat of her eyes. The snap and hiss of broken bones soon went silent. I couldn''t see anything but the brunt, black, headless person who used to be my cousin.


    The fire wasn''t done.


    It grew until it consumed all of her. What had started as a spark became an inferno as red sparks became a bright blue flame. Nothing was safe, and before I had time to react, Wyatt had grabbed me and held me princess-style as he flew, yup, this stinky boy can fly, into the air.


    The transformation was long, yet neither Wyatt nor I tried to escape. I had forgotten John, but he looked rather bored by the whole thing. The smell alone should have bothered him. It was so offensive I almost gagged. With a flick of his wrist, Wyatt changed the direction of the wind to keep us both away from it.


    That meant we had more time to watch in horror as the transformation continued.


    The melted flesh was soon joined by ashes and the fallen limbs of ''Sunny.'' A naked woman stepped out of that inferno, and under our eyes, the floating spark spores covered her bare skin. By the time they floated away from her, she was adorned with a brand-new suit...only this one was made of black steel. Instead of the eerie skin changer cousin, a new woman stood out. I had no idea what the heck was going on.


    Wyatt did, but he was tightlipped and silent no matter what I tried to do. My throat was too tight to talk, but he knew what my pinches and elbow smashes meant! Worse of all, he landed the two of us down across from the now armored melty-faced woman!


    "I was so tired of wearing that pathetic character, but I didn''t expect to lose it so easily." She was who Sunny said. Her voice was joyful with a twinge of regret as she kicked away melted flesh with several sweeps of her feet.


    As if the fire had burnt her from the inside out, her flesh was now black without a single hint of char. It looked smooth and like it was craved from night, not destruction.


    "I bet I look familiar, Attarib." She said with a savage grin.


    I could feel something niggle in the back of my head.


    Wyatt rolled his eyes, "You look nothing like my father."


    "Your father is black?" I said with disbelief. Wyatt is the whitest boy I know.


    Before Wyatt could respond, he was attacked. The spores floating around without a care or ill intention turned violent. Wyatt pushed me out of the way of their assault, but he probably shouldn''t have. They ignored me and went all in on him. He used his abilities to push them away, but they were numerous and explosive. They suicide bombed him, setting off one after another.


    There was little that I could do to stop them. For all my efforts, offensive plant manipulation still needed to be added to my skill roster.


    I turned to look at ''Sunny'', who was sipping away on a giant iced drink.


    "Stop!" I found my voice and attempted to reach out to the spores. They hadn''t been my friends like most plants, but they were generally tolerant of me. They ignored my cries, but sadly, ''Sunny'' did not.


    "Why so sad bug?" She said with a concerned expression. "This is a mild punishment for ruining my meal."


    "Stop," I said, turning to meet her eyes. I may have shaky legs, but if what Wyatt said was correct, she won''t hurt me. I could ignore that he hadn''t told me his name was Attarib. I hadn''t been truthful about my true name either.


    I can''t help him fight, but I can reason with this person. Wyatt didn''t deserve this.


    "Then give me something that makes it worth my while." ''Sunny'' said with a smirk. A coin appeared on her palm to roll across her knuckles.


    What could I give? Anything I could offer was something this being could get better undoubtedly.


    "I don''t have anything," I said.


    "Give me your body." She said.


    My body? What use would it have had to her?


    "I can see you trying to process this, so let me simplify it for your pea brain. I want access to you. No matter where you go I can follow."


    Why would she want something like that? Wait..."Can''t you do something like that already?"


    "There are restrictions, but enough about that. The clock is ticking."


    I looked at Wyatt, who was still battling with the flaming spores. She was right. Time was being eaten up by this. It wouldn''t be a problem to promise this, right? If this diety really wanted to do anything to me it would be now. Wyatt said she wouldn''t...so...


    "I grant you permission to my body," I said, and the world started spinning until I closed my eyes.


    I reopened my eyes to find myself in a dungeon. The damp air was moldy and thick, and I covered my nose at the offensive scents that assaulted my senses. When I was finally brave enough to open my eyes and look around, I saw that the scene wasn''t much better.


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    It was dark, dirty, and almost pitch black, and I wanted to cry. This is a worse prize! I should have kept my mouth shut, and maybe the Goddess wouldn''t have sent me to a dungeon. Dealing with a painful amount of energy was better than this.


    I reached out into the void, attempting to find something to pinpoint just where I was exactly. I could feel something wiggle on the back of my neck as I moved.


    Oh yeah, that old guy put something in the folds of my hoodie. I reached awkwardly to dig around until I pulled out a funny looking locket. The thing looked ancient, and I couldn''t make out the inscription or the design on the star. The cold metal felt strange, and I could feel power pouring off it.


    I pursed my lips and attempted to put it in my space. It went without a fuss, and I looked at a label for the first time in a long time.


    Name: ??????? ????? ??????????


    Age: ????


    Life Expectancy: ??


    I hiccuped nervously when I saw that and mentally exited my space, taking a flashlight on my way out. There were two ankhs for life expectancy. What did that mean? And why was everything else full of question marks?


    I turned on the flashlight to inspect my so-called prize and dropped it when the light shone on one very decrepit Wyatt.


    A strange growth of affection had me throwing caution to the wind as I lunged forward to grab Wyatt into a tight hug.


    How was it that he was present during the worst moments in my life? He looked like he''d seen better days, and finally, I could return the favor and help him out of whatever trials we had been tossed into. His long hair had been cropped short, which was regrettable, and aside from some filth and clothing turned rags, he looked alright.


    Wyatt stirred under me in more ways than one, and I stiffened.


    "Have I met your standards for a night then, lass?" Wyatt slowly drawled out and I backed away instantly.


    Wait, this isn''t Wyatt. He didn''t have an accent, and he certainly wouldn''t get hard over me. I fumbled for the flashlight and shone it on the man, hoping a better look would show me who I was dealing with.


    "Not kind to point the light directly in me eye." His accent was less thick this time, barely noticeable, and I felt my shoulders relax stupidly. It was Wyatt, but not my Wyatt. I imagined the Wyatt I knew over the one before me. My Wyatt was muscled with long hair and a fake smile to hide his true nature. This Wyatt had short hair and a ton of scars. One of the scars had even taken his eye. The one eye he had was glittering and almost feral.


    When I hugged him, I didn''t notice the chains on his legs that connected to the walls. This place was filthy, dark, and clearly a prison. How long had Wyatt been subjected to this?


    "Who are you?" I said, wetting my lips and moving the light so it wasn''t directly on him.


    "Wyatt." He said slowly as if tasting the name.


    I narrowed my eyes, wondering if this was a shapeshifter instead of the real thing. Even if it was, could I leave someone that looked like Wyatt alone? Of course, other thoughts arose, but I didn''t have time to go down more than one line of thought.


    "I''m not here to sleep with you. I''m going to help you get out." I said, moving closer to inspect what I could do now. He needed to be cleaned and fed because he was clearly starving and losing whatever muscles he had.


    "Why?" The voice was hostile, not grateful, and I snorted.


    "Because you''re my friend, and friends help each other," I said, moving his face to inspect the almost closed hole where his eye was. "Remember that no matter what happens next."


    I didn''t get much out of him after that. He moved his body, barely helpfully, to let me clean him, and he ate the food I pulled out of the space without question. It was weird sitting next to a Wyatt that didn''t chatter.


    The dungeon was thick with neglect, and the mess likely blocked the exit, so that had to go first. I had just finished and was wiping what I could of the dungeon clean when I could hear someone call my name. "Oh, I think I''m being¡­" But I didn''t get to finish that sentence.


    I found myself back at the clearing with Wyatt and Sunny. It was the Wyatt I knew, though, and I found myself grabbing his face the moment I saw him to inspect his eyes. He had won the battle with the exploding spores and came out scorched, but all right.


    "It felt so real seeing you in that dungeon," I said, moving his head around.


    "It was real," Sunny said with a laugh. "Your prize was a trip to one of the previous versions of this world."


    Wyatt''s bright blue eyes met mine, and I froze, unsure how to process that. Why would he be rotting in prison? Who could do something so cruel to him? What happened to Lucia or Lucas that they weren''t there¡­I pulled away to sit back down in my seat. There were too many questions and not enough time to answer them.


    "Time for the next game!" Sunny clapped her hands, eager to move on. "Since my lovely Gwendolyn already went, it''s time for you, Wyatt."


    Sunny waved, and Wyatt disappeared from the clearing.


    She turned to me, "While we wait, let''s play another game. His might take awhile to finish."


    "Gwendolyn, which one is the real Sonja?" ''Sunny'' said, and I felt guilt shoot through me. I hadn''t forgotten the little girl, but I had certainly done what I could to bury the memory of her deep down. She was intrinsically part of Grandpa Evan''s living memory, which was hard to think about.


    Two pictures were put in front of me, and I stared at them. They were identical in every aspect. It was like one of those spot-the-difference puzzles, but both were the same.


    I didn''t get a timer like Wyatt. Instead, I got ''Sunny''s'' intent gaze as I struggled. The scene depicted was one of my last moments with the girl. Happiness and sadness battled within me as I held up the two pictures. There had to be a tell that one of these was not her.


    "Time''s up, your loss!" ''Sunny'' said, and before I could respond, John stepped forward and held out a screen to ''Sunny.''


    "Well, it looks like the Girru luck strikes again. Even though you didn''t answer in time, Wyatt cleared the next stage." ''Sunny'' sighed and waved an impatient hand towards me.


    I landed, yet again, in the dungeon. All the work I put into cleaning and looting around for an exit had gone to waste. It was messier than before, and Wyatt was nowhere to be seen.


    "Shit." I nervously looked around for Wyatt. Did he already leave?


    "You came back." A hoarse voice behind me growled, and I instinctively started to run away. A rough hand grabbed my wrist, and I yelped. That ''Sunny'' said Wyatt cleared a stage so why was I back here. How was this a reward? Why did Wyatt want me here?


    "You said you''d help me escape." This Wyatt said.


    I did. And I''m a witch of my word. "Let''s get you out then." It was easier than it had a right to be. It was only this easy because I could pull out tools from my space. Wyatt watched me wordlessly bring out tools after I used a flashlight to give us a visual.


    He had a hand on me the whole time, though, which was distracting. Did Wyatt always have such big hands? And why was every Wyatt I met so touchy feely with me? However, this one had a good reason; I vanished before his eyes last time.


    He was soon freed, and before I could enjoy my hard work, the wind began to whip around the room.


    I watched, horrified and transfixed, as air spun in tight circles, gaining speed and power only to wrap around Wyatt''s outstretched free hand. Wyatt had a savage smile, the first smile I''ve ever seen this Wyatt have.


    "You didn''t even need me!" I said above the roar of the wind.


    "I couldn''t use all of my powers with the chains," Wyatt said, and I blinked. All? That meant he had some powers he was still able to use? How many powers did Wyatt have?


    "Bang." He said before shooting off the wind that wrapped around his arm like a cannon. The wall never stood a chance, and I breathed a mouthful of fresh air in among the rubble.


    Dust was inhaled as well, but it felt so good to have fresh air. "Let''s go!" Wyatt said, and since he was still holding my hand, he practically dragged me outside. We were in Green''s Mountain near the town square where Caelis was annually held.


    So it wasn''t too surprising that we came across the wishing tree on our way. It looked vastly different from usual.


    It was proud, strong, and virile whenever I saw it over the years. Now, it looked like a true weeping willow, gaunt, with no leaves and no wishes tied to it.


    It was winter, judging from the snow that was stacked everywhere. "Why hasn''t anyone put a wish on the tree?" I said, hesitating to touch the prickly thing.


    "The world ended not that long ago. People are busy fighting over resources, not wishes." Wyatt said, looking around us, assumingly for company.


    Wait, how did that ''Sunny'' greet us? She called us wishers. "Wyatt, have you ever made a wish on that tree?" I said, and he gave me an incredulous look before shaking his head.


    "I wonder if you do, that means we''ll meet again¡­" I said I was unable to stop myself from wondering outloud. I made one and sealed it with my true name and this body''s name. What if Wyatt made one too? Is that why we met?


    As I stood there, my mind boggled over how things could play out, Wyatt let go of my hand. He reappeared before me, and I watched, horrified, as he tied a slip of paper to the tree.


    "So I guess this means we''ll meet again." Wyatt looked back at me with an eerily sweet smile.


    I hiccupped and stared at him transfixed. I opened my mouth but was ripped from the moment, just like last time.


    Instead of landing back at the tea table, I was carried by a strange man. It wasn''t Wyatt, and it wasn''t John or any other man I''d seen before.


    Long golden brown hair fell in a disarray of curls that lankily draped across my body. The man was muttering strangely, and when he noticed I was awake, he tossed me a cruel smile. "Welcome to the land of the almost living." He said, and his voice was roughly hoarse as he switched languages to one I could understand.


    The man''s eyes flickered like hot coals, and I gulped. Was this ''Sunny''s'' proper form?


    "What am I supposed to call you?" I said when I had finally wet my mouth enough to speak.


    "Destiny or fate will do. For everything you''ve done was predestined by me. I thought you would pull out something that would shock and prove yourself worthy of my attention, but alas, it''s hard for mortals to entertain me for long. So let''s wrap this up."


    He spoke caustically and unbearably rude but I could not look away. Why was he carrying me so gently if he was fed up with me? His power wasn''t roaring to cause harm, and I was held snugly in his arms. Why was this God so contradictory? Nothing he''d done had caused actual damage, and he seemed to help us.


    "So, my dear. I want you to figure out who I am for our final game. What is my name?" He said this as he gently set me down, holding one of my hands as my feet touched the ground. And I finally got a look around. We were underground, but it was a small, barely lit room. There was a table in front of me, and he gestured towards it.


    "All the clues you need are right there, Gwendolyn." He said before sitting down in midair. He crossed one leg over another and propped up his head with a hand and all but became a statue. It was reminiscent of something, but I turned away from him to peer at the table.


    There was a strange assortment of things on the table. Nothing too apparent for which God I was dealing with. This was going to take a lot of work. I would have to draw upon everything I knew to narrow it down.


    "Do I have a certain amount of time to figure it out?" I asked him.


    He shrugged, "Time here is limitless. Though he might get impatient." His hand was still propped up on his chin, but he was sitting in the air. This could be a clue. Anything could be a clue. I''d have to go over everything we talked about.


    I wanted to ask who the he that might get impatient was, but I figured it was the man John from before or even Wyatt. Better to focus on questions that pertained to his name.


    "How many chances do I have to get it right?" I said. I needed to know this even more than the time allotted. If it was endless, I''d just run through every God and Goddess I knew.


    A smile grew on his face as his leg moved. "One." He said. "But I''ll answer two questions that won''t give it away."


    I hiccuped as I realized I just asked him two questions and one before he announced the final gambit. His laugh broke the tension, "We can start now, my dear Gwendolyn."


    "Are you a god or a goddess?" It had to be my first question, so I shot it off first.


    "Both." He said with a twist of his mouth. It was a sardonic smile at my expense and made me regret asking. "I can be whatever I want to be when the mood fits. Gender doesn''t matter to me."


    Well, that did nothing to narrow it down. I thought bitterly as I racked my mind for the final question I could ask. I looked down at the table. There were three lit candles in the middle of the table. It barely showcased the items on it correctly.


    Three mini statues of men were on it. They were old and broken in far too many places. I could tell it was from the Babylonian Empire. The cuneiform on the base below could help me narrow it down, but it was incomplete because it scratched off in several places.


    There was a gold coin, a gold necklace, and a golden blade that looked like part of a set but were spread across the table as if to hide the connection. Or it was just carelessly tossed. I tried to take a step back and not touch anything. Not everything had been thrown at random. That could speak of some kind of chaotic God. He certainly fit the bill for that. And for tricksters.


    There were countless trickster Gods, and that wasn''t counting my world of Gods. He could be from any world, even this world as well. I froze at that thought. The three main Gods I heard about seemed familiar, but I swept that thought under the rug like many things. But it had rang a cord when I first heard it, and there were three sets of three on the table.


    Three seemed to be an essential number to this God. I took a few moments recalling everything he had said to me from start to finish.


    "You all but told me from the start, haven''t you," I said, looking at this God with fresh eyes. How could I have been so blind?


    The only response I received was a more broad smile.


    "You have more than one name. This isn''t fair." I said. Many deities seemed to have a slew of names depending on their place in history. This one was the same.


    "What''s my name, Gwendolyn?" He demanded, his eyes glowing hot in the room that seemed to blacken around me.


    He must be talking about ''her'' first name. The erased one cursed from existence by ''her'' mother, the Goddess of Destiny. That had to be the one, so I opened my mouth and said it.

 Chapter Twenty Three

    For context, once upon a time, there was a powerful Goddess of Destiny. Her only lover and husband was a mere mortal man whose fate she tweaked. From that union spawned three children. Well, not children exactly; she birthed monsters that could become man or beast. Each went on to become the first of their kind. Thanks to her maneuvering, of course.


    Unable to stop herself, she spun and weaved the fate and likeness of two of her children to be the spitting image of their father. The third was made in her own.


    You''d think the third would be the one she favored, but the third grew to become the one she loathed the most. That third child took something away from the Goddess of Destiny that no one could bring back. And she tried hard with everything she could to do so.


    The Goddess of Destiny messed up her third child''s fate as punishment. According to history, the third child had multiple curses placed upon them. The third child lost their true form and name. The bereaved Goddess of Destiny even took death away to ensure that that exit was closed forever for her hated spawn. This was why the third child went from a fire monstrous bird to what would become known as a phoenix. A bright bird doomed to burn repeatedly, each time taking on a new face and identity.


    Anyone reading my diary can guess by this point that that third child was my ancestor. Her name wasn''t Sunny but something else entirely.


    Maybe she missed her real name and just wanted someone to say it. Is that why she was so sweet but cruel to me? We technically are family, just distantly related.


    And I think I got it right. I must have because I wasn''t dead. The Phoenix Goddess was my family ancestor; thanks to her blood, our family was powerful. Her true name was cursed and not to be spoken ever¡­


    I was thinking about this as I slowly woke up. Yet again, I was being carried around by my ancestor in male form. We were walking through the Unruly Forest. I ignored the trees and stared at him as if I could determine his motives.


    "Who is John?" I said when the silence grew too thick.


    "My current toy." The Phoenix God said simply.


    "What should I call you if I can''t use your real name?" It was written in bold ink in the family history books what the rules regarding it were. That name could be seen but never spoken. It was suggested to never even think about it due to the curse woven into its being. In the books, the name was spaced out so that even by accident, they couldn''t combine to form her name. Before she became who she was, she was just a demi-god whose mother lost her mind. There was a lull in the stories because she must have ascended somehow. Or I underestimated just how powerful a demi-god could become.


    "It doesn''t matter. Mordecai, Keeper, Girru, Aphra, Bellona, or any others I''ve used would work." He said, sighing. "Now, can you shut up? You''re rather heavy."


    How could a God balk at carrying a small, growing girl like myself? He was clearly lying. "Aphra? Isn''t that a Goddess from this world?" I asked. He told me to shut up, but I had questions. A few more couldn''t hurt.


    Oh, but it did; he tossed me cruelly to the ground. "You can walk yourself to your house."


    I rubbed my butt and glared up at him. "Is that any way to treat family?"


    "Distant family."


    "Mordecai blood will out!" I said, standing to square off. The first name that he stated would work for now. It was also better than calling him Keeper like on the Effaced box.


    "Not in this body. You have no blood that comes from me." Mordecai gave an uppercut of logic I couldn''t combat or see coming. I was mentally knocked to the ground, and I mourned the loss.


    "Why are you here then?" I said.


    "You left your family''s library," Mordecai said. He pulled out a familiar coin and played with it across his knuckles. "When your soul came here, the danger you were in was brought to my attention."


    "Danger from you," I said snarkily.


    He gave a chirp of a laugh, "Never from me."


    "Then who?" I said, my voice a quiet murmur.


    "Anyone that wants a piece of me." He said with an uncaring smirk.


    Easy for him to laugh and smirk at that when I had to live in secret most of my life. "So it''s your fault my family has had to hide," I said. "Doesn''t that mean the danger does come from you?"


    "By association, my dear Gwendolyn. But those dead relatives of ours have themselves to blame. Power attracts attention, and no matter how far removed, those with the blood of the divine have it in spades."


    "Why go through all this trouble?" This was something I was dying to know. He didn''t have to do all this extra stuff if he was just checking in on me.


    "This world was a fun puzzle to crack. I wanted to know why it would be reset more than once. It''s not a time loop exactly, and due to your godblood, you set off a chain of events I needed to facilitate and observe."


    "Needed to or wanted to because you were bored," I said with narrow eyes. I felt like I was getting answers to questions I would have in twenty years, not the answers I needed right now.


    "I want to see if you can beat the odds, Gwendolyn. I want to see if you will beat fate."


    I made a face at that and opted for a new strategy. "Where''s Sunny and Sonja?" I asked him. That should have been my first question, but I hesitated to know what he would say.


    "Sunny was just the body I used to get close to you. I needed to study you. Sonja never existed. She was a bit of twisted magic that created the illusion of life. Wyatt was sent back to the fish place if that''s what you want to ask about next."


    It was good to know that Wyatt was safe. Given how much he hid his true strength, I wasn''t surprised to hear that. What was more shocking was what he said about Sonja. The question about which one in the clearing was Sonja was clearly just a setup. If Sonja wasn''t real, then the answer was neither. It was just a trick.


    Speaking of weird tricks.


    "What was with all those weird games in the clearing," I said they were chaotic and disorganized, and they didn''t make any sense to me.


    "I needed to make sure that you met Wyatt and keep the timeline on the correct path."


    "Why not just do it?" I said with a scrunched expression.


    "Why should I do anything for nothing?" Mordecai countered.


    There was a lull as I opened my mouth to ask Mordecai why he was carrying me instead of teleporting us to my house.


    Before I could bombard him with another question, the man grinned at me with malice. "It''s time for you to grow up. Stop ignoring things until it comes smacking you in the head. Or you''ll regret it because I''ll make you learn the hard way until it gets through. You know what you''re forcing yourself to disregard."


    My mouth fell open at the sudden assault.


    His smile dropped from his face, and he looked serious for half a second before the smile came back. "I want you to win against the odds. You''re my last descendant, after all."


    I tilted my head to the side, ignoring everything else he said, "No, I''m not. My grandma and Gus are still around."


    Mordecai gave a ghost of a smile. "Are they?" And disappeared.


    Cold fear grabbed my heart at his words. Did that mean they died while I was here?


    I don''t know how I stumbled through the forest, but I made it somehow. I needed to sleep off whatever the hell all of that was and then go find Wyatt for some answers. Then leave this world. I wasn''t running away precisely, but it was not comforting that a shape-changing God was watching me. His spores floated all around my forest and I made a face. They were magical glowing fungi that could attack and likely spy on me as well.


    My body was aching and tired, and I didn''t need the dark sky to tell me it was past bedtime. I couldn''t do much if I was going to pass out halfway.


    My plans were paused, however, by the sight of Adam. He stood on the front porch stiff with an expression I couldn''t read in the dark.


    "Adam?" I said. "What are you doing here?" I ran up to him, and he barely moved. He stood tall and obscured by darkness. I might have balked if this was anyone else, but this was Adam. Something was off about him. I got up on my tippy toes to touch his cheek. It was icy to the touch.


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    "How long have you been out here? Let''s go inside." I reached for his hand and held tight as I tried to direct us into the home.


    "Where were you?" Adam''s voice was full of emotion, and he dug his heels, pulling on our connected hands. This stopped me from moving, and I turned to look at him.


    It was dark, and I couldn''t see his expression. Maybe it was time to start worrying. "A distant relative stopped by and tied me up."


    "For two weeks?" Adam said.


    I blinked as I processed that. I was gone for two weeks? "How is that possible? I¡­¡± My mouth flapped open as I tried to think about the time I spent being spirited around by Mordecai.


    "I''m sorry. I don''t know it was that long."


    He lifted me, and unlike the times Mordecai held me, I clung to Adam. I wrapped my hands around his neck and said, "I''m so sorry."


    "That''s not enough," Adam said and quickly strode into the house and tossed me onto my bed. Before I could catch my breath, he pressed down on me.


    His clothing felt cold on my skin, but his lips were hot. He inhaled me, not allowing me any air that didn''t come from him, and I breathed him in.


    Adam all but ripped the Glutt sweater off me and the sweats I wore under them. In seconds, I was laid bare for his perusal, and he scanned me from head to toe with his smoldering eyes and chilly fingers.


    I gasped as he prodded every inch of my body with his tongue and hands.


    "Adam¡­" I tried to question him, but I ended up just saying his name over and over as he set my body ablaze.


    I was wet, pilant and ready and even after I came I expected Adam to pull away, to stop himself like before. Instead, he got naked. I lay panting on the bed as I watched him rip off his clothing. His body was taut with concentration, and I reached out to touch him, but he used his tie to restrain my hands together.


    "You are mine," Adam said and entered me. Pain from the entry brought a whimper from me, and he cupped my face to kiss the tears. Gentle, regular Adam would have paused, but this was a beast of a man, and he instead found my sweet spots as he maintained his pace.


    Adam''s skin was heating up against my own, and I could feel pleasure intermingle with the pain until the pleasure won. We''re finally one.


    He didn''t untie my hands and kept me pinned as he dominated my body. I''d never seen this side of Adam. He wasn''t one to lose his cool or give into passion. I wanted to reach out to touch him, but he sort of tied my hands. I rubbed our noses among the motion and whispered, "I''ll always be yours."


    We didn''t finish for quite some time. And when we did he fell asleep pressing me down.


    I woke up first as was often the case. The sun was slowly entering the sky but I couldn''t greet it. Adam hadn''t untied my hands, and I stared at his sleeping face, which was planted on my chest.


    The rise and fall of my chest lifted his head, and I laughed a little as I playful breathed heavily to watch it. "You never stop playing, do you?" Adam''s rumbly voice tickled my breast, as did the beard he''d been hard at work growing while I was gone. I suppose that was why his face was hidden in the shadows before.


    "Untie me, and I''ll behave."


    "No," Adam said, and my heart jumped at how good his early morning voice sounded. "You never behave. That''s not a fair deal." He lifted his head up to scan my face.


    "You''re the most misbehaved. What came over you last night?" My tone was still joking, but I was genuinely confused. For as long as we''d been together, he''d never ripped pleasure out of me like that. It was hot and fun, but what happened while I was gone?


    "My uncle mentioned he saw you at the store," Adam said, and my heart began to race.


    "Oh, did he?" I averted my gaze as I spoke, noting how beautiful the lemon trees looked this morning. I had been away, but they looked as well taken care of as ever.


    "He said you were buying a pregnancy test." Adam''s voice was neutral, but there was an undercurrent of something in his tone.


    "That''s strange. What would I need to buy one of those for?" I wished I could run off and do something, but Adam trapped me.


    "Then you disappeared from Alcom before you were supposed to leave. And Wyatt did as well." Adam''s neutral tone was gone, and there was icy venom all but falling off the last few words.


    So it was my Wyatt, I mean this world''s Wyatt, kidnapped by my ancestor.


    "He returned a few days ago, but you were still gone. Wendy, where did you go?" Adam was watching me closely as I wondered how the fuck I was going to answer his question.


    "My relative held me up. I told you that already. He grabbed Wyatt as well, though I don''t quite understand. What did Wyatt say?" I said, trying not to bite my tongue or look nervous.


    "He said the same thing. Lucia also said the pregnancy test was for her." Adam''s voice was back to neutral.


    "My relative was strange, and I thought only a few hours had passed. I wouldn''t have stayed away that long had I known otherwise." This might seem like a wild tale to anyone else. Still, with all that I''ve experienced and Adam had seen, unquestionably he''d believe me.


    Oh, my gods. He didn''t. I could see mistrust in his eyes when he looked at me, and my heart cracked a little.


    "You told Lucia that I''m not your life partner," Adam said accusingly.


    Lucia wouldn''t have told on me I would bet the farm on that. That meant, "You were in Wyatt''s room, weren''t you." That noise I heard after I mentioned the pregnancy test likely came from that. "Why didn''t you come out to join us?"


    "Don''t change the subject, Wendy." Adam grabbed my face and locked eyes with me. "Why did you say you''re not good enough for me then disappear for two weeks?"


    It was obvious that my actions looked extremely bad when you put it into that context. I thought as our noses touched. "I didn''t say anything about going away because I didn''t plan on going anywhere."


    "Why did you say those things to Lucia?" Adam''s voice was thick with emotion, and I could feel myself wavering.


    I''d been delaying this, but honestly, there were a slew of reasons. Things that hadn''t quite added up when it came to Adam, and the truth of the matter is¡­why were there so many blank spots in my knowledge of him?


    "You keep me separate from half your life, Adam. What was I supposed to think?" My voice was steady. These thoughts weren''t known and only gained traction as I dwelled on them. I had yet to meet his sister or his father. Heck, I didn''t even know their names. I didn''t know his last name, and there was so much more. I had no idea where his home was or what he lived like when I wasn''t there. I had half the blame because I never tried to break into that part of his world. If he wasn''t holding the door to let me into it then maybe he didn''t want me there...


    He separated me completely from a part of his life that mattered to him.


    Adam had a stunned expression, and instead of answering, he flopped his head on my chest. "I''m not keeping you separate because I plan on finding a wife."


    "But you are keeping me separate. And there''s things you''re not telling me." I said. If we''re going to get this all out into the air, then let''s air out this duvet of issues properly.


    Adam said something against my skin, but all I felt was the prickling sensation of his beard.


    "Adam," I said, giving into the desire to dig my hands into his hair. It was harder to do with the tie on my wrists, but his luscious brown locks were worth it.


    "I''m doing it to keep you safe from it all." He said, barely lifting his gaze to stare at me.


    "Safe from what?" I persisted, unwilling to reach my conclusion until the tight-lipped man said it all.


    "You''re pure, Wendy, far too pure for that lifestyle. It''s full of malice and power-grubbing people."


    "It''s your world, Adam," I said, my voice as soft as the hands running through his hair.


    "I don''t want you to know that side of me. The side of me that thrives among that kind of people." He said, turning his face so I couldn''t see his expression. He looked adorable and snuggled on my bare chest.


    "I''m not blind. I saw it from the start. You''ve become gentler without your bodyguards, but you''ve never been subtle." I said, recalling our first few meetings and how he commanded without a word. What he managed to do wasn''t something a normal kid could accomplish.


    "Didn''t you say the world would end? And that the trappings from the past wouldn''t matter? So why is that holding you back? All we have is time on our side." Adam said.


    I did the one time I accidentally got drunk a few months ago. I said a lot of things I shouldn''t have then.


    "I don''t care about the trappings. I care about you. There''s so much I don''t know when it comes to you. I feel like these secrets will break us up." I said and looked down. Adam''s place was in this world. That meant he had a predetermined partner somewhere, right? Anxiety had bloomed like a green flower in my heart and was making it hard to breathe when he wasn''t here.


    "They won''t." He said with a severe look that could have been part of a cologne ad. That simple assurance from him would have customarily killed that little green flower of envy, but today, it only grew. That envious flower knew this man initially belonged to someone else. I was a thief taking him from whoever this world designed for him. That lucky woman.


    What would happen when that woman appeared? She had to be beautifully perfect, intelligent, and wealthy to be with Adam. There''s no way someone as amazing as Adam would have anything less than the best.


    I''m not sure that girl is me. I looked at Adam as these thoughts ran rampant in my head. It was time to continue being as selfish as possible. I didn''t want to let him go. Even when that girl made an appearance. I was going to hold on tight to Adam. My silence made Adam wary because he sat up to examine my face.


    "You will know everything in time. I''ll tell you anything you want to know." Adam said. He sat up and grabbed me by the back of my neck. He massaged it as he rubbed our noses together and untied me.


    "I told you all those years prior that I wouldn''t fall in love with someone else. I''m already yours." Adam pulled away and gave a rather roguish smile as he left the bed.


    I blinked on the bed, wondering when he would have said that. As realization dawned on me, I tried to run after him. I tripped on the sheets and almost landed flat on my face. He caught me, appearing just before my nose hit the floor.


    Adam rarely chuckled, and I should be savoring the sweet, blessed sound, but I couldn''t.


    "That wasn''t a fever dream?" I grabbed his chest, trying not to ogle at the fact that he was still naked.


    All I got in response was a smile.


    I chased after Adam when he left to go to the bathroom and was promptly distracted by kisses. We had a brief intermission in which we both had too much fun in the bath cleaning up. Adam followed me into my walk-in closet, but instead of staring at my bras or undies, he looked at a dress I had hanging. It was out of place with the rest because it was front and center. I had made it with the plan to wear it to my birthday party.


    Adam was holding part of it with a strange concentration. It wasn''t because I messed it up. I have to say it was rather well done. I managed to stitch in Originis and some of the other Unruly trees in great detail. I left out the scarring my attempts at magic had created in the bark. I felt a little off about that, but no one else had found the tree. My friends were knowledgeable in the woods but not that versed. I was the only one who knew better what the tree truly looked like.


    He let go of it, and his standard mask was on his face. Before I could say anything, he distracted me by grabbing me close.


    It took some time for us to finally emerge clean of body and dress from my room.


    I had Adam sitting down at the table while I worked on what to cook.


    "What do you want to eat?" I looked at what I had on hand. I was gone for two weeks, so the food was likely expired. I found, however, that things had been restocked. I poked my head out of the fridge to catch Adam smiling a little too smugly.


    "It seems like I have just the right ingredients for beef stew." My lips quivered as I spoke. That was Adam''s favorite meal. The first meal I made, and it was what he ate when we first met, too.


    "How fortuitous," Adam said.


    He stocked the fridge and waited for me. "You knew I was coming back?" I said. Did Adam have any doubts? How was I the only one that did about us?


    He came up to me then and engulfed me in his arms. "I knew you were coming back. I wouldn''t be here if you didn''t."


    Before I could respond, there was a knock at the door. And someone for whom I had one thousand and one questions appeared.

 Chapter Twenty Four

    Wyatt looked slightly queasy when he entered the home. I ran forward to talk to him, but he held up a hand.


    Adam and Wyatt exchanged looks, and the two went outside. I made a face. If they thought I would just hang out inside while they had a little powwow, they had another thing coming.


    But they were gone. Completely gone. I ran out seconds after them and couldn''t find them. I even ran around looking for the two reticent men but came up short.


    Had my ancestor whisked them away for a game? It could also have something to do with Wyatt''s powers that I saw before. The ginormous butt just appeared all the time¡­like Adam. Both men vanished with their secrets, and I was fed up.


    I bit my lip as I wondered what I was going to do. The plants were no help; they hadn''t seen what happened either. I did the one thing I could at the moment; I went back into the house while plotting revenge. I sulky chopped up beef and got the stew going. At the very least, I could keep my hands busy, eat all the soup, and save none for them!


    However, another idea took root and grew as I took out the fresh bread from the oven. I did have a new avenue that I could tap into.


    I set the table for two and sat before the steaming bowls. If Adam and Wyatt weren''t going to be of any help, maybe it was time to try summoning my ancestor. After all, he didn''t answer my question about my grandma or Gus. I''d be killing two birds with one stone.


    "Mordecai!" I said it out loud, feeling rather silly. I had no response. I went down the list of names I knew the deity went by. The soup was turning cold. I opened my mouth to say the phoenix goddess'' actual name. Time seemed to pause like before as the room around me darkened and warped. I felt something warm grow in my chest as the first syllable escaped my lips.


    Here goes the last resort, I thought. But before I could continue, I was stopped. An explosion of fizzling spores, the colors of red and blue, brought my ancestor into the room. And out of all the seats, into Adam''s with the waiting bowl to boot.


    "I regret that game now." My ancestor said in lieu of a greeting. He was now wearing the appearance of a woman with dark chocolate skin from before. Her black eyes burned sparks at me while I took the time to marvel at the gold markings engraved on her skin. Was that what the black armor from before hid? Due to the smoke, flesh, and ash, I couldn''t see her skin well before.


    "The next time you think to summon me by my true name, I''ll curse you." I saw a shift of fierce rage grace the woman''s face as she said this to me. I should be terrified that this Goddess would curse me, but she was just so beautiful. I must have been too scared before to note her bright eyes that were big and expressive. Her hair was braided simply but it served to highlight her cheekbones and perfectly formed lips. How did I not see that her skin shimmered? It was as if she were concentrated light held together by flesh. And that flesh looked strong. My ancestor''s female form had the muscles of an Amazon warrior. Thick and virile her muscles stretched and flexed as she breathed as if containing a life of their own. Even if she didn''t have her vast powers, she could rip me apart with those arms.


    My stumped regard for her triggered further rage. I was probably too blatant in my staring because her spores grew thick in the room and half hid her from my perusal.


    "My sister was the true beauty of the family. Even my stupid brother was a glory that surpassed others. They took after our father while I looked just like her." The Goddess said the last word with ichor dripping off it. It didn''t take much to know who she was speaking of. Her mother. The Goddess of Destiny who cursed all of her children. As if realizing she had told this to me, she started stuffing her face unseemly. "You''re lucky you thought to have food waiting for me. Or this could have gotten ugly."


    Unwilling to ignore the previous conversation, I asked, "You''re so powerful now. Why do you still change forms?" I''ve never seen someone so beautiful and ethereal before. What must her true form look like?


    "It used to be worse. I would start over as a baby whenever I ''died.'' I''d have to grow up slowly and start all over again. Babies and children can''t contain and weld enough power to protect themselves. I''ve lost count of the number of times I died right after rebirth." She said with a look filled with eerie calm.


    "What about your true form?" I asked. So far, I''d been able to say her true name. Does that mean she broke the curses placed upon her?


    "Haven''t you learned your history? My mother cursed me. I can''t ever go back to how I was. At best, I just circumvent some of what she did to regain my agency faster. I no longer need to start off as a baby, and I''ve been able to keep at least two of the same forms when I like."


    "And you''re no longer a demi-goddess but a Goddess," I said with a smile. I wanted to learn more about her and how she did all this. I think she knew where I was reaching because her face grew annoyed when I opened my mouth to talk again.


    "Why did you call out to me?" She said, cutting me off.


    "I want to know if my Grandma and brother are alive and safe," I said, jutting my chin out. I''d ask her the rest later because this was the real purpose.


    The Goddess made a long, annoyed sigh. "That''s it? You have the great moi sitting in your kitchen, and you want to know if a pair of irresponsible has beens are alive? You do realize they don''t care about you, right? None of them would have the balls to summon the wonderful me to ask about you."


    My cheeks heated up with indignation. "They care about me."


    The Goddess lowered her chin as she borrowed her flaming eyes into me. "Do they now?" She said with a half snarl. "They left you to die."


    I stiffened, but the barrage was far from over.


    "Your family kept you contained from the rest of the world, locked and hidden. You can go to whatever world you desire and craft your own fabric of reality. But what have they actually taught you? You knew these things, but why didn''t you try to do them? What stopped you?"


    I opened my mouth and attempted to stammer something but fell short. Why hadn''t I tried to leave the library? I had the courage and knowledge to pull things from books, but I never went out of my way to enter a world. I stayed in my room most of the time alone and¡­wore the power binding ribbon. My grandma had said the library could be found because of my power waves, so I needed to be bound. As for leaving the library, that was even worse than it being found. The world was too dangerous for me because of my lineage, and I would be killed. As for the rest...I was just a bad student who didn''t want to learn the basics.


    "I was taught the basics but never really finished my lessons." I had to give credit where credit is due.


    "The basics?" She said with a snort. "You should be beyond that by now. What are the rest of your excuses?"


    "I was told that our kind was hunted to near extinction. Our unique lineage and connection to the Goddess of Destiny and you was detrimental." I said, gaining strength; this answer would win the argument. This was the truth that she agreed upon not even twenty-four hours ago.


    "Wrong answer." She said, laughing hysterically. "You in danger from the world? Gwendolyn, honey, you can create worlds. You have the power to destroy them as well. Your ability, thanks to moi is to fuck with the fabric of reality as you see fit."


    I blanched, unable to find a proper rebuttal to this. "My power was bound because it was too much for me."


    "Oh, they told you it was too much for the world to handle. So you were nerfed from the start." The Goddess said, shaking her head with a sigh. "Oh, you don''t know what nerfed means, weakened. Your family crippled you."


    "I grew up wanting nothing, so I was not crippled!" I said, feeling my outrage overpowering my shame and pain.


    "Who fed and clothed you?" The Goddess wasn''t done, and her cruel words hurt like physical ones as she spoke. "Who took care of your daily needs? Who looked after you day in and day out?"


    "I did." I finally managed to get out of my tightened throat.


    The Goddess'' smile grew at my admission. "They don''t care about you. They taught you how to do things for yourself and then left you alone. They taught you just enough to get by, but wonder why you''re a mess. You, of all people, should know how much care and love go into growing someone strong. The plants you care for rely on you. To them, you are their mother and sun. Would you raise them the way you were?"


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    My sight became blurry as I tried to find some thread of logic to grasp onto. I was loved, right? I was more than just a burden¡­but I wasn''t, was I? My grandma was never around, and my brother who was¡­well, he truly did look at me like I was air. My parents never even bothered to stay around. Why had no one told me where they went and if they were dead or just MIA?


    "It''s a wonder you turned out half as okay as you did. Thanks to my genes being what they are, you did good." The Goddess said with a thoughtful furrow of her brow. She started eating again as I fought off tears.


    "I still want to know if they''re okay," I said through trembling lips. I had to know, even if the Goddess laughed at me again.


    "Eh? Yeah, those things are fine." The Goddess said with a mouth full of soup. There were a few moments of silence as the Goddess stopped chewing into me and instead focused on her food.


    "Did you know your ''home'' is a time stopper?" The Goddess said with a snort of disbelief out of nowhere. "I asked who fed you, but technically, they didn''t have to teach you how to feed yourself. You''re far older than you realize because they remember to turn on time just so you can grow. Then they turned it off again. It must be tied into whatever power-stripping spell they bound you under." The Goddess tilted her head at me as she sized me up, wondering out loud what about me was broken.


    I was exposed in such an unsightly way that I didn''t know where to look or how to feel.


    It would take a long time to bury this memory in my mind.


    "What should I call you? I''ve been calling you Goddess, but it doesn''t feel right." I said, trying desperately to switch the focus back onto her.


    It worked. She preened, lapping the attention as a dove took to a water fountain. "For future reference, call me Aphra when I''m in my female form. Mordecai, whenever I''m a male. If you call me anything else, I''ll punish you. With this stunt, you lost the right to call me any other name." She seemed intent on burning that into me, and I nodded quickly, agreeing.


    "Why those two names?" I said.


    "Mordecai was because I lost a bet to bullheaded Marduk, and Aphra is the name I chose." She said, shoveling more food into her mouth.


    "Gwendolyn, go bring the pot to the table. I want some more." Aphra said, not looking up. It was strangely horrifying how I had a hard time looking away from her as I got up from the table. She was lapping the bowl like a cat, which should look like a messy toddler''s work. She was so gorgeous, though the moment could have been framed as art.


    I got up to do as she told me. When I returned from the kitchen, I set down the trivet and the pot.


    My hand caught my attention and the space ring Gus had given me. "Wait, you''re wrong!" I said proudly, holding up my hand. "My brother gave me this ring after he dropped me into this world." It was the bare minimum, but it was something.


    "No, that was me," Aphra said casually as she poured herself a second bowl.


    "No, it was with the note that my brother left," I said, my proud hand drooping like a broken plant stem as my confidence waned. Could I be wrong about this as well?


    "No. I took that ring from my brother''s trove to give to you. It still had the label attached to it, the facetious bastard."


    "No, you said my landing in this world told you of my presence in this world. I''ve had this ring from the start." I recalled swiftly what the deity had said.


    "No, the ring was part of a triggered spell I put into place should you ever slip out from those dumb thing''s thumbs. It was to be sent to you to guide you. All of my descendants get one freebie for their first world voyage. This reminds me that you have something of mine that doesn''t belong to you." Aphra''s eyes glinted at me with barely concealed anger.


    "No, I don''t," I said, sitting down on my hands. Out of sight, out of mind. I didn''t want to think about the ring not coming from Gus. I felt the tiny flower of hope for him fading into ash. He honestly didn''t care about me; I should take this as the chance to finally give up.


    "Yes, you do. John gave it to you. I only let it slide because it''s worthless now." Aphra said with a twist of her lips that made me doubt she was telling the truth. Out of everything she said, this felt like the first lie. The label inside my space aside, the emotions in Aphra''s eyes were unlike any other I''d seen.


    She looked forlorn.


    I pulled the strange locket out of my space and handed it to her. "You clearly want it back," I said, eyeing her for further reaction.


    It was swiped from my hand with a move too fast to catch. "I told you it was worthless." She said this with a blank expression, but she cradled it with such care I couldn''t believe her.


    "What is the worthless thing then?" I said.


    "A pocket world." She said, slipping it out of existence casually. I didn''t see any pockets on her person, and she didn''t have a pocket ring dimension. Rules really didn''t need to apply to a Goddess.


    It was a pocket world? "Why did John give it to me?" I asked.


    "He''s a fool that thought it was a protection artifact," Aphra said scathingly as she refilled her bowl again.


    "What kind of pocket world is it?" I said. I would ask as many questions as possible until she shut me down.


    As if sensing where this was going, Aphra ignored me and started tackling her third bowl of stew.


    "It must be a world you value," I said, willing to poke the deity into answering. It didn''t work this time because she ignored me resolutely.


    "Your food has put me in a good mood," Aphra said after eating almost all the stew and the bread. "I shall reward you and the eavesdroppers."


    I stiffened. Eavesdroppers? Who was listening in on our conversation?


    Aphra gave a strange flick of her wrist and hand. Before she completed the motion, Adam appeared. He was seated next to me at the table, and I gasped.


    It took only a moment for his iron control of his features to kick in. He reached for me and grabbed my hand tightly. I squeezed it.


    "This is my relative," I said, not understanding how the heck I was going to explain this away. I gestured towards Aphra but found she had become the man from before. "Mordecai," I said, his name switching appropriately.


    "Hello, mate of my descendant," Mordecai said casually with a little wave.


    "This is Adam," I said, even while it felt redundant. Clearly, everyone was listening to everything being said, so names didn''t need to be shared.


    "Hello," Adam said.


    But just to be sure...


    "How much did you hear?" I said around a tight throat. We talked about a lot of heavy stuff. When did Adam start eavesdropping, and why did Aphra say it with a plural before?


    "Yes, Adam, how much did you hear?" Mordecai''s deep, husky voice grew gravelly as his eyes glowed hot.


    "You said eavesdroppers," I said, trying to divert Mordecai.


    "I did. I sent the other back home with his future bride." Mordecai said. He leaned back in his chair and gave a little burp.


    "My sweet relative makes delicious food," Mordecai said. "Isn''t this your favorite meal? I didn''t eat all of it. Her bowl is still full, but it''s not the same when it''s cold. If I were you, I''d save as much of it as possible. Who knows when you''ll get the chance to eat her food again." He weaponized his words like a taunt.


    Adam''s silence was strange. He looked like he was battling the desire to say something, but I was glad he didn''t say anything. Mordecai could squash both of us without lifting a finger. I would be okay unless he blocked me from returning to my world, but not Adam.


    I squeezed our interlocking hands tight and used my thumb to rub his hand. Adam visibly relaxed, and Mordecai made a boo noise.


    "I can hear John calling me," Mordecai said. "Time to go." And he disappeared without another word.


    "What is your relative?" Adam said. "His black eyes didn''t blink, and he pulled me to the table out of nowhere."


    "He''s not human," I said. "And he''s more than just a relative. He''s my ancestor and was a demigod."


    "Was?" Adam said. I didn''t dare look at his face while I mumbled this. I had my own buried in his chest. Adam''s heartbeat was strong and fast against my ear.


    "He somehow became more. He''s not someone to be taken lightly." I said. "I didn''t know he truly existed." I knew the legends of the family. I often boasted about it but figured it was just that, legends. Being confronted with an immortal ancestor, a deity of untold power, vastly differed from reading about familial history.


    "He was Sunny," Adam said. "Wyatt told."


    "What else did Wyatt say?" I said, my temper flickering to life. That was what the two have been up to? What else were they hiding from me?


    "A lot, but I can''t tell you now," Adam said, and I openly glared with dissatisfaction. Adam rubbed the back of my neck, and like clockwork, I could feel my shoulder relax.


    "That''s not fair!" I said with a grumble.


    "I can''t tell you everything yet," Adam said. There was a trace of emotion in his voice I couldn''t fathom being in his voice. It was fear.


    "Why?" I said I was unwilling to let it go for now.


    "Because I''m scared of losing what we have, Wendy. This peace has to last until¡­" His words died suddenly, and I furrowed my brow at him.


    "I tell you everything," I said.


    Adam''s calm expression cracked, and I could see vulnerability in his eyes. I grabbed his cheeks and forced his eyes to meet my own. "What are you two hiding? I deserve to know." I said.


    Mordecai had accused me of ignoring what was in front of me, and he was right. Adam and Wyatt were just as guilty of hiding things. All of us were playacting and that needed to end.


    "Adam, you and Wyatt disappeared without telling me anything. You both need to come clean." I said this, instantly regretting it because my own fear was bubbling to the surface. A part of my heart screamed to take those words back before it was too late. I rather liked having my head in the sand...you can''t get hurt. But a newer part of me was screaming for the truth, and I had to acknowledge that part of myself as well.


    A heartbeat later, I was holding air.


    Adam vanished much like he had appeared. For a few horrible seconds, I thought there might be a timer to Mordecai''s summon of Adam.


    Before I could start to truly panic and pull out the phone to call him, he was back, and he wasn''t alone. Adam popped in front of me like a kernel of popcorn, unexpected and just as shocking to witness. He had an arm on Wyatt, and the two looked at me worriedly.


    "You can teleport?" I said. Did Mordecai give this ability to Adam?


    "I''ve been able to for a long time now," Adam said before I could ask him that.


    "So that was why you were so accepting of all the random things I told you." I pursed my lips after these words came out. Why had Adam said nothing to me before? Pieces of the puzzle started to slip into place as I thought of the few times Adam had appeared out of nowhere.


    He admitted not long ago that my fever dream of him was not a fever dream. Like Mordecai accused me, I shoved these things away, intending to never confront the growing list. Well, here I was, unable to go further without coming to terms with reality.


    It hurt to breathe suddenly as my body braced for impact.


    I think Adam tried to say something, but I couldn''t hear anyone over the rapid pounding of my heart. "And with Gavin. The reason you appeared so quickly." I met his eyes, trying not to cry. I shouldn''t feel troubled by this. Because of his skills, I was saved and cared for more than once. But why had Adam hidden this? I told him so much about myself. Stupidly spilled secrets that were not mine to keep, and he hid himself away.


    ''Just like he hid you from his family and the rest of his life.'' A strange voice tickled my ears, and I looked around. It sounded like Mordecai, but he wasn''t in the room¡­as far as I could see. What I could see were Mordecai''s radioactive-looking spores. They were a gold color I''d never seen them take on before. They coated every crevice of the room, and when I glanced down, I saw that they were sprinkled on me, too.


    "I have something else to tell you," Adam said.


    I closed my eyes, hoping that even though I knew better, I could just black out per usual and put this day to bed. I had foolishly demanded answers, and Adam would finally tell me.


    "I haven''t told you my last name because of¡­" Adam started to speak, but emotion seemed to clog his windpipes. I closed my eyes as the puzzle pieces I had been piecing together in my head started to shake.


    Don''t say it. I thought over and over in my head. Please, please don''t say what you''re about to say, I pled.


    But he did.


    "My name is Adam Rexford III." The male lead said as he simultaneously shattered what remained of my heart.


    ''Now that''s a plot twist. One that I totally saw coming, did you?'' The voice spoke again as my world fell apart.

 Chapter Twenty Five

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 Chapter Twenty Six

    Adam handled it well for a guy who was told he was a character in a book. I watched him as I tried to contain my own questions. So far, everything has yet to be explained on his end. Why had Adam kept so much secret from me? His answer before had abated my curiosity but hadn''t solved it. I took this moment to drink him in. It was going to be essential to remember moments like this. Mordecai had said to savor the time we spent together more than once.


    "So I''m the main character in that book, and I fix the world after the meteor strikes," Adam said. That was a pretty easy summation of everything. "There are a lot of similarities but also differences. Before you, I only went by Rex." Adam seemed to be musing out loud, and I enjoyed the look of concertation on his face.


    "Why did you introduce yourself as Adam?" I said. I only received a partial answer before.


    "This is my third time reliving my life," Adam said.


    My lips twisted in thought. "Your third? How is that possible?" I said. The book got quite a few things wrong; this could be one of them. Or if Mordecai was right, I set off a chain of events.


    "And I''m not in love with Evangeline," Adam said, cutting through my thoughts and the conversation. Her name shot through me like a bullet, and I gulped. I had avoided even thinking of her name for as long as possible.


    "She''s my sister. I messed up by distancing myself from her, but I wouldn''t fall in love with someone I consider family." Adam said.


    I looked away. "I believe you," I said. Unable to stop itself, my brain flashed the previously coveted cover of the book. The book targeted girls like me who wanted a protective brother and a powerful lover.


    My chin was grabbed, and I was forced into meeting Adam''s eyes. His brown eyes were fierce. "I wouldn''t do anything differently." He told me, and it was like balm to my battered heart.


    The moment was ruined by the crunch of nuts in my head. Mordecai hadn''t said anything in a while, but he clearly had stuck around for the show. By now, his glowing gold spores were so ingrained into everything I could barely see them glimmer.


    "You don''t believe me?" Adam''s fingers tightened on my chin as his words startled me from my thoughts.


    "No, I do. I feel the same." I tried to put aside my watery eyes and the bitterness of having an interloper. "I just have other questions I can''t get rid of." And an outsider in our private moment. Damn you, ancestor. I thought sourly as I tried to keep my expression blank.


    "What else do you want to know?" Adam didn''t let go of me and pulled me into his arms. I savored his warmth as I inhaled his scent. I''d given him homemade cologne for his birthday this past year, and I could smell it. I rubbed my face on his chest, enjoying his heart''s strong, steady beat.


    I love this man so much. I thought as my throat tightened. It was hard to find my voice, but eventually, I did. "Why did the world reset to create this third timeline?"


    Adam stiffened, and I could feel his heart speed up. "I''m not sure." His voice sounded strained. "There was an explosion, and I think I died."


    It was my turn to stiffen. How was it possible for the hero of the world to die? "You''re the hero of this world," I exclaimed, attempting to pull away to see his expression, but his tight arms stopped me.


    Silence stretched between us, and for a moment, I wondered if he hadn''t heard me. "Adam?" I tried to move my head to look at him, but his arms tightened again.


    His voice was strained and tight with suppressed emotion when he finally spoke. "Wendy. It''s hard to think about, and it was excruciating."


    I used my hands to rub his back and was relieved as the tension visibly left him. His grip loosened, and I was able to look at his expression. A mask was placed over his expression, and I tried not to be noisy. Something terrible must have happened.


    ''Ask him about Gavin.'' Mordecai spoke, and I could feel my left eyebrow twitch.


    What does Gavin have to do with any of this? I scolded Mordecai but found my mouth open and doing precisely that.


    "What about Gavin?" Adam''s eyes narrowed as he said this. There was venom and disgust, something I''d never seen from Adam when he spoke about Gavin.


    "He knew that I''m not from this world. And¡­¡± I said I was unable to finish the sentence. I don''t know what to ask about Gavin. That was Mordecai''s line of thinking, not mine!


    "Gavin has powers. I meant to tell you this sooner, but I had to ensure he was locked up forever." Adam said. I could feel my mouth drop. The boss was explaining his reach!


    "What power does Gavin have?" I said. Memories of him reaching for me were not as scary as his words.


    "He can wipe memories," Adam said, and my heart dropped.


    "Memories?" I repeated this as something nagged me. Mordecai''s slurping stopped the thought from forming, and I groaned. My invisible ancestor struck again.


    "He erased mine when he attacked," Adam said. "I lost my memory of you. It took me so long to get back. I suspect he did the same thing to Nips."


    I could feel my world tremble at this revelation. So Nips wasn''t a traitor? He just forgot about me? Weird. Why would Gavin choose to wipe Nips'' memory of me? That feels a little too random. There were other choices he could have picked, like Grandpa Evans.


    "Gavin was afraid of you when he showed up that day. He thought I would be alone and was shocked I wasn''t." I said, musing out loud.


    There was silence as both of us were lost in our thoughts. That was a traumatic experience. I went through so much turmoil when Adam was gone. Wait, the fever dream of Adam.


    "You appeared before me on the mountain. And that was real?" I said.


    Adam gave a terse nod, and he seemed nervous.


    "Then everything we talked about was real¡­you saw me try to¡­"


    "Leave this world," Adam said, finishing my sentence. "I don''t want you to do that again. It took me too long to recover my memory of you, and I was almost too late when I finally did. When I saw you on that mountain, you were mumbling about dying being the only way to restart the world. You said that if you left, everything would be fixed." There was pain in Adam''s voice, and I reached for him without thinking.


    Any embarrassment at being seen during that moment was swept under the rug. I would have been a mess if I had witnessed Adam doing the same thing. "I''m sorry."


    "No, I''m sorry. If I had been stronger, that would never have happened." Adam''s voice tickled my ear as his arms pressed me into him.


    ''I suppose it''s not unusual for a hero to appear when needed.'' Mordecai said in an amused tone before loudly slurping something up.


    It was a bit strange timing-wise, but I''m sure Adam appeared at that critical moment for a good reason. Unable to stop myself, I said, "It was great that you appeared when you did. You saved me."


    Adam''s arms grew lax, and I blinked, expecting a quick answer. His silence was the response, and it stretched awkwardly. I blinked. "Adam?" I called out to him, but he said nothing. I looked down at him in my arms and saw his breathing had changed.


    Did he fall asleep? I stroked his hair, unable to stop myself, and leaned back, allowing his weight to rest on me. As much as I loathed to admit it, Mordecai was right. We needed every moment to be spent wisely.


    Adam and I were glued together in the following weeks. He openly used his powers to teleport to and from his duties at home. This was how I discovered he''d been secretly doing that all along. After all, I rarely walked him out to the car, so I didn''t know he was just teleporting between locations.


    There was a strange, unspoken desperation between the two of us. The world ending aside, we both knew there was a countdown on our relationship. We ate, slept in the same bed, and did everything together. Adam didn''t touch me for some strange reason. Well, he did kisses, and we made out a lot, but once again, he stopped himself short of the actual deed.


    And I tried hard to seduce him. Early mornings were the easiest because he was always primed and ready. Reason and logic always overtook him, and he sobered up after small foolery.


    Just as Adam was holding back from me physically, there was more he had yet to tell. I could be patient, though, because what little steady ground we had rebuilt around us didn''t need more rocking.


    Days passed in this manner until it was finally my birthday celebration. I even wore the Orignis dress as planned. Adam, Lucia, Lucas, and Wyatt were all here. Mary had been there for a bit before she left, and she brought her granddaughter and son, Bill.


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    Adam wanted time to prepare my gift, so he left me with a chaste kiss before disappearing. I went outside to catch my breath. I was combating the selfish desire to be pleased with the time alone. I loved Adam, undoubtedly and truly, but the stickiness of our current relationship made it hard to breathe.


    I''ve never spent every living, breathing moment with someone like this before. It was comfortable and suffocating at the same time. Maybe it would have been easier if we had more time to dissect secrets. Or if I knew when Mordecai would appear, I''d want to have these conversations. I''m all for bluntness, but that didn''t mean my vulnerable moments needed to be witnessed via spores.


    My small moment of peace as I contemplated this was shattered by Wyatt.


    He entered the backyard and saw me under the giant elder apple tree. I was lying on the bench, enjoying the shade of the branches while soaking up the spring sun.


    He was carrying a puppy, Nips had a litter, and I tried not to be moved by the sight of the beautiful pup.


    "Puppy for your thoughts?" Wyatt said, and I sat up to welcome him and the puppy with wide arms.


    Wyatt walked over, and I grabbed the puppy. Her beautiful eyes met mine before she started to lick and, like her sire, nip me.


    "Her name is Hope," Wyatt said, and I made a face.


    "How cheesy," I said, not hiding my laugh.


    "Lucia named her," Wyatt said with a smirk.


    Guilt shot through me, and I blinked. I backpedaled immediately. "How fortuitous of a name. Lucia gave you such a good name." I said as I gave the eager puppy pets.


    "How two-faced," Wyatt said, shaking his head as he sat on the bench.


    Molly came over to inspect the puppy. She was getting on in age and took rather keenly to Hope. I set down hope and watched the two get acquainted.


    "So, your thoughts?" Wyatt said, turning to look at me.


    That was the deal. I tore my eyes away from the cute fur balls to look at Wyatt. It was like Adam, and he was on the same wavelength. Both had opted into growing full beards. Adam''s was dark and beautifully thick. Wyatt''s was thick but blond with traces of red.


    They may have done it randomly. Or they really did plan it. Adam and Wyatt had a strange bond that I never noticed before. Either it flew entirely under the radar, or it was recent.


    As if reading my thoughts, Wyatt said, "So Adam told you everything."


    Well. I thought, not knowing what my face said. There was still plenty I knew he was keeping from me. This was just one of many unspoken things between us. It was an accord that not even Mordecai could break. It was likely why he''d been gone for over a week. He had nothing to chew over as he ate whatever he scrounged.


    "Yes," I said instead of any of this.


    "Liar," Wyatt said with a smug grin. "Because if he had, he would have told you my abilities."


    "I saw your wind power, Attarib. It''s powerful." My tone was sarcastic when it shouldn''t have been. He was powerful. He whipped the wind around him and shot it like a canon to break down a brick wall.


    "You saw the wind, but I have more," Wyatt said.


    "What else can you do?" I asked. I have to admit to being curious.


    "I can read minds," Wyatt said, and I jumped about a foot in the air. He laughed outright at me. "I can read people from miles away. People with open, unguarded minds are the easiest. People like Adam are harder to read because of their mental fortitude. I can''t read Mordecai or you unless we''re touching. But with Mordecai, it''s more what he''s willing to show, and what he shows is¡­" Wyatt shuddered. His voice was more robust when he said, "Unlike you, your mind is pure but chaotic." Wyatt looked down, and I followed his gaze to see our legs touching.


    I ignored the nonsense about Mordecai and focused on the most crucial part of what he said. "So you knew Lucia''s feelings for you the whole time?" I said as I smacked Wyatt and moved away from him. Lucia was super sweet and open. There was no way Wyatt couldn''t read her mind and see how she felt towards him. It was different for me. No matter where I saw him, he was always so touchy-feely. He was trying to read my mind. That would also explain why he changed his name to Wyatt when I met him in the first timeline of this world.


    Wyatt laughed as he shook his head. "That''s what you''re going to focus on?"


    "That''s important Atta. She thought you liked me and misread why you were so touchy-feely, you dick. Don''t be so touchy-feely with me anymore." I said, jabbing him with my fingers to enunciate my point. I froze mid-poke when I realized I was touching him now. I pulled away quickly, but the jig was up by this point.


    Wyatt had been spying on my brain for years. I narrowed my gaze at him, pondering how to get back at him.


    Sensing my murderous rage, Wyatt held his hands up in mock surrender. "I come in peace and with the answers to everything you want to know."


    I sat for a few minutes, mentally going over my options. This humungous ass was my best bet to get answers. Considering his broad smile, he knew it.


    "I''ll let it go for now," I said with grave magnanimity.


    "Thank you," Wyatt said, unable to stop himself from laughing again.


    "You kept your memory for the time reset." I started to say, but Wyatt interrupted me.


    "Resets. This is my third time reliving this world''s end, Wendy."


    "Okay, your third. How do you keep your powers after the resets? Did Mordecai help you with that? What deal did you make with my ancestor?" I needed to ask him this.


    Wyatt made a face. "I thought you would ask about the second reset when we met again. And about how it all went down. But if you want to know about my deal with Mordecai to--"


    "Wait, I met you during the second reset?" I cut him off. How was that possible? Did I meet Adam, then? This was Adam''s third time, and it aligned with Wyatt''s. I could feel a stress headache forming, and I rubbed my temple.


    "I thought Adam told you everything." Wyatt''s voice was the softest I''d ever heard. He looked startled, confused, and even a little panicky.


    "I guess he didn''t," I said, my throat tightening.


    Wyatt was up and pacing, and I watched him as I tried to control my expression. I was there during the second reset? How was that possible? I was here for the first time in the third. Instead of spiraling, I chose action.


    I ran unseeingly back into my home, where I saw Adam fiddling with a little box. I paid it no mind, nor Lucia, who seemed to be encouraging him.


    The heartbeat it took the two to notice me, the box was opened, and I saw one of the most beautiful rings in my life. Despite my better judgment, I froze to admire the ring. It was bright, with a fat diamond shaped like a rose in the middle and two emerald leaves resting underneath. The band consisted of twisting branches resembling the infinity symbol and a wreath.


    My sudden appearance startled the two, and I had to tear my gaze away from the box to look at Adam. "You didn''t tell me I was there," I said.


    Adam''s expression shifted when he heard this. He knew I knew. I could see it flicker in his eyes.


    Lucia said something; she was likely too confused, but it felt like only the two of us were in the room.


    Adam''s brown eyes looked aggrieved, and he gave a jerky nod towards the door. "Let''s go out there to talk."


    I hesitated, and he came forward, "Please, Wendy." There was pain in his voice and fear.


    We convened outside, and I noticed that Wyatt was gone. He was smart.


    "I was present in the second reset of the world," I stated it factually because, at this point, there was no room for conjecture.


    Adam gave a jerky nod, and I watched him put the box away. It was regretful because he would likely give it to me, and I tried not to run with my thoughts that it was a proposal.


    "I didn''t plan on you knowing," Adam said straight forward. I was stunned.


    "You have to stop keeping so many secrets." I didn''t realize I was shouting until Molly started barking and came to inspect me for danger.


    Adam ran an impatient hand through this hair. He grabbed my hand and blipped us to the mountain. I tried to kill myself. It was a sore moment for both of us to be here, but a place where we would have uninterrupted time.


    "I have to, Wendy, I don''t want you to go. I can''t stand the thought of you leaving." Adam''s expression was vulnerable; any other time, it would soften my rage.


    This had to be the last straw. I knew there was more being hidden but this wasn''t as simple as I had expected. I was patient and endured many secrets, white lies, and stretched truths. Something this big should have been told to me weeks ago. When was he going to be fully honest with me?


    "Adam, I can''t trust you if you keep me in the dark," I sighed heavily. I reached for his waist to pull him closer but also to pinch his sides. "You can''t leave me in the dark if you want to keep me. Not when it comes to this. If I don''t recall going to the past, that means I do at some point, and it has to happen. What else happens in the second reset of this world."


    Adam''s face twisted with bitterness. "I met you in the second reset and fell in love with you then."


    My grip loosened for a second before I tightened it. "What else?" I said this with the determination to not let him go until he explained it all to me.


    "That''s how I knew to hide my name from you. How I knew where to find you and why I found you during my third life." Adam said his words in a terse rush that hit me like a ton of bricks.


    Now, it makes sense. Truly does in every aspect.


    "Why would you keep that from me?"


    "I don''t want you to go." He said this while wrapping his arms around me. "It''s not safe for you."


    "I can protect myself." I tried not to laugh or cry as I processed this.


    "Not from me," Adam said, and I stiffened. "The me during the second reset also tries to keep you there."


    Wait what. I thought as I pulled away to look at Adam''s eyes. "Are you worried I will go to the second reset and won''t return because I fell in love with you in that timeline?"


    Adam''s lips thinned, and I had more difficulty stopping laughing. "It''s still you, Adam. How could I not love you? He''s not you, so it won''t be the same kind of love."


    He bit my collarbone, and I gasped as his body pressed against me more intimately. I gasped his name as he nibbled and marked my neck.


    "Adam, wait." We had to have this conversation because he was strangely desperate, and I was too worried to be turned on.


    He paused and pulled away. His liquid brown eyes pierced into me. It was cute that of all the people he could be jealous of, he was envious of himself. How was he so cute? I didn''t realize he even had a jealous streak, but how could I? The only boys I ever interacted with were childhood friends.


    "Marry me, Wendy." His hands moved to cup my face, and I inhaled his scent as it washed over me.


    "Adam." I wanted to pull away.


    "Please." His voice cracked, and I could feel my resolve weaken.


    "Are you proposing to stop me from staying in the second reset?" This can''t be it because he said he died during the second reset, which is how he got to the third one. But I was beginning to suspect that Adam was more neurotic than me. I hadn''t read anything about this in My Adoring Brother, but a lot was left out clearly.


    My words were ice water on the mood, and Adam persisted in holding me. His hoarse voice finally said, "No." But there was a lack of conviction in them.


    "I love you," I said to assure him of my feelings. "I''d love to be your wife, but now I''m¡­"


    "Don''t ask for time apart from me." Adam pleaded, and I could feel my heart pang painfully.


    "I won''t do that," I said, reaching up to stroke his head. "I will marry you, but only if you stop keeping secrets because you''re worried you''ll lose me. Withholding important things is how you will lose me. I have to be part of your world. In every part, the good and the bad. How could we be life partners otherwise?"


    "You''re right," Adam said, and I smiled; of course, I was.


    "Give me the ring when I return to you from the second reset, and we''ll get married then." They couldn''t be too far away from each other, and this way, I could reassure him of my earnestness towards him.


    "At least take this," Adam said, handing me an all-too-familiar yellow box. He assumedly pulled it out of his space, an action I''d recently gotten used to. That yellow box held one thing and the best thing ever. The tasty lemon tarts that traveled in this box were my favorite. "Open it tonight," Adam said, and I acquiesced, slipping it into my own space.


    "When do I go to the second reset?" I asked him, and he looked away. He didn''t respond for a long time, and I grew worried.


    "Soon." The wind almost carried Adam''s voice away; it was so gentle.

 Chapter Twenty Seven

    Any hope of a regular birthday for me was gone now. The house was empty when Adam and I returned. There was still cake, but the thought of eating any of it turned my stomach.


    The two of us were hesitant but glued together.


    I could tell that Adam, like me, was nervous about when I might slip away into another timeline. Once again, we created an unspoken accord and spoke of lighthearted topics. Adam took me to the roof with his power, and we watched the stars like so many other times.


    The last invisible wall was seemingly gone between us, and we spent this time whispering secrets to each other that we hadn''t told anyone.


    "Wendy!" Lucia''s shout woke me up, and I realized with a jolt that we had fallen asleep on the roof. I went to peer over the edge but was stopped by Adam''s warm hands. He had wrapped the blanket around the two of us, but I stole it at some point during the night.


    "Give me a few, Lucia; we''re on the roof!" I shouted back before turning to inspect Adam. "Did you sleep?" I moved his hair out of his face to look him over. He had light circles under his eyes, and his eyeballs were red.


    "No," Adam admitted, and I sighed at his admission.


    "Are you okay?" I said this as I looked him over.


    "With you, always," Adam said, and I felt my heart melt when the sweet words came out of his mouth. However, they didn''t match his expression, so I muted my joy. He looked stressed out and exhausted.


    "You have to sleep tonight even if you have to take something for it," I said, messing with his hair. His luscious locks were silky on my fingers, and I couldn''t stop delving into them.


    "I will." He said. I was stopped from asking more by Lucia yelling for us yet again.


    "Lucia wouldn''t come here like this if it wasn''t important. Let''s see what''s going on." I said, and we scooted off the roof to find out. She met us in the attic, making me glad Adam didn''t teleport us. She looked fearful and like she''d been crying.


    "Lucia, what''s wrong?" I grabbed her hands as she caught her breath.


    "The world is ending!" She screamed, "They said there''s a meteor on its way to Earth."


    Shitballs, it''s early! I didn''t see any sign of it last night.


    "It won''t come for a couple of weeks." Adam''s soothing voice interrupted our meltdowns, and I turned to meet his eyes and reached for him. He took my hand and held it tight, "They can let us know in advance, but just enough for us to prepare."


    "Seems¡­" I stopped myself from saying what I shouldn''t know. It still seemed too early to happen. The debris struck at the start of summer when the heat started rising. Why was it early?


    "Where''s Wyatt?" Adam asked Lucia, and she told him he was downstairs.


    "I''m going to talk to him about the plan," Adam said to me, and I felt a bubble of warmth in my chest. It felt good that he told me where he was going and that I could depend on him. I was ready but, at the same time, unprepared for the end of this world. Adam kissed me gently on the mouth before letting go of my hand to go downstairs.


    "Wendy, I''m scared." Lucia''s voice was trembling, and I pulled her in for a hug.


    "Same," I whispered into her shoulder.


    Adam and Wyatt disappeared yet again. At least this time, I got an explanation that Adam was making sure to have everything ready for the end times.


    Lucia stayed with me, and soon, Lucas came over with Nips and the puppies. It was natural for everyone to reconvene at my home. We had the space, the food, and the prepared stock for the end times.


    Lucas left with Lucia to pick up the rest of their things, and I stared at our home. It was strange how far I''d come.


    What once started as a way to thumb my nose at my brother became a life I cherish.


    The only thing strangely missing was Mordecai. I couldn''t hear him noisily eating anything in my head, and he hadn''t said anything in days.


    Then, I realized I was still wearing the dress from the night before. It was my special birthday dress, but it was wrinkled and had drool from the night before. Before I could go to my room to change, Nips'' barking drew me outside. He wasn''t one to bark like that, and it reminded me of that night all those years ago when Gavin first visited. I could feel my heart pound in my chest as I heard Molly and the puppies join him in barking.


    The goats, chickens, and ducks started making a ton of noise, and I furrowed my brow as I looked up at the sky. If animals can sense natural disasters, maybe the meteor would strike even sooner.


    I climbed up the treehouse, noting that Nips was standing beneath it and looking up as he barked. He knew the cats, so it couldn''t be them bothering him.


    Before I could catch my breath, I was face to face with a stranger. This must be the intruder who had slipped in almost undetected.


    He was a strange man with auburn skin that crackled and moved as if it was barely holding itself together. Ruby sparkled and shone in those cracks of flesh. His eyes were pitch black with red woven throughout the iris, and they shone with warmth towards the cat he cradled gently in his hand. His long blonde hair hung loose around his shoulders and down his back. The size of his muscles was almost as startling as the rest of him. He was huge, the equivalent of a human tank, and he took up so much space in what I used to perceive as a spacious treehouse.


    Instead of being upset or put off by the man, the cats gravitated towards him, purring with content. I could see why as the initial shock faded. This man radiated heat; the shiny crimson that peaked under his skin looked like a fire. The flesh around the flaming bits had all the shades of the rainbow. It was fascinating, like several gemstones...was he made of gems?


    I was a few feet away, but I could feel warmth, and without desiring to, I relaxed. He put out the perfect amount of lazy heat. It felt like the warmth that shone through a window that made you sleepy.


    I slowly tried to back away before he noticed me. Fear quickly replaced wonder. Although I couldn''t name what he was, I knew he wasn''t human. I''ve had enough surprises and other supernaturals to last at least this lifetime.


    "Gwendolyn, why leave?" He spoke, and I shivered anxiously. He hadn''t even looked up but knew I was here staring at him.


    Also, shit, another being that knew my real name.


    The man looked up, and I saw his face entirely. He wasn''t classically beautiful, but he was ferally handsome. His nose had been broken several times, and it was as crooked as his twisted lips. His cheeks were sharpened knives, and his teeth were pointy like blades.


    "I finally get to meet you after all this time." He spoke again, and his voice sounded like crackling gravel.


    I wet my lips as I tried to find my voice. My mouth was dry. I don''t think I could talk my way out of this one. I''ve been lucky so far; I could continue to be blessed. "May I ask who you are?" I managed to say.


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    Instead of amusement, annoyance, or any other emotion that might be evoked, I saw pain and sadness flash on his face. "You don''t know who I am?" He said, setting down the cat he was holding to inspect me.


    I mutely shook my head and watched as he dramatically reacted to this. He wasn''t someone else I met in the second timeline, right? Becoming braver, I said, "Have we met in another world?"


    "No." He said, "Only in my dreams. She said you were like a younger version of her, and she was right. I had to see for myself." He stepped forward, and I wanted to step back, but my feet were stuck on the floor.


    "Who said this?" I asked him, growing worried about this man''s mental state.


    "My sister, of course." The man said. His face shifted into different expressions as if he was wondering what to say or do until finally, he settled on determined. "I''m your uncle."


    "My what?" I couldn''t help but raise my voice at this revelation. There was no way he was my uncle.


    "Well, several generations removed. I''m Acuzio, Aphra''s brother." Acuzio said, patting his chest, proud at the connection.


    If he was Aphra, aka Mordecai''s sibling, he was my ancestral uncle. I only had one ancestral uncle. I was dazed as I studied him. "You''re the first dragon." The one that started the species in all the realms and worlds. Holy shit. This made him the brother of the tale. He was also the one that¡­


    "We finally got to meet. I haven''t been able to meet any of Aphra''s descendants or even her children before." His voice was regretful, wrapped up with unabashed joy.


    "There''s a God here named Acuzio," I said, curious about how Aphra, aka Mordecai, had this world with a place in the pantheon, and their siblings did as well.


    "Yeah, my sister created this world," Acuzio said as carelessly and as casually as one might describe pottery.


    "But neither of you goes by your real name here," I said, curious but unwilling to ask flat-out.


    "Our mother made it so," Acuzio said, and I hiccuped as the heat thickened like fog in the room. The sky seemed to dark with displeasure. The cats yowled and escaped the treehouse, and I watched them envious of their ability to leave the scene.


    So Mordecai, aka Aphra, wasn''t the only sibling cursed out of their birth name. I knew all three had been condemned by pissing off their mother later in the tale, but to lose your birth name on top of that was overkill.


    Acuzio was growing darker, and I blinked at how the sunny man was now a rupturing volcano. The heat that grew thick was now leaving the room as he seemed to be taking it in...What happens when a world already on the brink of destruction adds a pissed-off Dragon God to the mix?


    ''Offer him a hug. He''s a huge sap.'' Mordecai''s voice came in the nick of time, and I almost cried tears of gratitude.


    "Can I have a hug from my uncle?" My voice was broken and barely decipherable, but it actually worked. I watched, mesmerized, as the heat he was sucking into himself to erupt ceased. His gloomy face broke into a sunny smile, and before I could change my mind, his big, beefy arms grabbed me tight.


    My feet were lifted off the ground as I hung limp like a ragdoll in his arms as he squeezed and dangled me.


    Mordecai began laughing hysterically at some unknown joke as I realized that Acuzio was holding me gently like a doll despite his strength. Oh, there was pressure, but not enough to break my body. With a build like this and the amount of power he had, there was no way he couldn''t break me with just a touch of pressure.


    Acuzio was mumbling things in a language I couldn''t recognize, and something he said seemed to piss off Mordecai because the former stopped mid-chuckle and started swearing in several different languages. I only know this because I could recognize some of the words.


    I don''t think Acuzio could hear Mordecai because when he finally set me down on the ground, he looked peacefully, unaware of the rage his younger sibling was experiencing. I, on the other hand, was developing a bit of a headache from the venom.


    "Wendy!" Adam was calling for me, and I smiled at the sound of his voice. I moved to leave the treehouse, and Acuzio didn''t stop me. Maybe he was going to leave after seeing me?


    That dream was dashed once I made it down and saw that somehow Acuzio had beaten my timing out of the treehouse. He was standing, eyeballing Adam, and I sighed as I scurried over to intervene.


    "This is your boyfriend?" Acuzio said, displeased with Adam.


    "Her fiance," Adam said with a cold expression. With the two squared off against each other, who would win was evident. Adam was a squishy mortal.


    "Uncle, stop!" I shouted as I ran to stand beside Adam. I called out to him like this without thinking, but it seemed to do the trick because the rage Acuzio was building up popped like an old balloon.


    "Your uncle?" Adam said.


    "My ancestral one," I muttered.


    "How many of your relatives are going to stop by?" Adam whispered to me. He had a point. It seemed like another popped up like a weed every other year.


    "There shouldn''t be any others." Acuzio said, demonstrating that he could hear us, "Unless you count your cousins from me. You only have one cousin left from your aunt. I haven''t met her, and I''m unaware of her powers, just her existence. Almost none of my descendants have the power to travel worlds or dimensions, so there shouldn''t be anyone else."


    I thought briefly of all the dragons I had heard of¡­all of them were my cousins? They wouldn''t know that, would they?


    "Well, blood recognizes blood. They might not recognize you in this form, but those with heightened spiritual powers could recognize your soul connection to them." Acuzio said nonchalantly.


    Shoot, I must have said some of that out loud.


    The one cousin from my aunt seemed interesting. She would be alone like me as the only girl in her line.


    ''Don''t bother desiring to meet Merindah.'' Mordecai''s crisp voice cut through my thoughts. ''She''s out of reach of everyone. I sent her away to a world of my own making. You''ll never meet her. It''s more likely for you to meet one of your dragon cousins than Merry.''


    So, her nickname was Merry. It''s a cute name. I thought, undeterred by Mordecai''s words.


    I looked at Acuzio, who had somehow coaxed one of the cats into letting him carry it. He looked calm and wholly out of place in this world. You could tell he wasn''t human by looking at him. Why did he come here? He couldn''t have come to see me, right? That was too preposterous.


    ''That''s my brother.'' Mordecai said dully. ''He''s a useful fool of a tool.''


    It must be nice to have a brother you can count on.


    ''You''re purposely misunderstanding my words. I don''t have patience for this.'' Mordecai said.


    He sounded annoyed and, as I hoped, would distance himself from my thoughts as I found a way to get specific answers from my uncle.


    "Wendy?" Adam said as he grabbed my hand. I squeezed it back to reassure him.


    "It''s going to be fine." In a much louder voice, I said to Acuzio, "I would love to see you again some other time, but right now, we have to prepare for the end of the world."


    Acuzio looked up at this, and his expression was blank. "This world is ending? Should I stop that?"


    "It''s a meteor," Adam said before I could. "It''s going to hit the earth and change everything.


    "What would be the consequences of changing the future?" I said, thinking out loud. What would happen if things were pushed further off the predetermined path? Sure, lives would be saved, but what about everything else?


    "From what you''ve told me, everything is already off trajectory, so let''s stop the end from happening and live well in this world," Adam said. His warm hand and firm words put my mind at ease, and I smiled big at him. He really is the hero of this world. Even if no one knows what he''s done to save or would have done it.


    "So am I doing this or what?" Acuzio said as he casually dangled a feather above a cat for fun.


    "Doing it," I said much more firmly than expected.


    Nothing happened directly after that, and I blinked, unsure what stopping the meteor would look like for a god. He was a dragon, so would he fly and bat it away with his tail? Would he eat it? How would a Dragon God get rid of a world-ending meteor?


    Acuzio stood teasing a cat, and I watched him. "Uncle, are you going to do it?" Or had he managed to while I stood here panicking?


    "I''ll get to it, but first, you must beat me in a game." He set the cat down, and I watched the feather float to the ground.


    "A game?" Adam said at the same time as I did. Only my voice cracked horribly, and his was as firm as before.


    "Nothing is free," Acuzio said with a shrug.


    "What is it with Gods and games?" I muttered with fury.


    "You''ve met another God?" Acuzio said, confused, "And you lived unscathed to tell the tale? Any God worth their salt would recognize whose line you belong to and try to curse you."


    See Mordecai, it is your fault your descendants have hidden from the world. All those damn enemies you created left and right. I thought bitterly, but out loud, I simply said, "I saw Aphra. She was here to¡­" Only I barely got out the name Aphra before Acuzio exploded into flames.


    Adam shoved me behind his back as red furious flames grew from the cracks of Acuzio''s skin. His dark flesh lit up in prims of color as the erupting heat reached a boiling point. That wasn''t flesh I''d been seeing before! All that stuff must have been his scales!


    "Where is my sister? I haven''t been able to see her since I took this form. Where did she go?" Acuzio''s usually deep, gravelly voice became deeper and beastal. He stepped forward, and the ground beneath him crisped into black footprints. My beautiful grass! I thought as I looked back up to see Acuzio''s eyes glowing hot red.


    I shouldn''t tell him his sister was living in my head rent-free and troubling me. Would he try to take it apart to pull out Aphra?


    ''He very well might.'' Mordecai''s voice had turned into the more feminine Aphra, and I made a face at the antics of my ancestor.


    "You need to just pick a form," I said aloud. "It''s getting confusing trying to keep you straight."


    "What did you say?" Acuzio said, and I flinched. He clearly mistook my words as meant for him.


    However, I was in too deep and stubbornly jutted my chin out at him. "You need to pick a mood and a course of action. Are you going to play a game with me or not? The stakes can be quite simple. Aphra''s whereabouts for you saving this world from the meteor."


    Adam''s tense shoulders were still trying to protect me, and I whispered an apology to him. Sparking the fury of a Dragon God wouldn''t end well for us.


    Acuzio''s fire flickered but didn''t go out. They stopped growing, and I watched, peeking behind Adam, as they flickered timely with his shaking shoulders. A roar of laughter spilled from the flaming man, and I watched, fascinated and worried for his mental state. None of the gods I had met so far were sane.


    ''Define sane?'' Aphra said tartly.


    The standard of average humans must have to be out and about in society, I shot back mentally at her.


    "I understand now why she''s been watching over you. It''s more than just a resemblance." Acuzio said, and finally, his fire went out.


    Adam and I relaxed.


    "Niece, you''ve given me hope," Acuzio said. "I think you''ll be the one who can undo it."


    Undo it? Do what? I tried to get Aphra to answer, but the bloody phoenix was quiet for once.


    "The next time we meet, no matter the timing of that world, I''ll have a gift for you." As he spoke, Acuzio wasn''t looking at either of us but off into the distance.


    I attempted to see what he had seen, but all I saw were the cats sunbathing from a safe distance away.


    "You can take some of the cats or the kittens?" I said, as I was unsure where to go from here.


    "I shouldn''t; I haven''t been able to keep anything alive in years. I''m lucky my children and descendants are superiorly durable. Now for the trial. I''ll take young Adam as my challenger. This isn''t fit for a girl to do."


    I made a face at him, but before I could retort, Acuzio had teleported away with Adam. The warmth I''d grown accustomed to was stripped from the air, and all I could feel was cold and alone.

 Chapter Twenty Eight

    I was left to wait, and I suppose it wasn''t too bad not being the one to do a battle of wits against a God.


    ''As if you had any wits when you played my games.'' Mordecai said derisively in my head. He was back to a masculine voice, and I rolled my eyes.


    "You switched up real fast when you knew your brother was here." I shot back.


    ''He''s my big brother.'' Mordecai said, his voice the epitome of a shrug. ''Of course, I feel like¡­I don''t have to explain myself to you. You messed up everything. I had two possible outcomes planned for when Acuzio showed up, and now it''s back to the drawing board.''


    I made a face and tried to ask what the heck Mordecai was talking about, but all I could hear was the equivalent of a door slamming in my head. My ears rang, and I rubbed my temple as I tried to relax.


    I didn''t stand dazed for too long. I was so worried when I first woke up I hadn''t done anything to take care of my morning routine. The roller coaster was finally calm, and now My body needed to relieve itself, and I was thirsty from all the heat. I ran to go to the bathroom and got a glass of water.


    After I had refreshed my bladder and quenched my thirst, Lucia and Wyatt arrived with the rest of their things.


    Room arrangements would be different from when we were kids. Lucia took the biggest room that had remained empty after Sunny''s disappearance, and Wyatt joined her. Lucas could take the old one he had before.


    Adam could room with me. It was a bit different than how I expected to live with him, but it would work.


    Lucia and I got to work in the kitchen to keep our hands busy. We worked together in the kitchen for years, so we barely needed to speak.


    Busy hands kept the mind still, after all. We made eggs from our chickens. We baked biscuits from the ingredients we''d toiled from the garden. The butter we used and served at the table was churned by hand. The milk was fresh from the goats. The fruit we used came from the garden and trees. We chopped fresh fruit, herbs, and vegetables for sides and seasoning.


    I love cooking and baking. I loved that my space was stuffed with goodies from all the years I''d worked on filling it up. We can hide away on the Evans property for years and eat like royalty.


    I knew, however, that whatever challenge Acuzio put Adam through, he''d win. So there wouldn''t be any need to.


    It felt good to see the fruition of all my hard work. Everything I had put my heart into these years paid off. And all of it was going to taste even better.


    Wyatt did stuff, I suppose, while Lucia and I put together the spread. To be frank, I don''t know what he was doing.


    He reappeared like magic just as the table was finished being set. I wouldn''t put it past him to track us with his wind powers. He said he could read minds, so maybe he was reading Lucia. He also said powers...I should have hounded him over what else he could do.


    "Where did Adam go?" Wyatt said as he tucked into the breakfast spread


    I quickly slammed food into my mouth and made wild-eye gestures as if I were talking around the food. When Wyatt reached out with his sneaky hand to touch my arm, I smacked his fingers with a warm loaf of bread.


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    Lucia scolded us, but we started hitting each other with food anyway. I didn''t want to say outright where Adam was, but that didn''t mean he could just read my mind and get the answer. He should do it like a civilized person.


    How else could he get the answer with Lucia in the room, my mouth full, and not using his abilities?


    Adam reappeared instead of a dull moment that allowed me to question this or properly fend off Wyatt''s intrusive fingers.


    He popped into the room, and poor Lucia screeched something fierce. Wyatt ran over to comfort her, and I spared them a glance as I dove for Adam''s arms.


    His arms were chilled and filled with cold air, which was a strange contrast to my face. Adam''s scent was saltier before and brought the aroma of the sea. Where exactly had he gone with Acuzio? I held onto him tighter, and Adam did the same in response.


    "You haven''t changed your clothes, Wendy." His voice was hoarse, and I laughed.


    That was the first thing he wanted to say to me? Did I stink? I could go for the chance to bathe and change; he was right.


    ''Here is where we say goodbye.'' Mordecai''s voice interrupted this moment, and I froze.


    Wait, when did you come back? And why are you leaving?


    ''Meh'' The shit actually said that to me. A pressure I didn''t know existed in my head disappeared. Was the strange feeling Mordecai?


    I didn''t have time to question this for long. As I stood there with my mouth open, something even crazier happened. The sneaky gold spores floated off my person and out the window...they weren''t alone. Spores of all shapes, colors, and sizes


    all floated away. I think I was the only one that noticed because no one else was freaking out about their departure.


    I lost my balance with this abrupt turn of events, and Adam steadied me with his hands. "Are you okay?"


    I nodded, covering my mouth. I felt funny all morning, but the stress and lack of good sleep would do that to me.


    "Did you win against Acuzio?" I said to Adam, scanning his face. Mordecai left so suddenly that it made me think Adam lost and my sly ancestor was going ahead of time.


    But this was Adam. How could he lose?


    "I won." He said with a ghost of a smile.


    "So the meteor won''t strike?" I said, and my previous odd feelings were swept away by joy. I can stay here in this world peacefully.


    "Not quite," Adam said, letting go of one of his arms to fish around in his pocket. He held up a shiny black rock the size of his hand. I eyed his pocket and then looked at him strangely. Ah, he must have pulled it out of his space, but he didn''t want to freak out Lucia even more. Seeing that this conversation would continue, Wyatt ushered Lucia out the door. I hoped he would show her his powers and make this whole thing less awkward. But that was between those two.


    I turned my attention back to the strange rock. It was flat like a saucer and shiny like a polished gem. Under the light, it changed colors like glass. "What is that?" I reached out to touch it, but Adam jerked it from me.


    "Only the one who was bequeathed it can use it. He wanted me to give it to you to use." Adam said this, but he didn''t hand it over. I reached for it, and yet again, he moved his hand out of the way. "It will grant your wish, but the caveat is that it will be your greatest wish. Make sure to focus on the meteor, not striking."


    I bit my lip at this caveat. I wanted quite a few things, including the meteor, to not strike. I needed to wash away those desires and focus on the one most needed. I needed to do whatever it took to ensure I could live happily with Adam¡­I needed to wish that meteor away.


    "What is it exactly?" I said as I watched the light play off it, creating prisms of lights. It was strange that each was a rainbow, but they weren''t ordinary rainbows. Each one gave off different hues of strangely unique lights.


    "It''s a dragon scale, his own. I watched him rip it off." Adam said this as he watched the lights as well.


    "Dragon scales grant wishes?" I wanted to reach for it, but I was worried about what could happen if I didn''t have my wish prepared.


    "Apparently," Adam said. His voice was as amused as my own.


    "This may be why there''s the caveat that only the one who has been chosen to receive it can use it. Otherwise, everyone would be ripping off dragon scales." I said with a snort as I tucked my fingers out of the way.


    "Wendy." Adam''s voice drew my attention off the scale and to him. His dark brown eyes were deep and looked somewhat familiar.


    He was hiding something. I grabbed his cheek and scanned his all-too-familiar emotionless mask. His eyes, indeed, were the secret to his emotions.


    "Adam, you''re doing that thing again where you''re withholding from me. All these secrets will break us apart if you don''t trust me with them." I said, falling into his eyes.


    "Only you straying too far from my side will take us apart." He said, but something flickered in his eyes. "Promise me that you''ll never do that."


    "I will promise if you promise to stop being so stubborn with secrets." I gave in to the urge to kick his shin and let go of his face, deciding to sulk. It doesn''t have anything to do with his trials with Acuzio. He was making the same face he''d made when it came to things he thought I shouldn''t know yet. It had crossed my mind that he wanted to make a promise but hadn''t told me the secret. Why was he so dang secretive?


    Once I stopped the meteor, we''d have all the time in the world to kick that dirty habit. The world ending was more pressing, so I snatched the dragon scale away, squeezed my eyes shut, and said, "I wish for the meteor to not strike."


    When I opened my eyes, I found myself in a sea of blue.

 Chapter Twenty Nine

    This was strangely familiar. I thought as I looked around. Last time, I was transported into a sea of green grass. Here I am in the actual sea. In any case, I was lucky enough to be on a boat at least. But this dingy-looking thing was a fisherman''s boat. Not something that could withstand the outrage of the sea on a bad day.


    What the hell happened to me? I looked down at the dragon scale. It was still as beautiful as before but it no longer thrummed with power. It was just an empty husk. I slipped it into my space and walked around the boat''s rusty, dirty-looking places.


    This was the first time I''d genuinely been out to sea. I had yet to use the ferry system to get to Alcom''s Cove or go on a boat. It was pretty cool. The sea also smelled, and I made a face at the stench.


    No one was manning the boat up top, but what if someone was below deck? How could I explain showing up dry as dust on their boat in the middle of the sea?


    I ran through possible excuses as I went to the deck below to the cramped bottom floor of the boat. A man was lying on the bed, taking up half the cabin''s space.


    "Excuse me." I said, sounding casual and nonthreatening, "I was just wondering if you knew where we were? I landed here by accident and¡­" I trailed off as the man sat up to look at me. There were bandages on his face, covering his eyes and arms. He looked like he''d been through battle.


    What was most shocking, however, wasn''t any of that. It was the fact that it was Adam.


    Against any delayed rational thinking, I dove for the man, saying his name repeatedly. "I was so scared, Adam," I told him. I tried to delicately give him a hug, wondering how badly he was damaged.


    Maybe I''d been teleported to part of whatever trial Acuzio had given him. Adam came back smelling like the sea after all. I kissed his lips and hissed an apology when his eye wrapping started falling. His lips stiffened under mine, and I pulled away, hands up in an apology. "I''m sorry. Did I hurt you? How did this even happen to you? What if it scars?" I fussed over his face and possible scars as I held his face in my hands. His free dark brown eye stared at me, filled with bewilderment.


    Adam was strangely frozen and unresponsive this entire time. Even with part of his face hidden, I would recognize Adam anywhere, so I got rid of the slight fear uncurling from my stomach pit.


    Did he lose his memories again, then?


    Before he could say anything, his eyes rolled, and he collapsed. I rushed forward to catch him, and gravity tumbled us into the bed. Thanks to a Belgian hospital show Grandpa Evans loved, I knew how to find Adam''s carotid artery to check for a pulse. His breaths were too shallow to track, but his pulse was strong.


    I pulled out what I needed to reset his bandages and looked over him. A handful of seconds, at best, passed in this fashion before he woke up.


    Adam''s dark, inquisitive eyes narrowed at the sight of me with suspicion. "Who are you?" His voice was rough from disuse and exhaustion, but it was Adam''s.


    "Wendy," I said as I wrapped his face. The nasty wound was doing what it could to heal. It looked like something acidic had hit his face. My fingers were gentle as I wrapped it tight. "You don''t remember me?" My voice was relatively strong for the heartbreaking agony my chest was putting me through.


    "How could I?" He said.


    I pulled away to inspect my handy work. I didn''t know what to say. The dragon scale was supposed to grant my greatest wish. I had wished to stop the meteor. Yet here I was. What if it had ignored me and instead granted a desire I''d been trying to put to bed.


    My longing to go to the second timeline.


    Adam didn''t want me to, but I''d be foolish not to wish for it. I would like to see him on another timeline and maintain continuity in the future.


    Shame colored my cheeks as I sat back. I must be in the second timeline with Adam. An injured one who was being patient with the strange woman he didn''t know showing up on his boat and kissing him.


    "I''m not Adam. My name is Rex." Adam''s smooth voice, as always, was balm to my frazzled mind.


    Liar. I thought, but I didn''t say this out loud.


    "You''re not my Adam." My own words burned my mouth coming out. He was...just not yet. "You look like him, though."


    "Half of my face is covered." He sounded incredulous.


    But your voice wasn''t. Your hands and lips felt the same. Seeing Rex in front of me brought regret to creation. I shouldn''t have wished this, even if it meant it messed up our time in a strange time paradox.


    "I met my Adam in a different timeline."


    My use of the word timeline sparked something in him because he visually stiffened.


    "I have to leave this world and get back to him." I stood up and left the room to climb the steps to the fishing deck.


    I stared at the darkening sky and choppy waves. How was I going to make it back? Mordecai talked a big game about what I could do, but like everyone else in the family, he didn''t explain it.


    I closed my eyes and found my space. It came with me, luckily. Could I use my plant powers? The ocean was too deep and strange to find plants. My reach had grown, but that was on land. I held a hand over the water and attempted to find plant life.


    "What are you doing? Adam''s voice came from behind me, and I spun around to see him staring at me. His dark eyes had turned into a laser as he inspected me. He removed his bandages.


    I made a face. "You shouldn''t have removed those bandages since you''re injured. The saltwater won''t feel good on it."


    "Wendy, what were you doing?"


    "Trying to see if I could call upon any plants. I don''t know if my power will be intact since landing here."


    "What is your power?"


    "Plant manipulation and premonition. I''m not good at the precog. I occasionally dream up warnings, but it''s not reliable."


    "That''s it? That''s all you can do?" Adam said this as he stepped forward with a rather strange expression. His hands came down on my shoulders, and he shook me. Why did this feel like an accusation?


    "I have a dimension space," I said quickly. "I have your favorite food in it. I can give you some. This boat doesn''t seem to have much." I wanted to bring up his space or anything I knew that proved I wasn''t the average loon. But what if that made him more upset? It was better to leave before I made a bigger mess of things. Maybe I was just meant to say a few things to this Adam.


    "I don''t like food."


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    "It''s just substance. I know. I learned how to cook when we were kids, and you gave me feedback." As I said this, I looked into his eyes and reached up to push back a strand of hair that fell into his face.


    His grip loosened on my shoulders, and he stepped back, dodging my hand a moment too late. Adam looked dizzy and pale. Why wouldn''t he? He was injured, and some crazy woman was acting like she knew him.


    Adam was too polite to tell me this, but his customarily controlled expression showed how he felt about me. He thought I was crazy.


    A sliver of fear struck my heart as I looked at the mess I had created with just a few minutes with ''Rex.'' What if I wasn''t in the second timeline? Could I have gone someplace else? I''d grown complacent with Adam''s kindness. He took whatever I said in stride and never judged me. This was not my Adam. This was Rex.


    The not-so-gentle rocking of the sea took this opportunity to shake the boat even harder. Rex made a face, and I saw his face turn green with pain before he fell to his knees. I knelt down to check and maybe help him, but he pushed me off.


    "I don''t know who you are or where you came from, but you must leave." He spoke through gritted teeth and fierce, glowering eyes. If this were anyone else, I might have jumped into the sea and taken my chances in marine life.


    This was Adam. Even if it wasn''t my Adam. "No. Not when you''re like this." The boat shook harder, and waves rose and crashed over the small boat.


    With the waves, something washed up. Several somethings. I watched in horror as the ugliest and fattest toads were dropped on the deck of the boat. The goo that wafted off them did more than turn the stomach. It was melting everything it touched.


    I didn''t have to steal a glance at Rex to understand that this was likely what damaged his face.


    I barely had time to register their existence before they were torn to shreds.


    I did look at Rex now; it was better than seeing blood, gooey body parts, and death. Rex had his hands up. He was moving his fingers as a pianist might work their piano keys.


    Each of his fingers twisted and warped space to slice the frogs up. There had to be at least one hundred slices per slimy frog.


    Unable to stop my dumb, curious brain, I watched. It was too soon to feel safe before more frogs swarmed the boat.


    Instead of just plopping on the deck as lazy lards, they opened their mouths to shoot acid. An involuntary scream escaped my mouth.


    The frogs were erased much cleanly from reality this time. The spacial slices were wide enough to chop off the heads of the frogs so that they landed sideways.


    And yet, despite so many fallen comrades, more frogs came on board. They seemed to have endless numbers.


    I couldn''t just sit on my ass; I had to figure out a way to help. So I stood up and pulled out two handfuls of seeds. I poured my energy into cracking them open. Luckily, I learned to do this all those years ago. I was still not very good at getting plants to be violent, but I could at least protect us from acid and keep the boat from getting too damaged.


    But something strange happened to the sprouts in my palms. I watched, fascinated and horrified, as they melded into one another to form huge protective leaves that covered us. I didn''t have time to look at Rex because that was when the lights went out.


    "Wendy." Adam''s voice tickled my face, and I smiled at the warmth it infused me with.


    I opened my eyes to see his dark, liquid brown eyes looking at me affectionately. "Adam." I was lying down with my head in Adam''s lap. We were sitting under the apple tree, and I could feel the sun''s heat on my skin.


    I reached up to touch his face, and he grabbed my hand. "I need you." I pulled his hand to my face and fought back the tears that wanted to form. This should have been a good moment, but my stupid emotions were getting in the way.


    "I''m always here for you." He said.


    "I''m scared," I said with a shaky voice.


    "I''ll protect you."


    My sobs became muffled by his chest, and when his hand came down to pat my head, I only cried harder. "I wish this wasn''t a dream, Adam."


    "Last time you were sure it was." His voice was muffled, and I strained my ears to hear.


    "This time, it has to be. I''m not with you anymore."


    "Are you sure about that?"


    His words were like cold water to my senses, and I closed my eyes. When I opened them again, I was sadly on a beach. The boat was nearby, but there was damage to it. Pieces of dead frogs decorated the remains of the poor vessel.


    The part that Rex and I had been on was almost undamaged. I would like to know if the strange plant I grew was useful.


    I scoured the sandy beach for it, but it was nowhere to be seen. Neither was Rex. I suppose he teleported away when he could.


    I flopped back on the sand and rather pathetically. "I miss you, Adam," I said to the sky. It was strange to be alone on this beach. I was genuinely alone this time. It''s been forever. Even during my emotional freakouts, there was someone nearby. I had the animals at home, including my friends and Adam. Even Mordecai hung out in my head and kept me company.


    The breeze brushed over my skin gently, and it was sweetly lulling. The sky was bright blue and clear, as if the storm from before never occurred. It was remarkable how nature bounced back while we mortals were left to toil with the mess.


    Given Rex''s age, the meteor had already struck. If I were to look at the sky, I could calculate that enough time had passed for the space dust to pass as well. I began muttering calculations about the plot. I hadn''t finished the book and regretted that for the millionth time.


    I closed my eyes and looked through my space. How did I stock enough food to last a lifetime but forgot to store clothing? I was supposed to be at Evans''s home, so I never thought about the worst case. Great.


    I had some things stored; however, there were a few dresses I wanted to have on hand to change and a few lovely shawls. I needed jeans and something sturdy to move in. Not date clothing to match whatever Adam wore.


    By the time I decided what to wear, my dress had dried in the heat, and it became a no-brainer to skip changing for now.


    Besides, this dress tied me back to the last time I saw Adam.


    While digging through my space, I found things that served a purpose other than what I wanted. I had The GPS phone Adam had given me, one of the lemon tart boxes, and a box of papers both of us had worked on over the years. I munched on the lemon tart as I went through the documents. The last lemon tart box Adam had given me had gone into the pile I had started stockpiling. I would find it eventually, but not today. I needed to savor these lemon tarts like our memories together. Like the memories, we worked hard together. Adam helped me grow my brain when it came to planning out farm stuff, but just in general, it was fun to work on his homework with him.


    My brain, eager to escape, slipped into a memory of such a time.


    I stood up, recalling Adam''s words from that memory. Creating a timeline of events could help me maintain my sense of time and figure out my next move.


    "Adam was right about creating timelines." I reached out my hand and, obliging, one of the trees extended a branch towards me. "Thank you," I said before snapping off a branch big enough for what I planned. I reached out with my energy to give back to the tree and watched as it receded away when I was done. I smiled as the branch that I took from grew back with some interest.


    "Okay, the first thing that happened was when I entered this world." I used the stick to draw out my age after my initials.


    "I met Adam, and thanks to him hitting me with the car, I was able to slip out of this world for a moment to go back home to get what I needed," I said with a snort as I drew the car that hit me. If Adam''s car was a masterpiece, then mine was the scribblings done by a lab rat''s tail after a drug experiment gone wrong.


    I casually drew out the basics of my story with Adam with what I thought was witty commentary.


    The nearby trees and plants were my only listeners, so it was a tough crowd. I skipped a good chunk of things, leaving out the sad memories like Gavin. And getting to the gritty stuff like our first night, his almost proposal, and my family shenanigans.


    "Then I learned that this was all his third lifetime," I said softly, barely above a whisper. "How easily it all could have been erased by a choice. I would have run the other direction had he told me, Rexford."


    Mapping out this timeline could help me explain what I needed to do in the second timeline, Rex. If he did fall in love with me, then we would be together in the future. That is assuming this is the second timeline. I should accept that because if it wasn''t a second timeline, I would be a leaf in the wind of timelines with no tether.


    "I can''t see how to solve this problem. He thinks I''m crazy, and I don''t blame him." I flopped back on the sand, ignoring that my painstaking drawings looked even more wild for it.


    If I had finished the book, I might have known why Rex was alone in a boat with strange injuries and acid-spitting frogs on his tail. I hadn''t, and he was nowhere to be seen to answer, not that he would. I lazily pulled the box of papers to me with the branch. I didn''t have Adam or any pictures of him, damn dumb me left them in my room, but I had stacks of paper filled with his handwriting. I didn''t need to be a literary witch to love that, just a girl in love. Holding these papers gave me the strength to not cry or give up. Eventually, I put them down to embrace the sadness overflowing my senses. I didn''t want to ruin the pages with my snot and tears.


    "It''s not fair that he could be across the world by now with his powers. I should have kept my mouth shut and acted sane." I smacked the sand, forgetting to cover my eyes from the fallback. Predictively, I was slapped in the face with the coarse grains, and I had to take out water from my space to wash them out.


    Even more time passed by the time I could blink comfortably, but by then, it was dark, and I was getting scared.


    I should search the woods, look for Rex, and find shelter. But I found myself doing something far less productive. I pulled some blankets from my space, dug out a little hole for a bed, and crawled into it.


    I wanted to sleep, and if lucky, I would dream of Adam again.

 Chapter Thirty

    I was not lucky, and I did not dream of Adam again. Instead, my dreams were filled with the sound of chaos. I could hear the racket of screams, crying, and fighting. I could taste the salt of sweat and the stench of panic. I tossed and turned, waking up every few minutes to look around.


    Something was going to happen, yet Dreamland kept pulling me back under its control to dream some more.


    I woke up with gritty eyes, a mouth full of sand, reddened cheeks from tears, and a foul mood.


    I didn''t bother having any sense of decorum and pulled out what I needed from my space to clean, dress, and feed myself.


    I slipped on a brown sundress with billowing sleeves. I needed something that the sand wouldn''t ruin and could still look cute with sand on it. The sun was taking its time rising, so I pulled out a red shawl to wrap around my shoulders. I had packed for beauty over comfort, and all of the clothing I kept for date nights was cute, not functional.


    I was thirstier than hungry, so I sipped rose milk tea and nibbled on shortbread cookies. The hit of sugar gave me the energy I needed to feel emboldened by my circumstances. I slipped everything I had left out back into my space as I finished my drink.


    Today, I was leaving this hellhole. I stood with purpose and determination that shifted into panic as I looked around me.


    I scoured the beach and saw that the wind had come through, which was part of why I slept so poorly, but there had to be more to it than that.


    As if my growing apprehension summoned trouble, the same frogs that felled the boat started dropping down from the sky like rain.


    I gaped for a split second as droplets of slimy frog goo were aimed at my head.


    I didn''t have time to think, and instinctively, I reached for whatever plant life was around me.


    I''d meant to shield myself, but that''s not what happened. Again, like on the boat, the plants I summoned did something they''d never done before.


    They grew past my control and then they did something new and went straight into murder mode.


    Thorns the size of daggers grew on the palm fronds to slice the frogs in half. Whatever frog was missed was taken care of by the coconuts that grew pointy teeth to devour the remains.


    I was shielded at least by some tumbleweeds that covered my eyes from seeing the slaughter.


    But nothing could stop the scent of death, blood, and acid.


    My hands shook as the weeds stopped covering me to join the hunt. And it truly was a hunt by now. The plants were mercilessly going after any frogs trying to escape.


    Fear, shame, and panic filled my blood as I did the one thing I could think of to save my skin. I tightened my grip on the red shawl that covered my head and ran into the trees.


    I didn''t get far. My stomach once again proved its strange new weakness, and I puked in a nearby bush. I frantically apologized to the bush as my stomach emptied the meager rations I had managed to eat that morning. My stomach churned out everything it could until all I could spew was clear stomach mucous.


    I curled up in a ball on the ground, whimpering and ashamed. I must have passed out at some point. I eventually came to when a cool hand landed on my forehead. I''d recognize that touch anywhere.


    "Adam," I said as I attempted to open my eyes. All the previous trauma to my eye made it a bit hard to do so, so I gave up opening them.


    "Wendy." His voice said without its familiar warmth.


    My eyes shot open, and I pulled away. It''s Rex. His face was under better control, but he had a strange gaze on me. He looked perfect, without a single strand of hair out of place. How did he manage that? His hair was slicked, he was wearing a clean suit, and his utterly handsome face could have walked right off the cover of a magazine.


    "You''re sick?" He said. His words drew me from my longing and thoughts of him.


    Outwardly, I managed to shrug, but internally, I was screaming and dying a thousand deaths over and over. Rex should not see me like this. How could he fall in love with someone who had puke breath?


    I was ruining our timeline after all my hard work to piece it together.


    I managed to sit up, and his firm hands supported me. It was courtesy, not kindness, being shown, and that made this painful even as I found myself leaning into his hands.


    "I''ll help you get off this island, but then we''ll go our separate ways," Rex said, perfunctorily taking his hands away when I was steadied.


    I gave a jerky nod in response, not trusting my voice to sound reasonable or unemotional.


    There was a brief intermission where I withdrew water from my space to clear my eyes. I didn''t realize until I was done that Rex was watching my every movement. He looked suspicious and cautious of me, but he hadn''t run away from me screaming yet.


    I didn''t have it in me to blame him. I wanted to get off this island, maybe more than him, so I could return to Adam.


    "I found a boat that we can use," Rex said as he took off towards the beach. I followed him, stumbling along. The plants came to life as I tried to leave the forest; however, I reached out to touch and greet everything. These plants could have been shushed to behave, but meeting new plants was a rare moment. We were in a tropical place, so we were very far from Green''s Mountain.


    Eagerly, I swiped their seeds, leaves, and flower offerings. With the ease of practice, I slipped them into my space happily. In return for these gifts, I offered my energy to them.


    I didn''t realize until we reached the sand, which was delayed by the plants trying to keep me, that he had taken me to a different beach. I couldn''t see my bloodied beach or any other familiar marker. This beach had a brand new boat moored nearby. I blinked as I took in this new boat. It was better quality than the one that crashed.


    If Wyatt were here, he could explain away all the gadgets and features of it. All I knew was that it was maroon with a black sail. Of all the things to anticipate, being on a boat during the end times had not been on my radar.


    "Let''s go," Rex said as he cut across the sand to go on board. I tried not to drag my feet. I would caution us to grab supplies if I were an ordinary person, but we both had spaces full of things. I told Rex about mine, but he had not mentioned or shown his. That is until now. There was no way he found a random boat this nice on this ugly deserted island.


    He had it in his space, and he pulled it out. But if I said anything about it, that could shatter our little peace in this moment.


    I bit my lip as I waded out into the water. I was hesitating about how I would jump on board when Rex reappeared. His eyes looked better, but his face was cold as he looked down at me. Overnight, the wounds on his face had disappeared. How did that happen? My mind recalled the drink he made me drink during that fever ''dream.'' Maybe he had medicine that was that potent. But if he did, then why hadn''t he used it sooner? Is he on guard with me? He gave in and used such an extravagance.


    Our eyes remained locked during this, and I fought off tears and agony as I hurt myself with my own assumptions. I tried to replicate how he climbed up. There weren''t stairs or a ladder but little dents on the side I could fit my feet in. I couldn''t get too far, though, and my stomach did not like the idea of the sea or my emotional waves.


    "Wendy," Rex said in Adam''s voice, and he bent down to help me. Like a toddler demanding uppises I lifted my arms. He obliged and pulled me up. Rex smelled different from Adam. He didn''t wear the cologne I was used to, but underneath the scent of the sea, I could find fragments of Adam spice. My throat tightened painfully, making it hard to breathe or speak.


    I lingered at this whiff and latched onto Rex like an octopus. He stiffened as I absorbed his warmth. My leeching was ended by him pulling me off him.


    "Boundaries Wendy." He said stiffly before turning away to start the boat. The boat''s steering wheel, along with all the buttons, had its own little room with a 360 view of everything. Thanks to that view, I was able to watch Rex.


    I hadn''t recovered my voice by the time the boat was revved up and got going. The start was choppy at best, but the ride was suspiciously smooth once the boat got moving.


    I recovered the strength to move, at least. I moved around the top deck, looking for the way below. I found a latch door with ladder stairs, which looked good enough. I went down to the bottom deck, my curiosity getting the better of me.


    I looked up, curious if Rex would mind, and found his eyes locked on me. I couldn''t read what was in them, but I fled, no longer caring what he thought of me exploring.


    The tiny sliver of belief that Rex could have found this boat was wiped clean when I saw the interior below deck. The expensive upper deck was nothing to laugh at. But this blew my expectations out of the water.


    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    It was full of lovely dark wood that gleamed with taste. Some kind of hardwood floors I couldn''t identify, as well as a kitchen with an island. Everything looked new and expensive, like something that would be gifted to the Rexford heir.


    There was a squished living area with a couch and TV. The first door I opened turned out to be a bathroom. The second was a storage closet, and it was when I turned to the last door I found the bedroom.


    The bed took up almost all of the space, and what was left were expensive-looking dressers, a TV, and end tables. It looked like a nice hotel room done in a tiny living style.


    Everything smelled brand new, and I turned around, planning on collapsing on the couch.


    Instead, I ran right into a hard chest. I rubbed my nose as I looked up. Rex had followed me down here?


    "You can sleep in here. I''ll be above deck. There''s a bed in the wheelhouse." Rex''s voice was the epitome of civility.


    I gave a jerky nod, not trusting myself enough to speak. I was rubbing my throat, but it was not helping me. Its tightening showed no signs of stopping.


    I''ll get through this. I repeated this in my head as I took him up on that offer.


    I woke up not knowing how much time had passed. I wouldn''t have left the decadent bed if it weren''t for my bladder. It guided me out of the room, however. I peeked through a crack in the door and didn''t spot Rex.


    Like a thief, I ran into the bathroom, trying to avoid making noise or possibly being spotted. I was stopped from closing the door at the glory of the bathroom. Everything on this ship looked excessively expensive.


    "Just found it." I snorted disbelievingly before I could stop myself. My voice was hoarse, and my throat was still a menace. I would have to drink some tea and maybe soup to help, but I had a more pressing matter for now.


    I used the toilet a little too gleeful at the full bladder I managed to retain. I then took the time to admire the shower as I washed my hands. Everything is just so nice.


    There was no sign of Rex when I exited the bathroom. He was likely still above in the wheelhouse. He was helping me off the island but would maintain his distance from me whenever possible.


    I rubbed my hungry tummy as I looked around the kitchen. Nosy me couldn''t stop from opening every cabinet and drawer. That was how I found the fridge tucked away. It was huge but rolled out like a drawer.


    When I was done snooping, I could take stock of what was available. There was food, but it was all dry in the cabinets and things with expiration dates that could have passed. The fridge was empty, but that wasn''t a big deal.


    Seeing such a bare-bones pantry physically hurt, so I started slipping meat, milk, cream, and yogurt into the fridge. I also took the time to fill up the rest of the drawers and cabinets with pantry goods. I had an untapped gold mine of cuisine in my space, and the satisfaction of filling the emptiness with food was worth it.


    I had plenty of Adam''s favorite beef stew in my space. What if I fed it to Rex, and he liked it? Adam had lapped at it like a cat in his car when we were kids. In hindsight, maybe he was doing that because I had fed it to him here in his second lifetime, and he wanted to taste it again.


    This thought gave me strength, and I stood up, intending to go to the island table and pull it out for Rex. Instead, I became dizzy as I stood and blindly reached for something to hold onto.


    My hands grabbed onto something warm and masculine. "Adam," I said as I turned to see liquid brown eyes looking down at me. "I mean Rex. Thank you." I quickly corrected myself. I dropped his hand as if it burned me and chose to lean on the closest counter.


    He overlooked my misuse of his name and said stiffly, "If you''re unwell, you should lay back down."


    "I was going to make dinner," I said. "To thank you for everything and to say sorry."


    His eyelashes came down, and I couldn''t read his eyes. Whatever he was thinking was wiped clean of his expression and gaze as he backed away. "Get some rest, Wendy. I don''t need your food."


    He was gone, back upstairs in seconds.


    Why had he bothered coming down just to say that? He could have come for the bathroom but didn''t even glance at the door. A wild thought took root in my heart as I stared after him.


    Could Rex be attracted to me? I bit my lip at that thought. That couldn''t be it. He was likely just wary. If he was cautious, why had he brought me with him? Sure, he would drop me off when we reached wherever we were going, but he took me with him.


    These unreasonable thoughts fluttered in my chest, and I rubbed them as I looked down and away. But I couldn''t make them go away. Maybe Rex was just as drawn to me as I was to him? Like Adam, he had a habit of finding me when I faltered.


    Our love was fated even with me being a mess.


    I did opt to go lay down, but I left the soup out for Rex. I opted to eat a bowl of clear broth instead. My stomach was acting funky, and the last thing I wanted was to vomit up good food. That reminded me I hadn''t showered away everything. I''d used water from my space and even the sea, but a good shower would feel great and take care of anything I missed.


    I walked out more confidently from the room and headed to the shower.


    I emerged fifteen minutes later feeling refreshed and alive. I had a strange moment with the temperature of the water. Anything above lukewarm hurt me, and I took such a chilled shower that there was hardly any steam.


    The only clothing I had in my space was date clothing I had reserved for Adam, so it was awkward to emerge in a green chiffon dress that went down to my ankles. If I were to stay here, I would have to change some of these dresses.


    If my dreams and the acid frogs were any indicator, then this peace would be short-lasting, and I wouldn''t be able to run in a long dress.


    I exited the bathroom and saw that the soup I had left for Rex was gone. My chest tightened as I approached the counter and saw a note. It was Adam''s handwriting that thanked me, and I clutched it to my chest. I slipped it into my space and ignored my eyes, which burned with fresh, hot tears.


    I had work to do.


    The first dress I would alter was my favorite one in my space. It was a coral rose chiffon dress with ruffled short sleeves. The thick fabric was deceptively soft-looking. I had layered the underside of the dress with a thick white lining. I did that so that even though I looked effortlessly cute, I would be warm during the late spring nights. It worked the two times I had worn it. Now, I would use that fabric to turn it into a jumper. I pulled out my supplies and got to work. I had years of experience, so it didn''t take me long to turn the dress into a more useful romper.


    I tossed it into my space without a thought and pulled out the next dress. A blue gingham dress I had in there could be turned into overalls. I could turn at least three flowing dresses into blouses and use the leftover fabric into patchwork shorts.


    By the time I was done, I was not alone. Rex had come in at some point, and I noticed him when I sat back to look at my delicate fingers.


    His hair looked slightly mussed, a sign he was stressed, but his expression was calm. "You''re making clothing?"


    My lips quirked, and I gave a nod. Just the sight of his polite stare made it hard to breathe or use my words. I wanted to throw myself in his arms and gain comfort and courage. I couldn''t do this, however. He wasn''t Adam.


    "I have some things in my space that I can repurpose."


    "So you plan to stay in this¡­world?" Rex''s voice was calm as he said this. My chest tightened at his impersonal tone. It was rough knowing this voice was Adam''s, and it was directed at me.


    "No, I plan on leaving. I have to figure out how to do it right. When I do, I''ll leave." I said this as my brain flashed an idea at me. What if my ancestral uncle''s scale had a recharging period? If I waited, I could use it again. Or I could try to summon him. It would be better to attempt both when I was separated from Rex. I also wanted to be on land if my emotive ancient uncle went on a tirade. It was better to be safe than sorry.


    To my surprise, Rex sat down and watched me work on the rest of the outfits. He only jolted once when he saw a shawl I pulled out. I had actually pulled out a lot of them. I wanted to turn at least two into a sweater. I opted not to do anything to the one Adam had given me, which got a reaction from Rex. Did he recognize it somehow?


    But he left quickly after that, and I was out of courage, so I kept my head down and got to work.


    We spent about five days in this familiar pattern. I finished refurbishing the outfits and alternated between cleaning, cooking, and laundry. There was only so much else to do at sea. The TVs worked, but I could only watch pre-programmed shows.


    There were only historical, documentary, financial, and smart people shows. Nothing fun like cooking, trash, or soaps like I was used to. My heart painfully thought of Grandpa Evans, and I gave a soft prayer for him. I missed him.


    I took to the historical shows because, in some ways, they were similar to my own world. Many of it was different, and I was captivated by these differences.


    Rex joined me a few times but never for long.


    That became our strange routine somehow. Rex probed with questions but nothing deep, just basic things. He seemed to want to get to know things about me. I didn''t ask him anything. Rex was a tighter vault than Adam.


    "The ring on your hand." Rex had been looking at my spacial ring for a while but hadn''t asked after it.


    I looked down at it and made a face. This ring has been around the block. I used to think it was from Gus, but it was from Mordecai, who stole it from Acuzio. "What about it?" I said, my voice curt.


    "Did Adam give it to you?" Rex was looking at it strangely, and I shook my head no.


    "I''ve had this ring longer than I''ve known Adam," I said with a shrug and turned back to the TV. I was folding laundry, and Rex came to watch a show about possible ancient dragons. It was funny in a sense how well-timed it was.


    "Who gave it to you?" Rex said, and I grew tense.


    I thought he was going to drop it. Besides, how do I explain how I got the ring and what it does for me? Where do I even start?


    "It''s complicated," I said, settling for the truth.


    Rex''s expression turned strange, and I fought the inappropriate desire to laugh at how cute it was. Before his gaze became too odd on me, I added, "It''s a family heirloom of sorts. It''s hard to explain."


    Rex nodded stiffly, and although I thought he was done asking about it, he wasn''t. "Do you know what the stone in the center is?"


    I looked down at the sparkly onyx-looking gem. It had flecks that twinkled like stars; if I squinted, I could have fun with those twinkles. I didn''t know what it was made of. I had first assumed it was from specific witches, but if it had once belonged to a Dragon God, who knows. He could have forged it from just about anything. A wild thought hit me as I stared at it. It looked a bit like Acuzio''s scale¡­


    "I don''t," I said, finally settling on the truth. "I received it when I was a kid."


    "Do you mind?" Rex said as he looked at me.


    I managed to give a nod, not understanding what he was going to ask of me. How could I tell him no, regardless of what it was? Rex was still Adam. "It''s almost impossible to say no to you." I didn''t mean to say this, but it slipped out.


    Rex said nothing, and like always, his expression gave away zilch. He took my right hand to inspect it. Rex''s hand was chilly, but my reaction to it was all but. I had to fight the desire to squeeze his hand.


    His thumb brushed the dark gem, and I shivered. It was strange how just a simple touch brought out a reaction. But it wasn''t lust; it was something coming from him and pouring onto the ring. His energy, maybe? It felt strange as it interacted with the ring.


    "I believe you when you say you''re not from this world." Rex''s voice was cordial and controlled even as my heart jumped and I twitched. "The energy on this is¡­" His voice trailed off, and I looked down at the gem. It was hard to ignore his flopped hair. I was used to brushing it back and feeling its silkiness.


    He believed me because of this gem? Adam had never shown interest in it. The first mention of it was before the almost tree-climbing contest. This may be why.


    "What energy do you feel coming off it?" I said.


    Rex looked up, and I froze as his dark, liquid brown eyes met mine. "Do you know what I can do?" He was lightly brushing his thumb over the burn scar on my hand. It''d been years since the Wish tree zapped me but the melted flesh hadn''t faded. I watched as his hand continued its journey to palm my wrist.


    "I do," I said with no doubt. When my attention finally went back to the conversation at hand.


    There was silence as I looked down at the ring. Adam''s power was having his own spatial dimension. It could be more than just that. What if he had dimension manipulation and, thanks to that power, he could teleport around. I saw him use that power to tear apart the acid frogs. He could undoubtedly do more than that. Adam was a vault of secrets, so there was no telling where his limits lay. And thanks to his powers, he could sense my ring''s power. Dimension spotting another dimension? He couldn''t affect my dimension ring, though¡­right?


    "So you know what the ring can do," I said, meeting his gaze. I needed subtly, not my strongest forte, to get through this.


    A ghost of a smile flashed across his face. "And you do know what I can do." His voice was curious, but something in his gaze made me want to run.


    Rather than being attracted to me, was Rex keeping me close because I was too suspicious? This version of Rex scared me, but I was trapped. He had my right hand, and his fingers were firm and solid, while my pulse and hand were unsteady.


    Was this Rex admitting that some part of him was Adam? Or was he trying to see how much I knew about him?


    "Where''s your ring from Adam?" Rex''s voice was emotionless as he asked this.


    I hiccuped in surprise as I met his inquiring gaze. How did he know I had a ring from Adam? I groaned internally as the ring flashed in my mind. If only I had accepted it then.


    "Did you lose it?" Rex said, and I jumped as I broke eye contact.


    "Of course, I didn''t lose it. I never accepted it¡­" I said before I could stop myself. My cheeks burned with shame, pain, and embarrassment.


    A dark chuckle came from Rex, who had my eyes darting over to look at him. Oh my god, he looked so handsome. "So there is a ring." He said without breaking eye contact with me.


    I had difficulty looking away from him in this world and the last. Am I a horrible person for feeling lust and love towards this man? He was Adam, but he wasn''t, not really. I gulped as I urged my body to get away. It wouldn''t.


    I gathered my strength from somewhere because I snatched my hand from Rex. "That''s why I have to figure out how to return."


    Rex said nothing. He didn''t have to. The ship started to beep, letting him know that the ship''s autopilot needed some manual help. He left to deal with that, and I flopped on the couch, rubbing my chest.


    What. The. Heck. Was. That.

 Chapter Thirty One

    Nothing changed between us after that. It was weird. Rex was as cordial as before but more persistent in being near me. On the other hand, I created as much physical distance between us as possible. I also refused to dwell on why I needed to avoid too much alone time with the man.


    This boundary was as silently upheld as it was created. And the tension that its creation crafted was palpable. Rex didn''t ask any more questions regarding Adam, and he didn''t touch me. But he didn''t need to to set off my flight or fight response.


    The questions he did ask were strangely innocuous. He wanted to know what I could cook, and he would sit and watch me cook. He questioned every herb or seasoning I pulled from my space. It was like he suspected I was poisoning him. His diligent questioning, coupled with an unbroken gaze, showed he was watching my every move. I couldn''t tell him to buzz off, either. This was his boat; everything I used, including the comfortable bed, belonged to him.


    Two weeks passed in this manner, and although I wasn''t as close to Rex as I was to Adam, we were a bit more comfortable with each other.


    A bit too comfortable. It was weird that I''d spent two and a half weeks alone with this man.


    I was staring at him at him as he ate the fish he caught and I had cooked. I''d never had the chance to spend this much uninterrupted time with Adam. A part of me was sour, and I didn''t have Adam here instead.


    I stabbed at the fish, and my stomach was also unhappy with what was in front of it. It hadn''t gotten better in the past two weeks, only worse.


    I didn''t peg myself as someone who''d get seasick, yet here I was, unable to go a day without a dizzy spout that led me to vomit at least once a day.


    "You''re not eating?" Rex said.


    I shrugged, opting not to meet his hypnotic gaze. I didn''t want to spill how frustrating my body was making me. He wasn''t Adam, and drawing a line needed to happen. "I''m not really hungry," I said instead of any of this.


    "Are you still vomiting?"


    I nodded before sighing softly. I was taking some of the homemade gummies in my space, but I was losing weight I didn''t have to lose.


    "We''ll get to Alcom''s Cove soon," Rex said, and I met his gaze as a shot of happiness went through me. I''d never thought I''d be happy to hear of that place. I''d been too distracted to ask him where we were going, and I figured no matter where we''d end up, I wouldn''t stay for long anyway. I''d call one of my powerful ancestors and fuck off into the sunset. However, if we were going to Alcom''s Cove, that changed things a bit.


    "You know it?" Rex said correctly, reading my response.


    "I live in Green''s Mountain. Well¡­¡± I stopped myself from finishing that sentence. Rex had been silently accepting of all my verbal mistakes, but there was a limit I needed to invoke.


    "Is that where you met Adam?" Rex asked me. I gave a jerky nod. This was the first question he''d asked about Adam since the ring incident.


    I told the story, unable to stop myself from talking. No matter the world, Adam Rexford III, had such pull over me. Telling Rex this information in the second timeline could be how I got my Adam in the third timeline. Maybe I was supposed to say to him.


    I left out that I slipped back to my world to pull from the acquisition room thanks to that accident. I did tell Rex that this was the start of our friendship.


    "I''ve never heard of the Unruly Forest," Rex said, and I blinked at him. That was his take away from it all?


    "That''s not the official name. The locals call it that." I said before stabbing the fish. My stomach recoiled at the smell of it, and I set my fork down. Yeah, there was no way I was going to eat this.


    To my surprise, Rex took the plate and ate the fish instead. I made a face as my queasy stomach made more unhappy noises.


    I looked away from him as he finished off the plate. He thanked me curtly, then went above deck to deal with the boat stuff.


    I watched him go, then looked down at the dishes. It was good food. I scolded my stomach as I cleaned up after the meal. I had to plug my nose because it didn''t like what was in front of it.


    Inappropriate joy took root in my heart as I recalled our upcoming destination. We would be on land soon. Not just any land but a town I knew. I was familiar with how to make my way to Green''s Mountain.


    The water was choppy as I finished hand-washing the dishes. My stomach grew unhappy, and I had to lean on the counter to stabilize.


    An all too familiar hand came down on my back, and the gentle massage eased me through the worst of the nausea. "My neck instead, like usual, Adam, please." He obliged, and the intimate touch brought unabashed joy and comfort.


    When I could finally breathe without wanting to hurl, I turned to kiss Adam in thanks and found Rex in his stead. I could feel my smile fall off my lips as I hiccuped with surprise. When was my nativity going to go away? This was my new reality, far from him. My eyes pricked with pain as hot tears tried to activate.


    He ignored my expression and the implication of any words that might have slipped out while I decompressed. "Do you need assistance getting back to bed?" He said with his all too familiar crisp voice.


    I shook my head mutely, not trusting myself to talk. He took a step back, and what little warmth his body had put out was gone. I massaged my throat as I stumbled past him to the bed. I lay down, and instead of crying, I passed out.


    Neither one of us acknowledged what happened. I used my seasickness to hide away in bed. I still prepared meals for Rex and did the chores around the boat. I avoided him and any eye contact whenever possible. Cleaning and cooking was the least I could do while he directed the vessel and lent me the big bed. So, I ventured out of bed to do things before lying back down.


    I avoided Rex more out of habit than anything else, but it soon became another reason. I was starting to suspect that I wasn''t seasick. It all started when I began reading a particularly steamy book while hiding under the covers.


    There was a certain humor to reading a romance book while literally living in one. This one was a basic Victorian romance. A lady had a tryst with a prince. No magic, no world-ending events, just smutty drama. The ups and downs of the relationship were fun to read. It became harder to live vicariously through the girl when I felt too much of her reflecting on me.


    Her lover was connected by the past and by rumors to a princess. Well, technically, Rex and his step-sister were the same. I bulldozed past that to keep reading.


    The female lead was obviously pregnant, but she utilized every denial possible to avoid that simple truth. My third snort at her stupidity became a coughing fit when I thought of my circumstances.


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    A nervous laugh bubbled out of my chest as I set the book down and shook my head. "I''m not pregnant," I said like I could will that into being. I had to, though. "I was only with Adam one day¡­" I rubbed my flat stomach, and it gurgled in response. "This is just seasickness. I''ve never been on boats before."


    I held my fingers out as I counted the days and weeks. It had been almost two and a half months by this point. Time sort of blended into each other, which was good and bad.


    My budding joy was plucked before it could bloom as dread settled in my heart. I was on another timeline and in a world apart from Adam. If I took it a step further, there was no way I could have this baby forever. When I went back to my world, what would happen?


    I grasped my neck as my nose stung and my eyes overflowed with tears. I needed to get back to Adam as soon as possible. Acuzio said he would grant me any wish I desired the next time he saw me. The scale Acuzio gave didn''t count because that was supposed to be for the meteor. Besides, he made it sound like I was getting another wish regardless of the meteor affair. I would see him one way or another and demand my future with Adam.


    Without thinking, I started planning out loud how I could leave. There wasn''t much to do for Rex; I had already finished the evening chores and was lying down reading smut.


    "I should have left sooner, but I wasn''t sure if this would work¡­Adam said I met him in his second life, but I don''t think I''ve made anything better¡­just worse." I wish I were speaking to Mordecai. Since he left me, I have talked to myself more than ever. It certainly helped me to pass the time and not feel so alone. On the farm, I could talk to the animals or plants, but on this sterile boat, I was afraid to decorate; I had only myself, just like in the old days.


    I pulled out Acuzio''s scale and compared it to my ring. "Maybe you are the same." I didn''t care about that; I just needed to focus on escaping.


    It was dark when I snuck up to the top deck. I''ve been up here sparingly over the past month. I could swim in a lake or splash in a stream, but the ocean was deep. I didn''t have the power to prevent my drowning. And who knows when the acid-spitting frogs will appear again.


    I needed to use the scale above the deck to call for Acuzio. I didn''t trust that my explosive uncle wouldn''t puncture a hole below deck. At least if the sky was around, he could take off into the air if rage brewed.


    I fondled the scale, not admiring how the moonlight played with it, showering off different radiant lights. Okay, that was a lie. I did take a moment to admire it. These were colors I don''t think I''ve seen before. I could see new shades of blue, silver, and black. How could these colors have endless variants? Okay, I took my beat to stare at it, and now it was down to business.


    I needed to be very specific with my wish. If I wished to be with Adam, the odds of nothing happening would be high. Technically, I was in a world with Adam Rexford III.


    I pressed the scale to my face as I groaned. This was too tiring to figure out.


    "I just want to be back home with Adam. Do you have one more wish in you?" I whispered to the scale as it gleamed at me. My eyes crossed as I tried to stare at it, only a hair''s breadth away from my face.


    I called out to Acuzio, but nothing happened. On a whim, I said, "Uncle Acuzio?"


    He appeared silently in front of me within a heartbeat. The sight of him stopped my brain from functioning. He was floating in front of me without a wing in sight. On that fateful day, I saw rubies burning brightly from the cracks that spanned his entire body. The crimson jewels had turned into a light silver blue that I couldn''t identify. His eyes remained red and they showed only affection towards me. His black scales, which I had mistaken for skin, shined with golden hues of amber and sunlight. And his hair looked like spun moonlight.


    Acuzio looked like a completely different person. My dumb awe made my mouth drop, and I hastily closed it.


    Acuzio smiled broadly at me and held his arms in a welcoming gesture. "Niece, how can I help you?" His booming voice made me flinch, and I looked behind me guilty.


    "Don''t worry about it. I''ve paused time for a moment to check in on you. It''s not every day my favorite niece reaches out."


    Wasn''t I the only niece he knew, though? I shrugged that off and got to the heart of the matter.


    "Thank you for coming on such short notice, Uncle," I said, cashing in all the manners I''ve learned.


    His smile grew, and I watched as the moonlight played off his skin and hair even more blindingly.


    "I was hoping that you could grant me my wish you promised."


    His smile disappeared, and I could feel fear creep in for a heart wrenching moment.


    "You''ve already used up your wish." He said with a slightly puzzled expression. "At the divine colosseum." He tilted his head, and I watched as a dagger appeared in his hands. Flames of silver and amber covered the blade, and Aczuio turned it as he peered into the fire.


    He looked up a moment later, and he looked apologetic. "That''s my past and your future. This older version of this world is off. I shouldn''t have jumped right in and taken a moment to study it first. I can fix this world for you. The God who is controlling it right now is a nasty batrachian."


    Only he stopped midsentence to burst into flames. His serious expression shifted into half wonder and joy and his tone shifted into awe as he said, "Aphra''s calling for me...she hasn''t done that in a thousand years."


    And then he disappeared. All the ups and downs of whatever the heck that was left me feeling bitter and annoyed. Before Acuzio could do anything, Aphra decided to stop him. That meant she was still watching my every move.


    Wait, did he say batrachian?


    "What are you doing, Wendy?" Rex''s voice sounded unusually loud and sharp, no doubt, thanks to my skulking about.


    I jumped guilty about a foot in the air. My heart was in my throat as I turned to meet Rex''s gaze. My butter fingers fumbled when startled. I watched askance as it started to fly over the railing and into the dark sea. I reached for it, as did Adam. His fingers just graced it before it disappeared over the edge.


    My mind went blank, and I dove after it. I need that scale!


    The freezing water shocked the system, but I pushed past that to feel blindly in the dark. I didn''t have an underwater light I could use.


    What little light the moon could provide showed me only shadows and...what is that? The black, inky water should have fish and maybe other things found in the sea. I wasn''t really knowledgeable about this ocean. What it shouldn''t have is what looked like a giant eyeball the size of a house...


    I screamed into the sea with all my might before I blacked out.


    I woke up in a cold sweat. The crushing frigid depths of the sea were absolutely terrifying. I was relieved to have blacked out because I could have sworn I saw something before I did¡­no, I definitely did not see anything.


    I rubbed my pounding heart and looked at where I was. I was no longer on Adam''s ship. The room''s decor was simple, and the walls were overly decorated with fish plaques and fish paintings. The bed I was in wasn''t the lush softness of the boats but was made of more firm bearings.


    Did Adam make sure we landed in Alcom''s Cove? How long was I out for? My wobbly emotions filled my eyes with fresh tears. I lost the scale. In hindsight, it was stupid to try summoning Acuzio on the boat. I had been patient for so long only to blow it so quickly.


    I looked to see that I was wearing a white patient gown, and the clean, scratchy fabric smelled fresh and lemony.


    "Mordecai. I know you''re listening in or watching somehow. I need you to get me out of here." I said this lowly, unsure of who could be in the other rooms of this building. I got no response, of course, and I groaned. I swore several crude expletives my ancestor''s way. "If you refuse to come, please give me a sign. A sign you''re still here¡­some advice or help."


    I covered my eyes as I fought the rising panic building in my chest. My morose thoughts were cut off by the heat of a spore spark the size of a roll of tape appearing in front of my face.


    My mouth hung open at this sudden, strange new development. The flaming thing settled in front of my face and gave a weird jerk as it exploded in a mushroom of smoke.


    I coughed, torn between amusement and annoyance as I waved away the smokeless smoke? I inhaled and didn''t smell anything different. Was it all for show?


    Apparently not, because in its place was a box floating in space. I grabbed it, but instead of a book, a note, or anything that could genuinely help me at that moment, I saw a brilliant red dress embroidered with gold inside it. I saw a complete accessory set as I moved the dress aside to spot sparkly gold flats, gloves, and jewelry I didn''t give a second''s notice to.


    "Are you fucking kidding me?" I said. "How is this going to help me?" A second flaming spark appeared, and it too exploded, but its mushroom was proportionate to its size.


    In this spores place, there was a note. I eagerly grabbed it and scanned the note.


    "Tip one to getting your man: Smile!" A giant cartoon smile was drawn under the embellished words as if showing an example.


    "You shit!" I yelled at Mordecai. There were no more flaming gifts after that.


    I waved a hand, dispersed everything into my space, and flopped on my bed dramatically.


    His tip is to smile? Wait, his tip is to smile to get a man. Is he suggesting I seduce Rex? I made a face at the notion of that. I hadn''t exactly endeared myself to him. It was likely too late to even attempt to. How could I seduce Rex? Better yet, why would I?


    Before I could dwell longer on this, the door opened, and someone I never wanted to see appeared.

 Chapter Thirty Two

    The woman who entered had a heart shaped face and skin the color of cream. There was no trace of stress or sign that the delicate woman had ever seen a day of hard work. Her soft cheeks and clear skin shone with youth and beauty.


    Her indigo eyes were warm and serene as she looked down upon me. Her platinum blond hair was swept into a high bun, but there was no doubt it was as flawless as the rest of her.


    I was a mountain orphan monkey who had toiled most of this body''s life under the sun. I have the scars and bumps to match such a life. My skin was likely deathly pale, my hair greasy from being stuck below deck, and years of work were ingrained in my bones and skin.


    I felt absolutely haggard looking at her.


    Even her clothing was better than my own. She wore a beautiful red plaid dress; I only had this starchy, ugly hospital gown. The physical comparisons would never end if I let them, so I looked above her head instead. I wanted it to look like I was looking at her while avoiding actually looking at her. It also allowed me to peek beyond her a bit to better understand where we were. Unfortunately, there still wasn''t much to go off about where we were exactly.


    I didn''t need her to open her mouth to introduce herself. I knew who she was. She''s Evangeline. The female lead and the heroine of this world. Who else could she be with her perfect smile, rare purple eyes, and red attire?


    My stomach gurgled uncomfortably as I fought the chaotic emotions inside of me.


    "You''re awake." Her voice was sweet and gentle as she stepped closer. "I was worried because I could hear some strange noises. I''m glad you''re alright."


    Define alright. I thought as I attempted a smile, but all I gave was a grimace.


    "My name is Evangeline, but you can call me Evie. Any friend of Rex''s is a friend of mine." She perched on the side of the bed and smiled sincerely at me. Her scent wafted towards me, and I recoiled from the sticky, sugary smell.


    I made a noise as I, yet again, tried to smile back at her. The swirling chaos in my stomach prevented me. Before I could stop myself, I erupted, and projectile vomited all over her clean face.


    Later, much later, I would laugh about this. Evie''s surprise gasp, her scream, and the way Rex came running in, only to stop short when he saw it was just vomit. I covered my mouth to prevent more bile from sprouting from my lips, and it helped to prevent it from shooting at her again. Instead, it spilled past my fingers and onto the bed. I could feel tears forming. How embarrassing!


    Evie ran off to clean herself, and I expected Rex to follow. Instead, he stayed to look me over. My nausea disappeared the moment Evie took her scent and left. I couldn''t act like I was fine the moment she was gone. Shit. I lowered my lashes and hoped the ill coloring on my face stayed. I watched as leftover vomit spilled from my fingers onto the once-clean sheets and blanket. I needed to get this washed.


    "Wendy, are you feeling well enough to stand?" Rex''s question shocked me, and my eyes darted to him, unsure how to answer. Why was he still here? I thought after he took a moment, he would run after Evie¡­


    He must have thought I was too sick to answer because he scooped me up in his arms. An inappropriate thought slipped into my mind as his firm arms held me. Maybe it was a good thing I was skin and bones now! I didn''t think Adam could pick me up, but I''d lost weight, and this was apocalypse, Rex. His muscles seemed to flex as I looked at them. Yeah, this was hard toiled Rex.


    I said nothing as he walked me out of the room. I laid my head down, enjoying the steady beat of his heart against my face. The sound, as always, lulled me into sleep.


    When I woke up, I was in a different room, and my hospital gown had been changed. I was wearing a red and orange floral nightgown. The bed I was sprawled on was unreasonably comfortable, and I stretched, ignoring that my clothing had been changed. My face rubbed the soft, silky sheets. This smelled so good, like Adam. My eyes shot open at that realization, and I sat up to look at the dark blue sheets. Adam''s scent. Unable to help myself, I started sniffing it like a drug dog.


    He wouldn''t notice if there was a pillow missing, right? I hugged one and, unable to stop my sticky fingers, slipped it into my space. I giggled and flopped back on the bed, pulling the sheets and blanket over my head.


    "What are you going to do with that pillow?" A crisp voice cut me off mid giggle.


    That was Rex''s voice, he saw? Was he in the room? I peeked out from under the coverings to meet his amused gaze. He was sitting at a desk I hadn''t noticed with a handful of paper. To be fair, I hadn''t looked around the room. I was focused mainly on the aroma of the bed.


    I floundered internally as I thought of an excuse. He didn''t see me sniffing like a hound dog, right? Just the thievery? "I spilled drool on it. I was going to take it away to wash." I manage to say around a dry mouth.


    He didn''t say anything, and I exposed the rest of my face as I embodied the image of innocence. I''m not a creepy stalker, I swear. I tried to project that thought as I blinked at him.


    I don''t think it worked because his expression didn''t soften. Before either of us could call the other out or make up another lie, a voice outside the room drew both of our attention.


    "Evie, you''re too nice. It''s suspicious that he brought back a girl, and now she''s in his room!" An unfamiliar woman''s voice was right outside the door.


    I sat up and focused on a far more pressing matter than gossip. I was thirsty! All that vomiting and sleeping left my head a pile of cotton. I closed my eyes and looked through my space at my options. I had cups of coffee, pitchers of iced tea, smoothies, and more. If I was pregnant, it would be ideal to avoid caffeine.


    I settled for a lavender mint milk tea. It was made without earl gray or black tea. So it was a great warm drink with none of the possible hangups. I sat on Rex''s bed with my feet swinging off the edge, sipping the tea slowly. I didn''t want to upset my stomach again.


    "She''s sick, and his room was available. It''s more important that she rest than getting sicker over conjecture." Evie''s soft, trickling words were the voice of reason to the erratic woman.


    How strange for the two to converse right before Rex''s door. Are they stupid or play-acting?


    I sipped the tea, deciding it wasn''t a big deal. Rex also seemed not to care because he was turning over the pages in his hand rapidly as he scanned them.


    If I stole another pillow, would he notice? I stared at Rex as I inched my fingers toward a smaller throw pillow. As if sensing that I was about to steal it, he looked up from his paper and looked into my eyes. I hiccuped sharply in surprise and stilled my fingers. My eyes widened guilty, and I bared my teeth in what I hoped was an endearing grin.


    "Evie, you''re so kind. That strange woman is troublesome, though. She was on a boat alone with him for weeks. Who knows what happened between them!" The noisy woman wasn''t done, and I inched my hand to double-cup my mug and looked around the room for the first time.


    This was Adam''s room. I''ve never been in his room before. The walls were dark mahogany; besides some paintings, nothing wasn''t anything ostentatious. It was nice and what I would expect from Adam. Did that mean we were at his family home? Then why were there many strange fish things where I was before?


    "Morgan." Evie sounded exasperated, but she didn''t end the conversation. She was failing if she was trying to be the voice of reason. All she accomplished was revving up her friend. How interesting.


    "You two are end game. You should tell him to make her rest in the guest room." The woman named Morgan was insistent and very annoying.


    Rex still didn''t seem to care. It seemed like they would keep going until someone from this bedroom reacted. I slipped my now empty mug back into my space and approached the door. It was cracked open; how fortuitous for the gossiping minnies.


    "You''re a little too loud while I''m trying to rest," I said in my nicest voice but accompanied that with a wicked grin only they could see.


    Evie turned pale with shock. The other woman was a glaring brunette who looked like she wanted to skewer me with her black eyes, Morgan, I presume.


    "Wendy, they helped change you into clean clothing." Rex''s voice drifted to the three of us, and I looked at them with fresh eyes. My white hospital gown was in Morgan''s hands. Is that why they left the door cracked when they were done? Who were they putting the show on for? Maybe they wanted me up and about so I''d leave Rex''s room. Ha, fat chance. Of course, there was also the possibility that this was a big coincidence. Also fat chance.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    "Thank you," I said with a bit more warmth. Then I slammed the door shut, not before I heard Morgan spew, "She''s so shameless!"


    I trotted back to Rex''s bed as if it was mine. He said nothing, but I could feel his gaze on me. He didn''t tell me to leave; I could hear papers being moved. I lay on his bed, inhaling his natural scent. Tears formed as I did this, but I couldn''t stop myself.


    I miss you, Adam.


    I didn''t fall asleep; instead, I lay in Rex''s bed, listening to him work. He was too far for me to see what he was reading or working on. I ended up peeking at him from time to time before growing restless. I wasn''t used to sitting or lying around. My body was worn out from the never-ending roller coaster that was my life. So, all I really wanted was to lie down. But my mind wanted me to be out and about getting things done.


    It was a contradictory mess.


    "Where are we?" I finally asked Rex. This scene was strangely reminiscent of the days we spent at my home.


    "My uncle''s home in Alcom''s Cove." Rex''s voice was steady as he read through the papers in his hand. When was he going to run out of them? "Haven''t you been here before?"


    I made a face. "No," I said. Mr. Dickham isn''t someone I''d want to visit.


    "I stayed here while I became his heir," Rex said, and I blinked as I processed this.


    "So this is your actual room room?" I likely sounded too surprised.


    "I thought you were engaged to Adam," Rex said, and I hiccuped. "Shouldn''t you have seen his room?" He was speaking as if they were two different people yet the same. Looking at Rex, I realized with a sinking heart they truly were and that I needed to do better at separating them.


    "I never asked to." I sounded as incredulous as I felt. "He came over to my place instead." There were just too many secrets.


    "Why?" Rex said.


    Why indeed. I mulled over the question. I finally realized the more straightforward answer was true, so I said, "I didn''t want to." I had never asked to go over, and I doubt Adam would have said no if I had. I guess some part of me knew that I really shouldn''t go. Mordecai accused me of being a coward who ignored the truth. Or I was just an idiot. Hard to pick between the two.


    "What were you doing on the boat that night, Wendy?" Rex changed the subject abruptly, and I looked away.


    "I was trying something stupid to get back. Thank you for saving me." I didn''t sound grateful. I wanted to be, but it could have worked if he hadn''t intervened. I lost the chance to ask Acuzio, but I had the scale, and maybe a spell could have worked. At the very least, I would still have the scale and hope.


    "Don''t try to go back," Rex said, and I inhaled wrong and started to cough.


    Rex set down the paper and walked towards the bed. He knelt on the floor until we were at eye level, and I stared into his beautiful brown eyes. Adam''s eyes. A strand of his hair fell loose from its place, and I smoothed it back before I could think twice. Rex said nothing about this action; instead, he intensely scrutinized me.


    "You''re likely going to hurt yourself further if you keep trying. Just stay here. Maybe this was meant to happen."


    I shook my head, "It can''t be that because¡­" I''m pregnant. I stopped myself from completing this sentence.


    "You almost drowned chasing this fantasy, Wendy," Rex said emotionlessly, but it struck my heart cruelly.


    "I promised I would stay by his side." I inched away from Rex. His voice, his scent, and his eyes were too seductive. I needed distance from his pheromones. I have Adam. Adam and Rex are two different people. Stay focused woman!


    "If your Adam is me, then I''m giving you permission to break that promise and stay here where you can be safe," Rex said as he stood up. I watched him straighten his clothing when he was done.


    My mouth fell open, and I mutely shook my head. I had to keep trying.


    "Give it some thought," Rex said as he headed towards the door. "Take your time resting, Wendy." He was gone before I could retort, and I rubbed my cheeks after the door closed.


    Adam said that in the second timeline, Rex would try keeping me. He was right. I shouldn''t be surprised Adam was a vault of knowledge and intelligent enough to make the correct calculations. But this was too out there. Why was Rex telling me to stay? There wasn''t any affection, love, or lust in Rex''s gaze. I don''t think he''s in love with me. It''s more like¡­I don''t know the word for it. It was unique, and even though my instincts told me to run. Instead, I ended up burrowing deeper into the covers and resting like I had been told to.


    I expected I would dream of Adam. But Mordecai appeared. Well, I supposed it''s truly the other way around. I appeared to him at a Chinese buffet. The aroma of well-seasoned food tickled my stomach something fierce.


    Mordecai was in the form of a man who carried me before. He wore a shimmering purple suit. His long hair was tied back, and I noticed a tattoo on his neck for the first time. Only when I tried to look closer there was nothing, just the shimmering glitter his skin naturally held.


    I ran up to him; he was loading up a plate and shouting questions at the cook, who was waving a ladle carefree in the Phoenix''s direction. The two seemed close, and when they were done talking, Mordecai turned to look at me before sighing.


    "What are you doing here?" He said, sounding bored.


    I grabbed a plate and, like him, started loading it up. "Eating, I suppose."


    "You should be seducing Rex, not pigging out on food." He said and then clucked his tongue.


    "I''m pregnant," I said instead of the sassy remark I wanted to.


    "So?" Mordecai said before turning to the cook and saying something in Chinese. The cook looked at me, laughed, and then said something back. Mordecai laughed with the cook before turning to me with a somber expression.


    I narrowed my eyes on the two. "So how can I seduce Rex."


    "They''re the same man, dum dum. That makes the kid his." Mordecai was sloppily loading up his dish and spilling things everywhere.


    "No, that''s not how it works. They''re two different people." In every sense of the word and in the way that it mattered.


    "You make things so overly complicated." Mordecai scowled at me as he waved a ladle at me. Specks of food flew off it and hit me in the face.


    He took off carrying his plate, and I struggled to keep up. The rest of the room was hard to focus on. Everything seemed blurry the longer I looked at it. The only clear image in the room was Mordecai. I couldn''t recall the cook''s face or their features for the life of me, let alone their gender.


    "Where are we?" I said as I blinked, trying to focus on something other than my rude ancestor.


    Mordecai laughed in response and said nothing. I swallowed my feelings, filled up my plate, and followed him to a table in the center of the room. Everyone seemed to avoid it, and looking at the tablecloth, I had an inkling why.


    The tablecloth was red and gold with a phoenix in the center. There was a name card, and I couldn''t read its symbols. It didn''t look Chinese¡­it looked more ancient than that. "Where are we exactly?"


    "Across the worlds and timelines exist many parallels and timelines," Mordecai said as he sat down. He didn''t wait for my response and instead started to dig into the food.


    "This is a Chinese buffet, right?" I said. I couldn''t focus on the people walking around, but the music, food, and decorations meant it was right?


    "That''s racist," Mordecai said with a chuckle, and I hiccuped. Before I could flounder, he cut me off, "I''m fucking with you, Gwendolyn. This isn''t a world you''ve been to or heard of. Here, the Chinese culture is a bit different because of its history. Sit already."


    I promptly sat down and watched Mordecai eat his food.


    "What''s more amazing is that you found me," Mordecai said around a mouthful of food. I dodged the flecks that fell out in all directions.


    "You didn''t call me?" I set down my plate and gulped at the smell. I was ready to eat it just moments ago, but now, I couldn''t wait to get away. I pushed the plate towards Mordecai, who took it.


    "I had no reason to. I''m avoiding you." My ever-blunt ancestor said. He started to laugh at his joke, but the chuckle died mid-way, and he set down his chopsticks to look at me.


    "You''re pregnant with Adam''s kid." His eyes narrowed at my stomach, and I reflexively covered it.


    A stream of words flew out of Mordecai''s lips. He stood from the table abruptly. "I should give you a gift." He was gone a second later, and I blinked after him.


    "Wait, I''m stuck here!" I said, but no one in the room seemed to hear me. Or if they did, they didn''t seem to care.


    A heavy sigh released from my lips as I sat back and waited for something to happen. I wasn''t going to stay here forever, right?


    I''m not sure how much time had passed before Mordecai came back. With him was John. I hadn''t seen the man since the clearing games. He looked the same as before but more tired. We didn''t have time for greetings much like last time. The two of us could barely share a commiserating smile before Mordecai shoved himself and his gift between us.


    The gift was a basket, and I tore my eyes off John to look at it. Gifts from a deity were bound to be one of a kind, right? Just look at the damage a Dragon God''s scale did.


    I''m not prepared for any more chaos in my life. How can I gently turn it down?


    "Ta-dah!" Mordecai said, brandishing a quill he took from the basket. "This gives you easy access to your powers as a literary witch."


    I stared at the quill with shaky eyes I take it back. I definitely need these gifts! Oh my god. That seemed almost too good to be true. If I could draw out my witchy powers, I could fix all my worries with a literal stroke of the pen.


    "Is it limited in some way? How much can I do with it?" I needed to know before I got my hopes up.


    Mordecai blinked and turned his gaze to the quill. "I hadn''t thought of limiting it. What a great idea!" He wiggled his fingers over it, to my dismay, and muttered something in a different language. It was unlimited?! Are you kidding me? I learned an essential lesson in this moment. Never look a gift horse in the mouth with Mordecai. He''ll cook it and eat it in front of you for the hell of it.


    When Mordecai was done, he slipped the quill back into the basket. He seemed to derive enjoyment from the anguish on my face. "Half the fun in giving gifts is getting my own gifts through others." He said as he dug around in the basket. "There''s some seeds from other worlds you might have fun with, a delicacy all pregnant women should eat, maternity clothing charmed to grow as you do, and this thing." Mordecai displayed a tiny egg in the palm of his hand.


    "Don''t eat this." He said with grave solemnity. "It''s extraordinary." He put the egg back into the basket and handed me the basket. "You can leave now." He said, then started eating again.


    I took the basket and blinked. How was I supposed to leave?


    Mordecai looked up to grab a cup of water John had set down and drained it. When he saw that I was still there, he furrowed his brows. "Go already."


    "I don''t know how," I said, confused about how he expected me to leave. I wouldn''t have waited for him to return if I knew how!


    "Just leave how you got here," Mordecai said, exasperated.


    I shrugged, still not understanding how I got here in the first place.


    "Fine." The Phoenix sighed and waved a hand, which I assumed was to send me back. Only nothing happened.


    John''s eyes bugged out, and I met his eyes, which were equally fearful.


    I''ve never seen my ancestor surprised. Mordecai''s mouth dropped open before his expression morphed into fury. He flicked his hand at me again as if to send me away. Pain smacked me upon the second wave of his hand as if he had hit me. I could feel part of me jolt forward as if to move me, but something was tearing within me as a result...in the end, I stayed, and Mordecai lowered his hand, which stopped the pain.


    Mordecai narrowed his eyes, "How tricky of him."


    "What?" I said. My body felt even more disoriented as I lost even more focus on the room. Did Mordecai say him?


    "How strangely¡­" Mordecai said before he cut himself off by saying the next word in a language I could understand.


    "Alright, my dear Gwendolyn. You have to do it yourself. Imagine the world with Rex, and you should be back."


    I closed my eyes and thought of home, with Adam, not Rex.


    I was back in Rex''s room when I opened my eyes.

 Chapter Thirty Three

    My reappearance couldn''t go unseen. Rex and Evie were in his room. The two looked equally shocked at seeing me; only Rex controlled his expression better. Mordecai''s gift basket came over with me, but I tossed it on his bed to do something I might regret later.


    I ran to Rex to throw myself in his arms.


    I could blame my hormones, Mordecai''s words, or even the cook who laughed at me, but I just needed a hug.


    He didn''t reject me, which was a good sign. His arms remained passive as I wrapped my own around him. I soaked up his scent and warmth like a sponge.


    "I''ll give you two a moment." Evie''s voice sounded tearful as she fled the room. I didn''t bother giving her a glance.


    Rex said nothing about her departure and instead looked down at me. I discovered that when I peeked up to see his expression about Evie.


    "Wendy, where did you go?" His voice was tired, and I examined the little signs of exhaustion on his face.


    I couldn''t call Mordecai my dad, but I might as well. "I went to see my dad." Later, I could explain all the details to Adam, but I needed a reasonable explanation for now.


    "You were gone for a day," Rex said as he examined my person.


    Not as long as last time. I thought but must have said it aloud because Rex''s expression tightened. "You''ve done this before?"


    "My relative doesn''t understand the passing of time," I said, choosing my words carefully. I sighed and stepped back, only to find that Rex''s arms anchored around me. I stiffened as my startled eyes shot up to meet his calm ones.


    "Wendy, have you given thought to staying?" His words rumbled in my ear, and I found breathing harder.


    "I can''t stay." I shouldn''t even be here right now. Why was I here? I should have landed back with Adam, but something brought me here instead. If I could just try again¡­


    "You can''t leave now," Rex said with such confidence I dumbly blinked back at him. His dark brown eyes had a strange light in them. He grabbed my right hand and rubbed a thumb on my spacial ring. "You''re already anchored here."


    I''m unsure what happened after that, but I woke up in Rex''s bed. Nothing on my person was disturbed but my mind. Was this what Adam was trying to warn me about? Past him is crazy? How the heck was I anchored here? I looked at my ring accusingly. If his power was to control dimensions, could he have control of mine?


    Mine was tied to my soul, so how could that be possible? It was already anchored to me; anchors don''t have multiple parts of contact, even I knew that. Mordecai being unable to send me away without tearing me apart could have something to do with this. How could a mortal''s powers interfere with a God''s ability to do things? Just how powerful is Rex?


    My brain swirled as I tried to make sense of this. Things were speeding along a little too fast. Try as I might, I couldn''t focus on any of that. My stomach was in intense agony from hunger.


    I hadn''t eaten in forever. Tea was not a meal, so I slipped from Rex''s bed. I was going to take the guest bedroom after I ate.


    Something rather urgent stopped me in my tracks, though. I was still wearing the pity dress Evie and Morgan had given me. I shimmied out of it before looking at the maternity dresses Mordecai said were charmed to grow. I had a lot of choices. The box Mordecai put them in never seemed to end, but everything was a shade of red, pink, coral, orange, gold, or yellow.


    My suspiciously generous ancestor had gifted me the whole shebang. There were undergarments, socks, and tons of cute shoes. As I pulled out about one hundred garments, the box showed no end to its depths.


    "I wish you were more useful and organized," I muttered. All I was doing was pulling out everything, and I had a pile of stuff to sort through now.


    Much to my amazement, as if the box heard my desire, it glowed white and grew. I felt like I was sucked into it.


    When I opened my eyes, I discovered the box became a walk-in closet.


    My jaw dropped at the glamorous walls as they formed around me. As if sensing my thoughts, the walls became ivory. The built-in shelves in the walls grew accented with pink perfect roses along the center for display. The beautiful clothing that Mordecai had gifted me moved without regard to me to sort themselves.


    Two giant islands settled in the middle of the room. They were also ivory white with clear casing on top. You could see my new accessories in the top drawer, but the storage options seemed endless due to the drawers underneath them. My fingers graced the top, and I had difficulty controlling my emotions about the splendor being created in front of me.


    A mirror took up space at the end of the two islands. It went from the ceiling to the floor. Lights dotted its edges to give me the best lighting, no doubt. Along the wall where mirrors could be were blank canvases.


    There were also mannequins that I could style or use to create new clothing. A little too eagerly, I pulled out all my clothing in my space ring. I didn''t have to use the hangers before they picked themselves off the ground and hung themselves.


    "I''ll have nowhere to sit, though," I said as I puckered my lips. I love to be active, but sitting down for a mini break between trying on clothing could also be fun. Or I could come here to take a nap away from the world.


    As if hearing me, a wall lined with shelves separated to create space along the wall. The wall then collapsed within itself to create an opening. Unsurprisingly, a rose gold vanity with a light-lined mirror created itself into existence.


    "I did ask for organization." I mused out loud as I fingered and touched everything. I then pulled out a vase and stuck some flowers in it. I spent too much time pulling out things to decorate or line the shelves. All my self-care items, from lotion to perfumes, were on the shelves.


    "What about when my clothing gets dirty or I do?" I said with a sly smile.


    On cue, the closet was extended to add another room. I eagerly walked into it to find a bathroom with the themes of lemons and ivy. There was a giant rose gold pink tub that caught my eye first. It was styled like a Roman bath, but only the color made it modern. This bathtub was clearly the highlight of the bathroom, given it was positioned in the center of the room. Off to the right was a set of doorless showers with a simple drain positioned for water. To the left was a toilet, a sink, and some shelves. There were two doors that I stepped forward to open. One held a hideaway washer and dryer for clothing. The other was a strange built-in room that looked like a shower but wasn''t.


    I huffed at the estrangement tiles, walls, and exquisite colors. I couldn''t stop myself from turning the facets and realizing everything turned on. How was it heated? Where did it pull water from? And where did the water go when it was done? There was no way I would get answers, and the last time I looked at a gift Mordecai gave me with questions, he made it a worse gift.


    I stocked the shelves with towels and whatever I would need to wash myself.


    "Gods don''t really give gifts halfway, do they?" I couldn''t help but say as I looked around. I turned everything off except the shower to take a quick one.


    When I was done, I needed to get dressed. I settled for a beautiful off-shoulder red dress from Mordecai. The poofy sleeves made me feel cute, and the design was simple. The rest of his dresses were extravagant, with gems and unique designs. If I hadn''t spent the past month recycling seven outfits, I might have skipped wearing something from the Phoenix altogether. I desired something fresh, though, that made me feel beautiful.


    I had more than a moment now to consider the quill Mordecai left me. My batshit crazy ancestor put limiters on it but didn''t explain what they could be. I pulled out some paper and drew a rock. Nothing happened. It stayed on paper; try as I might, I couldn''t pull it off the page. My ball of power in the center of me was still going bright, but it was still knotted and twisted by plant magic, not literary energy.


    How in the heck was this damn thing supposed to work?


    But the bigger question now was how I was supposed to leave?


    I made a face in the mirror and gave another look at the accessories because I had nothing else to do. Maybe when I was fully dressed, I would be let out? I slipped on a pair of earrings that looked like cream rosebuds. I put on the matching cream flats. Nothing happened. I played with my bum-length brown hair. I hadn''t done much with it since I no longer saw Adam daily. The poor ends were tired, and it had lost its vibrant curls. Once I spruced it up, I slipped on a cream-colored headband with a rose quartz stone shaped into a rose in the center.


    "I''m done!" I shouted, and as if that was the magic set of words, I was out of the walk-in closet and back in Rex''s room. The box looked relatively innocuous as it lay on the bed where I had left it. When I opened the lid, I was sucked right back into it.


    Everything had stayed the same as I had seen it last. I decided to test it several times until I understood how it worked. When I was done, I was ten times more hungry and thirsty. I slipped the box into my space, ensuring it was safe.


    Now I really need to eat. Instead of waiting for food, I pulled out some snack bars and inched out of Rex''s room.


    The first thing I noticed was how, even during the end times, Rex''s uncle had it going on. The windows were intact and unboarded. The bright blue sky outside the windows alluded to the time of day and the placement of the storyline. The halls were decorated with paintings and expensive things.


    His home was like a museum of what the rich lived like before the world ended; only the world had ended, and he maintained his wealth.


    That was no doubt thanks to his nephew, the protagonist of this world, and his unbeatable aura.


    Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    I sloppily ate as I walked through the halls. I finished the breakfast bar and moved on to vegetables. It was almost impossible to be impressed by any of this. This was far from awe-inspiring. My new walk-in closet that built itself for my discretion was even more incredible. Once again, my ancestor was warping my sense of normalcy.


    I was still ravenous by the time I ran into someone.


    It was a man I didn''t recognize. I slowed down on the carrot I was chewing on. I didn''t slow my steps, and breezed right past him.


    "Hey!" The man said, but I kept walking. He shouted again and ran after me to grab my hand.


    I moved my carrot out of his reach. "If you had asked nicely, I would have broken off a small piece and shared it," I said with a scowl.


    "I don''t want your slobbery carrot!" He all but shouted at me. He made an exasperated expression, contorting his handsome features. I chewed my carrot slowly as I looked him over. Why was he so out of breath sprinting down the hall to catch up with me? He looked on the thin side. I looked at his hands, which were pale with ink stains and no sign of hard work. Pity grew in my expression as I looked him over. He was lucky to be in the male protagonist''s group, or else, with his squishy nature, he wouldn''t have lasted.


    He prickled under my gaze and exerted more effort to control his breathing. When he finally caught his breath, he said, "I''m looking for Evie. Have you seen her? She ran off crying a few minutes ago."


    I mutely shook my head. The female protagonist was more prone to tears than I recalled. The first time I''d seen her cry was when I vomited, but that was fair. She cried when she ran out of Rex''s room. And she was crying again? She couldn''t still be crying, right? Why was she crying?


    Instead of saying any of this and my personal concerns about Evie, I said, "Are you stalking her?" She had several stalkers to spice up the romance between her and Rex during the book.


    He bristled, and I narrowed my eyes at him, "That''s creepy if you are. Love isn''t controlling like that. It''s full of sweetness, smiles, and joy. You must trust and maintain faith in someone to truly love them and respect their autonomy."


    "As if you know anything about love." He scoffed at me. "I have been in love for five years."


    "I bet it''s one-sided," I said with a snort.


    His face turned five shades of red before settling on a bright maroon. "It''s pure."


    "If it''s been steady that long, it could be pure." I paused before saying with a wicked grin, "Or creepy. If she doesn''t return your feelings, you just lopsidedly give it all. Have you confessed?"


    The color drained from his face swiftly, and the pallor entertained me as I chewed my carrot.


    "I have." His voice was a quiet squeak, and I had to lean in to hear over the crunch of my carrot.


    I slapped his shoulder consolingly. "It''s okay. There''s plenty of sea out there."


    "You mean fish." He said with a snarl at me.


    "You said it, not me." I snorted, and he made a face.


    "That wasn''t funny."


    "If you had my sense of humor, it''s practically a knee-slapper." I finished off my carrot.


    "Who are you anyway?" He said as he pulled away from any comfort my hand could have offered.


    "Wendy Evans," I said, blinking at him as I itched to pull out more food.


    "I''m Cole Covington." He said before perking up like a show dog.


    If I were an average citizen of Green''s Mountain, I would not know who he was. The Covingtons were a wealthy family on par with the male lead. But I was a reader and knew he was the story''s OG villain. His obsessive love with Evie would warp during the end times. Cole wound up kidnapping Evie twice, and I hadn''t even finished the damn book. Who knows how many other times he managed to do so. He seemed too pure-hearted now for that, so maybe I was here before it happened.


    I shook my head at him. I was under the camp that it was the trauma brought by the end times, but maybe the spark of madness was just lying in wait for the right chance to pop up and take over. Rex was already freaking me out, so who knows?


    Human nature could just be a set of circumstances, not fate.


    "Do you know where the kitchen is?" I finally asked him. I''d been patient, but I was hungry, and if I didn''t get something inside of me, I would take a bite out of this man. Pulling things out of my space was using up too much energy.


    He deflated. "My name used to hold great importance." He said, and I stopped the desire to laugh this time. He was kind of adorable, like a dumb puppy. I gently patted his head; maybe he could be saved and, if taught love properly, wouldn''t kidnap Evie.


    I know I had an ulterior motive for this. I couldn''t be with Rex, but that didn''t mean I could stand seeing him with someone else. He could be with her or anyone else when I wasn''t here. I would die from heartbreak if I saw someone with the face of my Adam, with the scent of my Adam, with the taste of my Adam on someone else.


    I buried these dark not so love-like feelings in a corner of my heart, pasted on a warm smile, and said, "It still does to you. And when you have kids, maybe you can keep passing that on. Worry about that later. If you don''t take me to the kitchen, I''ll cook you in a cauldron instead."


    For a heartbeat, it almost seemed like Cole was fearfully looking past my shoulder. I turned to see what he was looking at, but there was nothing but a creepy giant horse statue. I hadn''t noticed it before, but that wasn''t important. Food was.


    Cole blinked and mutely showed me the way as if nothing had happened.


    The kitchen was the best room in this joint. Rex''s room was nice, the hallways were nice, and the other places and rooms were great. It was richly decorated and nice looking, but the kitchen was heaven.


    I felt a moving tear of joy come to my eye at the spread of food on the counters and the future I would enjoy working in this kitchen. There was a standard stove, four ovens, and, more importantly, a fireplace for over-the-fire cooking.


    And the appliances. I practically swooned as I opened cabinets to take them all in.


    "You''re weird," Cole said as he watched my reaction. "We passed five rooms better than this, and is this the one you like?" He seemed confused, but I paid him no mind.


    With the same vigor, I started digging into the spread. "Food is life," I said, pointing a chicken wing at him for emphasis as I used my other hand to stuff my mouth. This food was just sitting here on the counters like it was waiting for me, so of course, I obliged and tucked right in.


    The best part about all of this is my stomach wasn''t churning or wanting to vomit. I could be over the morning sickness bit. Nothing was crazy seasoned, so maybe that could be why my stomach wasn''t triggered. There was flavor but no strong smells.


    "About what you said before," Cole said, and I looked at him with my cheeks bulging.


    I felt overly generous now that I had food in my belly. I didn''t bother saying anything and tried to let my eyes do the talking.


    "About, you know, being in love." Cole''s face was turning a shade of hot pink as he spoke. "Are you with someone?" He seemed hesitant to talk about this, but he clearly wanted to know.


    "I have a fianc¨¦," I said bluntly once I swallowed everything. "I''ve known him for almost a decade, and we''ve been together since we were kids." Instead of waiting for a reply, I could respond to it. I took a substantial chunky bite out of a baguette on the table. It was so damn good. I thought as I dipped it in a bowl of soup that seemed to be waiting for me. It was a clear broth packed with flavor but wasn''t overly fragrant.


    Cole seemed to be struggling with this, or maybe my eating was just so unsightly, because he was fumbling with his words even more. "How is that possible?" He muttered over and over.


    I narrowed my eyes at him as I chewed. It sounded like he said something about red, and I titled my head, "What about red?"


    "That color is Evie''s." He said resolutely.


    He''d gone too far now. I set down my spoon and pointed my baguette at him as I gave him a look. "Not that it matters or has anything to do with my fianc¨¦, but it''s not. Red is mine." There was a strange desire to have pride and possession of the color. I didn''t go out of my way to wear it, but I did enjoy it. Something about Evie having precedence over it irked me.


    Cole opened his mouth, and I held up my other hand for him to shut up; surprisingly, he did. "It''s my family''s color and has always been mine. Red is more than an accessory to my bloodline; it''s our birthright to adorn that color. Besides, she shouldn''t even wear red with her complexion and eye color; it washes her out."


    His face seemed to agree with my bitchy comment, but I wasn''t done, and I continued to speak, "Pass that platter of wings before I put you into the fire to simmer."


    He obeyed surprisingly meek as he handed me the platter. It was weird that Evie seemed obsessed with the color red. It was all she ever wore in the story. Did Mordecai know that and gift me a ton of red clothing? I never went out of my way to wear red around Adam. What if he preferred it? I typically wore green and brown since he wore countless dark green and brown suits.


    "Why does Evie wear a ton of red?" I asked when my thoughts ran in circles until I ran out of fuel for thought.


    "The prophecy," Cole said with a shrug as if it was common knowledge.


    "Prophecy?" I all but shouted, confused. What prophecy?


    "You didn''t know? Rexford didn''t tell you?" Cole seemed equally confused as he looked at me.


    I shook my head. I''d never heard of a prophecy surrounding a color¡­Mordecai, did you have your hand in this as well? As a deity of destiny, I found this to be very suspicious.


    "Adam never told me anything about that¡­" I suddenly lost my appetite. What did Evie wearing red have to do with Adam?


    "You call Rexford Adam?" Cole said. He seemed equally stunned as me.


    "Cole!" Evie shouted as she burst into the kitchen with tears streaming down her face. The giant puppy dog comforted her, and I tried to turn back to my food.


    Everything was swirling uncomfortably in my head. Unfortunately, I no longer wanted to eat. The food had lost its flavor, so I pushed away from the table, ready to leave. Let''s let the two not-so-love birds have their moment. They were in their own world ignoring me anyway.


    It was strangely easy to get lost in this mansion of a home. There were endless corridors and doors. My curiosity got the better of me, and I opened my eyes and looked through each of them.


    It was more of the same ostentatious riches. I was bored and lost when I found the same ugly horse statue as before. Rex''s room was in this direction, right?


    As if my thoughts summoned him, Rex appeared in front of me. If it was anyone else, I''d think he just walked into the hallway casually, but this is a man who could teleport. The odds were high that Rex just ported in. He just did so out of my direct eyesight.


    "Wendy, are you lost?" His voice was casual, but it set off my flight or fight.


    I picked fight.


    "I need to leave," I said bluntly. I hadn''t been trying to find the front door, but seeing him reminded me I needed more distance between us.


    "Why?" He said as he stepped closer.


    I took a step back, "Because I have to." I said.


    He said nothing, but he stopped moving forward at least.


    "I have to get back to Adam." I said. Once I was in an open field, I could call for Acuzio again. I''d have to be quicker than my ancestor this time. Acuzio is easier to work with than Mordecai. Acuzio also seemed eager to help.


    "You can''t." He said it so gently that it sounded cajoling, but it was freaky as hell.


    "You anchored me, right? Undo it." I held out my right hand as I spoke. He took it but squeezed it gently.


    "Why would I do that?" He said.


    "Why would you anchor me?" I shot back. It made no sense. He wasn''t in love with me. I''ve seen love from Adam, but this wasn''t it.


    "You really don''t know the prophecy," Rex said as he tugged on my hand and pulled me into his arms. I slipped out just as fast and put some more steps between us.


    "You don''t understand the value your presence has for me," Rex said.


    "I don''t care." Annoyance was growing into an inferno at me. Did that mean Adam didn''t love me? Was he just drawn to me because of some stupid prophecy?


    Also, had Rex been eavesdropping on my conversation with Cole? "You''ve been porting in to spy on me¡­" I couldn''t say this sentence very loud, barely above a whisper, but Rex caught it. Why wouldn''t he? He was now just inches away; when did he get that close?


    "I have. Since you disappeared, I had to watch you closely." Rex admitted it so casually I faltered back another step.


    "You''re not in love with me, so why are you doing this?" There was no build-up to this. Our previous interactions were polite and sure; some were too much to handle, but this was a sharp cry.


    "When you disappeared, I realized how much I needed to look out for you," Rex said, and I made a disbelieving face.


    "Bullshit," I said.


    A half smile cocked his lips as a strange veil of sorts dropped in front of him. I opened my mouth as my lips flopped. "Is this another strange prophetic dream?"


    The veil cracked and splintered, yet again, everything turned black.


    I woke up on top of the ugly horse statue with a pool of drool on the side of my face. I must have slept and walked onto the damn thing. That dream was a little intense, and I blinked as I fought to sort through what was real and what was not.


    "What are you doing up there?" Cole said, and I looked down to see him looking at me strangely. "You wander out of the kitchen to be conked out on a statue minutes later."


    I made a face as I recalled my dream. It had to be a dream, right? Rex isn''t that crazy. And he''s not in love with me. The weird thing that came down distorted everything into shards like broken glass. That''s not reality¡­why would Rex become obsessed with me? I can''t see a prophecy pushing him to that extreme that quick.


    "Cole found her," Evie said, and I looked down to see her leading Rex toward us.


    Oh, it was a dream. I could feel some of the tension in my shoulder leave me.


    The sight of Rex put me on edge, though. The desire to be gone was intense as I watched him walk closer. I just want to be in Green''s Mountain. I want to go back home. The need filled my every orifice, and I shut my eyes. When I opened them again, I was back in the kitchen, stuffing my face.

 Chapter Thirty Four

    Something very wrong was happening. Cole was stuttering over his words just like before when I mentioned my fianc¨¦. The baguette was back in my hand, and so was my spoon. I froze mid-bite and looked around.


    As if on cue, Evie ran in crying.


    Once again, I took this as my prompt to flee. Instead of endlessly roaming around, I tried to recall the areas I had walked in before and did the opposite. Fresh, endless corridors created a wild goose chase of sorts.


    Like last time I ran into Rex. Only this was normal-looking Rex, who had a polite expression plastered onto his face. I hate that that face is becoming normal to me. I miss Adam''s subtle warmth.


    "Wendy, are you okay?" Rex said as he looked me over.


    I was more than a little frazzled, and it must have shown. "I don''t think so," I said, wishing I had lied before the words had fully left my lips.


    These cracks in my perception of reality weren''t new. I had them before, but I attribute that to my precog capabilities. What if something else is at play?


    "Why are all the windows covered up?" I said as I stepped closer to them. I wanted to look, but Rex had shown up before I could. I don''t remember them being boarded up. I know I looked out of them briefly before, but now all the windows were sealed.


    Rex''s polite expression shifted into a more openly concerned one, "Wendy, they''re covered up because it''s hard to look at." He said.


    I looked. I knew I shouldn''t have the moment I did because that strange veil that came down before was back. Only in between the fractured edges was ash falling from the sky.


    I''m losing my mind.


    I woke up again in Rex''s bed. This was becoming too familiar.


    I didn''t get far before I ran back to the bed. I collapsed, hyperventilating as I tried to rationalize everything. I painfully gathered what was left of my wits together.


    "You''re aware now, too." Rex''s voice came from the room''s shadows, and I jumped. Did he watch me calm down and then decide to pop up? "There''s something wrong with this world, Wendy."


    "I feel like I''m being shuffled around scene to scene, but it''s mixed with small changes," I said, opting for honesty. At this point, if I wasn''t going crazy alone, I would confide.


    "It''s always been that way, but no one else has noticed," Rex said, and I watched as he came to sit on the edge of the bed. "You didn''t realize it either until today."


    I gulped. This world is a book. If things are being shuffled, maybe the writer was making changes to the story or editing stuff in and out, and that caused things to be replayed in real-time? Did that mean no one had autonomy in this world?


    Why was I suddenly aware of the scene changes then? My visit with Mordecai came to mind, but that couldn''t be the case. It must be the quill he gave me. If the quill gave me access to my literary magic, I could see the writing as it is.


    Why did Rex see it, then?


    "How long have you been able to notice?" I said, looking at him in the darkened room.


    "All my life." He said.


    "This world is a book," I said bluntly.


    Rex didn''t look too shocked or upset about it. Maybe he long suspected that could be the reason.


    "What did you mean that I was anchored?" I had to ask this burning question. Maybe I was wrong in accusing him. Had he denied it? My brain was fuzzy in recalling this.


    How much have I missed in these scene shuffles before I became aware? Were the intense moments with him genuine?


    Rex moved closer to me, and I stiffened in response. He lifted his palm, and his warm skin touched my cheek. "The baby is what binds you here."


    I didn''t have a chance to react because the scene changed yet again.


    This time, I was wearing a hideous blue dress and was outside with Rex, Evie, and Cole. Some other people were milling around, but I paid them no mind. We were on a cracked road of pavement. There were broken cars and metal on the road, and everyone had bags and supplies with them. It looked like we''d been traveling for some time and had stopped for a break. On either side were thick gnarled trees that could hide enemies, so everyone was watching.


    I was going to lose my mind. Rex glanced at me briefly before conversing with a man I''d never seen before. If both of us had jumped right into this scene, then he clearly had mastered what the writer of this world wanted.


    Not me. I was freaking out and did the one thing I had put off for too long.


    I ran for it.


    I looked like a loon as I took off into the woods. The trees touched me, comforting me, but I had a more pressing thing to contend with.


    I waited until I was decently far enough to shout for Acuzio, but I had just opened my mouth, and yet again, the scene changed.


    The torture wasn''t over. I lost track of the number of times the world shuffled me around. I was sometimes lucky and had a few moments, while others were less than a second. The apparent insanity of the author was leeching into my own mind. It became a lot harder to recall what I knew as fact.


    Relief finally came when I could open my eyes and see the Wishing tree. I noted its change, and my heart felt a sharp pang of pain. It was desolate. Its appearance was reminiscent of when I met Wyatt. This was just the town square, but it looked apocalyptic. What did the rest of the world look like then?


    I wasn''t alone; Rex was nearby, and he looked like he was soaking up the silence.


    "Rex," I called, and he turned to look at me. He was standing near the Wishing tree, and I thought it was Adam for a brief stupid moment.


    Something shifted in his eyes, and I could tell he knew about my momentary lapse.


    "Wendy." He turned back to the tree to stare at it.


    I pulled out the quill from my space and tried to tap into my magic. I had to be able to leave this place. How could I live the rest of my life trapped in a world that moved through scenes more like a movie than a book? The writer is an idiot!


    Nothing happened, of course. So I stubbornly opened my mouth, "ACUZIO!" I shouted. It echoed despondently and received no response.


    "Please, uncle." I pleaded before shouting his name again. Nothing happened, though, and I sighed, rubbing my forehead.


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    I turned to look at Rex, whose eyes closed as he lifted his face to the sky. He seemed to be content with the stillness of this moment. It was just the two of us here, and I had no idea what had passed until now. There were too many scene changes to track.


    "Is it always like this?" I said, loathing to break the quiet, but I had to know.


    "No," Rex said. "Before you became aware, it was periodical, but with your awareness, it was severely sped up."


    I held up the quill. Maybe my magic was interfering with the writer. I needed to mess things up even more. Could that cause the writer to have a block and become unable to write?


    My fingers burned with the desire to do just that. If I ran away from what the writer desired, it might cause another scene change. The scene changed anytime I made a break for it or did what I wanted.


    My hand was grabbed before I got far. I turned to meet Rex''s gaze.


    "Stay." He said. "If we keep outside of the scenes the writer wants there''s peace for a brief time."


    Something in his words and expression trickled a memory. "Wait, when I appeared in this world¡­is that what you were doing on the boat?"


    He gave a terse nod. "I''ve tried to escape, but it''s impossible."


    "It''s not," I said, holding my quill like a sword. "I''m not living like this any longer."


    The words were barely out of my mouth before the scene started to change. That weird veil was back and it was wrapping itself around Rex. I jammed the quill into it without thinking, shattering the nearly useless thing into pieces.


    The two of us stared at it blankly, unmoving for a heartbeat. The leftover quill shards grew hot in my hand and started shaking. I dropped them, and Rex moved me just before it exploded.


    "Well, that was useless," I muttered, peeking between Rex''s arms. The quill could have been grand, assuming Mordecai hadn''t nerfed it, but he did, and now it was gone.


    "What did you do, Wendy?" Rex said, and I looked up to see him staring in wonder at the ground.


    "Nothing. It didn''t work." I said with a frown. Only the stupid veil was gone, and so was my quill.


    "You stopped the scene change," Rex stated, and I looked around the two of us. The scene hadn''t changed like it was supposed to. Oh shit. Maybe I had.


    "Now what?" I said, looking at Rex.


    A huge smile split his face, and I became mutely dumb while looking at it. This was the first time I''d seen happiness from Rex.


    "Freedom Wendy. You''ve given me freedom."


    He disappeared after that, and I felt strangely numb at the emptiness this brought. I was happy to see the smile, but my emotions, like my heart, felt fuzzy and strange.


    I squatted to inspect the remains of the quill. What wasn''t char might hold magic I''ll need for later. I spent a few minutes gathering the slivers and sending them into my space.


    I wiped my hands clean when I was done and looked around...now what? What do I do when I''m stuck in a world that I may have accidentally broken?


    I apparently reached my qouta of brain power as a wave of exhaustion rocked me. My eyes grew droopy, and I sat on the park bench before the wishing tree. Before I realized it, my body sprawled on the bench, and I watched the sky above me. The clouds looked like a beautiful, expensive painting.


    How many hours had I spent staring at them with Adam?


    "I''ve already told you. I''m not interested." The harsh masculine words drew my attention, and I noisily peeked to get a good view of the arguing couple. My noisy butt almost ignored the fact that the voice sounded familiar, that is, until I saw the man.


    It was Wyatt. Holy shit. This must be the moment I met Wyatt in the second timeline. Did that mean this was truly the second timeline? A knot I didn''t want to acknowledge loosened in the pit in my stomach. I had massive doubt that Rex had fallen for me, but Wyatt was here, and maybe that meant that everything else would happen as it should.


    I could still get my Adam.


    My joy was wiped away at the sight of who Wyatt was yelling at. Is he talking to Lucia like that?


    "I know that''s not true. I can feel something between us." Lucia said with a fierce voice I never would have seen as her own. She was squaring off to Wyatt and was fighting for their love.


    I cheered for her mentally, but some of it must have slipped out loud because the two turned to look in my direction.


    "Who''s there?" Wyatt said protectively, moving Lucia behind him. See, the giant oaf does care.


    Before I could dwell in my own self-satisfaction, Wyatt, fast as a breeze, appeared in front of me. Holy shit, this must be how fast he is when he''s not hiding his power.


    "Wyatt!" I waved at him eagerly, and he blinked at me.


    "Who are you?" He said.


    What a prankster. I laughed, shaking my head indulgently. "It''s me, Wendy."


    Nothing dawned on his expression, and I hiccuped in surprise. There was no way he forgot about me, right? No, because he saw me in the second timeline. He told me as such. This could mean he didn''t have his memories from the first timeline.


    "Wyatt, who is this?" Lucia''s voice arrived before she did. It was strange to see her nervously coming forth to inspect me.


    "I don''t know," Wyatt said with a confused shrug.


    My mouth fell open as I floundered. My stomach, which had taken the time to soothe and be quiet, started to rumble again. I wrapped a hand around it and closed my flapping mouth.


    "Where are your people? It''s not safe out here alone for a woman." Lucia said. Her expression was concerned, and her voice was sweetly caring.


    Pain laced through my heart as I looked at the two. Unwelcomed tears gathered and threatened to fall.


    Both of their eyes were cordial but distant. No recognition or warmth was emitting from them. I was just a stranger, not someone who grew up with them. Our years of memories and moments were wiped clean like they never existed.


    This sucks.


    No words across the handful of languages I could speak or read came to mind for my grief at this moment. I was blankly numb. A canvas wiped clean of everything but the overwhelming desire to flee far far away.


    How could I trigger that teleporting thing like I did last time? I closed my eyes and tried to push myself to disappear, but I couldn''t.


    "What''s going on here?" Rex''s voice interrupted my failure of an attempt to flee.


    I opened my eyes to see him standing to my right. "Wendy?" He said. He sounded concerned, but his eyes were on Wyatt and Lucia. My hand, on sheer instinct, reached for Rex''s arm, and I held onto him like he was a baby blanket and I was a mere fussy toddler.


    The strength that came to me from this could never be priced. Every iota of tension escaped my body. I leaned into Rex''s warmth as shamelessly as Morgan accused me of being.


    "Nothing, we were just worried about her," Lucia said politely. Her warm eyes showed nothing but civil responsibility. There was no love or familial kindness that I was used to.


    I stared at Wyatt, scanning for some semblance of recognition in his steely blue eyes. His orbs gave away nothing of the sort. My last trace of hope was squashed at this moment.


    "Is that so?" Rex said. I turned at the closeness of his voice to look up and could see he was looking down at me. I met his eyes and spotted a crack in his never changing, emotionless eyes. My throat tightened at the glimpse of care.


    I fought around the stiffness of my throat to no avail. My voice couldn''t come out, so I settled for a stiff nod. My fingers held on to him, securing him to me. I was afraid that, like everyone else, he would disappear. He wasn''t Adam, but he was as close as I could get to him.


    "We were just worried about her being alone," Lucia said, ever the peace broker. She was the only one still talking at this moment. Everyone seemed to have become silent, like myself. She was also the only one smiling. "It''s good to see she''s not."


    "Wyatt, let''s go," Lucia said, giving us a small smile before dragging Wyatt away.


    I watched them unable to speak for the life of me. It became too much to see, and I rubbed my face on Rex''s arm.


    "Wendy," Rex said, but I couldn''t respond. Not now, maybe not ever. I was emotionally unstable, and the hits never seemed to keep coming, which made it impossible to stabilize myself.


    As if it agreed with this sentiment, my stomach rumbled fiercely. I want to be gone. I want to go back home. Why can''t I go home? Yet again, I wasn''t where I belonged.


    When I opened my eyes, I discovered I had wound up in the clearing before the Unruly Forest. Only the Unruly forest was no more. It was a mountain now, and it took me a few moments to realize this was where the Unruly Forest should be.


    Before I could stop my feet, I walked up to the rocky side to touch it.


    "Where are we?" Rex said, and I snorted softly at his voice.


    He came with me. I was so entranced by the sight of my continual failure I hadn''t noticed. My voice returned to me finally, and I rubbed my throat as I turned to look at him. "Where my home should be."


    Now, it was just all mountainside. Everything that had become mine had been written into this world and, without me, was erased from Grandpa Evans and where he ended up in the family plot to the old house handed down through the generations. All the hard work I had put into returning its former splendor was deleted from existence. It was just as my grandmother said it would be.


    A growing sense of dread formed in the pit of my stomach as I took in the mountain. Maybe I hadn''t gone to the second timeline. I might be in the true story of the book. If that was the case, why was I still here? Had my exit from the previous world created a weird time loop, or had everything been erased because I left the world?


    Bile rose from my gut, reminding me of what was growing in my stomach. I looked down at my stomach. Could my pregnancy be keeping me tied to this world instead? Rex said my anchor was the baby...How could I undo this and leave? I couldn''t kill myself like I planned before. That would mean hurting my baby. Our baby.


    "I''ve lost everything," I said between short breaths that could barely slip from my lips. Broken sobs erupted from my heart, and I gave in to the tumultuous feelings.


    Solid and warm arms caught me as I collapsed towards the ground.


    "Not everything," Rex said. His voice was strong and empoweringly protective, but not what I needed to hear.

 Chapter Thirty Five

    "I''m Mateo, that''s Hayate and Richard. You already know Evie and Cole." Mateo said as he introduced me to the rest of the main cast.


    Hayate barely looked up from the knife he was sharpening. His powers in the book were weapon creation. He could turn anything into something of mass destruction. His black hair was cropped short, but aside from his name, there was a telltale scar along the right side of his jaw. It stood out against his pale ivory skin. His almond-brown eyes were focused on his weapon.


    Richard gave a far more warm greeting and accompanied that with a wave. From the books, I knew his powers were more defensive, and he could create shields. His features were deceptively nondescript. He had nothing noteworthy, so he became the perfect mole later in the book to betray Rex.


    Mateo was the friendliest of the three, but only because he was the mouthpiece of Rex. Mateo offset the taciturn leader by being a bright people person. Mateo''s handsome features really helped sell the bit. His caramel skin made his white teeth shine as he showed off his pearly whites. Which he did a lot. His teeth have to hurt from constantly smiling. I was a little put off by it. Wyatt''s fake smiles certainly killed my patience for such things.


    Mateo''s power was impressive because his ability granted him water manipulation. During the end times, having clean water cannot be understated. Like Evie''s healing capabilities, his powers were among the most valued on the team.


    It was awkward meeting everyone because Rex was holding me in his arms. After he caught me, he didn''t let me go. I didn''t have the strength to resist before, and neither of us said a word when he brought me here. This moment was as awkward as how strong Rex''s arms were. I shouldn''t seek comfort in him holding me, and he shouldn''t hold me for this long. The only part that made it slightly okay was that he had no romantic feelings for me, and I was still very much in love with Adam...yeah that didn''t sound right to me, either diary. But he wasn''t letting me go, and my legs were too weak. I hadn''t eaten properly in who knows how long, and I was being currently drained away by a growing baby.


    "I''m Wendy," I said with a small smile and a wave of the hand. I had no idea what my expression showed, but my face was likely still swollen from my heart-wrenching tears.


    I could barely see out of said eyes, they still felt tender. To combat this, I tucked my face into the crook of Rex''s neck. His heartbeat pulsed comfortingly on my cheek, and I sighed, falling asleep.


    Well, attempting to fall asleep, I should say. It was hard to drift into sweet blackness with Rex not letting me go. Instead of setting me down or putting me in one of the tents, he held me.


    With me in his arms, he sat down at the fire that was going. There was food cooking in the pit, and from the smell, it was beef stew. It wasn''t as fragrant as the recipe I learned from Mary, but it smelled good.


    I opened my eyes to peek at Evie, who was stirring it. Cole was close by and whispering something in her ear.


    Mateo and Rex spoke in hushed tones above my head about plans they were making for the clean-up of Green''s Mountain. The rumble of Rex''s voice created the illusion I needed to peacefully fall asleep.


    I woke up in Rex''s tent, but he was nowhere to be seen. I could tell from a single sniff that this was his tent. His scent lingered on the bedding and in the air.


    Maybe I''m part dog, not witch.


    I smelled like wood fire and was still wearing that ugly blue dress from before. I needed something fresh to change into. I slipped into my portable walk-in closet and breathed in the sweet scent of roses, lemon, and clean linen. It was a scent I''d coined together to become my personal scent, which was greeting me now.


    I sloppily slipped off the horrid blue dress of memories. I didn''t have time for a full bath or a shower, so I wiped myself with washcloths and soap. When dried, I slapped rose lotion and moisturizer on every necessary cranny and some deodorant. When I was done, I carefully sprayed my personal perfume in the best spots.


    It was time to get dressed now. I slipped on a pale pink satin camisole as I perused my options.


    It felt good to have so many. I thought about the Wendy''s closet when I first entered the world. It was dinky and full of old, tired things. I spent many years carefully creating and bargaining for more until it overflowed with nice things. I had even more space and time to enjoy filling this one. If I had my literary power, I would have summoned more clothing to fill these hangers.


    I allowed my fingers to grace the different fabrics as I went through each article of clothing that was hanging. Mordecai seemed to spare no expense because these couldn''t be fake gems in these dresses. I couldn''t put on most of what he gave me. It was too ostentatious for this world''s setting.


    I settled on pulling a red dress over my camisole. It was one of a handful that wasn''t splashed with opulence. It was tastefully accented with tiny gems that blinked and sparkled but wouldn''t blind. The skirt of the dress was plaited with orange and pink. I pulled on one of the makeshift shorts I made on the boat over it. I looked a little frumpy, but it would do.


    Then, I brushed my hair and pinned it into a braided bun. The goal was to achieve simplicity, but it took a lot of work to attain with what I had on hand. I didn''t have sneakers, only flats, so I slipped on a pair of black flats.


    I was finally done, and before I could stop myself, I caught sight of my appearance in the full-length mirror. All the warm bubbles of happiness self-care had given me were taken from me now.


    I looked tired. My eyes were still swollen, and my cheeks sunken. I didn''t look as beautiful as I wanted to or felt as I carefully crafted my appearance. A whimper of self-pity escaped my lips, and I left my walk-in with a heavy heart my self-care couldn''t fix.


    I exited right into Rex''s arms. I gasped in surprise as he caught me by the waist.


    "Where did you go?" His eyes were dark, and his expression was hidden by the shadow of the tent. I couldn''t tell what he was thinking from his voice either.


    "I needed to put on something clean," I said without fully explaining as I wiggled out his arms. How could I explain that I had a walk-in closet that I just casually entered and out of?


    The box was conspicuously on the bed, and I glanced at it with guilt. Rex''s almost black eyes darted to it as well, and before I could stop him, he picked it up.


    I reached for it and to my surprise Rex didn''t fight me when I took it back. "It was a gift from my relative," I said. The only one that was worth it so far.


    "The one who couldn''t tell time?" Rex said, examining it in my arms.


    I didn''t want him studying it any more than he needed to. I quickly slipped the box into my space ring and gave what I hoped to be a convincing smile. "Yes. It was a gift because I''m pregnant." I met Rex''s eyes as I said this.


    I wasn''t granted any reaction to this revelation from Rex. "What is that box?" He asked instead.


    "It''s a walk-in closet," I answered before stopping myself. Damn, his hypnotic gaze.


    "That box is a walk-in closet?" His eyes were on my hand as he spoke.


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    "It is now. It''s a new development, so I''m unsure how it works fully." I said with a shrug. Once I had access to one of my relatives, maybe they could just combine my spacial ring with the damn walk-in closet. At least one was always tied to me and not being left behind when I used it.


    "That box was from the basket you were carrying when you returned," Rex said, musing things out loud. "I was unable to move it while you were in it."


    That last part seemed like important information for me to tuck away later. Rex was deep in thought and seemed to be piecing something else together, but I wouldn''t be privy to it because Mateo had opened the tent flap.


    "The scout team is back." He said as his eyes darted between the two of us. There was something he clearly wanted to say just for Rex''s ears, so I excused myself to leave first.


    I exited the tent to see a group of three. I recognized one as Morgan, but the other two were unknown. They were tall, identical twins with heterochromia eyes. Each seemed to carry the color opposite the other twin. I found myself staring at the set of twins rather rudely.


    "What is she doing here!" Morgan''s sharp voice cut into this, and I lazily dragged my eyes from the two to look at her. She was dressed in all black, and everything from her hair to her temper was in disarray.


    She must have been a part of the scouting team that went out. There was a bag next to her feet, but it was hard to notice with how her voice was attracting all the attention.


    That was a good question. Why was I here? It may be time to think about where I would settle since I was stuck in this world and none of my ancestors were helping me. How can I get out of this situation without making things worse?


    I made a face as I thought of the answer to that question. I didn''t have time to develop one because Morgan''s follow-up screech drew people from the other tents. Yeah, she straight-up screamed like a banshee to gain attraction to our conversation.


    "Morgan, stop!" Evie emerged from her tent in a wispy bathrobe. Her hair curled delicately around her face. She was so beautiful I couldn''t ignore the stab of envy in my heart. For all my pampering, I couldn''t pull off that well-rested look that only true beauty could bring.


    Evie grabbed Morgan''s arm and tried, fruitlessly, to tug the other woman into her tent. "Don''t do this right now."


    Evie''s words were strange; just like before, they only seemed to egg on Morgan. She ripped her arm away from Evie and sneered at me. "She''s just some random woman Rex brought in. That''s a useless mouth to feed, not including the growing one in her belly. Who knows how trashy father is, too, allowing her to roam around hooking up with other men." She said with a glint of cunning in her eyes.


    I bit my lip to stop the inappropriate bubble of laughter that threatened to break my silence. Even with the writer''s intervention gone, everything still felt so scripted and patent. I was too amused to take offense. If anything, once I looked past my amusement, there was something more pressing to take from this than offense.


    Morgan had a point.


    This public outcry from her was a wake-up call I needed to hear. I must put distance between Rex and myself. Over and over again, I said I would create distance, but whenever the wind chilled, I sought warmth in the harbor of his arms. I was sending the wrong message.


    "I am pregnant, and I have a fianc¨¦," I said with a quirk of my lips.


    Morgan grinned triumphantly.


    "I''m also far from useless," I said, holding out a hand. The wild plants at my feet sprouted and grew in my desired shape. A hand giving Morgan the middle finger was enough to show her what I could do.


    Her smile faltered but was wiped away completely when the tent flap opened, and Rex''s stiff body appeared behind me. "And her fianc¨¦ isn''t letting Wendy run around to hook other men. Especially when she''s carrying his child." His words could mean many things, but his arm snaked possessively around my waist, adding a different flavor to his words.


    More than one person gasped at that verbal bomb drop, myself included. Rex''s other hand touched my shoulder as if to steady me. I stiffened, ready to refute this, but Morgan was one step ahead of me again.


    "That''s impossible!" Morgan shrieked. "Evie said when she scanned her body, she saw she was almost two months along. How could it be yours?"


    I forgot that health scanning was part of Evie''s arsenal of skills. She could scan someone''s health and heal the woes away. Of course, she figured out I was pregnant, but she shared that with Morgan. A woman who clearly hates me? How suspicious of the female protagonist.


    "Besides Wendy, only I know how long we''ve truly known each other," Rex said, looking down at me. There wasn''t love in his eyes but a glimmer of concern. My breakdown from the day before floated in my mind, and I balked at the thought that maybe he was just looking out for me.


    Did he think Morgan''s barrage would cause another bout of panic? I was made of sterner stuff than that. I opened my mouth to stop him from doing this, but he silenced me with his warm grasp on my neck. The massage he gave my neck felt so familiar I looked up to meet his eyes.


    Against my desire, I relaxed against Rex, and this moment between us looked intimate, giving what he said credence. Even as I knew this was happening, I couldn''t stop my body from reacting to his touch. He was clearly using it to keep me quiet, and sadly, it was working.


    "All your points are invalid, so let it go, Morgan," Mateo said, holding up his hands to broker peace. "The two have clearly kept it under wraps, but you can see their affection. And Rex has never let someone sleep in his quarters before. That alone speaks for itself."


    Is that so? It shouldn''t be so startling to find out that. Rex and Adam were the private types. Obsessively so, they guarded information like a dragon over their hoard. One of the most private places for most of you was your bedroom, i.e., your inner sanctum.


    Morgan''s face was ashen, and she looked at Evie with stark pain in her eyes. Evie also looked pale and shaken. The only other person who looked upset was Cole, but his focus was on Evie and what she was going through.


    What could have been an excellent, quiet start to the day had turned into a mess. The desire to be far away was strong, but Rex didn''t seem inclined to let me go. For the life of me, I couldn''t understand why.


    The tension wasn''t cut through by breakfast. It didn''t help that Rex stayed glued to my side and intently ensured I ate some of everything. My mind drifted to the delicacy Mordecai said pregnant women should eat. I hadn''t opened the jar because it was bright red. It reminded me of the things Sunny brought me during my first period. I shook aside those thoughts.


    I needed to confront Rex!


    My ire refocused properly on the one sitting in front of me. I was the only one worried about what just happened. There wasn''t a hint of worry or concern about what Rex had done on his face.


    "Rex," I said, trying to keep my voice as low as possible. "Why did you lie?"


    Rex blinked slowly and took a bite of his breakfast ham instead of answering. I watched rather anxiously as he chewed slowly and thoughtfully. He finished and swallowed just as slowly before finally he said, "Did I lie?"


    I scrunch my face at him. He''s deliberately toying with me! All of his words had plausible deniability, but the conclusions he wanted everyone to draw were clear.


    A low chuckle escaped his lips, and I blinked at the subtle changes this brought to Rex''s face. "You make that face a lot." He said, lightly rubbing the bridge of my nose.


    I pulled away to glare at him but wound up inching closer again to whisper. "Why make it sound like that?" Me keeping quiet during the whole thing gave us dignity in light of everything, but I needed to know. It didn''t feel right to lie.


    Rex''s eyes shot down to look at my abdomen. "You can''t leave this world to get back to your Adam. I''ll take care of you both in his stead."


    I shook my head before he finished getting the words out. "I don''t want you to. I''m not giving up, and I''ll make it back." One way or another, I was going to get back. "I promised him I would."


    "How?" Rex asked me with hooded eyes as he took another bite of his ham.


    "I don''t know yet, but giving up means I never will. You said I was anchored before, and there''s been mention of a prophecy. What do those things mean?" I said. I finally had a quiet moment with Rex to grill over these burning questions I''ve had for far too long.


    "The prophecy is my mother''s last words to me. She saw a fortune teller before her death because she was worried about me." Rex said before taking a long drag of his tea. When his mouth was empty, he again glanced down at my stomach where my right hand was. "The anchor is your tie to this world through the baby."


    I didn''t have time to process that before Rex had a far bigger bomb to drop on me.


    "Our child has powers like mine. You''ve accessed them during your time here." Rex said as he watched me above his steaming mug.


    "So when I''ve been teleporting around." My voice was barely audible over my heartbeat, pumping through my chest.


    "It''s due to our growing baby," Rex said.


    There was silence as my broken brain tried to catch up to this development.


    "Let''s also allow them to believe what was said today to make it easier. This is what''s best for both of us going forward." Rex said before standing up and striding over to where Mateo awaited him. I stared at the two, having lost my appetite.


    What the hell do I do?


    I was too stunned by everything to realize the full extent of his words. And it would be even later before I realized he hadn''t explained the prophecy at all.


    I didn''t have time to dig into Rex for answers. His group was a well-oiled machine that set its sights on Green''s Mountain. There was no way that vehicles could make it through the terrain, so that meant walking.


    A lot of it.


    I soon mastered the art of vomiting quickly, rinsing my mouth out, and catching up with the group. I wasn''t alone. I noticed Rex''s gaze more than once, and the guard at the rear, Hayate, was often in the back with me.


    It was with relief, for countless reasons, that we made it to Green''s Mountain. I handled this transition well. I didn''t even cry when we passed where my forest should have been.

 Chapter Thirty Six

    My addition to the main cast made it an odd-numbered group and a problematic two months to come.


    I messed with Cole to pass the time and taught him the truth about real love. He, in turn, treated Evie better, but she continuously cries whenever she sees me. Morgan constantly picked fights with me, but she was as fun to mess with as ignoring her. Nobody ended up caring about her words. Who doesn''t love free food?


    Oddly enough, I became friends with Hayate. He reminded me of Lucas. He was just a guy who had his niche and kept to it while the world around him fell into chaos. Sitting next to him was strangely comforting while he sharpened his blades or crafted the tools the slowly thriving Green''s Mountain needed.


    Rex remained reticent, and Mateo always showed up when I started to get something out of him. It was enough to draw out my ire for the genteel man with a charming air.


    That wasn''t the only thing growing. My belly and desperation to leave were expanding by the day.


    I''d already gone through the jar Mordecai recommended and was disappointed it tasted like the strangest combination of earthy herbs and roast pork.


    The seeds were literal duds. There were four of them, and each varied in size, shape, and color.


    The strangest one was the size of my palm. There were straw-like roots wrapped around a purple bud. The plant resolutely ignored my attempts to connect with it with the matching indifference of its gifter.


    Two of the four seeds looked almost identical, but the caveat was that one was pure white, and the other was stark black. They were little dots that I had to store in a jar for fear of losing them.


    The final seed, if one could even call it that now, had sprouted while I ignored it. It went from an amber rock to a knee-length plant full of gold, orange, and red leaves. I potted it in my walk-in closet into a green ceramic pot. The plant wasn''t communicative with me, but I could feel its personality growing as each new leaf unfurled.


    And with that, I''d gone through everything in the basket Mordecai had gifted me but one thing. The egg. He said not to eat it, but I couldn''t find it. The quill was gone, the box had changed, the nutrients had been eaten, the seeds were mean, and the egg was missing.


    I tried hard to find it but couldn''t locate it anywhere. There was one place it could be, though, so I had snuck away while everyone was sleeping back to Alcom''s Cove. Although Rex was in the middle of revitalizing Green''s Mountain, everyone in his group stayed together. Few homes were empty given the small town nature, but Sumire took her son and ran at the first sign of trouble. Their house was given to Rex, and everyone stayed there. Rex was the only one with his own room¡­well it would have been his alone had he not stuck me in there as well.


    He was barely in it, which meant I enjoyed the master bedroom all to myself. Rex was a tireless powerhouse that was constantly doing something. He assumed control with only the grace granted to the world''s protagonist.


    I hadn''t been idle and had slowly gotten a handle on my baby''s ability. I was able to go wherever I pictured in my head. I started with short distances and kept at it until I could finally imagine Rex''s room at his uncle''s house in Alcom''s Cove. I could see the wallpaper, feel the silky sheets, and smell that which was Adam. It was vivid in my head, and finally, I could teleport to it.


    His room looked the same as before. It was untouched by time and the apocalyptic world. I didn''t waste time looking around, and my gaze went straight to the bed.


    The last time I saw the egg was before I tossed the basket onto Rex''s bed. That action may have led to the egg slipping out. I dove for the covers, rooting for a different reason this time.


    It wasn''t here. That growing gnawing fear had taken root in my heart and grew as my search led to nothing but the destruction of the neat bed. Covers, pillows, and sheets were taken from their rightful, neat placement as I tore them apart.


    I flopped on the bed and looked out the window. The dark black sky greeted me. I stared at it as my thoughts swirled and tears of desperation threatened to grow.


    How did everything get so screwed up? Could I have avoided all of this if I had been less greedy? My desire to monopolize Adam while sticking my head in the sand about my suspicions created this mess. All my selfish thoughts of never letting him go, yet here I was, unable to touch him.


    Where exactly did everything go wrong? What If I had asked more questions and pinned down his elusive brain? Would it have mattered if I asked the right ones? Adam''s elusivity seemed perfectly catered to lead us to this moment in time.


    But we''re not together. Second timeline Rex is cold, distant, and not the man I fell in love with. I need to return to the correct timeline, no matter the cost.


    As much as I hate to admit, Rex and Adam are the same person. Technically, they are different versions with lives but the same stock. And here I was in their bedroom alone with no one to intrude on whatever I did...


    So I did the one thing that should have occurred to my sly butt, I snooped. I rooted through Rex''s room like a raccoon on a scavenger hunt. The papers he was reading through weren''t at his desk. In fact, there wasn''t anything on his desk or in the drawers. Not even a pen cap was left behind or dust.


    I made a face as I spun around to look at the room.


    Speaking of dust, there was no dust anywhere. How was that possible? We hadn''t been here for two months! One possible explanation would be that Rex was sneaking back here to sleep, but how could he port back and forth when his people needed him? And they needed him 24/7, which is why he rarely rested.


    Weird. I shook off this strange inconsistency.


    Rex''s room was among the few places I felt safe in this world. That might have to do with how often I woke up in his bed after a scene redo. I spent a lot of time resting here while losing my mind between those scenes.


    My fingers swiped the bookcase shelf, and it came away dust-free. My lips thinned as I perused the books lining the shelves. I sadly discovered that they were decoratively devoid of human personality. They looked nice and had decent coverings but were basic study books Rex had no doubt finished years ago.


    "There is no hint of his personality or character. It''s all just uselessly expensive shit." I muttered this out loud as I looked around, concerned. How empty this room turned out to be. There was a bed, a desk, and even bookcases. The room wasn''t small but lacked anything that defined someone''s characteristics. The canvases on the wall looked nice, but they seemed rather basic. If Rex used this room, then Adam did, too.


    I wanted to hug Adam now, but maybe a little pinch too. This man needed some color and life in his world. A door I hadn''t noticed before caught my attention.


    I ran to the door to open it, forgetting my mission to find the egg. I wanted to delve into Rex and see what made him tick. I swung the door open and found out it was a walk-in closet. I did a double-take on the amount of clothing, shoes, watches, and other frippery. It looked like my walk-in closet, but the colors were off, and the placement of the islands was opposite mine.


    "More useless, expensive things with no personality or color," I said with a shake of my head. All the suits were black, and the cufflinks and watches were one or a combination of three colors, gold, silver, or black.


    What seemed like endless rows of expensive silk, fine leather shoes, and sparkly watches and cufflinks laid before me. Their dazzle was blinding, but I flew towards my undoing like a moth to a flame.


    That undoing happened to be a suit cast to the side, but unlike the others, it was like a full-scale mannequin. The hanger made it feel like he could be standing there. I gravitated towards it before I could stop myself. The black suit looked strangely foreign to my Adam''s colors but smelled like him. I squeezed it to my chest as if he were filling it, and I let loose the torrent of tears I''d been fighting.


    It took some time, but I recovered enough to leave. I didn''t bother going deeper into the walk-in closet. I could tell from a glance that it was spotless and, thanks to all the frippery, it shone like a mini star.


    The one thing I cared about in this room was the soaking silk I still had in my arms. So, like a sneaky raccoon, I slipped it into my space and left the room. Any moment of calm I could have had was gone when I saw that I was no longer alone.


    Steel blue eyes stared at me with mocking pleasure. I met them as my heart jumped into my throat.


    "Wyatt!" I shouted and jumped half a foot into the air. He held out his hand to help steady me, and I grabbed it before I could stop myself.


    Was this Wyatt the same and able to read minds, eh Attarib? I shot that thought like a bullet as I met his gaze. There wasn''t a flicker of acknowledgment in his orbs, and a wave of disappointment rocked me. Is this yet another thing I would get wrong?


    I pulled away and made a face at him. "What are you doing here?" I said this with suspicious eyes.


    "I could say the same to you." He said with a quirk of his shoulder. "Here I am, minding my own business, when I hear someone breaking into this empty house. So naturally, I''ve come to protect against intruders."


    No matter the timeline, Wyatt was full of shit. I thought as I squinched my nose at him and made a face. Instead of calling him out on his bullshit, I shut the door behind me. "I''m not breaking into this place. I was looking for something."


    "Aren''t you far from your group''s base?" Wyatt said, tilting his head with a grin.


    "Aren''t you supposed to be minding your own business?" I retorted hotly back at him.


    He chuckled darkly as he said, "What if I said my business is your business." While he spoke, he reached out to fondle one of my curls, which had fallen out of my bun during my hysterics.


    I slapped his hand away and narrowed my eyes at him. Wyatt, as always, was dangerous. Like Adam, he was nearly impossible to read. How often had I wondered what was going on behind his eyes? Was he genuinely unaware of everything?


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    I thinned my lips and scowled at him. "You''re always full of it, Wyatt. You never show your true thoughts, and I think you''ve lied to me since you first saw me." I said.


    "I know you''re full of vigor and fire, unlike the last time I saw you," Wyatt said with a smile as he pulled away, ideally giving me space. "And you''ve been cooking something in the oven as well. Who''s the father? The man from last time?"


    I thought of the last time I''d seen him. It was right before my complete breakdown. There was another time he could be referencing. That thought tickled my mind before I could stop it. I desperately wanted to connect this timeline to the one before I met Adam.


    If it wasn''t, the implications would be dire. I could have undone everything if I had left the Unruly Forest and Adam entirely. The magic meant to protect my entrance to this world could be the one to undo everything¡­


    "Your mind left this world for a moment, Miss Evans." Wyatt''s voice came to me on the wind, and my mouth popped open in shock as my eyes shot up to him. Did he even open his mouth to deliver those words?!


    "I didn''t tell you my last name," I said. "And I certainly didn''t tell you where my base is." That little slip-up of his hadn''t escaped me.


    Wyatt''s upper lip curled into a smirk, and he rocked back on his heels. "I must have heard it in the wind." He said with a mystic wiggle of his fingers.


    I''ve barely seen the scope of his wind ability, so how was I supposed to know? It might seem exaggerated to anyone else, but it was likely valid with Wyatt. Could that be another hint he was giving to me? No, why wouldn''t he just say it outright? Wyatt liked to play games, but this was cruel even for him. If he could read my mind and still did this to me¡­maybe we were never really friends.


    "Go away already," I said, darting past Wyatt. I fixed the bed, ignoring him and trying not to flinch at the damage my rampage had created. I really tore through Rex''s room.


    I wasn''t surprised that by the time I fixed the bed, Wyatt hadn''t left. He was watching me with morbid curiosity leaking from his all-too-seeing blue orbs.


    "Why haven''t you left?" I all but shouted at him when I saw him sitting at Rex''s desk.


    "Why do I have to go?" He said as he blinked slowly at me. He pointed at me. "You''re the intruder." He then pointed at himself and said, "I''m the good citizen making sure you don''t steal anything."


    "I''m not the intruder. This is Rex''s room." Though he hadn''t exactly given me permission to go in, and I had stolen two things from his room by this point. He had never brought up the pillow before, and I didn''t plan on returning it. And I just took the suit just a bit ago. Something in my face must have shown my guilt because Wyatt pounced on it.


    "See, your intentions are wicked."


    "They are not! I lost something, and I''m looking for it here." My voice rose as I protested my innocence. My eyes darted to the bed, and I twisted my lips in thought. Who could have nabbed it if I didn''t grab the egg? I turned on Wyatt and looked at him. He was the most suspicious at this moment and the likely culprit.


    "You could have been the one to take it," I said. Before I could stop myself, I patted down Wyatt. He sat, shoulders shaking with suppressed laughter as I looked for the egg.


    "What are you looking for exactly?" Wyatt''s voice tickled the top of my head, and I scowled at him. He knew. Wyatt always knew more than he let on, and right now, he looked like the Cheshire cat as he grinned down at me.


    Yet even as I was digging my nails into his arm and shooting all the thoughts I could into him, he didn''t so much as blink. Either Wyatt had the most self-control in this realm, or he had yet to gain the power to read thoughts by this point. The latter was clearly the best option.


    I couldn''t let go of the fact that he knew something. What other reason did he have for messing with me this way? This was reminiscent of our childhood together and a completely different attitude from when we met near the Wishing Tree.


    I stepped away and jabbed a finger into his chest, "I''m onto you. Stay away from me."


    "I shudder to think how else you might abuse me for my next list of perceived crimes," Wyatt said with a shake of his head. He opened his mouth to say more, but I blipped away before hearing it. Just like that, something triggered my teleportation, and I was back in the master bedroom of the Sakura Haven.


    I barely had a moment to orient myself before there was a knock at the door. I glanced out the window and saw that the sun was slowly rising. Why would someone be knocking on my door this early?


    I opened it and shouldn''t have been surprised to see Cole standing anxiously. Whenever he had that look in his eye, it had to do with one person and one person only.


    "Have you seen Evie?" He said this while trying to look past me as if she was in my room.


    "Why would I have?" This was weird, even for Cole. This wasn''t the first time he''d shown up like this, and by now, I''d lost count.


    "She said she would ask for your help with breakfast." He said. For once, he had an almost appropriate answer. It was well known I was a morning bird, but why would Miss Cries Upon Sight of Me be looking for me?


    "You didn''t see her, did you?" He said with a curse. "We can''t find her."


    "We?" I said with far more volume than I meant. "How long has she been missing?" Was I going to witness an infamous kidnapping arc? Evie''s kidnappings were frequent in the OG story.


    "Two minutes," Cole said, but his voice sounded like he said two hours.


    I made a sour face at him. "Cole. Either confess to her and get accepted or rejected. Or get yourself a different woman. You''re Cole Covington. That''s important somewhere, right? Find someone who cares about you to obsess over. Perpetuating one-sided love where she has no idea how you feel about her isn''t good. You have to be a man and tell her you want her. Chasing after her constantly while being her pillow to cry on isn''t working out. You look like the definition of insanity." I said with a harsh glare.


    If this had been any other morning, I might have messed with him before kindly delivering these words. But I was tired, bitter, and wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed and crash. Yet again, Evie''s antics had drawn me into the middle of something I had no place in.


    Cole was so shocked by my venom that when I moved to close the door, the draft pushed him out of the way.


    I wasn''t out of the henhouse because I crashed right into Rex when I turned around. My heart jumped for what felt like the umpteenth time. I rubbed my nose as I glowered at him before sidestepping him entirely and falling into the bed.


    "Wendy." Rex''s voice drifted to my ears, and I felt it like a warm butter spread. I could never tire of that it.


    I cracked open an eye and saw Rex had moved closer to talk to me. "It''s been a few days, Rex," I said. He was a busy man. With no more cutscenes, I was more attuned to everything he did. He worked hard, and there were signs of toil that work was causing him. I reached out before I could stop myself to push his hair out of his face. "Have you slept at all?"


    "On and off when the time arises for a break," Rex said as he grabbed my wrist and examined my fingers. "You have blood under your fingernails."


    I blinked, suddenly wide awake. "How¡­" My voice trailed off as I recalled digging my nails into Wyatt. "Oh." I pressed into Wyatt that hard? Oops. He didn''t even flinch or complain.


    Rex pulled a handkerchief out of thin air. He then wet it using water from the nightstand pitcher. I watched as he methodically wiped each of my fingers clean. "How did this happen?" He said after I had a few minutes to stew in excuses.


    ¡°Well¡­I¡­¡± I stuttered like crazy, still unsure how the heck I was going to lie about this. Rex''s eyes looked up from my fingers to connect with mine, and before I could stop myself, I was telling him everything, and I mean everything. I miraculously omitted the part about testing Wyatt''s powers, but I spilled everything else. Even the suit that I wound up stealing because I cried on it, and it carried his scent.


    I wanted to bury my face in the pillows, but it was always hard to look away from Rex. He was staring at me impassively, but something flickered in his eyes that seemed almost black in this lighting.


    "How do you know Wyatt?" He said finally, and I blinked. He wasn''t going to ask about the suit I stole? Why care about a stinky monkey boy?


    I made a face, "He''s another childhood friend. Adam and Wyatt became thick as thieves when we were older. Always running off to plot and whisper." I hiccuped when I realized I said that part out loud. I looked at Rex, but he was staring with concentration at me, trying to decipher if there was more to my words. "He said that we met in the second timeline, but he didn''t have memories when I saw him¡­or so he acts."


    "You were hostile to Wyatt and even drew blood from him," Rex said. "You also play with Cole like a cat does with its prey."


    Wait, where was he going with this?


    "I''ve watched you these past couple of months. You act differently with every man apart from me." He continued. The bed squeaked as Rex sat down on it. I scooted away, heart pounding. "Is it because you view me as Adam or as Rex?"


    My mouth must have flopped open like a dying fish because he reached forward to close it. Wait, why is he looking at me like this? And why would he take the time to notice all of this? I was much more confident and boisterous with others, but gender didn''t matter. I was plenty rude to Morgan. He took my silence as an answer and plunged on cupping my face with his palms.


    "I need you to view me as Rex. I''m here, not Adam." His words registered in my head, but I wasn''t hearing anything because his burning gaze was searing into my soul.


    This wasn''t real, was it? I was dreaming, right? I pinched my thigh and could feel the sharp pain of reality. "I don''t know if I can." I finally managed to say. There was a flash of pain in his eyes, and I felt my own contort in response. "I''m sorry. I know you''re Rex, not Adam, but your scent, voice, and mannerisms make me miss Adam. I love Adam; it''s impossible to not see the similarities." The longer Rex was in my presence, the more I was softening to him. Which is why I have to fight their similarities with everything I have.


    "There''s still time to change that," Rex said as he pulled away, and I watched as the brief vulnerability in his eyes was smoothed out of existence.


    I then wet my lips nervously as I looked away, "I''m going back to Adam, though. I will figure my way around the anchor and make it back."


    A faint smile graced his lips as he said. "I see what draws him to you."


    I turned to shoot him a look. It was like he wasn''t listening to me. "Rex, are you attempting to seduce me?" I asked him, knowing that I had to be imagining the depths of this conversation. Briefly, I thought of the scenes we jumped around in. Better yet¡­how much had I forgotten? What went on between those moments with us?


    "Yes." He said. It was a simple word, but it dropped like a bomb as my face flushed with burning red.


    "I..I...I don''t understand."


    "You do." He said, watching me with amusement in his eyes.


    I snapped my mouth shut as I opened it to deny it yet again. "Then why now?" I said instead.


    Did Rex fall for me? That seemed unlikely. When would it have started? He was so distant and always working. How would I miss all the signs if he was into me?


    My stomach gurgled, and I rubbed it absently before a thought struck me quickly and painlessly. Rex had though. He knew this kid wasn''t his, and although he didn''t outright claim it, he took responsibility. That, more than anything, should have shown his interest. I originally had a moment where I read too much into it. But then nothing happened for two months, so I figured he was just being nice¡­things clearly weren''t as simple as that, and I was a damn fool.


    "I was giving you time to adjust to this world, but I clearly gave you too much space," Rex said. "My rivals have grown in my absence, so I decided to man up and tell you how I feel."


    "Rivals?" I said with a sour face. No one was into me. Also, wait, was he using my own words against me? That meant he heard the conversation I just had with Cole.


    Rex said nothing and simply stared at me. I stared back, confused about where he was going with this.


    "You really don''t know?" He said this with wonder in his voice.


    "It''s impossible," I said. All the guys I was around were either in his entourage or one of Evie''s suitors. None of them would look twice at me with her sweet, cheerful appearance. I was a gremlin with a growing belly and an attitude to match.


    "What about Wyatt?" Rex said, and I made a face.


    My verbal vomit struck again, and I spilled my thoughts out loud. "Wyatt''s not into me," I said. I will forever stand by this fact. "He''s more like a big brother than anything else." Which was strangely pleasant to realize, but of course, here and in this timeline, he was just a pain in my ass.


    "Not with how he was looking at you," Rex said.


    I jerked my head as the impact of those words hit me. "You''ve only seen him once; what do you mean by that? And during that time, he looked at me like I was five seconds away from a mental break, which he was correct." I stubbornly said.


    "And just now," Rex said. He seemed rather persistent in the idea that Wyatt''s feelings for me were deep.


    What was more troubling was, "How did you know how Wyatt was looking at me?" I asked.


    Rex said nothing as he stared at me. His previous words clicked into my brain, and I gasped as realization dawned.


    "You don''t need to port around to spy on me, do you?" I said around a suddenly dry mouth. Rex may be way more powerful than I ever imagined. "Because of your dimension power?" Could that be how he can teleport and go to different timelines? There''s so much he can do with such a power, and why he''d be aware something was wrong with his world as it was being written.


    Rex said nothing to confirm it, but his silence spoke volumes. I had blindly accepted him recognizing his spawn in my stomach, but what if there was more to it? How often was an anchor mentioned before it was finally said my kid was the anchor to this world? Then there''s the fact that Mordecai couldn''t shove me back into this world without me using the baby''s powers¡­What if¡­


    I found the strength to ask him one crucial question through numb lips. "Did you bind me to this world with my baby?"


    "Wendy, I told you that leaving was impossible." He said. I watched that strange light grow in his eyes, confirming that Rex was indeed batshit crazy.

 Chapter Thirty Seven

    Well, shit.


    I can''t say that Adam didn''t warn me. In fact, all of his calculations were due to the madness oozing off of Rex. He went out of his way to prevent this, and I stupidly made it so.


    I stared at Rex with a sour expression. Adam clearly downplayed his past self''s madness. Even as he sat across from me, confirming my conjunctures, I waited for him to smile and say it was a joke.


    But he was dead serious. And I was officially freaked out. I nervously wet my lip and tried to make my expression more caring and gentle. "I understand how you felt with the world shifting around the way it did," I said. I barely experienced the thing, and I started to unravel mentally as well. I can''t imagine going through two different lifetimes of that kind of daily life. "But this isn''t love. It''s like Stockholm syndrome due to no one else going through that madness with you."


    "Wendy, you seem preoccupied with the notion that my affections for you are shallow." He said as he donned a hurt expression.


    Because they have to be. I can''t think otherwise for a second. I can''t go down that line of thinking. I opened my mouth and tried to smile, "You don''t love me; how could you in such a short amount of time?"


    "Love doesn''t have to be defined by time and space, Wendy. I, of all people, understand that it can burn as hot and fast as a comet and strike at random. Your appearance in this world was that comet." Rex the mad said.


    I scrambled off the bed and moved to put it between the two of us. Distance was my best friend at this moment. "Love can happen suddenly like that. However, your destined soulmate in this world isn''t me." My heart contrarily reacted to that, but it was true, and I needed to set Rex on the right path. Rex and Mordecai were wrong. Adam and Rex are not the same person.


    "I already know who my soulmate is," Rex said, moving closer to me. I scooted as far away from him as possible. As if he didn''t notice my avoidance, he relaxed and continued, "I''ve overheard your lessons with Cole, and you''re wrong about some of your points. Love is watchful, not trusting. We would have encountered numerous dangers if I didn''t watch over you or the group."


    "I don''t need to be looked after by you," I said, defiant to the core.


    "You haven''t encountered any danger because I''ve been looking after you, Wendy," Rex said.


    I grew still and concerned as his words shook me to my core. In the book, Evie is always in danger, and there are often perils that Rex''s group has to overcome. The writer is to blame for the drama and making Rex always save everyone. This Rex, though, no longer had the constraints of the world controlling him. Is that why things were moving differently? I kept waiting with snacks to see the drama unfold, but the group was peaceful. There was no opposition or conflict against them, just progress.


    What should I do? Rex''s dark gaze showed nothing but determination. His words were batshit crazy, but his focus on me was laser-calm. There was no way I could outargue him because he was refusing to see my logic.


    It was time to run if I couldn''t talk my way out of trouble. I didn''t need to live with the group. I could live on the world''s edges and eat off the land until I could escape. I shut my eyes and tapped into the baby''s abilities, but unexpectedly, I didn''t go anywhere. I opened my eyes to see Rex holding a hand for the international stop gesture.


    There was only one way to read what had just happened, and I could feel my heart pounding violently in my chest. Oh shit, he stopped me from getting away.


    "Our child has the same powers as me. I can sense when it''s about to be used, has been, or will be. I can move the two of you around as I see fit and stop you from going anywhere. I realized I needed to anchor you two under my control to stop more trips to your relatives."


    I waited for the patented blackouts that conveniently took me away from moments like this, but nothing happened. How often have I been saved by someone or something interrupting the moment. Why was nothing ending this horror?


    Just how powerful was Rex?


    "My relatives aren''t normal. You can''t keep me from them." I said this with far more bravado than I felt.


    Rex''s upper lip curled into a smirk. "Wendy, we''re going to be together as a family. There''s no stopping this."


    "You''re not the father," I said this with as fierce a glare as I could. It was the last weapon in my arsenal against this madness. I had no hope of him believing it, giving everything else.


    "I am." He said this confidently as he got up and strode over to me. My back was to the wall, and I couldn''t teleport away, so I froze like the prey I was. His hand was overtly warm as he laid his palm on my stomach. "This is our child. I knew who the two of you were to me the day we met."


    The day we met? I met his dark, liquid eyes and gulped at the emotion that lay naked in them. Rex cared way more for me than I thought. The sight of it shocked me to my core. I can''t acknowledge it. To do so is to betray Adam. I met his gaze with firm resolve and said, "I love Adam."


    "I am Adam, but unlike him, I won''t fail in protecting you. You will create new memories with me in time." He said as he lifted his other hand to cup my quivering chin. "Wendy, if you need to make this transition easier, we can. I can be more like him for you. If my becoming your Adam stops you from loving him, I will."


    "That would never work. I grew up with Adam, and those memories can''t be replicated or replaced." I said as I continued to meet his eyes with all the courage I had left.


    My words fell on deaf ears. I could see that Rex wouldn''t listen and that I was good and trapped.


    I didn''t get the blackout or interruption that I wanted. I managed to slip past Rex like an eel and say I needed sleep. I burrowed under the covers like an earthworm and stayed that way until he left.


    Luckily, as the big kahuna, he was required elsewhere before long and had to leave. As soon as he left the room, I flipped the covers off and breathed fresh air with a desperate gasp.


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    "Mordecai!" I whispered into the room. "Mordecai, I need to get out of here. Please help me leave this world!"


    A dizzy spore of fire popped into the room, but the blasted creature flew as if it were drunk. I lost my patience as it failed to make its way to me. I reached for it, and it exploded in my hands in a pathetic puff of thready smoke. I grabbed the note and found only one word scrawled on it.


    "Can''t." It stated simply.


    I turned the note over, hoping for more, with widened eyes of disbelief. There was nothing else on it...


    "Can''t what? Can''t help me? Can''t tell me what to do? Can''t what?" I shouted. I didn''t receive a reply after that.


    There was no way that Rex was more powerful than a Phoenix Goddess of Destiny. Or was he? Mordecai suspiciously jumped ship when I got the dragon scale and was going out of his way to avoid me after I got here. He even said so himself that he was actively staying away from me.


    Why?


    If this Rex is Adam''s second timeline, wouldn''t Mordecai have known what Adam was capable of? Yet he constantly teased Adam and popped in and out of that timeline without worry.


    So why can''t Mordecai do something now?


    What if I wasn''t in the second timeline but an entirely different one altogether? What if I never see Adam again?


    I got the blackout I desired because my brain just cracked under the stress, and I nosedived back into the bed.


    "I am officially out of options," I said barely above a hoarse whimper as I lay sprawled in the bed. Instead of any grand ideas, when I woke up, I realized that my dreams had been filled with horrible attempts to escape this over-encompassing future. Rex had already trapped me, my relatives were ignoring my cries, and I had no way of getting in touch with Adam.


    I gazed out the window with forlorn longing and spotted some birds flying into trees and bushes. One of them stopped right outside my window, and a smile cracked my chapped lips. There were twigs in its beak, and it was with bittersweet joy that I watched it fly away.


    How nice it would be to be a bird who can take off. That bird was flying off to build a nest for her young. I wish I could do that.


    "Wait, I can do that." I sat up before the words were out of me. He bound me by the baby so that I couldn''t use their powers to escape, but I could hoof it. I wasted no time and took off right then and there.


    I ran into no one on my way out but lingered by every door and corner.


    My heart was pounding ten minutes later with sweaty palms and a dry throat. I was finally outside and several feet from Sakura Haven.


    Fresh air never felt so good. I was soaked in fear and worry, but I was free. There was no Rex in sight. No one, in fact, was around suspiciously enough.


    I took off into the woods, uncaring if this was a gift horse or a Trojan one.


    As long as I reach the woods, I can eat and thrive. I could grow whatever I needed. Right now, I couldn''t risk using my baby''s power or accessing anything through my spacial ring. Either or both would alert Rex to my location.


    The trees tickled my skin in greeting, and I felt my heart soothe itself and turn into a calm state. Their leaves covered me, and I closed my eyes as I connected with them. They were curious, seeking, and happy to see me. The energy I gave them was the equivalent of the sun but a lot closer to reach in scope.


    I spent time pouring my energy into the plants, and in turn, they shielded me and gave it back. Time ticked on, but my mind was unaware of its passing. How simple it was to just exist. I eat when I need to. Slept when my body required it and nurtured the plants around me. The complicated emotions Rex brought out in me were wiped clean away. My heavy feelings for Adam became nonexistent as I selfishly buried away my brain to just hide in the trees.


    I hadn''t set up a plant network because there was no need to. I became one with the plant life around me as I lay in the dirt. Every breath I took was collected from every living leave, root bush, and more.


    It was strangely healing and soothing to listen to the plants. They didn''t communicate like humans, but they had their own way of speaking, and I became one with their vibes. Anytime a squirrel ate a berry or a bear pooped, I was aware of it.


    What goes up must inevitably come down, so my good mood and burying myself into a bubble popped violently with the appearance of humans. I was instantly aware of their presence.


    It was Gavin and Lucia.


    Well, I technically ran into Lucia before I saw Gavin. If I were to be even more technical, I heard Lucia before I saw her. It didn''t take much to disturb the peace of the forest I had made.


    I could see the sweat on her brow and the fear in her eyes. The other human in my forest was chasing after Lucia. Although this wasn''t my Lucia, my affection for her couldn''t be buried, and so I appeared before her.


    She startled at the sight of me and pointed a finger at me in shock and fear. "You just appeared from that tree!" She shouted.


    Did I? I blinked and looked back at the tree, whose warm bark looked inviting. It was as if she was telling me to come back. She was a lovely old tree, and I had to pull away and fight the temptation to disappear again.


    "I didn''t know I could do that," I said with a simple shrug. The calm, steady mind I had achieved was slowly being replaced by emotions; fear and pain were the most rampant ones. This reality crashed into my veins, and I rocked on my heels at the impact.


    My human flesh felt heavy and slow as I could feel my mortal senses return to me. I had somehow entered the forest and lost part of my humanity in the process...how much time passed? I thought I was just lazing about, but clearly, I had done far more than that. I glanced at my belly and noted that it had grown only a bit so it wasn''t that long. However, there were more pressing things right now, and I turned to Lucia. "Enough about that; what are you doing, Lucia?" I asked her.


    "I''m running. A strange man came after me. He says I broke his world globe or something."


    "Where''s Wyatt?" I said, mentally, making a note to punish him for allowing Lucia to go through this alone.


    "I don''t know. He disappeared a week ago."


    I scrunched my nose and hiccuped in surprise. I don''t know how much time has passed since I saw Wyatt, but could that be similar to when Lucia last saw him?


    "I''ll help you," I said, reaching for Lucia''s hand. I was startled when she dodged it.


    "No offense, but you¡­you look like a¡­like you need to¡­" Lucia had difficulty forming the words, so I looked at my body.


    Oh. Yeah, I was filthy. It was not dirty like I had just rolled in some dirt. I was filthy as if I had bathed in dirt for a month. Exactly how much time had passed while I was in this forest? There was no time to dwell because Gavin was loudly barging closer.


    "Let''s worry about that later." I snapped, grabbing her wrist, she was still protesting, and dragging us through the trees. They covered our backside and gave us enough distance to keep us from Gavin.


    "Whatever you do, don''t let him touch your head." I attempted to whisper to Lucia, hoping the trees would muffle my words. "He can erase memories with a touch."


    Lucia gasped but said nothing as we reached a clearing. It wasn''t a good clearing, surrounded by trees on all sides. It had a cliff that looked precarious. With Gavin at our heels, we need time. I knew he could erase memories, but what else can he do? This was a man who had found a way to appear across timelines. He seemed intent on finding me on my timeline. Why was he chasing after Lucia?


    "Lucia, do you have a power?" I said, trying to look over the cliffside. This cliff gave us a clear view of Green''s Mountain, and I made a face. We could float down to the bottom if we had flying power.


    I watched as her caramel hand lit up with gold threads of light. "I can''t do much." She said with sadness in her eyes. "I use the light to sew or stitch people''s wounds."


    Lucia was putting herself down, but she clearly had a fantastic power. And it matched her name to boot. "The power of light is amazing. When we get out of this, promise me you''ll work on that."


    She gave a jerky nod as I double-checked my options. If I teleported Lucia and myself away, Rex would know where I was instantly. Was it possible he already didn''t know, though? If he could just watch me from another dimension, there was no telling if he was just watching me veg out the past, however long I did.


    "You gave me quite the run." Gavin''s voice reached us before we could see him. I attempted to use the plants to grab onto him and trap him, but they slid through him like air.


    "You!" His hoarse voice boomed, making us jump. "You are the problem with my perfect world!" Only he wasn''t pointing at Lucia; he was pointing at me.

 Chapter Thirty Eight

    I didn''t think twice about if I should or if it would work. Heck, I didn''t consider the consequences. I reached for Lucia and accessed my baby''s power at the same time to send all of us away. Only Lucia disappeared, and I was left behind, staring into the black eyes of pure hatred.


    "Your world?" I said around a suddenly dry throat.


    "You''re not human." He said, narrowing his eyes and ignoring my words as he scanned me. "What are you?" He whirled a finger, and I watched a pen form from the air as he scrawled something invisible into the air.


    "Not a God." He was mumbling out loud, and I fought the desire to call out to Mordecai. Didn''t Acuzio say that any God worth their salt would try to curse me due to my familial ties to Mordecai? Was this dude a God?


    "You have divine blood, but you''re not a demigod, so it''s distant¡­" Gavin said while half circling me several feet away. He stopped abruptly and froze as if he spotted a monster. Wait, why was he recoiling from me? "You''re related to that thing! No wonder you came in and wrecked my perfect world. That flying rat is a plague!" Gavin had dropped the pen and tugged on his hair as he fell to his knees. He mumbled incoherently, and while he did that, I tried to teleport my way out of this area. Rex had it on lock because I couldn''t move my body. I also found it hard to connect with plants in Gavin''s presence. It was like he was a block for my powers.


    I was forced with only one option now. I had to engage in conversation with Gavin. Seeing this version of the man I had known until now was strange. "Do you mean¡­" I started to say Mordecai''s name, but Gavin''s screech stopped me.


    "Don''t say its name or that plague will come down to taunt me! You need to leave this world so I can reset it how it''s supposed to be." Gavin said, apparently coming up with a plan.


    I didn''t like this plan any better than the thought of him trying to kill me. If I left, everything would reset. There''s no telling where I would end up.


    I didn''t even get a word in because Gavin was already doing his thing. Words started to swirl around him, and I watched, fascinated, as he tried to send them my way. They exploded into dust before they could touch me, and he glared at me as if I had done this on purpose.


    "I want to leave as well," I said as I attempted a smile. "I''ve tried, but I can''t while I''m pregnant."


    His soulless eyes dropped to my belly, and I covered it with both of my hands.


    "I don''t have time to wait for that to come out of you. And it would only offset the balance even more if it did." Gavin said with a sneer. "You don''t belong here. This isn''t a world for adust freaks like you. My perfected creation is yet again ruined by that flying plague rat. Why me?" Gavin unraveled, and it was quite a sight.


    How was a man I was so afraid of before so utterly ridiculous? He wasn''t crying like a grieving or mourning man. He was acting like a caricature of a widow who lost everything in her husband''s will to the maid. It was woefully unmoving.


    He looked out at me from between his fingers, and I caught the sly glance he had shot my way.


    "Dude, I don''t know how to undo any of this, so you don''t need to perform. I literally can''t leave." I said, trying to stop him from acting out even more.


    Gavin tsked and stood up, wiping himself free of dirt and leaves. His tears had been as fake as his act because his cheeks were dry and his eyes spiteful. "I can''t kill you or send you away, so I''ll have to find another solution to solve this problem."


    Wait, Gavin couldn''t kill me? That was news to me. "Why can''t you kill me?"


    His lips thinned with displeasure as he snootily said, "I can''t kill you because you are the last mortal relative of that plague rat''s kin. There''s a pact among us higher Gods. Given how far back related you are, an extra special clause is in place. You are protected by this cursed clause for cases of descendants like you." Only he said the word you as if it were a slur.


    "I''m no¡­" I stopped myself from saying I wasn''t the last mortal relative of Mordecai. There was no telling what could happen if I did. "Not sure about all that, but how do you know?"


    "Your name is written in the book." He said, exasperated. "And before you ask, I know because I can read your soul. The soul never lies, Gwendolyn Girru."


    A sliver of fear made me break out in a cold sweat. Gavin knowing my name brought more credence to his madness. This was also the second divine being who said I was the last living descendant of my family. Mordecai being the first¡­there had to be some kind of misunderstanding, right? My grandma and brother were still alive in the library¡­right?


    I tried to run away again. I had no nearby trees to commune with, so I was forced to tap into my baby''s powers again. Sadly nothing happened and I gulped as I rubbed my belly. Your father is unreasonable. I mentally said to my future child.


    "Why can''t you approach me?" I said this as I stared at the distance Gavin was keeping between us. Before, in the second timeline, he had reached for me to send me away. He also went out of his way to come with a group of people in the dead of night. He was able to wipe the memories of Adam and Nips but didn''t touch Grandpa Evans or Wyatt. Grandpa Evans was created by my family''s magic. Didn''t Wyatt make a deal with Mordecai? What if that protected him to some extent.


    "Does my familial magic have to do with that? Can you not use your powers on me because of this clause?" I said when my thoughts had gathered enough to speak out.


    Gavin''s face turned bright red with the sheer force of his rage. "If I got to you sooner, I could send you off without breaking the clause." His dark eyes settled on my belly, and I covered it more thoroughly as if that would protect it.


    What was so different about the here and now? Was my pregnancy really protecting me from Gavin due to this clause? I didn''t want to point out that this wasn''t my real body; a baby in this form wouldn''t be connected to Mordecai. It was better to distract him from the cracks in the clause.


    "So you can erase memories. Why can''t you erase mine or anyone created by my family''s magic?" I said, bluffing as I crossed my arms and lifted my chin defiantly. I was assuming at this rate. Based on this wild creature of a man, if he genuinely wanted to erase Grandpa Evans'' memory, he would have. Instead, he went for Adam and a dog. His power was limited to some degree.


    Gavin froze at this and dropped his leftover theatrics to stare me down. It was frightening as the man from my childhood returned in full swing. His posture straightened, his eyes darkened, and his mouth thinned at me. "Have we met before Gwendolyn Girru?" He said. His serious expression matched his calculating gaze.


    I shrugged but thinned my lips to stop myself from giving anything away. "You tell me. Can you?" I said.


    "The better question is when have I tried? Where did we meet?" Gavin asked, just as determined to get his own questions answered.


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    I made a face and shrugged, like hell I would give him any information. Gavin was batshit crazy, and he had a vendetta against Mordecai and now me. I understood now why he never attacked me head-on. Gavin couldn''t directly hurt me, but he could bring others to do the job. And he could hurt me by making those I love forget about me.


    "I understand now why M¡­" I started to speak, but Gavin shouted loudly and rather alarmingly over me.


    "Destroys your things. You''re a brutish asshole!" I stopped short of saying Mordecai''s name on purpose and continued my sentence.


    "Just because I can''t hurt you doesn''t mean I can''t make your life unpleasant," Gavin said with narrowed black eyes.


    "I''ve made your work a mess and did you one better. I''d have pity on you if I didn''t see the damage you wrecked. If you''re the one that was fucking with the way this world ran, then you deserve pain."


    "This is my world to do as I see fit. I''m writing this universe''s origin story, which requires tweaking." Gavin said with an expression of annoyance.


    "Your world?" I tried to contain my surprise.


    "I have been nurturing it for thousands of years," Gavin said.


    "No, my ancestor made this world. My uncle told me that." I said. Acuzio might have disappeared, but I believe him over Gavin.


    Gavin''s face drained of color, and his mouth trembled as he searched for words. "I took over this world after Caelestis passed away."


    There was actual pain on this face this time. He must have known Caelestis.


    "So that''s why my magic could undo yours. This was never your world to begin with. It was my ancestral aunt''s," Acuzio said his sister created this world. He didn''t specify which one. So it wasn''t Mordecai but my ancestral aunt who made this world? This is why the celebration in her honor was so much.


    "Your real name isn''t Gavin, is it? What is it?" I had to know who this man really was. Gavin was clearly not his name.


    "Ew, when did I say my name was Gavin?" Gavin said with a sneer.


    Shit. I had yet to learn who I was really talking to. There were hints, of course, but nothing like what Mordecai gave me. Mordecai was playfully teasing me, but Gavin hated me with the bitter passion of a scorned lover. He wanted to cruelly mess with me and not feed me helpful information. If he could hurt me, then he absolutely would.


    Recklessly, I took out the jar containing Mordecai''s black and white seeds. I tossed them at Gavin. None of the plants I tried to attack him with before he appeared worked. The trees and plants from the Unruly forest had succeeded in attacking him with the others in the asshat brigade. My family''s magic created the forest, meaning it was from another world. Maybe only something from another world could hurt him.


    My bet paid off. The jar smashed on the ground, and the shards of glass were temporarily free before the seeds exploded and grew. I watched in awe as roots and leaves grabbed the shards to chuck them at Gavin. Each shard of glass was blocked by splotchy acid that melted the attack midair.


    All too familiar acid frogs appeared to do combat with the plants that combined were now the size of a mini truck. The two plants had thick stems that grew into their width until they nearly blocked Gavin from my sight. A blazing silvery blue overtook the plant''s pale green color until every crevice of the plant glowed.


    "That fucking bird," Gavin said as he watched his frogs slaughtered.


    He wasn''t looking at me, and his expression was the same one that twisted his face when he spoke about Mordecai.


    What if Mordecai was in charge of my plants in moments like this? Each time the frogs were nearby, the plants did things I didn''t command...but how was Mordecai doing it?


    I looked down at my hands and saw them moving without my consent...Mordecai must be on my person still. Oh no, I gave him permission to my body. The exact words that I used were: I grant you permission to my body.


    The desire to flee was overwhelming, but my ability to do so was limited. I had but one option, and I gave in like the soggy cookie I was. "Rex!" I shouted his name, and as much as I wanted not to see him, he appeared instantly. He was facing me, and he was rocking a rather rugged-looking beard. There were shadows under his eyes, and his hair was mussed.


    He didn''t so much as glance in Gavin''s direction, and Gavin was trying desperately to get a look at Rex''s face. His back was turned to Gavin, though, and Gavin was avoiding my vicinity with all his might still. That didn''t stop Gavin from trying to catch a look.


    "Wendy," Rex said, and his voice was tired. He cupped my growing stomach with both hands, and a part of my heart''s guard cracked at the action, even as I reprimanded it. Rex was likely trying to strengthen the anchor he set down, but maybe¡­no, I cut that thought off to meet his dark, liquid eyes.


    His endless orbs showed care and concern as he looked at me, and I found myself weakening. I could tell myself this was not Adam relentlessly, but I am weak. My hands covered his, and a silent understanding passed between us.


    Rex scooped me into his arms and teleported the two of us away without another word.


    We wound up back at the Sakura Haven home, but it was very different from the last time I saw it. He had taken us to the master bedroom, which looked the same, but the view outside was vastly fresh. There were more people, and they looked more fortified, like the house. I spotted Lucia and Wyatt in the front yard, and my shoulders relaxed at the sight of the two. Lucia was safe. My gambit worked, and Wyatt had found her, of course.


    "What happened while I was gone?" I said, eyeing the changes with apprehension. It was better to focus the conversation on all of that instead of any questions about what Rex likely heard.


    Rex looked down at me but said nothing.


    "I''m going to go take a bath," I said, slipping out my walk-in closet and entering it anxiously. I shouldn''t be surprised, but Rex followed. It was likely for the better that I didn''t land in the space without him. I could have taken a tumble. This way, I entered my walk-in closet with him holding me.


    Rex was silent as he took in the overly feminine space that was supposed to be sacred to me alone.


    "Put me down," I said, tapping his shoulder. Rex wordlessly did so, and I scurried to the bathroom. I meant it when I said I was going to take a bath. I was more aware of how badly I looked with dirt caking my skin. I didn''t want to fathom how I smelled, too. I purposefully stopped breathing through my nose to avoid this reality check.


    I started the bubbling water. I slipped my bathrobe on a hook for easy access and a towel for my hair. My soap, shampoo, conditioner, lotions, and exfoliators were next.


    I did this all while avoiding the mirrors.


    I couldn''t escape seeing the extent of the damage forever. My skin was caked in dirt. Why on Earth had Rex held me so gently when I looked like a swamp monster? I changed course and let the bath water run while jumping into the shower. Dirty, thick water slumped off my skin, and an embarrassingly long time later, I was clean enough to mull about in the bath.


    I had just slipped into the bathwater when the door opened, and Rex appeared.


    "Wendy." He said, and I gulped and covered my body in the thick bubbles.


    I started to babble unstoppingly like a small brook becoming an overfull riverbank. "I''m going to assume you heard everything I said to Gavin, including my true name Rex. I thought his name was Gavin. He used it in the third timeline before, so I''ve just been calling him that. He''s clearly not human and the weirdo who was shuffling around moments in this world like a scriptwriter. He erases memories, so be careful not to let him touch your head. I didn''t find out until-"


    "Wendy."


    That was all he said, and I lifted my eyes cautiously to meet his liquid orbs. Rex was solemn as usual, but something else was in his eyes. He dropped down to the ground, and I watched breathless as his eyes ran over me. "Don''t disappear like that again."


    I opened my mouth to ask him if he could track me in the trees, which was good information to store for later. But his lips collided with mine, and the words I wanted to say disappeared into a gasp. His hands roamed, and my brain almost turned off as I felt his body press into mine.


    None of this was right; the warning bells were blaring to snap me out of my desire for human contact. My horrible sluttish body was silenced as my brain took over. It was fairly easy because the way Rex was kissing was all wrong. It would be hard to replicate years of connection. I pulled away and desperately tried to silence my rapid heartbeat.


    Rex wasn''t unaffected either, and I spent a few precious seconds watching his ragged breath shake his body.


    "I can''t be yours, Rex," I said, trying to swallow the pain for both of us. I pleaded with my eyes for him to understand.


    "Give it time." He said, not bothering to step out of the bath, but vanished from my sight.


    The bath was no longer comforting, and I slipped into my bathrobe and towels. I took time to lounge about in the closet area going through clothing. I barely glanced at what I ended up putting on. It was a decorative maternity jumper, and faithful to his word, Mordecai''s gift grew with my belly.


    I hadn''t seen it in the mirror in however long I had vegged out, but I could see it had grown. "Hello." I sang to my tummy, and I could feel the baby wiggle in return. I spent countless minutes singing, talking, and poking my baby.


    I waited until I felt refreshed and calm before leaving the walk-in closet. Or rather, I tried to.


    Fuck. Rex had trapped me in my walk-in closet.

 Chapter Thirty Nine

    I knew it could be worse out of any prisons I had seen on TV or in books. Heck, even compared to Wyatt''s old one, I had it good. I had a luxurious bathroom and plenty of clothing to try on and have fun in. I even had access to my space, where I had caches of food and books. That was the bright side, but it was time to face the reality of my situation.


    Intense rage I''ve never felt before pulsed in my veins, stoking me into a burning wrath. Whenever I slipped away, Rex responded by tying me down to him even more. My freedom was entirely stripped from me this time, and it was impossible to ignore the inhumane action. It didn''t matter how nice the confinement was. How was he and Adam the same person?


    "I don''t even have a place to sleep!" I shouted with bitter rage at the ceiling. As if to help me, I watched in despair and scorn as the room grew a new door again. I opened it with thin lips, fighting to disapprove of the latest addition.


    I now have a bedroom.


    The closet was rose-themed, the bathroom was lemon, and my bedroom was all forest. I should be mad, but I could feel my bitterness fade at the sheer magnificence of it. Fuck I was truly stuck in this magical prison. What was a walk-in closet had been turned into a hideaway home.


    Once again, I had no way of tracking time. This time, it was tortuous instead of freeing. I handled myself rather well in the first few hundred hours. But as time passed, my occasional talking to myself resembled the ramblings of a mad woman.


    I did all I could when it came to decorating my new home. I set up even more plants and pots until they dotted every available space. Which had grown even more. I complained and gained a kitchen resembling Mr. Dickham''s, a library that attempted to rival my familial one, and a home theater that played nothing but suspicious romances where a woman moved on from a past love.


    Rex had tried to pop in more than once, but each time, I attacked him, and he left shortly after.


    He tried to say it was safer for me in this little space given the danger Gavin posed. Honestly, Rex was the most dangerous person to me. Gavin couldn''t do shit compared to the pain and anguish that Rex had.


    I wanted to leave this world more than ever, and for the first time since I arrived, I didn''t want to return to Adam. How could I look at him the same? Rex was Adam, and Adam was Rex. This darkness that was clearly present in Rex had to lurk in Adam. If I didn''t love Adam anymore, would he do this to me? I feared the answer more than I feared, never leaving the closet.


    How had I missed that spark of madness? Maybe the difference was¡­I stopped myself from softening towards either of them. No matter their past, this was too much. I was trapped pregnant with a baby that was used as a literal weapon to stop me from leaving him. If I ever got to the point where I overlooked that, how could I overlook the secrets Adam kept. Why hadn''t he warned me about this? Adam hadn''t told me jack shit about how bonkers his past self was. And that wasn''t including the lies he kept from me himself. Why didn''t Adam trust me?


    Who was this man I had fallen in love with? Why would he do this to me if he loved me? I couldn''t find the answers, and anytime I saw Rex, white-hot rage filled me, and I always wound up attacking him, so he never stayed for long.


    Time alone grants introspection. It''s not often the most pleasant of things to be left with no one but your own brain. I didn''t have music, and books were hard to dig into. It was hard to forget about my current state when every second I spent here was burning at my skin like an itchy sore.


    So that''s how I ended up turning on myself like clockwork. All my past failures paraded before my mind and won in their attempt to shame me. I even started to break down my attempts to leave this world before I realized they were half-hearted. There was a twinge of my madness to them, so it was no wonder none worked. I never slowed down to figure out how to truly go.


    There had to be a way to travel in this conduit so that I could keep my baby but ditch the insane Rex in the process.


    I didn''t want to go back to Adam. It burned at me to break my word to him, but Adam''s flimsy tower of secrets was too painful. He clearly didn''t trust me, and I could no longer trust him after everything. It was such a small comfort that I warned him several times that if he kept on like this, he would lose me. And he had. I was ready to leave it all behind.


    It was time to leave this world and return home, no matter the cost.


    The first thing I did was make a list. It had been a long time since I sat down to write out options, plans, and the steps I needed to achieve them. It felt good to get started. I needed to document every single failure and create possible tweaks from them.


    I made forty-eight unique plans, and all of them failed. I tried using blood, literary, and even the broken pieces of the quill to do something, but nothing worked.


    I even cried out to Mordecai, but not even a damn flaming bug popped out. It shouldn''t surprise me Rex had me wholly isolated from the world in this damn box.


    I lay under the bed eating lemon tarts as I wallowed in despair.


    "I want power," I said mournfully with a full mouth. I didn''t care if crumbs spilled on the ground. This place just magically cleaned itself, so it didn''t matter.


    Nothing mattered.


    The baby wiggled in my tummy, and I closed my eyes. "You matter." That was true. Your father might be a dick, but at least I have you.


    "We''re not completely alone, though you wouldn''t know it from where we live. Once we return to the Library, you can meet your great grandma and uncle¡­"


    Wait, could I call Gus for help? It was shameful, sure, but it had to be better than this.


    It was worth a shot, though, right?


    I rolled out from under the bed and booked it to the library. I pulled out paper, and after some ripping, tearing, and blood spilled in the right places, I tried for a lost witch spell.


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    I''m a lost witch! Come find me. I pleaded with Gus mentally before speaking the necessary words in three different dead languages. This was a spell I knew far too well. It was the first spell I had attempted as a kid. And it was how I learned that the dead couldn''t respond. My mother and father were never coming back as they didn''t have flesh and blood to call upon.


    The symbol I had cut into my hand wasn''t the only wound burning with pain. I bit my lip and ignored both symptoms to finish speaking.


    When I was done speaking, I waited with bated breath for something to happen, but nothing did. All of a sudden, too many things happened at once. The room began to shake, and I was forcibly ripped out of the home space.


    It wasn''t because Gus had heard my cry and rescued me. It wasn''t because my grandmother had either.


    It was due to Wyatt, of all people. He looked like he''d just run a marathon. I came popping out of the hideaway home towards him. The last time I ran headfirst into the arms of a man, he trapped me. My feet screeched to a halt before my head tilted as I stared at his palm.


    My spell had called for a relative, and I found one. "Help me get away from here!" I reached for Wyatt, fearful that he would ask a ton of questions or do anything that could delay and speed up when Rex popped in.


    Wyatt did whisk me away. Wind wrapped around the two of us, taking us to a place I''d never been.


    I grabbed his palm the first chance I had and examined the symbol that had been cut into it. I showed him mine and narrowed my eyes on him. "This is a spell for finding lost family members to bring them together."


    "I cut that myself just¡­"


    I cut him off, "No more lies, Wyatt. Who are you?" Could he be Gus using a conduit? No way Gus couldn''t act like Wyatt if he wanted to. Who was this man? He wasn''t Mordecai, and he couldn''t be Acuzio. Who the fuck was Wyatt?


    "I''m your cousin," Wyatt said with a shrug as he plopped down on the ground with a heavy sigh. "I expected you would figure it out sooner, but you''re really slow, Gwendolyn."


    "You couldn''t be from Mordecai''s line," I said firmly. There was no way he could be because our family traced the ancestry very well. We had to keep the family together to hide well. One witch with the blood running around out and about could lead anyone to the rest.


    A shit-eating grin spread across his cheeks before it faded away. "I''m too tired to pretend with you, Wendy. I''ve been trying to track you for over a month now. You''re right. I''m not related to you through Mordecai."


    "Wait¡­You must be part of Acuzio''s line?" I said with wonder. "Our aunt only has one descendant left," Mordecai told me. Wait, if you''re related to Acuzio¡­you weren''t around when he was, were you? And Mordecai made a deal with you for a reason and¡­" My words became a jumbled mess as things clicked into place.


    "Uh-huh." He said, drawing out the last syllable. Wyatt then grabbed my hand and smacked it with his own. Our touching flesh emitted a strange pulse, and the cuts disappeared on our hands.


    "Now the spell is complete." He said before laying down and visibly relaxing.


    "Why are you in this world?" I asked him. It didn''t make sense for someone like him to be here.


    "My mother stowed me away in this world to keep me safe," Wyatt said. ¡°I¡¯m the youngest son of Acuzio.¡±


    I hiccupped at that info drop. "Wait, so you''re a dragon?"


    Wyatt lazily opened an eye to stare at me. "Do you really need to ask that?"


    "Then give me one of your scales," I said, clasping my hands to beg. "Your father brought me to this time during the second timeline, and maybe yours will help me escape."


    "It won''t work. Do you think I''d still be in this cursed dump if it did?" Wyatt said.


    "What use are you as a dragon if you can''t break out of this world?!"


    "Says the witch, related to a goddess who can''t use her literary magic to escape a book."


    I made a face at him, and he made a matching one back.


    "So we''re both failures," I said with a huff.


    "One and the same," Wyatt said with a crooked grin.


    I plopped on the ground next to him. "I keep wondering how things got this way, and I don''t know. Everything got so out of hand. I had no idea when I started this journey it would become like this."


    "It could be worse," Wyatt said, and I side-eyed him at that remark.


    "Well, no shit Sherlock but at least we can be failures together. And no one has to know."


    "I know." An all too familiar voice came into the picture, and I came face to face with Gavin.


    I was so burnt out mentally and emotionally that I barely reacted when I saw him. I sat up and smiled at the dramatic goof.


    "Who is this?" Wyatt said as he eyed Gavin.


    "Wyatt, this is Gavin, Gavin, this is Wyatt," I said as I gestured to each man during the introduction.


    "Hold on now, when did I say my name is Gavin. It''s not." Gavin said with prim annoyance.


    "Nice to meet you, Gavin," Wyatt said with a full grin.


    "I just told you my name is not¡­"


    "What are you doing here, Gavin?" I said, cutting him off and pretending I didn''t see his rage shaking his body.


    Gavin gave up on the name a bit too fast. I was hoping he''d shout his actual name in a fit of reckless abandon, but he seemed to catch himself and gather himself up into a neat appearance.


    "I''m here to send you on your way," Gavin said, tugging on his lapels eagerly. "I have a whole presentation on how your appearance in this world has disrupted things. I think you''ll agree that without you, it will set itself right and¡­


    "I''m in," I said, standing up and dusting myself free of dirt and leaves.


    "It won''t take long, just a few¡­wait, did you say you were in?" Gavin stopped talking, and his words trailed off. "I haven''t even told you my pitch."


    "I don''t want to stay." I said, "But I want to keep my baby. Someone as powerful as you can figure out a way to send me away with this body, right?" I said, lifting a brow in challenge.


    "Why, I suppose I could¡­" Gavin started muttering calculations in a language I couldn''t understand, so I sighed and looked down at Wyatt.


    He had on an impassive mask that gave away nothing. What was more astonishing was what he was holding. The egg I had been searching for. Wyatt did have it all along.


    I reached for it, and he handed it over with ease. Nothing happened, of course. Nothing ever went as I expected, though as I held the egg, I wasn''t quite sure what I had expected to happen. Surely something was going to¡­but nothing did.


    "Of course," I muttered as acid rose from my gut. Whatever hope I had tried not to attach to this one random thing Mordecai had given me took my last ounce of strength.


    Mordecai had said it was unique and not to eat it. But he had also abandoned me like everyone else had in my life. He even noted and acknowledged these cruelties, but like everyone else, he left me to die.


    All I had wanted all this time was someone I could trust and rely on entirely. Each time I thought I had been granted such a person, the rug was mercilessly shredded before my eyes.


    "Fuck this," I said as hot tears spilled down my cheeks. I shoved the egg into my mouth and swallowed it.


    I assumed, like before, nothing would happen. I should learn to stop making assumptions. The opposite seemed to always come true.


    Because I watched with horror as my body fell to the ground. Wyatt caught me, but I couldn''t thank him, as my soul had literally left my body. He was staring down at my unresponsive body with a hooded look in his eyes.


    The egg killed me. I thought as I floated above everything. I was dead. Or was this what my grandma experienced when she left her conduit? I looked at my arms and saw they were see-through like a ghost.


    But they were my arms, not Wendy''s. I made a face, "Now what¡­" I said, conflicted about what to do.


    I spotted a blob out of the corner of my eye, and it was carrying a lantern. Inside the lantern was one of Mordecai''s flaming spores. I followed the blob with the lantern before figuring out if I was floating or walking. It was strangely hypnotic and impossible to look away.


    And that was how I accidentally marched my way into the afterlife.


    I soon found out it was a lobby with rows of souls waiting to be sorted. And it was run by the blobs that looked like the one I was still following.


    The blob led me all the way to an office, and upon reaching it, the door swung wide open, and there sat Mordecai at a desk with a nameplate that stated, "The Keeper."


    "You ate the egg, huh," Mordecai said with a dark chuckle.

 Chapter Forty

    "You said it was special, not that it would kill me," I said, glaring at him and plopping myself in the chair across from him.


    "Special can mean many things," Mordecai said with a sneer. "Lucky for you, you''re not truly dead. If Adam Rexford hadn''t bound your soul to the baby''s and thus to him, you would have just gone home."


    My hands grabbed at my now flat stomach. "Is my baby okay?"


    "Yes. Because you ate the egg and left. It will stay in your conduit."


    Pain and regret grew like acid in my stomach. I was so angry at everything and bitter that I had lost my child. "I want to go back. I made a mistake."


    "Too bad," Mordecai said heartlessly. "What''s done is done."


    I stood up and charged towards Mordecai. "There has to be a way to undo this, please. I want my baby."


    "Enough about that already," Mordecai said with disgust. "Maybe Gavin was right to erase memories."


    Wait, is his name really Gavin? How did Mordecai know all of that? Wait a minute, "Stop trying to distract me, Mordecai."


    "Grief isn''t all it''s cracked up to be, Gwendolyn. Your time spent as Wendy was more than that spent as Gwendolyn. Do you really want to mourn the loss of two lives?"


    I collapsed in the chair as my bottom lip quivered. "Love shouldn''t be this painful, but that''s the cost when your heart''s involved."


    "Wrong answer," Mordecai said. Something glinted in his eyes as an inscrutable emotion flitted through them. "You should take advantage of a mortal''s ability to forget."


    There was heavy silence after that, and neither of us seemed willing to break it. Until finally, someone did.


    "Are you willing to play a game?" Mordecai said. I watched as that all too familiar coin appeared to roll across his knuckles.


    "I''m not that dumb," I said with a glare. That coin was magical and appeared by his will whenever he wanted it to. Any game the two of us played would be to his advantage.


    "There might be hope for you yet," Mordecai said with a sharp bark of a laugh. He waved a hand over his desk, and the dark wood shimmered. The flat, firm surface became holey with groves.


    Where Mordecai and I sat were two longer and broader groves. I watched in amazement as gems of all shapes and sizes filled the groves across from us.


    "What are you doing?" I said, marveling at the sparkle and cut of each gem. Before I could stop my fingers, I was touching and rubbing on them.


    "This is one of the oldest games. No matter the civilization, culture, distance, or peak of intelligence, sentient life always starts with stones."


    "These are not stones," I said. I recognized the game he was talking about. It wasn''t one that I''d ever really had a hand at trying. I''d read about it in history books.


    Mordecai shrugged my words off, "Let''s play." He said.


    "Wait, I haven''t agreed yet."


    "You did." He said, gesturing to the gems in my hands and then at the board. The gems fell from my hands into the groves, and I watched in horror as my greed caused a ripple effect. The rest of the gems in my grove cascaded onto the board and placed themselves.


    Shit.


    "Any turn that you get your stones into your grove, I''ll answer a question," Mordecai said with a grin. "Choose wisely, Gwendolyn."


    "What do you get out of this?" I said because I''d eat my hair if it was just a simple game.


    "I get to ask a question as well," Mordecai said with a blink as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.


    What could he want to know from me, though?


    I didn''t have time to protest because his gems spilled from his grove onto the board.


    And my first real game ever with my ancestor began.


    This game went by many names. It was called Oware, Mancala, or even Ouril. It''s a straightforward, simple game. Both of us were bound to get questions earned as we played. That''s what made it so suspicious. But it was too late to back out.


    Mordecai went first, and instead of going for an obvious play, he skipped plugging gems into his grove. I showed no such compunction and moved my gems swiftly across the board. A strange sensation hit the center of my chest when the first gem entered my grove.


    "What''s your first question, Gwendolyn," Mordecai said with an eerie smile.


    "Why does the clause protect me from Gavin?" I said. It was the one that most confused me. How could my conduit be safe from other Gods? It didn''t sit right.


    "Your soul is to be protected from anyone with even a drop of divine blood," Mordecai said. He lost his flair and said the words so smoothly that I was still blinking as he moved his gems across the board and into his grove.


    "My turn." He said with a smile. "Are you going to go forgive Adam?"


    I blinked some more. That was quite the question, and if he had asked me this question when I was trapped in the hideaway home, it would have been a resounding no. Now that I was outside of it and technically alive due to Rex''s madness, I lost that fire.


    I made a face. "Which version of the man?" I said, grabbing at the gems to make my move. My fingers slipped through the gems, and all I received was air.


    "You must answer honestly, Gwendolyn, or this game won''t work."


    "I''m weak," I said simply. "I don''t know what I''m going to decide yet."


    It was enough of an answer because Mordecai gestured for me to use up my turn.


    I moved the gems with less energy, and the clack of the gem landing in my grove brought another strange feeling to my chest.


    "Which batrachian God is Gavin?" I asked. I needed to know who exactly I was dealing with.


    "Oh, he goes by many names. You may know one of them as Gavin."


    I made a face at the annoying diety cheating across from me. "That doesn''t count as an answer. You knew what I wanted!"


    "It does. The board wouldn''t allow me to do this if I hadn''t answered it." Mordecai said as he scooped up gems and moved them across the board.


    "My turn. I want to know why you didn''t pick Attarib to love."


    "Isn''t he my cousin?" I said with disbelief. Why was Mordecai so invested in my love life? And why did everyone try to pair me with Wyatt?


    "Only strong unions sire worthy offspring," Mordecai said with all the elitist tude a demi-god turned God could muster. "Interbreeding has always brought out the best divine beings."


    "Neither of us is into each other. I think of Wyatt like a brother." I said as I reached for the gems.


    I could hear Mordecai tsk and looked up at him to see his cloudy expression.


    I ignored his meddling ways and moved the gems into my grove. Again, that strange ping echoed in my chest, and I was finally suspicious enough to stare at Mordecai.


    "Why does my chest hurt each time I ask a question?"


    As he stared at me, Mordecai''s dark eyes began to burn like coals. "That''s finally the right question to ask Gwendolyn. Why would I insist on playing a game with you in the afterworld? It''s simple, really. You take back a piece of your soul with each gem you earn."


    I gulped and grew pale. Before I could explode into an inferno of emotions, Mordecai''s chortling stopped me dead. "You''re messing with me," I said with fresh emotions, mainly rage.


    "Yeah, I''m just passing the time. It''s time to send you back when we''re done playing."


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    I opened my mouth to ask another question, but Mordecai cut me off by using his turn.


    It was his time for a question.


    "Would you rather be sick anytime you stepped outside your door or only be healthy outside?"


    This had to be the strangest question I ever had anyone ask of me. "Only healthy outside," I said with zero hesitation.


    I looked at the gems that were left on the board. It was slimmer pickings now, and as I paused to look at my options, I realized that while I''d just been tossing things around to get quick answers, Mordecai had played the long game.


    I couldn''t ask a question for the first time since we started. But Mordecai could.


    "Would you rather have a father or mother care for you?"


    Another weird personal question, but I answered mother without thinking.


    The next few minutes were spent this way as Mordecai cleaned up on the board. I could only add to his gems as I furtively tried to take just one gem to ask another question.


    But I was out of time and gems.


    "We''ll have to play again," Mordecai grinned.


    I would come to regret that much later.


    "What about my conduit and baby?" I said.


    "I really thought you would break the cycle," Mordecai said


    I didn''t have time to respond because he waved a hand and sent my soul flying.


    I woke up in my pink king-sized canopy bed, as Gwendolyn Girru. It was painful to realize that I was back ''home.''


    I looked at my hand and noticed my spacial ring was still with me. The burn mark that accompanied the ring on my finger was out of place. That Wishing tree was unique because it burned through Wendy Evans and into my actual body.


    I put my hand down with a sigh, but it landed on something.


    My Adoring Brother. Adam''s book. I was opening it before I could stop myself. Mordecai had said that my conduit was still there, which meant my baby was. Before I could try to stop it, my desire to go back and become Wendy overrode my sensibilities.


    I closed the book before it was too late. I couldn''t let my emotions override my logic. If I would get back to my baby, I had to find a way while I was Gwendolyn, not Wendy.


    I entered the space Mordecai granted me and tucked the book safely on a shelf. I needed it out of reach but not out of mind.


    I then exited the closet, turned hideaway home, and headed straight to the library. I didn''t run into anyone, not even the familial ghosts, as I delved into the deepest regions of it. Technically, most of our home was a library, but there were sections and rooms like the Acquisition room that served a purpose.


    I never really cared about the nuanced magic books we had or the work of my long-dead relatives. Their books were full of long formulas and calculations I never cared to study. Now, I would use all of them to get what I wanted.


    I didn''t know what to do about Adam or Rex because getting to my conduit mattered. Since it was bound to Rex''s power, I couldn''t forget the off chance that if it was waiting for me, it would be in Rex''s world, not Adam''s.


    "Gwendolyn, what are you doing?" Gus'' voice interrupted my mental plans, and I looked at him. I wanted to deny that I had forgotten about my brother, but seeing him reminded me that it had been over a decade since I last saw him. That strange, all too realistic dream didn''t count, but it overlapped with how I looked at Gus now.


    He looked out of place, standing in the hall. Almost my whole life, I''d only seen him sitting at that damn desk slaving away at whatever the heck he scribbled all day. His ink-dark eyes were coldly curious, and his face held no warmth.


    I had taken a look at myself when I first came back. Although over a decade had passed for me as Wendy, Gwendolyn hadn''t grown or changed in any possible way. I was still a young teen. I could excuse Gus'' chilly reception on that basis. My absence was just a blip in his regular day-to-day routine.


    However, as I looked at him, my thoughts overflowed with the words from the divine beings I had run-ins with.


    "Who are you?" I said, staring at Gus.


    Gus blinked slowly as if processing that. "Gwendolyn, did you suffer an injury?"


    I wasn''t one for subtlety, and so I narrowed my eyes. "I want to know who you are. I was told I was the last of the Girru line."


    "By who?" Gus asked, and a hint of emotion in his deadpan voice shook me.


    "By the Girru ancestor herself," I said with a twist of my mouth as I narrowed my eyes at him.


    "I am your brother; that fact is undeniable," Gus said.


    I wanted to deny it, though. I wanted it to not be true. Color me cruel, but if Gus wasn''t my real brother, all his actions would make sense. We weren''t a real family, so he spent so much time pretending I didn''t exist. The lack of blood connection would explain why he ignored me for all these years.


    "We share the same blood and the same parents." Gus continued, and I could feel that selfish hope shrivel in my heart. "I am not mortal. So, the Girru ancestor is correct. You are the last purely mortal of our familial line. The last mortal descendant out of the three siblings."


    "Why does our Girru ancestor not like you?" I asked this, scanning Gus'' face for a reaction.


    "She doesn''t like anyone." Gus retorted, and there again in his voice was a hint of intense emotion.


    "She likes me," I said with pride. She showed it in several ways.


    "Our Girru ancestor has a soft spot for us, so she looks after us. Blood doesn''t determine favor." He said.


    "Its true, blood can only take one so far," I said, glaring at Gus. It was funny just how true some of his words were. The way that Mordecai disregarded Gus spoke volumes and there was supposed shared blood.


    So I was the last mortal not the last descendant. To any of the Gods that was all that seemed to matter, so I had a clause about me. That meant absolutely nothing to me. That fresh caveat of information went right over my head. All it signaled to me was that Gus sucked because he sucked. And what''s worse is that he would live longer than me and that he really sucked. Gus, like everyone else in my family was an immortal asshole.


    I didn''t have the energy or the mentality to respond, so I walked off. I startled Gus with this because he called out to me, but I didn''t bother responding.


    He said it himself, blood doesn''t determine favor. I stopped caring about him before this, but my lack of compassion or love for Gus was finalized at that moment.


    And I had better shit to worry about.


    I spent the next few days exclusively in the family tomes. These ancient books were notes, scribbled, and half-written spells from dead ancestors who weren''t immortal. I could only assume time and mortal constraints stopped them from finishing their work.


    I delved into the ancient books of my ancestors. With complete control of my literary power, I wasn''t constrained to read with my eyes. I could absorb with a touch all that was scribbled on the paper.


    The longer I transcribed and took notations and notes, the more creative I got with it. I started small by using one hand to turn pages and my other to write. Then it morphed over some odd hours into me ripping the symbols and letters into the air to float as I reworded them to make notes and send them down to paper to write themselves.


    I soon lost count of all the notes I gathered from everything. I lost myself in the stacks of ancient paper. For a brief moment, I finally understood Gus and his obsession. Our power was a fantastic gift. We could disengage from our emotions and lose ourselves in the art of literature. How special was it that we can stiffly redefine what we like with each page turn?


    I''m not going to end up like him, though. I focused on that thought as I returned to my work. I couldn''t let myself fall so far down this hole that I couldn''t come out and see my family.


    I learned a lot of random theories, magic formulas, and other junk before I got what I wanted. A spell from my grand aunt to return to a lost conduit in a world. The first time I had gone back hadn''t been a fluke. I was able to go back because I hadn''t died. That damn egg likely did more than knock me out, so I needed to turn back the time and hopefully save my baby when I returned to the conduit.


    My grand aunt loved the world she found. So much so that her work was covered in tear streaks. She wanted to return and was doing what she could to find a spell to allow it. She must have succeeded because my grandma said that she lost her sister.


    Was she happy where she went and what world she was in?


    Something nagged at my brain, demanding I connect the dots, but I was too tired to try. All the magic I casually flung around to get the job done was exhausting. I took a mini nap, and by the time I woke up, I had lost that train of thought.


    I spent countless days writing down notes, plans, and con lists of things. There was one big elephant in the room I didn''t want to touch. I was going to have to eventually, but with the determination of an upside cake holding its structure, I ignored it.


    I didn''t need an elaborate circle or any of the previous wild attempts at magic I had done in the book world. All I needed was the right words in the correct placement that were then engaged at the proper time.


    This flow of strict ebbs and rises was comforting because I knew what to expect. And I did. I closed my eyes as I finished activating the last word. I was in the book as Wendy when I opened my eyes again.


    I didn''t get off scot-free because I was in the middle of a heated argument when I returned to this world. Gavin had teamed up with Wyatt to fend off Rex. Apparently, my cooling corpse was just lying in the middle of it all.


    I made a face and spent a moment to consider just leaving this world. I had words I needed to say to Rex, though. He couldn''t bind me this time; I was prepared, and I had time to use my prepared spell to take me back to Adam.


    That spell was the simplest to configure, though it relied on the magic already in Adam''s timeline. The Unruly Forest was built by my family''s magic into this world. I just needed to anchor my soul and Wendy''s body to it, and I''d be able to return.


    I gathered my resolve and readied myself to interrupt whatever the heck the three men were saying. But by the time I did so it was suddenly quiet.


    All three were looking at me, and I made a face. Well, shit, so much for a grand entrance.


    Wyatt''s eyes gleamed at me, but when he moved forward to inspect, Rex cut him off by beating him to it.


    It was strange to see Rex.


    The last time I had, he kissed me and then trapped me in a pocket dimension. The few encounters I had with him after that were too heated on my part to last. I should recoil from his gaze, slap him across the face, and numerous other things. My heart felt pity instead of rage. I had a couple of months plus the saga when I was trapped to think about him. Rex was in the wrong, no doubt about that, but this was a version of Adam was trapped with no relief as someone pulled his strings to get him to do what they wanted. I couldn''t be there for him until it was too late. No one could support him because everyone were puppets being pranced around in a neverending play.


    Rex had two lifetimes spent living this way. That made his actions against me all the worse. He knew how it felt and yet trapped me, prepared to wait for me to fall in love with him. Rex was a base version of the man I had grown to love. Who knows what could have happened had I grown up with Rex instead of Adam. At this point, it didn''t matter. The damage was done.


    I took this time to stare at him for the last time. There were a few differences between Rex and Adam, but also countless. Starting with the darkness that subtly swirled in Rex''s eyes when he looked at me.


    "I''m going back to Adam. You can''t stop it this time, Rex." I said. "I can''t trust you."


    Rex came to an abrupt stop as I started to rush out my words. His expression darkened, and I watched as he held out a hand, likely to test the worth of my words. He must have found it impossible because his expression cracked.


    I turned away from him to look at Wyatt. "I wanted to say goodbye before I left," I said with a small smile. "I''ll see you later, cousin."


    "I may tell you my true name when you do. I prefer uncle, though." Gavin said primly. Wyatt and I turned to meet each other''s incredulous gaze.


    "I''ll see you soon, Gwendolyn," Wyatt said with a quirk of his lips, and I pointed at him, ready to give it to him. That whole egg business was suspicious, and the odds of him being in cahoots with Mordecai in this timeline were high.


    I didn''t have time to do anything with that thought. Something weird was coming off Rex. His power was starting to burst out of his skin in black flashes. Fear and apprehension grabbed me by my throat, and without wasting another beat, I shouted my spell''s safe word and left the world.

 Chapter Forty One

    Again, I opened my eyes to a new world.


    Well, it wasn''t technically new because I was back in the Unruly Forest. My eyes became wet as I looked around at the trees. It felt so good to be back here. The scent of pine, life, and dirt tickled my nose in all the best ways. I ended up at Originis, my favorite tree, and seeing my carvings was a comforting sight to behold.


    I''m finally home.


    I rubbed my belly, and a part of me that was too chicken to fully acknowledge disappeared when my baby pressed against my hand. All the chaos hadn''t hurt them, and we returned to where we needed to be. It was all going to be okay.


    "We''re home," I spoke to my baby as happiness burst from my chest.


    "Welcome home." A voice spoke right behind me, and I hiccuped in surprise.


    "Adam," I said, pivoting to meet his dark eyes. At the rate I went, I would never get a break. The forced sabbatical in the space from everyone didn''t count, but it started to feel like that was the only time I would achieve peace.


    Adam moved to hug me, but he stopped when he saw me flinch. "Wendy, it''s me."


    "I know," I said with a half smile. I was trying to contain my pain and sadness, but I don''t think I did it very well. Adam''s face shifted into concern. I took this moment to look at him and note that he wasn''t wearing a suit. Adam wore stiff, nice-looking jeans and a plain white shirt. He was in casual wear. This would make me smile any other day, but I felt tired.


    Despite my woes with Rex, I relaxed in Adam''s presence. It wasn''t as hard as it should be. As if he were psychic and sensing my weakened resolve. Adam moved closer and grabbed my right hand to hold with both of his.


    "I''m glad you two made it back." His voice was hoarse, and I could see dark circles in his eyes. I lifted a hand up to cup his cheek.


    "How long has it been?" I was genuinely curious how time passed here. The sky was clear and didn''t look like the meteor had struck and changed the world.


    Adam let go of one of my hands to rub my belly. "Too long, Wendy." His voice had longing and pain, and my heart was moved for a split second.


    I need to stay strong, though. I can''t be swayed. I already had proof that Adam was like Rex.


    I inhaled slowly and took a step back. Adam was still able to hold onto me, and he did so. "Wendy?" He said my name with confusion and care.


    "You knew the moment I reappeared in this world, Adam," I said with an exhale. "That means you have your own way of marking and watching me like Rex."


    His arms faltered, but his expression remained passive. "I can feel your presence in this world because of our baby."


    "It''s more than just that, isn''t it," I said. I was unable to let this go. I''m sick of these secrets, and by this point, it should all be out in the open. He got the end result he wanted, and I am back here in the third timeline with him.


    Something shifted in his eyes before he gave a terse nod.


    "Adam, I can''t be with you. I told you that secrets would pull us apart, and I''ve reached my limit." I said this in a rush, knowing that my resolve to do this was fading as I looked into his eyes.


    There was no reaction for a long second, and it was as if I hadn''t spoken. "Is this because of Rex?" Adam said finally, his voice barely above a whisper.


    "Partly. He trapped me and showed no regard for my personal choices. And bringing him up lets me know you are Rex from the second timeline."


    "I''ve grown and changed Wendy," Adam said.


    "I''ve seen that firsthand, but that doesn''t negate what the two of you did. You knew what I was walking into, and at every step of the way, you gave me what you deemed ready to know."


    "I did that to ensure that it all happened to achieve our happy ending," Adam said, his expression cracked into pain. I could feel my own mirror as my resolve wobbled yet again.


    Stay strong, woman. I told myself before jutting my chin at him. "I understand it." I truly do. "But I don''t have to like it. It''s not right to treat people like players on a chessboard. That''s not how humans treat each other."


    "I wasn''t human until I earned your love." Adam''s words made me gasp. "You said it yourself, this is a world in a book. I was a character in this world moved around for the amusement and enjoyment of my creator. I had no free will or choice, and I could only escape mere moments before I was pulled back to the scene to act. Everything changed when you appeared in my world, but it wasn''t me you wanted. It was a version of myself I''d never been. It hurt Wendy, and I did everything possible to correct it."


    My chin quivered and lowered as I stared into his warm, dark eyes. My heart was pounding and signaling to my brain that we were weak and the impact of Adam''s words was ruining my resolve.


    Adam lifted my chin and continued speaking. "When you left to find Adam, I knew I had to reset the world so that I could be the one you found, and I did it. Every day, I feared that the slightest deviance from the Adam you knew meant that you would never meet me as Rex. As time went on, that fear became darker and more twisted. I didn''t want you to return and see what I did as Rex. I didn''t want you to be kissed by that version of myself or chained to him. I feared a paradox would ruin everything and undo it all."


    Adam wasn''t a speech giver, but he gave his all. I thought inappropriately as part of me sought humor in this tangled mess. Yet again, I had to rely on my common sense to find the answer. I am still trying to figure out what to do. I came in with a clear plan, but all it took was Adam touching and talking to burn them to ashes.


    I closed my eyes and attempted to ignore the wetness that threatened to grow. I couldn''t cry right now. I wasn''t entirely sure why I was crying.


    "Wendy, I''m sorry for everything, but I don''t regret my actions. I got you here where you belong, and we can finally be a family together."


    My eyes shot open, and I blinked. I''m hardly at a loss for words, but I didn''t know what to say. What''s worse is the warmth I felt in my chest. That heat told me that I had already forgiven Adam for everything. It was wrong, but he had a point. Doing all this ensured we could be together¡­but the secrets.


    "If I forgive you," I said, knowing that I was being a damn fool at this moment and already lying to him; my heart had forgiven him. My brain couldn''t forget. "You have to promise to never do something like this again. You can''t move me around like an inhuman object with no autonomy. I know that some secrets are necessary, but never like this. Not again. I want to be included." Adam was more of a control freak than I had realized, and some of me liked it more than I probably should. I felt safe in his presence, though, and even though Rex was batshit crazy, he also made sure nothing happened to me. Adam had never confined me like Rex. The two weren''t the same.


    Was I making myself accept his actions? Maybe, but for our baby, we had to come to a compromise.


    "Communication is the only way we can make any kind of future work. You''re not alone. You don''t have to make all the choices by yourself or shelf the burden of power on your shoulders. It will hunch you over and age you prematurely." I said the last bit with a smile to sprinkle in some humor.


    "I can''t promise not to keep secrets," Adam said.


    "That''s not enough for me," I said, looking away from his hypnotic eyes.


    Silence grew between us, and when I could feel my resolve weakening, I turned to talk to Adam.


    "Maybe time apart will serve us," I said. We ran around in circles at the whim of higher beings. We could finally reach a proper conclusion if we had time to breathe.


    Adam disappeared without another word, and my heart fell to the pit of my stomach at the sight.


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    "Damn, I''m weak," I said with a scornful laugh. I should have kept to my guns. But this was Adam. We both seemed to have a twisted weakness for each other.


    "No, you''re a fool!" A hoarse, rude voice cut through my thoughts and stilled my feet. Gavin, the source of the madness, was floating in the air and violently shaking with annoyance. "You ruined everything!"


    I shook my head. Now what?


    "All I''ve done is come back home to where I''m happy," I said exasperatedly.


    "You''ve destroyed my happiness in the process," Gavin said as he landed on the ground with an overactive huff.


    I rubbed my belly with one hand as I sighed and rubbed my temple with the other. "Gavin, I don''t have the energy to argue with you, and I know you can''t harm me, so bugger off."


    "There''s more than one way to affect you, Gwendolyn Girru," Gavin said. I watched as the darkness of the trees seemed to eerily shade his expression from me. I could see his eyes in the dark because they started to glow silver.


    "I find it strange how you can''t kill me or come near even while I''m not in my true form."


    "It''s a highly debatable clause that protects you," Gavin said with a half-shrug. "What''s worse is to destroy or attempt to destroy even your conduit sets off a fail-safe." He pulled off leaves from his person that fell on him.


    "A fail-safe?" We hadn''t talked about that before. I was worried about far too much back then.


    "No being of divine origin is allowed to directly interfere with how you turn out," Gavin said with a sigh. "No maiming, killing, or torturing you."


    My mind instantly went to Mordecai, who did nothing but torture me, and Acuzio, who seemingly disappeared after he handed me his scale. "What happens if they do?"


    "It depends. There have only been a handful of cases such as yourself. It''s rare to have a mortal descendent of a God or Goddess. Your case is even more unique because the plague Flying Rat is your ancestor. That one broke the mold in several dozen ways, along with countless worlds. She''s known for destruction, and yet she''s now one of the divine Goddesses of Destiny. Ha, if only you knew the irony given her history."


    "I know her story," I said quietly. How much can I milk out of Gavin? For some reason, he was particularly talkative, and there were holes in what I knew.


    "Some of it, I''m sure. The cliche tale of a power-obsessed parent who manipulates their child is a tale as old as time. The juicier bits came after. Plague Rat should never have become a goddess. Yet here we are."


    That was the part of the story I didn''t know. All I knew was that Mordecai accomplished it. "How does one become a God?"


    "There are only three ways you can ascend properly. You have to kill your relative that is one or be really lucky and able to grab power."


    "Grab power?" I questioned him. That was a rather vague way of putting it. He said there were three but only mentioned two.


    "It''s impossible for you to do it like others have. Since that route is lost to her direct bloodline, given her condition." Gavin said with a shrug. "But others without divine blood can become divine by burning through worlds for resources. Of course, she didn''t need to do that. She burned herself over and over until she lost her mind, but those lives gave her untold power."


    "Because her mother cursed her out of her true name and her true form." All that was left of Mordecai, Aphra, Girru, and whatever else she went by was the different life forms.


    "Her mother did more than that. She cursed her to never truly die. Its incredible magic cursing, twisting, and burning to a crisp one''s true name and destiny and warping it so it could never be the same. Only one of the old kin can accomplish that."


    "That''s how my family became the Phoenix Witches. Because our ancestor became the first phoenix."


    "Over time, you guys lost your wings. Flying Rat Drum''s final straw to lunacy was her true love. Her mother didn''t go down without a fight and took her daughter''s true love with her." Gavin said with a cackle, and I felt my heart pinch.


    "Her true love?"


    "The only one she''ll willingly stay a woman for. She hasn''t been the same since she lost him. Rumor has it that she hardly takes the female form because she''s still looking for him. It''s been over a thousand years, so I doubt that. Regardless, his soul is the one that will forever remain elusive to her, too. Serves her right." Gavin started cackling, and I glared at him; several tree roots whipped to knock him to the ground.


    "That''s not funny," I said, glaring down at Gavin.


    Gavin lay sprawled on the ground without moving far longer than he should have. The seconds ticked off into minutes, and just as I was getting worried, he suddenly screamed a blood-curdling cry. "She fucking drugged my tea!"


    My eyebrows shot up as I took a few steps away from Gavin. "Who?" I was curious who could do such a thing. I couldn''t see Mordecai drinking tea with Gavin.


    He said a random combination of syllabi that didn''t make a lick of sense to me. "Gavin, are you having a seizure?" I wasn''t joking because he sounded like his brain was being ravaged.


    "I''ve said too much due to an unjust truth spiking," Gavin said in a grave voice. He sat up and looked about as dignified as a man who threw a hissy fit complete with spasms just a few seconds ago could. "I must finish what I came to tell you, and then I have to go."


    I started walking back home. I felt like I was going to pass out, and honestly, after everything I had just been through, Gavin had wasted enough of my time. After months of wandering, I was finally back where I should be. I should have ignored him from the start.


    "Gwendolyn, if it''s the last thing I do, I must impart this upon you." Gavin''s voice was the most serious I''ve heard, and I gave him a look and stared at him. The theatrics were wiped clean from his expression, and he appeared solemn.


    "Okay, I''ll bite. What did you come to say?"


    "You have to leave this world," Gavin said in what was his attempt at a spooky voice. It sounded like the narrator of a low-budget miscast horror film.


    "Dude, really?" I said.


    "It''s not safe. The very fabric of this world is knotted and cut off in the wrong places." Gavin''s expression shifted to panic as he saw me start walking off.


    "That makes no sense." I sighed. When was life going to just be normal and calm?


    "Adam stopped time." Gavin finally said this part, and I felt my heart stop. "Ah, figures that would get your attention. He stopped the world from moving forward. Thanks to you, he seems to have the motivation to grow his powers past what they were meant for."


    "Adam can''t do that¡­" I started to speak, but I ended up in a sharp hiccup. My own voice was unconvincing even to myself. At this rate, I was willing to bet that Adam Rexford III was capable of anything.


    "No, not without help. I suspect this is a collaboration of sorts. What matters is that this world starts ticking again, but it can''t happen with you in it."


    "So you want me to leave?" I said as my annoyance came back in full swing. This schtick again.


    Silence was my answer, and I looked behind me to see if Gavin had parted with those supposedly final words to me. I discovered that Gavin wasn''t looking at me anymore but digging through a bag that seemingly appeared out of nowhere.


    He produced two bowls and filled them with liquid from a bright lavender vial. "This is the world as it was meant to be," Gavin said with a flourish of his hand over one bowl.


    Unable to stop my curiosity but keeping a healthy distance, the last thing I want is to be sucked into the damn bowl, I peeked. It was a utopian-looking civilization, but it was set far into the future. The technology was above and beyond anything I had encountered in my OG world or Adam''s world. People were using their powers alongside those that didn''t have any. It was vividly curious and peaceful looking. What was even more startling was the memorabilia that survived Adam and Evie. They were a golden couple that had statues, t-shirts, and celebrations. I felt like I was witnessing a year of events in just the blink of an eye.


    "This is the future that will happen thanks to Adam stopping the world''s clock." Gavin gestured to the second bowl with a flick of his wrist. Somehow, the man expressed a lot of rage and annoyance with that one swish. The world was the same as today. Nothing had changed. In fact, it looked like the people had stayed the same, just collecting dust.


    "I don''t understand," I said this barely above a whisper.


    "You''re smart enough to," Gavin said ruthlessly. "You ruined Adam, and he ruined my perfect world plans!"


    I snorted, "Free will tends to change the best-laid plans." My right eyebrow quirked.


    "You''re a damn selfish fool! You''re choosing to be with him while allowing for the destruction of a perfect future for this world!"


    My mouth was dry, and I could feel my body sway from the impact of his words. I didn''t want to think he was right. My eyes looked at the two bowls with very different futures.


    I''ve always said I was selfish, mostly in jest, because my cookie crumble nature always fell into a soggy mess. I''m not narcissistic enough to ignore the plight of a whole world. "I''ll talk to Adam, and maybe we can fix this."


    Gavin tossed the purple vial at my head, but it was blocked by Orignis'' tree branch. I reached out to touch the bark of the branch and thanked her.


    "You idiot!" Gavin wasn''t done screeching. "If it were as simple as that, then I wouldn''t be here doing damage control. Obviously, I can''t kick you out of this world, but Adam can keep time as it is. All you have to do is leave this world and take your family''s magic with you. The failsafe will reset the world as it should be."


    I could feel helplessness override my control as I stared at the perfect utopia. A sharp pain in my stomach cut me off from the fascination, and I rubbed my belly. "This has been bugging me for a while, but who are you? How do you know so much about my family?" He knew the failsafe method for my family''s spell and Aphra. How strange for so many deities or those connected to them to come to this one world. All these relatives left the woodwork, giving advice, bad gifts, and more.


    That strange niggling feeling, one of several I have ignored, I might add, grew into apprehension. "The stakes are much bigger than what you''re saying, aren''t they?" All at once, several questions came crashing into my head. My brain struggled to stop the torrent of thoughts but the flimsy wall had had enough.


    Why was I the last mortal of my family? Gus had the same parents as I did. That meant he was mortal at some point, too. One doesn''t just become immortal or a variation of a creature; something happens to them.


    Mordecai said he had a gift package to be delivered to any of his descendants who left the library. That meant he could track us once we did. What if he wasn''t the only one? Is this just a game for the immortals to play? The games that Mordecai and even Acuzio made me play ran through my head. Those were on a small scale, but what if this game in front of me was for my mortal soul? Would I become something more if I kept going down this path?


    I must have said some of this out loud because Gavin gave a horrific grin that made the hairs on my neck rise and my feet back up a few more steps. Worst of all, there wasn''t a hint of malice, yet sheer blood-curdling fear froze my heart.


    "There is one last future. The one that will happen if Adam doesn''t end up with his Eve." Gavin said. The second bowl shifted, and it was a true apocalypse. The ground was scorched, the air rotten, and the people all dead.


    I used my baby''s powers to take us far away from that.

 Chapter Forty Two

    I ported to my bed and lay in it as my brain frantically reviewed everything. Clearly, Gavin was lying at some point. The second bowl had changed because Adam didn''t wind up with Evangeline. Gavin''s shortening to Eve did nothing for me.


    Adam and Eve was a play on the bible and what Gavin was aiming for with his creation of a perfect utopia in their image.


    Why did the second bowl change, though? The first setting was our future, so does that mean Adam will choose Evie? If I don''t let him or if I stay, will it become a wasteland world?


    None of this makes sense, at least not how I want it to.


    To make it worse, I was becoming almost a hundred percent positive that I was a guinea pig for many bored gods. Mordecai and even Acuzio said several strange things to me that now rolled around in my head. They were watching, likely betting, to see what I became. Did Gus go through this as well? This could be why he was so inhumane¡­


    If I stay, will I become something other than human? What will happen to me? I must be as selfish as Gavin accused me of being because here I was, thinking of myself first. Apparently, the fate of this world rested on the choices that Adam and I made.


    There was at least one thing that was crystal clear, though, my options. Do I choose self-preservation or my love for what I''ve built in this world?


    I gathered my courage and left my bed. I wanted to talk to Adam, but I''d asked for space. How could I call out to him when I was still so undecided. The last thing I wanted was to call out to Mordecai or Wyatt.


    So, I wound up in the family plot. The aged, cracked headstones had been cleaned before but needed more care. Grandpa Evans''s headstone was untouched by the passage of time. It was nice to see, but unfortunately, it reminded me of Gavin''s proclamation.


    I wanted to kneel and talk to his headstone, but my belly created a somewhat awkward obstacle. I was still trying to sit my growing butt down when a chair appeared next to me. Adam was with the chair and holding it out to me.


    I thanked him and smiled even while wondering if that meant he was watching me this whole time. Before he could vanish, I caught his hand. "Stay with me?"


    Adam nodded, but instead of pulling out a chair for himself, he stood next to me. We stayed like that for hours. It was peacefully still and silent.


    "Have you had enough space?" Adam said.


    "Yes," I said.


    I didn''t want to be alone anymore. My home was less comforting and secure than it had ever been before.


    "The sun''s position hasn''t moved." My voice was thick, and my chin quivered on the last word.


    "No, it hasn''t," Adam said. His voice and expression were hard to read.


    "Gavin said time has stopped in this world."


    "I heard," Adam said, confirming to me yet again that he''d been watching me.


    "Does that mean this world will decay slowly?" I said this as possible images of the future went through my mind.


    "No." Adam''s voice was strong, firm, and comforting. "It''s paused, so nothing can decay or change."


    "Then everyone in this world is frozen?" My brain was unraveling even further into confusion. This made even less sense. "Adam, how did you do this?"


    "I don''t know how I did it." He said, his eyes shifted into deep sadness.


    "There is a way to fix everything and set it back to how it should be," I said, trying to use a coaxing tone even as my heart broke.


    "No." Adam''s tone was nonbudging and sharp. It was one he''d never taken with me before.


    "It has to be considered. We can''t let everyone die this way. The sun has to set. Life has to move forward. What happens if it doesn''t?"


    "That won''t matter for us," Adam said with conviction. We both had spaces and abilities to keep us going, but what about everyone else? What would happen to those frozen like the sun?


    "I can''t live with myself if I choose to stay in this world knowing the cost."


    Adam knelt before me, and I gasped at his fevered eyes. They looked positively burning with fierce ardor. "I cannot live without you. If I must, I will set the world right and get everything as it should be."


    I believe in him, not just because of my love for him. Adam was nothing if not a fixer. But there was more to my reasoning. "What about after? If you were watching, then you saw what Gavin showed me."


    "I know he wanted you to be gone from this world the moment you stepped foot in it. He has great hatred for your interference and that you broke his spell that allowed him complete control of this world. If you leave, he will regain control over everyone on this planet. We will all go back to being puppets."


    "But everyone will be alive."


    "They''ll be puppets, Wendy. You had a glimpse of what that felt like and can understand how awful that is." Adam said as he ran a hand through his hair. "How can you subject them to that again?"


    "What if I can guarantee that Gavin can''t have control? Everyone would live and have free will."


    "I won''t live without you." Adam''s raspy voice grabbed me by the heart, and I could feel the first tear streaking down my cheek. "Neither would our child." He shifted the focus onto something I hadn''t wanted to think about yet. Our baby. How could I leave everything I had built and grown here, including the new life inside me. His warm palm wiped away these drops, and I grabbed his hand when he was done.


    For a moment, all too brief, I had an image of our life illustrated. It would be beautiful, and we''d have more than one kid, and there would be no more interference from annoying Gods.


    But I shoved that dream aside and said, "I want to be here. I don''t know if it''s possible. There''s too much interference, and it''s not just Gavin." How could we make it work when the odds seemed stacked? What would I become if I stay this course. How will I change?


    Adam pulled me up from the chair and into his arms. His warm arms circled me, and I relaxed against his shirt''s warm, stiff fabric. I missed his scent, something fierce. I could feel his heart beating against my cheek, and without thinking, I rubbed my face on it. His calloused palm moved up to my neck, and he massaged it, undoing my resistance until now.


    "We can figure it out as long as we''re together. Let me handle this, Wendy." Adam said into the nape of my neck. His breath tickled me, and I squirmed. He misread this because he said my name in a more firm reprimanding tone.


    "I will let you handle this," I said. "I know you will set it right."


    His mouth was on me before my heart had time to beat. I welcomed this invasion but only got a taste when he disappeared. I was left holding air with the scent and taste of Adam on my skin.


    I didn''t see him after that. I found things to do as I puttered about the homestead. The sun didn''t move, and the plants went from happy to exhausted when they saw it. That''s not including the mess I had to navigate with the animals.


    They were frozen, stiff, and unresponsive. I watched as literal dust and dirt started growing on them.


    I couldn''t tell the passing of days. Everything collecting dust was the best way to tell time.


    I spent the first '' week'' mostly outside. Being trapped in the spacial prison made me want to be outside. Although I was finally back home, I wanted to feel the warmth of the sun on my skin. Fresh air wasn''t possible because there were no breezes, but I could at least feel the heat and give the plants comfort and energy when I could.


    I soon ran out of things to do and the energy to do so. Adam was gone, and I trusted him to handle things, but it felt like forever.


    I went from spending hours sunning sprawled on the grass to hiding in my bed, unable to move. If it wasn''t for the wiggling growing baby in me, I wouldn''t budge from my bed. After eating each meal, I went for what I assumed was a thirty-minute walk and lay down immediately afterward.


    I ran out of things to do, and the ever-burning sun was slowly cooking my brain. Aside from myself, I had no one I could talk to; my voice was now the most annoying sound I''d ever heard.


    For fun, I started porting around to see how Green''s Mountain was. The sight of birds stilled mid-flight made me too chicken to look at the rest of the place. I don''t know how I''d feel if I saw Mary frozen or her family.


    How much time had passed? It was hard to understand the length of time without anything to mark it by. Adam was gone, and the world was a frozen frame of its last moments.


    Is this how Adam felt, as everything just kept running, but he was stuck in place?


    I was muttering nonstop and hadn''t slept in who knows how much time when I finally came across Adam. I wish I never had when I saw him.


    I''d teleported to Alcom''s Cove. Seeing the fishing town frozen would be weird, but at least I could walk by the beach. I closed my eyes and arrived in an instant.


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    The overbearing silence I had grown accustomed to broke the moment I landed. The sound of seagulls tickled my ears, and I looked around frantically.


    Once again, Alcom''s Cove was a place of chaos. I could see stiff, unmoving humans, but the animals were active. My mouth became dry under the strange circumstances.


    "Wendy?" A voice I never thought I would hear again called out to me. I turned to watch Wyatt fly over to me.


    The dude didn''t even bother hiding his power; he just zoomed through the air. He landed in front of me and scanned me anxiously. "What are you doing here?" There was urgency and panic in his voice.


    "I wanted to see the ocean. What are you doing here?"


    "I''m an impartial witness. You have to leave Alcom''s Cove." Wyatt said as he grabbed my arm. I think if I wasn''t pregnant, he would have hauled me up like a sack of potatoes and taken me away.


    "I don''t understand. Why do I have to go?" I narrowed my eyes as I ripped my arm away. I then crossed my arms, feeling somewhat defiant. I was suffering forever in a place that had become my home. Why should I rush back when this place seemed to be unbroken from the curse of everything freezing?


    Wyatt groaned and impatiently tsked at me. "You''ll regret staying; you need to learn to just listen, Wendy. I have your best interests at heart. Haven''t I proven that already?"


    My arms loosened, and I blinked, feeling shame and regret soften my expression. "You''re right. I''m sorry."


    "If you''re sorry, then leave," Wyatt said with a sharp pitch to his voice.


    My fiery temper flickered back to life. "You''re being awfully rude. I''ve been trapped alone by myself for who knows how long, and you''re shooing me away to be alone again?"


    "It''s almost over, Wendy; you must have faith and go back."


    Only I didn''t quite hear what Wyatt was saying. An all-too-familiar giggle captured every iota of my attention. What I saw next made my heart stop.


    Evie was joyfully skipping ahead of a smiling Adam. The two were the picture on the cover of a magazine of a blissful union. Standing next to me, Wyatt tried to block my view, but it was far too late.


    My brain tried to stop my heart from overreacting by attempting to pull up all of my past assumptions, facts, and even the weird things Wyatt just said.


    But for some reason, everything but Gavin''s last words became white noise to me. A tsunami of insecurity, fear, and pain washed me away with its tide, and instead of standing strong or grabbing onto something for support, I let it take me away. I wanted it to take me away. I can''t be here watching the book and Gavin''s prediction come true. I knew she was his true love, which burned me worse than anything I''d ever felt. I want to run away from here.


    I wound up in the Unruly Forest, but no comfort could soothe away my heart.


    Of all the people to run into, it was Gavin. He was grinning triumphantly at me.


    "Due to your spell, you can''t just leave this world; if you take a bite of this, you can." He said with a palm out to me. A bright red pomegranate sat looking delectable.


    I made a choice out of fear, pain, and anger. I grabbed one of the red pomegranate pearls and swallowed them whole.


    Unfortunately, my pain took me out of the book, and this time, the spell, due to my emotional upheaval, erased everything.


    I''d like to say that I knew how much time I spent in my original bed, but as all too often, I had no comprehension of time. Adam''s book lay next to me, and I stared at it.


    I hadn''t had anything to drink in forever, but my tears never stopped leaking from my eyes. I lost everything. Adam, Lucia, Originis, and even stinky monkey boy. And something I''d barely been able to think about was the baby.


    I didn''t get to keep my baby.


    My thoughts took me down more dark mazes of thought, and I screamed into my pillow as fresh, hot tears streaked down my cheeks. What would have been the outcome if I had just waited or gone like Wyatt wanted?


    What if I had, though? Adam had picked Evie, and the reward was that the world would start setting itself immediately. What more proof did I need that I was just an unlawful extra breaking apart their union.


    I guess it was time to realize that I would never be loved. I''ve been abandoned all my life, Mordecai was right. My grandma cared but wasn''t around enough to show it. My brother was a dick that routinely wished I was gone from his life, and he had no interest in mine. And my parents were gone as well. I had no one. My world has revolved around fictional characters and I''d been lucky enough to slip into their world.


    But I am an outsider, and I''m not meant to be a part of their world.


    I couldn''t stop these thoughts from sprouting in my mind. I knew each thought was a knife to my heart, but I kept welding them to stab. What was wrong with me?


    I howled in pain like a wounded beast as my nails dug into my flesh. This shouldn''t have been our ending.


    I''d like to say I recovered, but I didn''t. Time was relative in the familial library, and I spent it in bed. I tossed Adam''s book away into the abyss of our deep shelves when I failed to reenter the world. I''m sure this was due to the lack of conduit¡­it truly showcased that I had nothing left.


    It was impossible to piece myself together, and I didn''t try. It wasn''t like I''d get a visitor or have someone care about me in this realm. I could stay in bed and become a rotting vegetable, but no one would take notice.


    I kept thinking that way day in and day out until I actually did have a visitor, but it wasn''t someone I would ever think would come.


    Mordecai''s toy, John, appeared at the foot of my bed during a lighter, dark day. He looked nervous and concerned, bringing the scent of fresh paper and tea with him. It was somewhat refreshing as I hadn''t bathed since I came back.


    He didn''t notice the smell and instead peered at me worriedly.


    "Did Mordecai send you?" I croaked only it didn''t sound like actual words. I pulled out a random drink, ew barley tea, from my space and sipped on it to moisten my mouth.


    Amazingly, he understood, and he shook his head. "I came of my accord."


    John looked around, but my bed was a disgusting mess. It was appalling, and not just because I hadn''t bathed. I ran out of clean tissues or handkerchiefs and started using my nightgown to wipe things away. Only when that became too crispy did I begin rolling my face across the blanket¡­for some reason, I couldn''t stop punishing myself, and I couldn''t fathom moving¡­I felt like I was decaying in this bed, and it was justly deserved.


    "Aphra doesn''t get it. None of the Gods do." John had found the one clean spot on the bed, at the foot, predictably, to sit down on. "They''ve long lost their¡­"


    "Humanity," I said with a quirk of my lips into a snarl.


    "Understanding," John said rather diplomatically. "They have emotions that we humans would identify as distinctly human, but Gods tend to look at the grand scheme of things. Not the details that add up to the end they desire."


    I narrowed my eyes, "John, what are you trying to get at?"


    "Some understanding from you that none of this was your fault. The Gods meddled around too much. Not all hope is lost, though. You will get past this."


    "How?" My voice croaked again this time, but it had nothing to do with dryness. That all-too-familiar tightness of my throat told me I couldn''t breathe. This giant room was too small, and John was suddenly too close. I wanted to run away again. "What if I don''t want to get past this?" If the pain lessens, then how can I covet the love I once had? I want to run it over and over again in my head, even if it burned a hole in my heart and made me unable to move on.


    "All I have left is the memories, the pain, and the regret, John." Tears blurred my sight and covered my eyes as my nails scraped my face yet again.


    "Gwendolyn, that''s no way to live."


    "I don''t have a life, John!" I was yelling at the one person thoughtful enough to stop by, but I couldn''t help it. "I had nothing until I went to that world. No one cared about me. I had nothing to strive for, no family or connections. That was my life, not this stupid library full of dusty, musty books. I spent years being alone¡­I didn''t even know what the sun felt like. Do you understand?"


    Pain mirroring my own was on John''s face, and my heart ached with the realization. I genuinely am pathetic.


    "I didn''t realize." John looked confused and worried for me.


    "I didn''t want to realize it before, but it''s hard to forget now." That may be the answer, though. Forgetting that it all happened. Could I go back to settling for the dreary but incredible life of reading books nonstop? I had fun, minus the lessons from Gus, but it could be possible if I didn''t remember that taste of more.


    "Wait, Gwendolyn, that''s a complete shift from before," John said, and I shrugged it off that I was talking out loud again.


    He was right. I am a weak coward. If I had¡­


    "I have something for you." John''s too-cheerful voice cut off my thoughts, and I glared at him. He handed me one of the ugliest-looking stuffed bears I had ever seen. "It''s gotten me through some tough times, and I think it could do the same for you."


    I gave him a strange look, but my arms pressed it to my chest without thinking. The tightness in my chest loosened, and I felt like I could breathe again.


    "When you feel unfortunate, just give Mr. Brutus a squeeze."


    I think John vanished after that, but I couldn''t be sure. Squeezing the lopsided bear brought a strange comfort to my heart. It was like he was a sponge soaking out all of my sadness. I closed my eyes, and I fell asleep.


    When I woke up, I felt shame finally. I was a disgusting mess, and John had seen me, so that meant that I didn''t get out of it in the clear. I took a shower, scrubbing my skin until it shone. My hair was almost a forgone loss. It was matted and tangled to heck and back, and I had to take scissors to get some parts clear enough to brush. Which, of course, meant I was in for a trim.


    I felt good even though my arms felt weak. Mr. Brutus was with me the whole time. The poor guy kept getting grabbed on while I was wet when the pain stole my breath again.


    After I had cleaned, it was time to burn the bed linen. Well, not really. I set it to soak and remade my bed. Then, I promptly collapsed in it again. For the next however long, I repeated that cycle. Only I started eating or drinking something as well before I collapsed again.


    I hadn''t been able to close my eyes peacefully for some time. Before Mr. Brutus, any time I tried, all I saw was that last memory of Adam I had¡­


    I went through my space after about fifty times repeating this cycle. I needed to clear out anything that reminded me of Adam. But I couldn''t get rid of it yet. Instead of tossing or burning it, I put everything from him in a box.


    I still had over forty little lemon boxes I had secretly squirreled away. Mr. Brutus was of no help this time as I ripped each box apart and ate each tart individually. My eyes burned, my stomach ached, and my teeth mashed my way to the finish line.


    I was down to the last five and had a queasy stomach when I found something shocking. Adam had snuck in the engagement ring in one of the boxes. It wasn''t loose, so I wouldn''t hear it rattling along. The lemon box had been customed to fit the ring.


    It was the same ring he had tried to give me before I messed everything up. Hot tears fell down my cheeks and burned the scratch marks on my face. All that pitiful strength I had built was swept clean, and I wound up back in bed, unable to get out. Worst of all, Mr. Brutus was in my spacial bathroom, and I couldn''t pull him out. I only remembered him when I finally dragged myself out of bed to use the toilet. But it was far too late for my mental health.


    "Hey, girl." Aphra greeted me this time, and I opened a crusted eyeball to stare at my ancestor. "You look¡­relaxed."


    Was that really the nicest way to describe me? I thought, glowering without fear at the Goddess. I rolled over to ignore her.


    "I have something for you." Aphra tried to sound upbeat, but I heard only nails on a chalkboard.


    "It''s your own little pocket world! I designed it after this weird game John is addicted to. This was for him originally, but you could use it more."


    More insults. I thought, trying to imagine a daydream that could erase this moment.


    "And the best part is that there''s no strings attached!" That weird casino noise from before played, but this was no prize.


    "Just because you say there are no strings doesn''t mean there aren''t strings," I said, flipping over to glare.


    "The only string is hopefully your forgiveness to my heart," Aphra said dramatically. Still, I simply stared at her, unable to care. I had nothing else for her to destroy or take from me, so why was I bothering to fight?


    "Please." A slip of real emotion leaked into her voice, and I met her eyes. "You shouldn''t have been caught in the crossfire of Gavin''s fuckery."


    She was all but saying that Evie and Adam were meant to be together.


    "Just take this, please. It''s a farming world, but it''s based on that weird game that a bunch of people play online." Aphra rattled off a bunch more facts about how it was popular, but it wasn''t like I would know anything about that. We didn''t have the internet or social media in the library.


    I snatched the locket but didn''t say anything else, no matter how Aphra tried to get me to talk.


    Eventually, she left, like everyone does, and I was left with Mr. Brutus. His comforting squish made it possible for me to look at the engagement ring. I slipped into my hideaway home, prepared to slip it into the jewelry box. Still, I had to brush past the one and only lemon tree I had slipped in for decoration. It was one of the trees Adam had gifted me. The others had been left in my room or around the home as they grew bigger and bigger.


    I touched the leaves, feeling that all too familiar painful heart pang but also something else. I heard the plant''s voice, and my gasp echoed in the room at this revelation.


    How do I still have Wendy''s powers?

 Epilogue

    "Everything has reverted now that you are not here."


    The words escaped his cold lips laced with grief and pain. He knelt to examine her body. Her bright green eyes were closed, and he would miss that color most of all.


    Adam looked up to see Gavin sputtering and saying things, but he ignored the other man to look at Wyatt. He made a gesture with his head, and Wyatt nodded.


    "I''m ready," Wyatt said.


    "I need one more moment," Adam said. He cupped Wendy''s cheek.


    The colors he''d grown accustomed to were leeching away from his sight. As before, Adam would be surrounded by a world of only black, grey, and white hues. He wanted to savor the sight of color because there was no telling when he would get it back. This familiar, never-ending, bleak landscape hurt, but this ending was necessary.


    "What have you done!" Gavin finally screeched loud enough to penetrate the bubble Adam had mentally put around his head. "You lost the bet fair and square. She didn''t trust her instincts and ran away. You must concede and let go of this absurd obsession!"


    "This was the plan all along," Wyatt said with a savage grin. It was unlike the goofy one the man usually wore.


    Adam looked away from Wendy to turn his attention to Gavin. "I have you to thank for being as predictable as ever." He said. "None of this would have worked otherwise."


    Gavin''s mouth started sputtering as he looked between the two of them. "Whatever it is you''re planning, it won''t work. You can''t stop the spell from wiping everything back to how it was before."


    "I''ve already done so," Adam said as he scooped Wendy''s body into his arms. He stood up, cradling it gently as he stared blankly at Gavin. The proof was evident before Gavin, but the frog God refused to see it. The Unruly Forest, the Evans property, and Wendy should have disappeared. None of it had because, like before, he stopped it from happening. How could he allow her to escape his grasp? To do so was to create an unfathomable future he could never accept.


    "You''re not supposed to become this powerful. It''s not possible!" Gavin shrieked at him.


    "It was easy," Adam said. He''d lost count of how many times he''d reset time or the world to achieve his desired end. He reviewed every scenario and ran through all the different timelines until he managed to create the right one¡ªthis exact timeline.


    The only route that could grant them a happy ending was one out of this world. Adam''s calculations ended once both of them left, but he''d have more control and chances to make it right. There was too much pain in this world. He''d already messed up too many times. Wendy had caught a mere glimpse of his darkness and ran as far as she could. If she saw the full depths, there''d be no coming back.


    Not unless she changed and hardened as he had long ago. Only then could she forgive him. That would only happen with more time and more worlds.


    She''d suggested time, and he would use that as a factor. Distance made the heart grow fonder, or so he''d heard, and given enough space, it would lessen the blows.


    "Don''t ignore me!" Gavin screamed.


    Adam looked up from his musings to stare down Gavin. "It doesn''t feel good to feel powerless, does it?" He said with an expression devoid of emotion. "You said it yourself: one can become a God by burning through worlds. I''ve already taken everything I can from this one, and it''s time for my next conquest." Adam''s voice was steady and calm as he spoke, but each word stripped the color and life from Gavin''s face.


    Soon, like the trees and the rest of their surroundings, Gavin was colored in black, white, and grey hues.


    "You..you...." The diety was speechless and helpless for a change and couldn''t process it. "You''re the one that gave my sweet Evangeline the truth syrup."


    Adam closed his eyes and held out a hand towards Gavin. "Thank you for teaching me how to be ruthless." He said.


    "You can''t give me credit for that! I would never do such a thing!" Gavin screeched. "How were you able to get this powerful? You owe me that, at least."


    It was almost comical to hear the puppetmaster demand answers when all he had done to Adam was pull him by the nose. It would be fine if he answered his question. It wasn''t like the time Gavin tried to buy would do him any good. Adam was unstoppable by this point.


    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    "I''ve reset the world more times than you''re aware of. The space dust that grants abilities was absorbed by Wyatt and myself more than once." Adam said.


    Wyatt grinned and cracked his knuckles as he limbered up to take out the decrepit Gavin.


    "You can''t kill me," Gavin said, but he betrayed his firm voice by taking a step back. By now, the God must have realized he couldn''t teleport or run away. Adam had a firm lock on him, and his spatial powers kept the God in check. He sealed the area around the man to control his abilities. It helped that the deity had run around constantly throwing his power around. Adam only needed to wait until he was low enough in defense to take his power from him.


    "You''re the last obstacle," Wyatt said as he rubbed his hands together in anticipation. "Naturally, we saved you for last. I wanted to be the one to get the honors."


    Gavin gulped and started pleading, but he was rewarded with a fist to the mouth.


    Wyatt crouched down to laugh at the fallen man. "When I first came to this world, you locked me away. You feared that I would ruin your perfect design. As if that wasn''t enough, you tortured and peeled off my scales."


    Gavin wasn''t able to put up a defense. So what came next was a onesided duel with a punching bag.


    Adam leeched the God''s energy as each blow took more and more out of Gavin. What was left was a small glowing ball that Gavin coughed up. Adam used his power to make the ball float towards him. He didn''t bother touching it; he kept it in the air.


    "Don''t drag it out," Adam said as he slipped that concentrated glowing black ball into his space. He had plans for it further down the line. "We need blood left in his body for the spell to work."


    "Way to take the fun out of it," Wyatt said with a savage grin.


    Now that Adam''s job was done, he would wait until Wyatt worked through his rage. He quickly tuned out Gavin''s screams of horror and Wyatt''s brutality to look down at the still face of his love. Her cheeks were still wet, and there was redness under her eyes that he regretted.


    If he could have picked a path without suffering for the two of them, he would. Both of them have to be stronger to stay together. His sorrow was going to be just as prolonged as her own.


    "It''s over," Wyatt said.


    Adam looked up and blinked rapidly as he tried to adjust his sight onto Wyatt. The man was flickering as the colors washed away from his person.


    He glanced down at Wendy and noticed that even the red on her face was slowly disappearing from his sight. The only red left was the stain on her lips from the pomegranate. If he let it, it too would fade. He was running out of time.


    Adam inspected Gavin''s broken body with disinterest as he teleported all of them to the Wishing Tree.


    It was a World Tree, as Wendy had predicted. Its once willowy branches were limp and held a discarded grey that spoke of abuse. It was a stubborn thing, and it fought when Adam seized control of the world. Like Gavin, there was no fight left in it now.


    "Put his body next to the tree," Adam said without looking up.


    Wyatt said something snarky, but that went in one ear and the other for Adam. The only thing that held his attention captive was the color leeching away from Wendy. She was the last thing in this world with hues outside of monochromes. If her conduit lost that last spark of color, he would have no hope left.


    Wyatt didn''t need to tell Adam it was done. He could feel the pivotal shift in the atmosphere once Gavin''s body was next to the tree.


    "It''s not too late to give up," Wyatt said. "You can stop now before it''s too late."


    Instead of leaving as planned, Adam stopped. He met Wyatt''s eyes and shook his head.


    "You don''t understand the kind of beings that are watching her. They''re making bets to see how she turns out." Wyatt said. "They have a vested interest in what happens to her. No matter what the damn rules are, all of them are breaking them. Gods are good at finding ways around rules. They enjoy breaking them almost as much as they enjoy making them."


    "You''re repeating yourself word for word," Adam said.


    "It bears repeating. These old bored Gods aren''t like Gavin. Gavin is an upstart who rose to power by stealing resources from abandoned worlds like this one. These Gods are ancient and have nothing left to entertain themselves with. Beings like Wendy are how they pass the time. What she is is rare enough that they won''t miss the chance of waiting thousands of years for another to come along. If Aphra had truly wanted to separate you, there''s not a damn thing you could do. She could have undone all those soul-binding shenanigans you plastered on Wendy sooner if she wanted. She didn''t because it made the game more exciting to have extra factors."


    "I will add to the number of worlds I''m burning," Adam said."That should be enough."


    Wyatt shook his head, "You''re insane." He said.


    It wasn''t the first time for the other man to make that proclamation. It went over Adam''s head like all the previous times. Instead, Adam was studying Wendy, savoring the sight of colors left on her.


    "If you run into her before me, take care of her," Adam said.


    "I''d do that without your orders," Wyatt said with a smirk. "I have more reasons than you do."


    The two men locked eyes, and the dust of a previous argument floated into the air between them.


    It was dispelled by Gavin coughing and choking as he woke up from near death.


    "We don''t have time for this," Adam said as he turned and teleported away.


    He could hear Wyatt''s faint words as he disappeared. "Bye to you too. And good luck. You''re gonna need a lot of that."


    Adam wound up at the Evans property. It was still standing. If Adam closed his eyes he could feel the warmth of memories.


    There was no time to gain comfort from them. Adam needed to seal up the world and turn it into a pocket that he could keep permanently attached to him. One day, he wouldn''t need to drain a wanna-be God and create a new World Tree from the ashes of another to do so.


    Adam strolled into Wendy''s room and laid her body on her bed. Everything must be just the way she left it.


    Her chosen method for her room was disorderly chaos. She had books, paper, and clothing tossed about.


    "I''ll see you soon," Adam said as he caught her slack left hand. He kissed her fingers gently.


    They would be reunited. He only had several hundred worlds to burn through first.

 Afterword + Extras

    Hello hello!


    This story has been a roller coaster for me because I was finally touching it after finishing it years ago.


    I plan on releasing it on Amazon as a digital ebook. This is the second draft, and as I posted the story, I changed things. I worry that led to plot holes; I was able to patch some, but I need one big final edit to make sure I did everything right. I will be setting aside book one to give it room to breathe. I will go back and edit it.


    News alert: I still need to finish book two. I am about halfway through it. I will be posting that story every three days or so. I plan to solidify my posting schedule by picking three days of the week and sticking to it. A schedule pushes me to do what I must and complete this tale.


    I have over a hundred pages of storyboard for this, so there''s more than enough content, but I tend to veer off that and have to change things. Which leads to more changes...yeah.


    In the next book you can expect to see: Gwendolyn, ofc, and:


    Wyatt


    Mordecai/Aphra


    Acuzio


    and you will even see: (this one is the biggest spoiler heads up)


    Adam. I mean come on, was there any doubt? But you might not be able to recognize who he appears as...


    There is going to be an actual love triangle that isn''t really one. There will be more done to explain how Gwendolyn is being watched and hints towards her outcome.


    If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    I hope you enjoyed reading this mad tale of pain, first love and found family. I hope it was able to make you laugh. I also hope I could write the plight well enough to allow you to connect to the characters.


    I''m going to share some songs that I listened to as I wrote:


    Gwen:


    Gracie Abrams - Mess It Up (Official Video)</a>


    towards Adam: Yellowcard - Only One</a>


    tho this fits Adam as well: Ryan Cabrera - On The Way Down (Official Video)</a>


    Lea Michele - Run to You (Audio)</a>


    Adam:


    The Smashing Pumpkins - Bullet With Butterfly Wings</a>


    Without You ¡¤ Ursine Vulpine</a>


    Lifehouse - Broken (Official Video)</a>


    Boy Epic - Creep (Radiohead Cover)</a>


    Wyatt:


    Miike Snow - "Animal"</a>


    Aphra/Mordecai:


    Matchbox Twenty - She''s So Mean (Official Video)</a>


    Big Data - "Dangerous (feat. Joywave)" [Official Music Video] (this one gets pretty graphic...warning!)</a>


    Mordecai towards John ehe:


    The Used - The Bird And The Worm (Video)</a>


    For shits and giggles:


    Rex: Boy Epic - Wicked</a>


    Gavin: I Can''t Decide ¡¤ Scissor Sisters</a>


    Megan and Evie: Stepsister''s Lament</a>


    Acuzio towards Aphra: Forest Fire ¡¤ Brighton</a>

 Preview of next book

    My smile cracked like tired old porcelain as I was forced into polite conversations with preening assholes.


    It took some time, but I was able to escape. I needed to find a corner where I could study but could say I was still at the party so Clara wouldn''t be upset. I adored my friend, but she needed to understand how limited our time for civilization was. I needed to spend this time learning and growing as knowledgeable as possible.


    On that note, I wasn''t going to enlighten her so she could enjoy her party. We had limited time, and this was her garden where she thrived. I just needed an actual garden to thrive; we were different. These people were her daisies and tulips in her garden.


    These elite fuckers were not the roses or carrots I''d want in my garden.


    I ignored the looks I received and sighed with relief when I spotted the stage. It was only used during the start of the party and, assumedly, the ending when it was time to tell everyone to leave. I could hide behind the curtains and eat some tarts while studying. My eyes lit with joy at this plan, and I scurried off to implement it.


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    My feet stopped when I saw Adam.


    Well, it wasn''t really Adam. There was no way this was Adam. I told myself this even as my feet were moving closer to him. The man''s back was to me, but I''d recognize that posture anywhere. Who else could be the embodiment of a starchy shirt?


    Of every rich, rigidly trained young master I''ve ever met, only Adam stood like that. His dark chocolate hair was always slicked back like that. That dark green suit was the same one he wore when he returned to me all those years ago.


    It was Adam.


    It had been years since I''d seen him, but there was no way I''d ever forget him. My heart pounded with fear and pain that I was dreaming. I could feel the rest of the room disappear as I locked in on him,


    Was this that elusive feeling I''ve been chasing for all this time? Adam was in this world, too?


    My hands shook as I grabbed his arm and pulled him to look at me. "Adam!" I said, unaware of the tone in which it escaped my lips. I could barely breathe, and I managed to say his name.


    The man spun to look down at me, and I gasped.

 Abodement Synopsis

    Gwendolyn Girru hates her ancestor Mordecai and anything that reminds her of what she went through almost two years ago. She has locked herself in a pocket world to escape her memories. It nearly worked until that meddling ancestor popped up again.


    Unfortunately for Gwendolyn, Mordecai isn''t done with her. With dubious consent, he drops her in a new world doomed for a fresh kind of apocalyptic world event.


    Zombies! This is a world that will be overrun with the undead. Gwendolyn finds that Mordecai has not set her up for success. He gave her a sick, younger body to work with.


    As if that wasn''t bad enough, Gwendolyn''s powers of premonition have grown. This heavy feeling of need, hope, and fear keeps overriding her senses, causing her mind to lose it.


    She knows what that feeling is telling her, but her heart is too afraid to reach out. Hopefully, she will before it becomes too late because one of the new friends she made is hiding a terrible secret.


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    <hr>


    Hello hello!


    Here we go again!


    Welcome to book two. It''s called Abodement for a not-so-fun reason. Gwendolyn is not a trustworthy narrator, and as I''m sure you already know, she is lowkey cray cray.


    A lot is going to happen in this book. Gwendolyn is going to suffer completely fresh pain. I do love writing tragedy. There will be joy as well, I promise!


    The apocalyptic setting in book one was barely touched upon. I regretted that when I started this book. So yes, there will be zombies. I love my zpocs; you will not smell them, but read about them!


    Gwen will make new friends, the original friends she was supposed to have. I took them out but added them back. I need to edit a lot of this one because it''s not complete, so I thank you for your patience and understanding ahead of time!


    Please reach out in the comments with theories or ideas. Seeing comments, no matter what they are, makes my day.


    I planned on having a cover for book two, but it didn''t happen. Hopefully, a working cover will be completed in the first week of May. If not, it will be by the second week.


    Thank you for reading my sweat blood and tears. I appreciate you!


    <3 DB

 Chapter One

    "You look like a hot mess." The casually cruel words were tossed at me with the reckless abandon only someone like the speaker could dish out.


    I looked down at my attire and made a sour expression. I was dressed rather appropriately in denim overalls with a white tee underneath. I suppose the only strange thing about my appearance would be the baby carrier I was wearing. Strapped in was my only friend, Mr. Brutus, the stuffed bear. Unlike the speaker, he was never cruel, and just being in his presence or holding him gave me peace of mind.


    "Didn''t you read the rules on the wall?" I pointed to the signs I had posted that said, in several languages, that no gods, goddesses, or people bound to said creatures were allowed.


    My words were met with a snort, "Never stopped me before." The intruder said.


    I had one more rule that I lived by as I reshaped my life. No romance. I read horror, comedy, and comics, but anytime it had romance, I skipped pages. This focus was keeping me stable, and I needed that stability because I had a farming world that needed me.


    You see, I have a rude ancestor who happens to be a God almost anyone that meets dislikes. Dislike is putting it lightly. But I was given my own pocket world to make up for something that must not be named. It''s based on this really popular farming game that tricks people into adding friends or fake accounts to play. Only I didn''t need to do either. I could play by myself for years. Which is precisely what I did.


    For nearly two years, to be exact. I started with only a tiny plot of land. I built on it and expanded my territory like a specific game to be unnamed. Every time I harvested, I unlocked points. I could use those points to unlock land animals and even structures. The one thing I didn''t need to pay for was seeds.


    I rarely left this locket world. To leave it was to invite unwelcome memories and pain. It was far easier to be around these all-too-realistic cows and chickens.


    It truly was like a game in how harvesting worked. I had a master control panel that allowed me to do all the above things, and with it, I could move plants, harvest, plant, and arrange my farm animals. I could also harvest said farm animals, but how the harvest was rather strange. One minute, they stood there; the next, they were stacks of meat in a cooler with the bones in a barrel¡­


    That aside, it felt good to distract myself in the dirt. I didn''t need the control panel to plant, but it did make it easier to arrange things to look more aesthetically pleasing.


    I had a reason for preferring my hands in the dirt. My plant manipulation powers, which I had as Wendy Evans, were still present. It was like a tiny flame hiding in the shadow of my more prominent power as a literary witch.


    It wasn''t as strong as my time as Wendy. I could only influence plants by directly touching and feeling them the same. By the time I left my time as Wendy, I was insanely powerful and could have influenced plants with a mere thought.


    Unfortunately, the past two years have done nothing to grow this power.


    My heart''s joy popped like a saggy old balloon after I exited this amazing pocket world. The last thing I wanted to find was my aforementioned ancestor casually strewn on my bed, reading my diary.


    "You''re so boring now. You''re like an old man." He was in the form of a young girl and was swinging her legs childishly. You''d never guess she was an ancient daughter of a primordial Goddess.


    "What are you doing here, Aphra?" And why was she in her female form again? It wasn''t the first time the gender-switching diety had popped in for a visit. I managed to avoid any real conversations by slipping into the locket world. It was time to finally pop off on my ancestor, who seemed intent on showing their face. Mordecai or Aphra went by many names depending on her mood. She was originally a demi-goddess but, due to a curse by her mother, could never recover her true form. That may be why the trickster took on so many different appearances. Gavin, someone who hated my ancestor and thus me, said that Aphra didn''t prefer the female form because of the love she lost forever ago. He seems correct because most of the time I saw my ancestor, he was a male form. Whenever he popped in to bother me, however, I noticed that the female version was becoming more of an occurrence each time she visited. I never knew what shape she was going to take.


    "I came to check in on my last surviving heir apparent." The little girl''s voice said this way too casually for comfort. "You''re living like a peasant, though. It''s unbecoming of someone from my line."


    "You''re the one that gave me the world," I said with a snort. I didn''t bother debating that I still had family members alive. Like they had done, I long abandoned caring for them as well.


    "Yeah, but only cuz John said the dirt would help you heal. You look and smell like a pig." The hag Goddess'' little nose wrinkled with disgust. "Who''d have thought you came from my bloodline. You''re more like Cael than me."


    "Your sister?" I snatched that tidbit like a hungry dog. It wasn''t often that Aphra let loose things for me to know about her siblings or past. It was also better to focus on that than her mentioning my need to heal. I didn''t want to think of what I was like before. It was truly shameful.


    "Yeah, she thrived in the dirt. Always making concoctions and taking care of the peons." Aphra said as she flipped through the pages of my diary. "The two of you would have gotten along like peas in a pod. Even your diary is boring." Aphra said this with derision.


    "Then don''t read it," I said. I was too tired to actually care. It was more than just a teen girl''s diary but a log of my progress and what I wanted to work on next. I wanted to steadily build my farming world. There was an ocean a ways off, and once I unlocked it, that meant fishing.


    Aphra tossed the book to the side and instead fixed her dark eyes on me. Shit, it was better if she was reading the book.


    "I have a proposal for you." She said.


    "No thanks," I said, hoping my face didn''t show how my heart reacted to the word proposal.


    "If you don''t play along, I''ll make up my own rules," Aphra said, singing.


    "I don''t care," I said, crossing my arms. I learned from the past to avoid making a deal with this Goddess. Also, the less you spend interacting with any deity, the better.


    "Choosing the hard way means you won''t get any real choice," Aphra said with glinting eyes.


    "I don''t care. You''re going to just do what you want anyway." The pain was on my face, but it was too sharp to erase.


    "You''re going to die alone in this dusty library. You need to go off and have an adventure. Why else have these wonderful powers." Aphra said as she sat up in my bed. Her abrupt vocal lane change showed her blatantly switching up in an attempt to draw me in this way.


    Ha, too bad I''d killed off all my desires. I was in a beautiful, empty middle ground of my healing. I wasn''t thinking about what was, and there was no such thing as a future aside from my farming.


    "Ew, your destiny change solidified." Aphra made a face as if she smelled poop. "You just became more firm in dying a spinster. You foolish girl."


    "I don''t mind being foolish," I said. I was pleased to have thwarted the Goddess.


    "You should take this offer while it lasts. I''ll add in something juicy." Aphra wiggled her fingers in my direction.


    "Stop that. You''re too pushy." I said as I pushed her fingers away from me. I don''t know what I said, but Aphra looked mighty happy with herself.


    "Good choice."


    I blinked. "What are you talking about?"


    "You just agreed." Aphra got off my bed and walked over to me.


    I fought the desire to be violent to this small-looking girl. "No, I didn''t," I said.


    "But you did it in a language you don''t know. If you push together some of your syllabi, it makes for a very casual sure."


    "You have got to be kidding me." Only I didn''t get to finish that sentence before my tricky ancestor had sent me off to another world.


    I opened my eyes to a body much younger than when I became Wendy. I blinked slowly as I took in my surroundings. I was in the most elaborate bathroom I had ever seen. My hideaway home''s bathroom was excellent, but this one was the size of a small house.


    So this was my ancestor''s idea of what I deserved? Spores of red and amber settled on my forehead and flooded me with memories that didn''t belong to me.


    My new name is Dolyn Tuffin, one of the fakest names I''ve ever heard of. If the name wasn''t bad enough, I was the only child of the wealthiest man in the world. The plot got thicker, unfortunately, because I was also a tube baby he put together.


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    "Mordecai, you suck." I said as I walked to a mirror to look at my appearance. The little shit had shown me what he was going to do. The girl I had become was the same form he had taken in my room.


    I look away, disinterested because I had a reason to be wary of the world he dropped me into. This was the world I knew far too well because I''d become addicted to the book I''m now stuck in.


    The book series was named Brains. Like the title suggested, it was a simple horror zombie slasher book. There wasn''t a lick of romance because the main character, who the Gods favored in this world, didn''t give a damn about sex or romance. He only enjoyed power. He started off as an average Joe, but when the zombie outbreak started, he found a way to crave his way to power with his super yadda.


    The plot is generic, and the story is simple. I needed nothing else, but now I was stuck in a world that was going to become infested with zombies.


    I may only be six, but I felt like I had aged by thirty years at this realization. I had no idea if I had time to kick my butt into gear. The book wasn''t super specific on important dates. It thought it was clever and edgy to start the new world order with the outbreak.


    Ha! As if other zombie books haven''t done something similar.


    A slew of cuss words in several languages ripped from my mouth as I vented my frustration. I didn''t want to be a literal child fighting off zombies, and I didn''t want to die with a stupid name like Dolyn Tuffin.


    "Such fury." An amused voice drew me out of my thoughts, and I spotted an all too familiar ancestor looking like he needed a bruise on his lip. Mordecai was back in his go-to masculine form, with unkempt brown curls and a shimmery purple three-piece.


    "And such boldness!" Mordecai said with a chuckle. "You''re openly hostile to me, someone who could rip you apart with a mere thought."


    "Send me back," I said with a glare.


    "I can''t do that. There''s a time limit or something in place."


    "Or something?" I said with a scornful sigh. "At least make up a more plausible lie."


    "It''s true or something," Mordecai said with a chuckle. "It will wear off when the story''s events start, possibly."


    "So, when the zombie outbreak happen?" Shit, that gave me no clear idea when.


    "Uh-huh," Mordecai said as he casually picked his nose. "I think it''s fifteen years or so, but don''t quote me on that. This is my first time hijacking a world in this way."


    I ignored the latter part of his words and latched on to the first bit. "Fifteen years, then I can go back?"


    "Maybe?" Mordecai said with an exaggerated extension of the damn word. "What if you end up wanting to stay here? Maybe you fall in love with this world and learn to relax a little?"


    "Ha, fat chance," I said with a narrow glare.


    "I''ll hold you to those words," Mordecai said with a strangely blank expression. "Even if you beg me one day, I''ll remind you of this moment." Mirth danced in his deep eyes, but his face was an expressionless mask.


    Something about this sight unnerved me, so I grabbed the first thing I could to change the subject, "You can''t keep me here. I''ll just leave. I learned how to thanks to all the trouble last time." There was no way I could ever admit out loud that part of it was due to my desire to find the Unruly Forest again...


    "That''s not possible," Mordecai said with a smirk. "I''ve improved where your adust brother failed."


    I could feel my hope to escape shrivel up in the pit of my stomach. So I said, "How did you even manage this?"


    "I had my minion take Gus'' spell from last time and make some tweaks to it. You''ll like what I''ve done. I mean what it has done but not in my stead. It chose to do this of its own free will."


    "Why are you being so vague?" I finally groaned as I could feel a headache forming between my brows.


    "I kinda have to be. I''m not supposed to interfere with your fate, remember? So I left a bunch of loopholes and other things to keep my hands clean."


    I gestured to the room at large. "This isn''t keeping your hands clean," I said.


    Mordecai shrugged and flicked a booger at me. I dodged it.


    "Why am I a six-year-old fucking girl!?" I said with a fierce glare.


    "Enjoy this world and the setting I picked for you. No mountain orphan peasant background for one of mine." Mordecai said with a shit-eating grin, then vanished.


    All of my rage disappeared with him, and so did my hope. I was alone again, and I had to rebuild all over. Again.


    I didn''t even have Mr. Brutus with me. An annoying tightening of my throat cut off my breath, and I grabbed my neck to ease the pain. I massaged it desperately, trying to disperse this tight feeling.


    I gasped when they touched something warm and metal as my fingers moved. My pocket world had come with me. Its silvery white metal was as untarnished as before. I looked down at my right hand, and my spacial ring and burn was also there.


    Hot tears ran down my cheek, and I stubbornly wiped my cheeks free. I can do this. And I can do it all over again without remembering his name. Also, since Mordecai had clearly broken so many rules, he likely can''t do anything else for a while.


    I turned to exit the bathroom, but before I could reach for the handle, an all too familiar flaming spore popped into being in front of me.


    It turned out to be a box with Mr. Brutus in it. Unabashed joy filled me to the brim as I grabbed the bear and squeezed him to my chest.


    No matter what, I can do this.


    I''d become like the main hero of this story. I''d keep my eye on the goal and avoid sticky connections.


    It would have been nice if things had gone on that smoothly, but I realized that the longer I was in this world, the more details I forgot about the story. The first time I realized this was literally walking out of that initial gung-ho moment I just had.


    I couldn''t remember the hero''s name.


    No doubt this was something Mordecai set into place, which meant he was playing matchmaker or just trying to make it entertaining for himself.


    The second thing was, as I looked at my ''father,'' I realized I didn''t know him very well.


    Did his character exist before Mordecai''s interference, or was he crafted by another spell Mordecai stole from Gus?


    My father wasn''t a tall or imposing man. You''d think the richest man in this world would have some type of flair. It was strangely scary how normal he looked. I had inherited my ginger hair from him. But his light cyan eyes were nothing like mine. I had green eyes.


    "Are you ready to go, Dolyn?" My father said in a clear, even voice. It was deep but not too deep. Everything about him screamed average, which is why it should be terrifying that he was so rich and powerful! His eyes showed gentle warmth, and I realized he was staring at my best friend, Mr. Brutus.


    I nodded in response, clutching Mr. Brutus to my chest. Even with ''Dolyn''s'' memories, I had no idea how to navigate my relationship with this man. All I got from looking at him and then the memories was distance. He was usually working long hours. He made time for me but wasn''t a parent who stayed home getting paint on his hands.


    So that was why both of us were surprised when he scooped me up. He blinked and seemed unsure how to proceed. I wiggled until I could get comfortable perched on his slim waist. He had gathered himself by this point and then strode down the hallway. I was so busy staring at him up close that I didn''t get a chance to stare at the elaborately decorated hallway.


    This mansion was top-notch!


    "We''ll be at the hotel later, but you have the run of it. You will also have a new nanny, so don''t worry about the last one."


    Oh yeah. Dolyn had powers. She had the power of premonition. It was something that I had had as Wendy as well. Only Dolyn''s premonition was through touch and random comings on the wind. You''d think a man who had such a child would be wary of touching his daughter, but on the contrary, he was strangely affectionate.


    The older cynic in me could only think that if his daughter could tell the future and had an excellent favoring of him, she could also warn him of danger. Something that both of us needed because we often had bodydoubles and bodyguards.


    "Dolyn, I expect you to finish your homework every day, but other than that, your schedule is up to you while we stay there."


    I gave him an incredulous look. He''s talking to me as if I were old enough to understand these things. I''m six! I can''t be expected to make daily choices!


    "Before we leave, it''s time for your daily assessment." My father''s voice was strangely comforting as he held me close. I couldn''t resist the desire to sniff him. I was used to Grandpa Evans'' scent of medicine, Wyatt''s smell of sweaty dirt, and even Gus'' aroma of ink and coffee. Mordecai smelled like smoky herbs I couldn''t identify, and it was pleasant despite being attached to him.


    Of course, one more couldn''t be named whose scent I couldn''t bear to recall. That scent was more familiar to me than my own. Just thinking of it made my chest tighten in pain.


    My new father smelled of clean notes laced with cedar and frankincense. Being near the woody earth notes and crisp freshness of his clothing was relaxing.


    I was so focused on this that I didn''t note that we had exited the long hallway and into a room.


    I say room lightly because what we walked into might as well have been a closet''s closet compared to everything else I''ve seen. I stared disapprovingly at the room. It was dark, cramped, and weird.


    A table was set up in the middle of the room, and for a moment, I thought of the table Mordecai had set up to test me. Instead of old relics, there were envelopes on the table.


    There were also two baskets, one at each end of the table.


    I knew what this room was, thanks to Dolyn''s memories. This was an everyday occurrence because my father rightfully assumed that power was like any muscle in the body. Muscles need to be worked and honed to improve, and then they take less effort to use.


    All I needed to do was touch each envelope and put them in one basket or another with the salad tongs. Of course, the caveat is that I had to touch each envelope and get a feeling or vision from them.


    My father set me down. I handed him Mr. Brutus with grave concentration and then eyed the table curiously. I had the memories to draw upon but none of the hands-on experience. Like my first actions as Wendy, who knew if my muscle memory would work or slip from me. Could I even start a fire in a wood stove now? It had been forever and a different life since I had.


    As Wendy, I couldn''t access the premonition power very well. I tried to hide my trepidation as my fingers grasped the first coarse thick pale envelope. Something was in it, but I couldn''t ascertain what from the slight bulge.


    What wasn''t impossible to confuse was the nausea that rolled my stomach and made my fingers tremble. I dropped the envelope, but the sticky gross feeling I gained from it clung to my skin like a second fresh layer of flesh. I rubbed at my hands as if these invasive feelings could be taken off. It helped as I imagined it disappearing.


    I inhaled sharply and used the tongs to lift the offending envelope into the basket for disposal. I reached for the next, and a bubble of warmth came over my heart. I became full of comfort and support from it. I sighed, relieved at the comforting fate of whatever was in this envelope. I set this envelope aside and snatched the next one, paying quickly for my confidence.


    This one was worse than the first. I could feel the shadow of death coming off it, and my fingers turned white as I shook. I deposited this one, without the tongs, by throwing it into the empty basket. My father handed me a cup of warm water, and the chilly burn settling over my skin was slowly dispensed.


    The next one ended up being the best in the end. When my fingers were mere inches away, I was filled with warmth unlike any other.


    Showing no mercy, I repeated this process until I was left with eleven good envelopes.


    I turned to see my father watching me intently with no emotion on his face. I felt like an experiment as he beckoned me to take another knock at the leftovers.


    I wiggled my fingers as I turned back to the table. It was time to narrow down to find the best of whatever the heck he was having me look into.


    It took some narrowing down, but eventually, I found the best seven of the good vibes. Finding the last one was a close tie, but I managed it.


    When I turned to look at my father this time, I had to wipe sweat off my brow. Dolyn''s precognition capabilities were far more significant than mine. I only had dreams to warn me of vague future danger. She could trigger feelings off a touch.


    "Good job, Dolyn." My father''s voice was as calm and neutral as before. At least an hour had passed, but he spent it patiently watching me.


    "What are these ones for?" I finally asked when I smoothed my nerves.


    "The future." He said rather vaguely. He scooped me up into his arms again to take me away.


    That vague half-sentence echoed in my head endlessly because it wouldn''t be for almost a year before I learned what he meant.

 Chapter Two

    Life in a hotel is fantastic.


    I soon found out that money was extraordinary to have. I''ve never had to wonder or worry about it, but I certainly read about the struggles. It wasn''t until I lived as Wendy that I truly understood how money moved the world.


    Now, I was experiencing it firsthand. Money matters.


    My father owned the hotel we stayed in. This meant that I genuinely had the run of it. Others would soon live in the hotel because there was a whole wing for apartments. Since this was a new building, the future seven owners were unknown to me. I knew that the penthouse, the eighth one, was going to my father and me.


    The building itself was ugly. It was sleek shiny, and very modern looking but I made a face as I stared up at it. Why is it so ugly? Give me the dilapidating Evans'' home any day. My father laughed at my expression, and I turned it on him.


    "Just wait until you see your new room." He said as he reached forward to touch my face. I had on this weird mask that changed my features. It fits like a sheet mask, but it sunk into the flesh and, using some kind of nanotech, morphed the face into something else.


    My father wore one as well. His standard blandish features became even more bland and average. When you wear these, you''re supposed to control your expression or risk it moving. It sounds counterproductive to have a mask that can move with an expression. Still, technological advancements haven''t been made yet.


    These masks allowed us to casually stroll around without anyone spotting us. I felt like the incognito bodyguards that an astute observer could spot might ruin that. There were a lot of holes in this, but it had been decided and created by the adults in my life.


    I''ve never had a structured life created for me before. My father had a hand in everything and a plan. It silenced me from pointing out the flaws because having someone care for me felt nice. I pretty much raised and took care of all my needs in my original body. When I was Wendy, I had to take care of others. I was officially being taken care of.


    We entered through the locked underground parking lot. There was an elevator that used a key to access the private lobby. You can take your own private elevator from the lobby to your condo.


    There wasn''t a soul outside of my father''s entourage that followed us up the elevator. There shouldn''t be anyone else, for that matter. My father hadn''t sold them, though. The elevator to our new home was even more tucked away.


    I wasn''t impressed with what I saw. It was huge, and that was just the entryway. The walls went up so high. For some reason, the rich liked big windows. This place was no different. Once I exited the main room entrance, I was assaulted by the view of giant expansive windows.


    It was nighttime, and the view from these expansive glass windows took my breath away. The windows were so big that it took me a moment too late to realize that there was a set of doors smack in the middle. We likely have an outdoor patio that I can''t see right now. How fantastic would the view of the city lights be at night?


    The living area before the windows wasn''t so bad. Creamy white square couches were set up with some end tables and even a coffee table. Thanks to being Wendy, I knew the annoying cost of paying for nice furniture. I can''t imagine how much this must have cost.


    "Dolyn, your room is over here." My father approached me before I could check the dining room and kitchen. I ran after him down a hallway. My stubby legs gave it their all, but I couldn''t keep up with his unnaturally long adult strides.


    I didn''t have time to look around because I focused on keeping pace with him. Finally, he stopped, but it was at a door with a pink sign and my name on it. I blinked as I watched him open it and gesture for me.


    I stepped into the dark room, and a huge smile spilt my lips painfully at what I saw.


    Now, don''t get me wrong. I ended up loving Wendy''s room, and my room in the library was the original one I had set up. But this was my dream room.


    The hanging lamps in the room lit up as I stepped forward and created an ethereal play of light on the ivory walls. They had a strange bird shape that I didn''t take even half a second to observe because I was too enthralled by my new room. It was simple for the most part, except for one very important part: the study area. It was so beautiful I didn''t notice something important. I ran right to the wall of bookshelves. There were books on subjects I had yet to hear of or study. There was even a desk and a reading nook with a window seat close by. It could have passed as Wendy''s if it hadn''t been for the navy blue seating.


    I blinked once as I looked behind me to see that it was just my father and me.


    I turned to look back at the setup and, without a word, slipped into my locket world.


    I was still furiously yanking carrots and potatoes from the ground when Mordecai tracked me down.


    I could feel him watching me, but he didn''t say anything. The noise my ancestral asshole made was the crackling of nuts as he opened pistachios. I didn''t have to look to know that he was dropping the shells carelessly on the ground. Time had long proven that this God didn''t care how big a mess he made.


    Unfortunately, I broke the silence because he grew bored simply dropping the shells. Mordecai started chucking them at my head.


    I spun on Mordecai, my still tiny body shaking with indignation. "I''m not doing this again. I was fine before you barged into my life. What happened to no God being able to directly interfere with how I turn out? All you''ve done is interfere and ruin everything." I ranted and vented every emotion and errant thought in my head.


    Mordecai said nothing as he cracked nuts and popped them into his mouth. His blank expression gave me nothing as my words poured on him like a torrent.


    I was heaving and sweaty when I ran out of accusations to throw his way.


    "How are you even here anyway? Haven''t I earned a break? I''ve been hurt enough as it is." I said with my last burst of energy as I kicked the pile of shells.


    "Are you done?" Mordecai said. I half expected his voice to be bored from the strangely placid look on his face. Instead, it was devoid of emotion, and the hair on the back of my neck rose.


    I bolstered my confidence to be strong. "I said what I had to say." I stuck my nose high and crossed my arms, ready for his rebuttal.


    Mordecai lazily tossed a pistachio into the air. I couldn''t help but look up to stare. The nut spun in the air and eventually became a familiar gold coin. Mordecai''s nimble fingers plucked out of the air upon its descent, and I gulped as it rolled across his knuckles. He flipped it again and looked at the coin, giving nothing away before tossing it. The coin became a nut again, and his teeth caught it on the way down.


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    I''ve seen Mordecai do this before, but never a nut into the coin.


    "First of all, to toss around that special rule created for cases such as yourself, you must know what the rule is and why it exists." His usual cocky brash voice was replaced with a more somber careful tone.


    I much prefer a child-like Mordecai. Who the fuck was this?


    "That rule is special because, in all of our history, there''s only been a handful of beings it could apply to. Our bloodline is special in that it''s been invoked twice."


    "What''s the rule?" My voice was hoarse and barely audible.


    Mordecai''s bright eyes locked onto me like the bird of prey he was. "You''re the last mortal of my line. No one can interfere with how you turn out unless you don''t have children to carry the line. To keep the mortal line going, you have to procreate. You were reaching the point of no return."


    I opened my mouth to fight that, but Mordecai didn''t give me a chance. He held up a hand, and my mouth shut promptly.


    He crossed his other hand over his waist stiffly, and momentarily, I could see someone else covering him. It was a figure that looked vaguely familiar and yet completely alien. The image flickered and then disappeared as I listened to what he was saying.


    "You were planning to live your life in this world I so graciously granted you. Toiling away in the dirt and ignoring all of your options. Thus, Moi utilized a loophole to push you in the right direction. This isn''t punishment for you, Gwendolyn. This new life is a vacation. Your chance to heal. I''ve given you an enviable life most would kill for."


    "It has no appeal."


    "That is a lie." Mordecai''s lips quirked up into a sneer. "Not the first one you''ve told me, but I let the others go, all things considered, because I was using bait. My patience is over, and it''s time to use the stick."


    I shook my head as I tried to speak, but a stammer emerged. It was impossible to deny. There was appeal. I had a father who was taking care of me. It wasn''t the typical support I was used to, and I was tempted by that. The only other person I had felt so comfortable with was the one I couldn''t name. That''s all I had wanted before becoming Wendy.


    "If this was about having an heir, you can kiss that goodbye in this new world."


    Mordecai chuckled darkly as he rolled that same coin across his knuckles. "This is about your healing. The only thing you have to do is spend time. Time is the only way your heart can be soothed. I''m not expecting children. They can''t be brought out of that world and wouldn''t carry my blood."


    "I have healed," I said this through numb lips.


    "You''ve done the opposite of that," Mordecai said as his eyes burned into mine.


    I opened my mouth to lie again, but my throat tightened, and my mouth snapped shut.


    "I''m partial to you, Wendy, but make no mistake, you don''t have any other option but what I grant you," Mordecai said as his eyes turned up the heat. Again, that image came back, and I blinked. I couldn''t feel power pouring off him, but I could tell he wasn''t beyond using it.


    It was easy to forget that the smirky little shit Mordecai was actually a Goddess. Right now, it was easily believable as her proper form flickered to the surface.


    "Why does it matter that I have mortal children?" I said in a desperate attempt to appease and change the topic from her will.


    "There has to be a balance to power, and that requires options," Mordecai said with a shrug. That overlapping image disappeared, to my relief. The burning eyes lowered their heat, and Mordecai was looking at me with the safer calm of before.


    Balance and options. Wait, did that mean what I thought it did?


    Mordecai smirked as if he understood my thoughts, and how that related to me sent my mind reeled.


    "The cousin you spoke of, Merry, is the other case? Did it happen because she''s Caelestis'' heir?"


    "Merindah is even more special." Mordecai''s voice held a note of warmth that made me a little jealous. "It was with far more ease I could set Merry on the correct path. I suppose your difficulty is due to having my blood."


    My back stiffened at this." Difficulty doesn''t run in the blood."


    Mordecai laughed at this, and the little tension in the air finally dispersed.


    I wasn''t off the hook, though, as that all too familiar coin was tossed into the air. Mordecai caught it but didn''t look. He hadn''t taken his eyes off me, making me wonder. If Merry was so easy to handle, is that because I had more power? I could move between worlds, but wherever he had put her, she couldn''t. What if I could put myself in the same world as her. I had so many questions.


    "So you''ve reached the end of my grace. I have to punish you for breaking character and running into your space. You were in here for a month before I tracked you. So I''m going to have to put limitations on it." Mordecai''s smile as he spoke held only malice.


    I opened my mouth to protest, but he spoke right over me. "I''ll restart you, and remember I''m not the only one watching over you."


    I recalled how even Aczuio, my ancestral uncle, loved games and wagers. "Are there bets going on?" Please say no.


    Mordecai laughed outright. "I lost a wager because of your jailbird act."


    No wonder he was so mad. I thought as I scanned him. "I don''t like the name." I wasn''t brave enough to threaten him, but I pushed those thoughts into my brain as I met his eyes. I can be more difficult, they said.


    "Dolyn is perfect. It''s short for Gwendolyn."


    "No one uses that as a nickname, let alone a real name," I said, thrusting my chin out.


    "Don''t get me started on Tuffin."


    "Also, a legitimate name," Mordecai said with narrow eyes.


    "I''ll behave," I said with the last bit of bravado in my reserves. "I just want a new name."


    Mordecai pursed his lips as he narrowed my eyes. "Fine. Tuffin is out."


    I opened my mouth to remind him about the dumb first name, but Mordecai waved his hands, and everything went dark.


    I woke up in the hotel in my new bedroom named Dolyn Savage. A step up, I suppose.


    Everything was essentially the same. I was the daughter of the world''s richest man. Instead of his name being David Tuffin, it was David Savage.


    Mordecai skipped through all the previous parts, and it had already been a month since my father moved us into the hotel. I suppose the skip was partly due to how I spent a month in the locket. But it was as if that incident had never happened.


    Speaking of the locket. I looked down at it before clasping it in my hands. Mordecai said he would limit it, but I desperately need it in the coming days. When zombies roamed the world, I would need food and a safe way to grow. I attempted to enter the locket and was surprised when I slipped into my familiar sanctuary without any issue.


    The comforting scent of life tickled my nose, and I relaxed at the familiar slopes of crops and the fenced enclosures for the farm animals.


    So Mordecai was bluffing. A smirk grew on my face as I prepared to slip out. Only to my dismay, a bright red flashing sign spread on the sky. I gulped as my smile was wiped clean away.


    All it had was a countdown, and I''d been given only fifteen minutes. I waved a hand, and my all-too-trusty control panel popped into being. I tapped away frantically, trying to figure out how to make it go away.


    Annoyingly, a pop-up came on the screen. What the fudge. Mordecai had posted a new TOS. I frantically read it, and when I was done, all joy at thwarting the system was washed away.


    I should have known better. Mordecai doesn''t bluff. There was a time limit in place for the locket world. I had 15 minutes until the world was wiped out. And I could only go in once a day for fifteen minutes.


    The worst part of the terms of service is that I couldn''t reject them. At the end of the terms, Mordecai signed it for me. So there was no going back.


    Instead of taking my time and joyfully caring for my crops, I had to bite back my tears and use the control panel to water, harvest, and feed the plants and animals.


    I had mere seconds before the timer was empty, and I was ready to leave.


    Mordecai was serious about taking away my security blankets. If I slipped into my hideaway home before he calmed down, who knows what he''d do to that. Or maybe it hadn''t escaped his fury and was already altered. Either way, it was better not to remind him of its existence.


    So, for now, I had to play exactly as he wanted. There was a slim part of me that knew he was right. I wasn''t healing, just numbing myself. But confronting my feelings wasn''t something I wanted.


    I didn''t want to forget but I didn''t want to remember either. I just want to be numb. Maybe in time, I''d be more.


    But for now, I looked at my room and then down at my neck. My time had run out in the locket world as if to reflect that the locket was gone. I knew it would come back tomorrow when I could use it again, but breathing was difficult. I needed the comfort and security of my sanctuary world. It helped me rebuild myself.


    I might have relaxed, but my hand was empty as well. My spacial ring was going to be held hostage as well?!


    If the locket world ran on my soul''s energy and was bound to my soul, did that mean Mordecai weakened my soul and stopped me from utilizing my spaces?     The game of stones came to mind, and I groaned. He did mention my soul during that time. The questions he asked me were strange, but here I was in a world with a father instead of a mother....what else did he make come true?


    I imagined that void of space that I could fill with all I desired¡­and found nothing. It was gone like my locket world.

 Chapter Three

    My life had a completely different routine now. My uber-rich father was gone every day for most of the day. Most mornings we wound up eating together. Like me he woke up before the sun turned on the lights. When I was Wendy Evans that trait first showed up and used to irate me to no end. I was so used to this that I wasn''t even fazed by it.


    I studied him every morning and found almost no deviation from his routine. He worked out at the private gym we had in our condo. By the time he cleaned off the sweat I''d drag myself from bed.


    My breakfast varied depending on my mood, but he never strayed. As he read the newspaper, he ate a handful of pills with his morning water jug. Strangely, in a world of digital and technological advancement, he preferred the firm press of a dying industry.


    He''d leave when he was done, seemingly determined to break his fast later.


    I watched him day in and day out. It was strange having a father around. The home was where he didn''t allow his company worker bees, so it was always us.


    The household worker bees did come in like the maids and cooks, but they did their duties and left except for two every day without fail.


    After he left, I spent the day doing whatever I wanted. The homework I had to complete was far too easy, and so was my daily tuning of my premonitions. When I was done breezing through that, I went to the pool and lounged in the water until I became a raisin. Then, I cleaned off and returned to my room for a nap. I used part of that nap time to slip into my locket world to care for things. Mordecai had yet to lift the fifteen-minute limit this past week. After the nap, I ate lunch and spent the rest of the day reading until dinner.


    My father came home promptly at five every night to eat. He asked about my progress and other basic things. He left after to go do adult things.


    I was just starting to relax when everything changed.


    I had stayed up reading late the night before. My youthful body felt the consequences of that. Worst of all, I couldn''t enjoy a cup of coffee to spice up the morning. I''m still single digits!


    By the time I dragged myself to the dining room, it was almost afternoon. This was my first genuine mistake that morning. I clutched Mr. Brutus to my chest and didn''t bother changing out of my clothing as I shuffled out into the hall.


    It was nice not having to worry about cleaning or what to cook. As a proper kid, I had everything taken care of this time. To show my gratitude, I wrote cards to the maids that seemed genuinely nice and not overly brisk in their work. These cards were more than just niceties. Due to my advanced premonitions, I could root around the newspaper when my father was done and pick apart a business opportunity that my favorite maid''s son or the cook''s wife could work at.


    I expected, nay knew, my father wouldn''t be around. So, I leisurely greeted workers as I took my time. I finally saw my favorite maid who always treated me well. "Good morning, Mrs. Mina!" I chirped to the maid.


    She smiled and said, "Good morning Miss Dolyn." Her eyebrows did a little wiggle, but alas, I missed that hint.


    "I have something for you!" I said with a bright smile. I held out Mr. Brutus, who was holding her card.


    "Young miss, I can''t accept that." She said as she held her hands up to protest, but her eyes darted towards the dining room.


    "It''s not from me, it''s from Mr. Brutus! It''s a card thanking you for fixing his carrier." I said as I all but shoved the card into her hand. I ignored her protests far easier than the grumbling in my tummy. It reminded me that I needed to eat.


    I skipped with Mr. Brutus and entered the dining room, but my cheerful steps slid to a halt when I saw who was in the dining room.


    Oh. Maybe there wasn''t something in her eye but someone in the dining room.


    More than someone. My father was having a full-blown meeting around a fully serviced brunch.


    A projector was broadcasting a video call with several people I didn''t know in official attire.


    I could feel the heat of about a dozen stranger''s eyes on me, plus my father''s gaze.


    Mrs. Mina how could you not warn me! I thought you were one of the good ones! My lip quivered as my face heated up.


    I squeezed Mr. Brutus as tight as possible as I gathered my internal strength. I was more than just a random child walking into whatever this meeting was. I was David Savage''s daughter, and I was hungry!


    I attempted to walk confidently to where my father sat at the head of the table. He was in the middle of typing something.


    "Dad, I''m hungry," I said as I lifted myself impetuously into his lap.


    There was an audible gasp around the room. My father said nothing as he continued to type. I managed to slither my way around his arms and grab his plate of food.


    "Don''t eat too fast, Dolyn." He said, but he wasn''t looking at me. His attention was solely focused on whatever project was on his laptop. How did he see how fast I was scarfing the grub!


    I made an acquiescence noise but made no attempt to slow down.


    "I''ll increase the budget so the deadline can be met." My father''s voice rumbled behind me.


    Like magic, his words took everyone''s eyes away from me and back to their work. For the next hour I went around stealing everyone''s food. They left it untouched as they talked business with my dad. Like a small animal I ran into my dad''s lap to eat my earnings after each heist. No one had the balls to stop me or say anything. They should have thanked me for not letting their food grow cold!


    I stopped only when it felt like my small stomach would burst at the seams. I leaned back against my father''s back and tuned out the meeting. He didn''t speak much, but when he did everyone else stopped to listen. It was soothing and I could feel myself drift off.


    "Dolyn." My father''s voice snapped me out of my sleepy thoughts, and I blinked and looked up to meet his eyes.


    "Dolyn." His voice repeated my name more firmly this time. "Is this how you''ve been spending your days?"


    I blinked and looked around the room to see if anyone could see my shame. It had somehow cleared out while I was dozing off.


    "No," I said with an unconvincing tone. "I get my work done, and I''ve been working on my other gifts."


    I didn''t know how far away his work minions had gone, so I kept it vague.


    "Your new nanny will be coming tomorrow, and you''ll have control over your schedule but within reason. She is supposed to guide you." He said.


    I made a face. I was living the perfect life. All I had to do was nap, sleep, eat, and read all day. Having to listen to an adult was going to cramp my style.


    "She was an elementary teacher, so your homework will be harder." He said.


    My face made another face at this. "Easy wasn''t too bad." I tried to bat my eyes up at him.


    "Complacency leads to obsoletion." He said. My father''s strict words struck a chord in my heart.


    "You''re right," I said as I looked away, lost in thought. I should have known better than to be so lazy. I was in a world that was going to be smacked with zombies! People developed abilities due to the weird virus, which would make this world even more dangerous.


    I had spent far too much time cursing my lack of ambition as Wendy to stop now. Wealth and luxury were very good at corrupting! It didn''t even take a week for me to become a sponge.


    "Good." My father said. His lips curved into a smile, and I hiccuped in surprise. He''s not plain at all! He''s so handsome; whoever said that before should have their eyes cleaned! Why does he never smile?


    His arms wrapped around me, and he lifted me as he stood. "Time for a harder assessment."


    I take that back. He''s an ogre! I still need to have my afternoon snack!


    "Miss Dolyn, I''m sorry!" Mrs. Mina said as he tucked me into bed. This was the first night that my father didn''t have dinner with me. He didn''t always tuck me in, but he usually read a few verses from my grandfather''s journals of wisdom.


    Mrs. Mina was given the honor tonight, probably due to her betrayal, and she was milking every second of it.


    My cheeks puffed out as I turned my face away from her.


    "Your father forbade me from telling you he was staying over today."


    That was because the orge wanted to catch me being lazy! And the one day I was a complete sud he saw me.


    "I forgive you because I know he pays you, but next time, make it more obvious," I said, patting her kowtowing head. I felt bad because she really looked like she felt terrible.


    Mrs. Mina smiled, and I reminded her to ensure her son took that job. That company would take off soon and be a massive money-maker for her family. Then my future bribes would mean something in the future, and my father''s threats would mean less.


    I slept soundly that night, ready to take on the nanny who would teach me.


    I wasn''t prepared because no matter how many times my brain ran through the scenarios; I didn''t expect my competent intelligent father to pick a gold-digging hussy.


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Her drooling appetite ruined my desire to eat breakfast the next day. My father invited her to join us for breakfast for some unfathomable reason.


    "My name is Miss Tate." She said with the fakest smile plastered on her face.


    I eyed the tall, thin bronze woman with disdain. She wasn''t even looking at me. She was ogling my father and ignoring me.


    To my father''s credit, he was looking at me and ignoring the hussy''s reaching gaze for him. "Dolyn, Miss Tate has devised a daily routine for the two of you. I want you to look it over."


    I stabbed a piece of egg fiercely as I looked at the hussy. She was still ignoring me and ogling my father.


    "Have you gone blind, father?" I said between narrow slits as I looked back at him.


    Something flickered in his eyes, but his face remained an impassive mask. "I have a meeting, so let me know your thoughts tonight." He stood up and kissed my head before disappearing out the door.


    As if a director had yelled cut Miss Tate changed face quicker than I could blink.


    She didn''t say anything to me and immediately took out her cell phone to start snapping pictures of herself.


    I rolled my eyes and grabbed the schedule she created. This gold-digging hussy was going to murder me with work! Every hour of the day was slotted for a subject or project she wanted to do. And she took away my afternoon nap and daily swimming.


    I scoffed and ripped the paper. Then I tossed the pieces to the ground.


    "I worked hard on that!" She said. Miss Tate''s shrill voice gave me satisfaction as I met her eyes.


    "''I''m not doing that. I''ll make my own schedule."


    Her fake smile cracked as she fought to control her temper. "I''m your new nanny, Dolyn, and this is for your betterment. You want to go to a private school and be ready to compete with all the other kids, right?" She said.


    I didn''t bother responding and walked over to where Mrs. Mina was standing. "Tell my father I don''t want breakfast with my nanny or dinner," I said. I saw her careful plotting when she put that in. The less contact she got with my father, the better.


    "Dolyn!" Miss Tate''s voice was a shrill yap, but I ignored it. I left Mr. Brutus upstairs and needed him to guide me.


    Of course, I couldn''t keep ignoring the nanny. Tate was determined to not go away. The more she talked and the longer I looked at her, the more I wondered about her background. Something wasn''t adding up, but it didn''t matter. I want her fired.


    All the work she gave me was flawed and far too easy. Didn''t my father say that it was going to be more challenging? Was this because I was mentally older than just six?


    I ignored her after breakfast and tore up the work she gave me. The maids on standby were shocked, but no one said anything.


    "Dolyn, you don''t want to become a spoiled brat. Do you? You have to work hard to make your father proud." Tate said through gritted teeth as she fought to keep her face cheerful.


    I beamed at her, "I already make my father proud." I said with complete confidence. My powers were helpful to him, and that alone made me special.


    She grabbed my arm as I tried to leave with those words. I could hear her voice saying something, but everything faded to white as a vision took over my sight.


    ¡ª----------------------


    I was in a courtroom packed with blurry faces. Only a handful of faces were visible; one was Miss Tate in the defendant''s chair. The judge was a bit blurry, but my father''s face was crystal clear.


    "The court finds you guilty in the murder of Dolyn Savage." A voice said, but I paid it no mind as I ran towards my father. He looked tired but pleased with the verdict.


    On the other hand Tate looked a mess in orange. Tate started screeching as she tried to plead her case, "I just wanted to marry him! I wasn''t trying to harm that little shit! I mean that little angel." She said.


    Loud voices rang out around the court, but I ignored them. I was too busy staring at my father. "This is your fault," I said with pursed lips. I knew she wanted to marry him, but to the extent of getting rid of me? How dumb could she be? With my father''s wealth and resources she''d get caught.


    My father''s head turned, and for a heart-stopping moment, I thought he was looking at me.


    "If you can hear me smile," I said to his face, getting closer, but he did no such thing. He stood up and started to walk away. I took off after him, but the further he went from the scene, the slower my legs became. I was soon struck by some invisible wall as if I had reached the end of the scene. I lifted my fingers to touch it, but I was ripped out of the vision by a sharp pain in my head.


    I could hear several voices calling my name, and I blinked, dazed, as I dropped back into reality. I was in the living room, lying on the floor. All the work I had torn up was beneath me, and when I sat up, I scattered it.


    Mrs. Mina was holding me, and I turned my head to look at her. "I''ll call your father."


    Miss Tate was standing quietly, but at the mention of my father, she started showing concern. I looked at her. This woman was going to kill me.


    "Don''t call him," I said as I struggled to sit up. "I''ll call him. Can you hand me the phone, Mrs. Mina?"


    Mrs. Mina hesitated momentarily, and I saw her glance at Tate. She glanced at me for a moment before she helped me to the couch and ran out of the room.


    "I''m so glad you''re okay!" Tate said. She tried to flutter around me, and I swatted her hands mercilessly away. The vision had to be wrong, but it couldn''t be ignored. Mordecai wasn''t going to let me die before the zombie invasion. But what else could that be but a vision of a possible future? This woman would do what she could to get me out of her way to score my father. I needed to get rid of her first.


    Mrs Mina came back with flushed cheeks. "Thank you," I said, standing up to test my legs. They were more steady this time, and I exited the room, heading to my bedroom.


    Tate tried to follow, but my quick hands slammed the door. She knocked on the door, calling my name, but I ignored it.


    I dialed the number I had memorized but had yet to use.


    My father picked up on the second ring. "Savage speaking."


    "Daddy," I said with my most pitiful expression, twisting my voice to match.


    "Dolyn?" My father''s formal voice switched to one of concern. "Is everything alright?"


    "Miss Tate is going to kill me to marry you," I said, wasting no breath on snitching. "I had a vision that she was convicted of my death. You have to fire her!"


    There was silence and then not the reassuring words I wanted from him. "Has she attempted to hurt you already?"


    That was a strange question, but I suppose it was justified. I looked at the arm she grabbed and noticed a bruise was beginning to form. "She grabbed me really hard, and my arm was bruised."


    "I''ll take care of it. Tomorrow, you''ll have a new nanny." He said. "Stay in your room until Mrs. Mina gets you."


    He hung up the phone, and I blinked. Wait a minute. How did he know I was in my room? I looked at the ceiling to spot hidden cameras but found nothing of the sort.


    How suspicious. Did my father know everything before I called him? If so, could this have been a test? Did that mean that prior, I failed it and died because I didn''t get rid of Miss Tate before she could end me?


    I never heard from Tate after that. She was gone. In her place the next day was Cody, the new nanny. He was a bit on the chubbier side but a jolly man who seemed genuinely happy to be there.


    I let down my guard which was a mistake. When he gave me a head pat, I was sucked into a vision almost the same as the one previously.


    Only this time, it turns out Cody wanted to hurt me to hurt my father.


    I went through four more nannies before telling my father I wanted to attend private school.


    We were eating dinner, and for the first time in this life, I found it impossible to find food enjoyable.


    "Are you sure about this?" My father said casually as he drank water from his glass.


    "This was all a lesson, wasn''t it," I said as I glared at him. I moved my food around on the plate. "A reminder that because of who I am, I''m a target."


    "Yes." My heartless father said. "There are always those that wish to knock us down and take what we have. You must be ready to strike first and be wary of anyone that knows who you are."


    I knew he was right. Damn did it suck. I miss Mary.


    "Who is Mary?" My father asked, and too tired to care, I ignored him. It had been a while since I muttered my thoughts out loud, which gave me pause. But not for long. I honestly did miss Mary. She was the only womanly figure I had that gave me unconditional love. I knew her affection had no strings; it was pure love, and I''d likely never experience that again.


    "You''ll need etiquette classes, and you can pick your own music or other extracurricular activities. You can start Monday."


    "You already knew this would happen?" I said.


    "You lasted longer than I expected, and the information pamphlet on the girls'' school has come through." He said.


    "I don''t want to be Dolyn Savage," I said cruelly. I didn''t want to be at the top of the podium with someone waiting to knock me over. "Can''t I just have a bunch of tutors instead of nannies?" What if the private school was worse than this?


    My father blinked as if he hadn''t expected this turn of events. I was lucky he was willing to talk to me, a young child, about these things.


    "That could be arranged. Are you sure about this? You''ll miss out on being around children like you."


    "Father, there aren''t any children like me," I said with a sour expression.


    He couldn''t refute that, so I watched him mull it over briefly. "I''ll set it up for you." He said finally.


    This went far more peacefully. My work was divided during the week by different tutors who came to teach me. Math, science, reading, writing, history, and more.


    Unlike the nannies, my father made me wear the face alternating mask. The tutors were paid well, but the nannies were tests.


    I asked him about this, and his response was rather funny.


    "Dolyn, the world doesn''t know what you look like, and we''re going to keep it that way until it remains impossible to do so."


    I didn''t need to ask him why now. After the half dozen greedy, horrible people who wanted to use me to get to my father, I understood his precautions.


    "But then why didn''t it matter when I walked in on your meeting?" I said. I was still curious about that.


    "Those people are my most trusted and, like me, have children they want to protect." He said, then he changed the conversation at dinner to find out how my math test had gone.


    It made sense, but it didn''t make sense. The only real conclusion to draw at the end of the day was that my father screened everyone, and those who would betray him didn''t matter in the long run. Those with something to lose could be trusted¡­


    I spent four years in this manner of training. It went by like a blur. My already smart brain grew smarter. Despite Mordecai''s time restriction, I developed the world in my locket. I steadily increased my storage of food and supplies.


    Everything was going great, but my father didn''t think so.


    "Dolyn." He said over breakfast. I knew it was serious because he was looking at me with concern.


    "Yes, father?" I said, not looking up from my play-feeding of Mr. Brutus.


    "What are you doing?" He said.


    I looked at him; it was obvious what I was doing. "I''m feeding Mr. Brutus," I said.


    He said nothing, and I thought he had dropped it. But when he came home for dinner, he had an announcement.


    "I''ve scheduled a party, and you''ll attend."


    "What happened to keeping me a secret?" I said, around a mouthful of food.


    "You need to be around kids your own age." He said firmly.


    Wait, was this about how I play with Mr. Brutus?


    Unfortunately, I couldn''t stop him. At a rapid speed my father arranged a yacht party. I say yacht, but only the adults were on the boat. The half a dozen kids were stranded on the island the adults chose to dock at.


    I looked at the alcoholic parents entirely leaving their kids to the nannies, maids, and bodyguards. What lushes. Was my father going to get snagged by another hussy?


    It was worth a trip outside. This was the first time I''d been out around wildlife. All of the plants at home were plastic and nonliving. I breathed in the salty air and exhaled peacefully. This wasn''t too bad as long as I avoided the other kids.


    I grabbed a washed-up stick, and my fingers trembled as I wrapped them around it. There was life in this stick. I could feel it flickering, and with a mere thought, I shoved energy into it and watched, fascinated, as buds grew. My connection to plants wasn''t this firm in the locket world, but outside of it, I felt like¡­Wendy.


    "You''re Dolyn, right?" A girl''s voice drew my attention to her, and I turned to see an adorable girl. She had strawberry blond hair tied into two pigtails with a bow. Her yellow rose dress matched the bow.


    "I am," I said, looking away from her bright gray eyes. My father wasn''t allowing me to carry Mr. Brutus with me. He thought I had left him at the house, but I ignored my father and snuck it into my space. This was the first social interaction I had had as Dolyn with a kid my age. Worse, this was the first interaction I had without the comforting fur of Mr. Brutus in my arms. This was hard to handle. I turned to stick my budded staff into the sand to dig around. Could I plant this into a tree? Why not try. It was better than talking to this chick.


    "My father and your father are close friends." She said with pride. "Your father needs mine to make his company run."


    My lips twitched into a smile. Her words sounded like a puppet''s. I wonder how often she''d heard her father brag about this. I ignored her and continued to dig in the sand.


    "That makes me the boss of you like my father is to your father!" The little lady said. "You can live so well because of my family." Her nose almost scooped up air because it grew so big and high.


    I snorted, thoroughly enjoying her vanity. With the backing of a wealthy father it made sense to throw your weight around. I thoroughly enjoyed it within reason, but lording it over someone like this was plain childish.


    "Thank you," I said before standing to beam at her.


    She seemed taken aback for a moment but recovered smugly. "You''re welcome."


    "Yes, I have you, a random nobody whose name I don''t know to thank for what I''m about to do next."


    She blinked, and I watched as her smile froze in a brief moment of uncertainty. Before she could run I wiped my sandy nasty hands all over her bright expensive dress.

 Chapter Four

    She was not amused.


    I was having a grand time laughing as I watched her shreking back race to go tattle. Her maids went with her to no doubt help undo the damage and collerbate on her tale.


    I watched her go with a smirk. The next time my father tried to tell me I needed to be around peers like me, I¡¯d start to act like that little shit right there.


    I didn¡¯t care that our little interaction had garnered the focus of the other kids. I¡¯d been unapproachable until the rather ballsy lady came up to me.


    ¡°Victoria isn¡¯t going to forget you did that.¡± A mousy voice spoke up and I turned around to see the other kids were watching. Some were seated at the tables enjoying the treats and a few others like me had their hands in the sand.


    ¡°It''s well deserved considering how much of a chore it is to listen to her prattle about her father.¡± A snooty girl said with a gleam in her eye. ¡°I really enjoyed how you used her dress as a hand towel.¡± This girl¡¯s voice was accented and it was nice to listen to. How old was she? She looked to be my age but was far more mature than me! Her purple dress was impeccable as she sat at the table. Her long black glossy hair swayed in the slight breeze. ¡°I¡¯m Clara Dupont.¡± She said, ¡°Of Dupont Investments.¡± She started pointing at all the other kids and I immediately forgot their names. None of them were memorable and I wasn¡¯t going to see them again.


    Clara on the other hand was undeniably the true leader of this group. The girls listened and the boys acquiesced to her.


    I opened my mouth to be rude again but was cut off by the arrival of a boy.


    I was ready to make no note on him or what he was about but then he opened his mouth and spoke.


    My heart froze at the sound of it and I nearly fainted.


    ¡°Sorry I¡¯m late, we flew in and still didn¡¯t make it on time.¡± The boy said with a sheepish smile. The other kids greeted him as a friend so obviously they knew him already. He turned to me and held out a hand. ¡°I¡¯m Graham Patterson.¡±


    His words were only special in that he didn¡¯t bring up his rich parents that made him special or powerful as every other kid had.


    What made him truly unique from the rest was his voice. It was a voice I never thought I would hear again. Before I could stop myself I attempted to flee into my locket. I had already used up my allotted daily time though and grew teary at the fact that I couldn¡¯t run.


    ¡°Hey are you okay?¡± That boy with the most perfect voice said as he stepped closer to me. ¡°You don¡¯t look so good.¡±


    I opened my mouth and found it dry and unable to produce any noise. Yet one name wanted to rip itself into existence from my mouth.


    Adam. That¡¯s Adam¡¯s voice. The name I couldn¡¯t fathom thinking of broke through in my thoughts and that shield that I had crafted in front of my heart for almost a decade disintegrated to assault me with memories.


    I¡¯d like to say that I handled the desire to flee with dignity befitting my status but I can¡¯t. I hiked up my dress and ran for all I was worth as something resembling a seagull''s squall ripped from my throat. I had no clear direction just anywhere but there would suffice. Tears blurred my eyes and the sand limited my speed but I gave it all I had to get as far from him as possible.


    He looked nothing like Adam but he had the same voice as him when we were kids. A sob broke free of my lips as I tried to numb the pain that swept through me. Adam. I ran for the trees with glee. These were the first real live plants outside of my locket that I had come across. Energy, thoughts and more came off them and into me.


    I still had plant manipulation. If this had been any other moment I might have over indulged that discovery until I ran out of ways to dissect it. Right now I needed that power though to hide me from the world. I embraced that primal energy as it rolled off the trees and dived into their warm embrace.


    It was Graham who found me of all people. I could hear everyone shouting on the beach but I hid up in the tree unwilling to come down. I was a bit rusty clearly because no one was supposed to be able to find me.


    I glared at the boy as he climbed up the tree to reach me.


    ¡°You¡¯re just going to fall and break your neck.¡± I said scornfully, tucking my face into Mr. Brutus who I snuck out of my space.


    ¡°What about you?¡± He said and his voice tugged at my heart strings.


    Fresh tears welled up and I blinked them away furiously, ¡°What¡¯s it to you? I¡¯d be fine but you wouldn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a girl! I have to help you.¡± He said, sounding rather chivalrously, if not completely foolish.


    To my dismay he finally joined me and parked his butt next to me on the big branch.


    I attempted to scoot further away but soon ran out of room.


    ¡°Everyone''s looking for you, you know.¡± He said.


    I turned to look at him. He was just a foot away now and it was startling how the differences between him and Adam were smacking me in the face. He had platinum blonde hair that contrasted against his light brown skin. My brain hesitated to fill in how Adam looked and yet I couldn¡¯t look away.


    ¡°Your eyes.¡± I said dazed at the red pink hues to them.


    ¡°Oh shoot.¡± He said, covering them with an embarrassed face. ¡°Did my contacts fall out while I ran after you?¡± He blinked and when he met my eyes again they were brown instead.


    ¡°I¡¯ll put in my spare pair later.¡± He said with a small smile.


    ¡°They''re not in now?¡± I said rudely, reaching over to grab his face to peer closer. How did his eyes go from red to brown? My fingers cupped his cheeks as I inspected his eyes. He really is a handsome kid. The trust in his gaze spoke volumes as he looked up at me without his guard up.


    I dropped my fingers as if they touched a hot skillet. Graham remained unperturbed by my actions yet shame filled me.


    ¡°My eyes with my hair make me look a little strange so I wear contacts to make them brown.¡± He said and only with these words did a hint of emotion flash in his eyes.


    ¡°I saw red eyes before they became brown.¡± I blurted, pulling away to mull. Could this be my powers of sight growing?


    ¡°Is that why you ran from me?¡± He said and I watched guilty as his expression became crestfallen.


    ¡°No.¡± I said putting my hands up in defense right away. ¡°Your voice¡­¡±


    ¡°My voice?¡± There was doubt laced in his words.


    ¡°It reminds me of someone I lost.¡± I said unable to look him in the eye. ¡°I¡¯ll never see him again and hearing it¡­I just wanted to run away.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Graham said.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be.¡± I said with a bit more bite then needed. Afterall I was the ass, not him. There was an awkward lull of silence between us, broken up only by the people shouting my name below.


    ¡°Red is pretty.¡± I said with a small smile. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t hide your eyes. It''s my favorite color.¡±


    I watched with amusement as his face heated up. I think he mumbled a thanks but I couldn¡¯t quite make out the words. There was a lull between us but this time it wasn¡¯t uncomfortable. As long as he didn¡¯t say anything I could find myself relaxing in his presence.


    I still hadn¡¯t processed the fact that Adam¡¯s name was rattling in my head. I spent almost a decade doing what I could to forget he existed. His name was banned from existence and yet this strange coincidence opened the floodgates.


    Wait coincidence? What if it wasn¡¯t? I turned my head to narrow my gaze with speculation at Graham. It was a little too convenient that he had Adam¡¯s voice. Mordecai said my job in this world was to heal and have fun. Was this his idea?


    Graham felt my strange gaze and turned his head to look at me with a puzzled expression. He¡¯s incredibly handsome. I thought inappropriately but I wasn¡¯t going to be tempted. Whatever Mordecai had planned was going to fail.


    ¡°Dolyn?¡± Graham said but his voice sounded strangely hoarse. Was he trying to change his voice?


    A silly stupid part of me softened at that gesture of kindness. I had been nothing but horrific to this boy but he was generous.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll do my best to see you for you and not¡­the one I lost.¡± I said with a smile. I could think Adam¡¯s name but there was no way in hell I was going to ever say it again. For now I shouldn¡¯t punish this boy for something beyond his control. The Gods were clearly playing with the both of us.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± He said with a sheepish smile.


    Needless to say we couldn¡¯t hide in the tree forever. The search party had wandered off our scent and once I could no longer hear them I decided I was ready to get down.


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    I nimbly scurried down the tree savoring the bark on my fingers. The pulse of the tree was right there on my finger tips. I was too distracted before to really give it the time of day. For some reason Wendy¡¯s abilities were a strong part of me in this world. Could this be because Mordecai piggybacked off Gus¡¯ spell?


    I couldn¡¯t stop myself from sticking my ear against the bark to listen to the comforting thumping.


    ¡°Dolyn?¡± Graham¡¯s voice drew my attention and I looked up to see him peering down at my curiosily.


    I could feel my cheeks color as I stared back at him mutely.


    ¡°I can help you.¡± Graham said as he started to scramble down the tree.


    ¡°Dolyn.¡± An all too familiar timbre made me hiccup in surprise. I turned my head slowly to look behind me to see that my father was standing there.


    His hair was ruffled and his clothing looked out of shape. I could tell from a bead of sweat that he had joined the hunt in looking for me. The intense concern in his eyes burned into me and before I could stop myself I flung my body into his arms.


    His arms captured me and his familiar scent of safety enveloped me and stole the tension out of my shoulders. ¡°Daddy.¡±


    I didn¡¯t realize I had said that until the word was already past my lips.


    My father kept me in his arms as he walked Graham and I back to where everyone had gathered. I watched amused at the theartics as Victoria, who had stopped her bawling, but upon seeing me immediately started to skillfully cry.


    A man attempted to soothe her tears, her father I presumed, but all it did was make her cry harder.


    Victoria shot me a triumphant look between her fingers. I gave my own sly smile and opened my mouth, ¡°Is that man your father, the one you told me about Victoria? You know my dad¡¯s boss and the one that my dad needs in order to make his business run properly?¡±


    The silence was deafening.


    I watched with immense pleasure as Victoria¡¯s crafty eyes became blank. Her father stiffened and turned to mine with a horrified expression.


    I looked up at my own father to see what he thought about this but he was looking down at me with a masked expression. There was a glimmer of humor in his eyes but I watched him smooth it over when he faced the duo.


    ¡°Kids¡­you know these kinds of arguments happen.¡± Victoria¡¯s father stammered as he held his hands out in a gesture of peace.


    ¡°Dolyn.¡± My father said as he set me down on the sand.


    I gave him my full attention, ¡°Yes father?¡±


    ¡°Apologize.¡± His words were firm and emotionless.


    ¡°But I¡¯m not sorry.¡± I said with a similar tone. ¡°She started it by coming up to me and claiming that I had to follow her because of how her father was the boss of you.¡±


    The silence was just as damning but shorter this time.


    My father knelt down on his haunches until we were eye level. His voice was so soft it was barely above the crashing waves. ¡°Apologize. Both of you are in the wrong. You shouldn¡¯t have put your hands on her.¡±


    I could feel my cheeks puff as I could feel this command burning in my gut. I didn¡¯t want to apologize to that shitty girl. I turned on my heel and eyed Victoria.


    She jumped and took a defensive stance.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for using your dress as a hand towel.¡± I said monotonically. The words burned on their way out of my mouth. My eyes narrowed at the sheer injustice of having to apologize for my actions. Victoria deserved a good hand wiping.


    ¡°See kids will be kids. Now Victoria apologize to Dolyn.¡± Victoria¡¯s father, patroning tried to run the show.


    ¡°No.¡± The bratty girl said with an impatient stamp of her foot.


    I could see her father falter at this and he attempted to mimic the way my father got down eye to eye. Unfortunately for him his voice was too boisterous and we all heard him bribe her with some toy she wanted if she complied.


    ¡°Father, do you really need to work with that man?¡± I said my voice moderately loud. ¡°If he runs a company like he does his house he can¡¯t be very good at it.¡± I looked up to see my father fighting back a smile. I could tell we were on the same wavelength because he shushed me with a shake of his head. Adults like my father preferred to deal with these things like civilized members of society. As a child I had no such compunction to care for societal norms of carefully veiled words.


    ¡°How dare you!¡± Victoria shouted. My smirk at her outburst was wiped clean away when I saw her throw a flame ball at me. Yup, just casual as can be she shot fire at me. I reached for that ball of energy within me but I was in the sand and several feet away from any plant that could aid me. And even if I managed with this weakness, anything I pulled up would burn to a crisp!


    I could barely register a proper response because two things happened simultaneously. The first thing is my father had me in his arms and turned around while embracing me. He had his back to the attack. I managed to look over his shoulder in time to see a shiny figure jump in front of us. A pale red wall was erected. I gasped as the flames hit the wall with an audible smack before they dissipated. The heat of the blast set off a mini wave of energy that rocked everyone standing nearby.


    What the heck.


    Graham pulled up a barrier to protect my father and myself. His eyes were sparkling red as the energy disappeared from his fingertips. I quickly turned my attention to my father to catch his reaction to this.


    I could feel the rage rolling off my father as the temperature dropped around him. I looked up and I could see the fury in his eyes. He set me on the ground and without looking at Victoria, who had turned a pale white, or her father who already looked like a dead man walking, commanded the service workers to take all the kids, minus Victoria to the yacht.


    I pulled out Mr. Brutus as I joined the group of kids walking to the yacht. Me pulling out a stuffy was the least of everyone¡¯s concerns after what we just saw.


    I looked at the kids to get their reaction but most were relaxed as if this was a daily occurrence. Maybe they were like me. Created by their rich families to be ¡®specially gifted in powers.¡¯


    I sidled up to Graham who looked slightly pale from using his ability. ¡°Thank you for protecting my father and me.¡± I said with a more open smile. I was way too harsh on this guy and he¡¯d been nothing but kind. I¡¯m going to make it up to you. I swore mentally as our eyes met.


    ¡°I¡¯m just glad you¡¯re fine.¡± Graham said sheepishly as if to brush off what he did.


    ¡°So I¡¯m guessing more of us kids have powers.¡± I said as if to prompt some kind of diaglouge. They were so casual about it as we walked up the dock to the damn boat.


    ¡°It''s not a guess.¡± Graham said. ¡°We¡¯ve been training together for years.¡±


    ¡°There was a bet about you being gifted and it being part of why you ran off screaming when you saw Graham.¡± Clara, the obvious ringleader from before, spoke up as she joined our conversation.


    I made a sour expression at the word bet. Why was everyone so keen on betting and gambling?


    ¡°Your power is to portal things right?¡± Clara said with beaming eyes at Mr. Brutus.


    I suppose it was too much to assume no one had noticed the bear that came and went with my moods. ¡°Kinda.¡± I hedged with a slight smile. I have too many abilities right now it was hard to pin it on just one. Technically I was ¡®portaling¡¯ things to me but only because of my spacial ring that granted me my own dimension to put things in and out of. It wasn¡¯t an ability that was innately mine, just one that I lived vicariously off of.


    ¡°Are you going to be joining us when we train?¡± Graham said as he looked at me.


    I had no idea this group was even happening so I couldn¡¯t make any promises. It was clear to me that my father was part of some elite fuckery that intended on creating super powered children. Almost as if he and his cohorts knew that the end of the world was going to come and people would turn into powered freaks.


    If the world¡¯s elite had their heirs ready to fight, then they¡¯d have an advantage wouldn¡¯t they?


    I didn¡¯t have much time to dwell or consider that because when we came back from the ordeal I came down with a cold.


    I woke up the next day with a stuffy head, a sore throat and a foul mood. I attempted to slip into my locket world to feel better but laying in the fields did nothing to help. I also had to leave it because the timer didn¡¯t care that I was sick.


    I stared at my blank ceiling as my head screamed at me. I was too dizzy to stand and too irritated to sleep. It was a no win situation. Mr. Brutus had failed in his duty of comfort and tried as I might I couldn¡¯t calm down.


    There was a strange desire to run which was contrary to my just as strong a need to lay down. Leave it to my body and mind to be at war and complete opposites at a time such as this.


    I suppose time passed in this fashion until I was no longer able to take it anymore. I staggered out of the bed and toward the bathroom to splash some cold water in my face. Instead as I entered the bathroom I slipped into a strange vision.


    A young Adam was in front of me. Luckily it was the back of him because I don¡¯t think my heart could have handled seeing his face at that moment. There was also a younger version of myself laying on the asphalt.


    Instantly I recognized this moment for what it was. This was the first time I ever met Adam. His car ran me over because I was in the middle of the road picking on a worm. The spilled juice of the strawberries made the aftermath look far worse than it actually was.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t supposed to be like this. You said¡­¡± Adam¡¯s words were spilling out of his lips and were laced with the manic pain of Rex. My past body was still and looking rather dead while Adam was crouched near me with shaking shoulders. I guess I sort of took it for granted that what happened was meant to be. It never crossed my mind how he felt searching for me another time around only to have it end up like this. This and many other reasons are why I forgave him though. I can¡¯t fully comprehend what he went through when his whole life was splashed on paper and controlled by Gavin.


    To my horror my limp body was starting to disappear before my eyes. That wasn¡¯t supposed to happen. I was able to come right back after I cleaned out the Acquisition room.


    A strange whooshing sound set off a gust of wind from Adam¡¯s hands. It wasn¡¯t wind but it was clear and almost invisible to the naked eye. It spread out from his tight fists and like leeches grabbed onto me. What felt like an eternity was mere moments as the younger me opened her eyes. It was eerily and downright strange to watch life come back to me. My cheeks grew in color and my eyes became a blazing green as I inhaled my first breath.


    I had to look away and ignored the younger me who had almost died and focused solely on Adam. All of the strain, exhaustion and madness was wiped clean from his face as if it had never existed. He greeted me smoothly as in my memory and played the part of a passerby who had no idea who I was.


    I wanted to touch him and prove that this was a memory. Why would a vision from a past life come to haunt me now?


    Words spilled from my lips in a cacophony of several languages. I could feel some part of my soul warm and heat as each one tumbled from my lips. In my feverish delirium I was weaving together a spell to find a lost love.


    I should stop it. I knew better. I should know better that what was done was done. Adam and I could never be reunited. My familial magic wiped all traces of me and reset the world. He would never know a world that included me¡­


    And yet instead of slowing down the speed at which the words broke loose sped up. Waves of hope, love, energy and pain rose with no sign of crashing. Clearly my family¡¯s magic had failed before. I should have already been erased from him yet memory had been restored based on that memory he kept me from slipping away forever. Nothing was impossible when your ancestor was the Goddess of Destiny.


    I wanted with every fiber in my being to find him and for some reason every inch of my soul was screaming that this was the moment to do so.


    I shut my eyes as the room began to spin and the next moment I opened them I was in an entirely new room.


    I¡¯d clearly gotten far too used to the high class duds of my father¡¯s because the sight that greeted me stole the color from my cheeks.


    I wasn¡¯t sure if what I was in was a room or the entire floor plan of some kind of home. Furniture, boxes and trash were packed so tightly it was difficult to discern.


    A boy was in the middle of whatever this place was looking over everything. The back of his head was to me and for one heartbreaking moment I thought it was Adam. Their heads overlapped and I hiccuped hard.


    This couldn¡¯t be real. How could it be real? I couldn¡¯t imagine Adam in a place like this. The air around me began to shimmer and I looked down to see my body start to disappear. As if finally noticing me the boy in front of me stiffened. He started to turn his head and I fell backwards as a pair of shining light eyes blinded me.


    I woke up some time later in my bed. My fever had broken some time ago and yet I still feel dizzy. I tried repeating the words I said before but nothing happened. It was just a dream right? There was no way that that boy was Adam¡­I repeated it over and over again in my head until I buried the memory even deeper than the memory of what Adam looked like.

 Chapter Five

    "You have the grace of a lady but the tongue of a sailor!" My etiquette teacher shrieked at me.


    Unlike the cool kids, I was stuck with normal teachers. My father cleaned up Victoria and her father. I never saw them again after that. I have seen the rich kid crew every other weekend since, but I was left out of their extra classes. This had gone on for the past few months.


    My father took a more hands-on approach when it came to fine-tuning my powers, so the play dates with the other kids were only that, play.


    It was cruel, but I never learned the other kids'' names. I didn''t remember their abilities either. The only two I made a note of were Graham and Clara. Graham''s power was more than just the shield that he pulled up. His power was aura manipulation. He could solidify that energy into shields and was working on creating constructs with it.


    Clara is super strong. She''s like the human version of what an ant can lift.


    As far as the two knew, I could summon things to myself. For the first time ever I had peers my age with abilities.


    It was kinda fun.


    I was drawn out of my musings by my etiquette teacher Sasha. She slammed her tea cup on her saucer.


    I could feel my lips twitch as I watched her break one of the first rules she taught me. I gracefully set down my cup and smiled serenely at her, "But I can pass as a lady. At the end of the day, isn''t that the goal?" I said.


    "The bare minimum!" She said with an ear-piercing shriek. "If you want to pass in higher society you must learn how to tastefully ask questions."


    "I don''t want to," I said. My smile slipped off my face to show an empty mask. "I have no interest in partying and being social."


    Sasha sighed, and I could see the frustration boiling over turn to vapors before my eyes. "Dolyn, I''ve known you for four years. I thought your ideals were childish fantasies. You can''t live your life coasting by avoiding connections with people."


    I blinked as I fought the crack in my mask that threatened to shatter my facade. I knew what cocky words I could toss out at her. I couldn''t do it, however. There was genuine care in her eyes. She really wanted me to connect with others.


    "My father is enough," I said as my eyes darted to my lap.


    "He''s not going to live forever."


    I had nothing to retort with and our session ended awkwardly after that.


    I wasn''t completely blind. I always had a touch of cruel indifference to people. I cared, but most of the time, it was surface-level. Was I just plain selfish? I never really had the chance to connect as Gwendolyn Girru. That was my truest self, and it was forever isolated.


    When I became Wendy everything changed, and I could open my heart fully. I was here now as Dolyn Savage and wanted no part in making connections. I wasn''t here because I wanted to be. I was here just long enough to leave.


    I''ve loved deeply and truly but lost everything in the process. Opening myself to new people was just opening the doors to future pain. What was the point when I would clock out the moment the original timeline in this world started?


    The most recent example was the group of super kids. I learned the names of those that made the most impression on me, but that was it. I didn''t delve deeper into anything about them. There were other more painful examples that I had to nip in the bud before they could fully form.


    Instead, I needed to focus on what I would do with this information. What would happen if I did connect with others again and gained friends? It was hard to face these inner feelings, so I did what I did best. I ran.


    Not away or into my space to toil in the soil and forgo my woes. No, I ran to a place I had avoided for almost a decade, my hideaway home. It started off as a box full of everything a girl could want wardrobe-wise. It was a gift from my insane ancestor, however, so before my eyes, it became a pocket dimension walk-in closet that extended to fit everything I could ever need. Hence, it was my hideaway home. I had my own kitchen, bathroom, library, and indoor conservatory.


    As far as I knew, Mordecai hadn''t placed any restrictions on it, and he likely wouldn''t if I didn''t stay in here for forever and a day.


    I needed to enter this space, though. It looked and smelled like the last time I had visited it. I walked through it remembering the days I''d been trapped in this place, unable to leave because of¡­Rex.


    I entered my library and walked directly to the fireplace. I had no idea how ventilation works, but I''d been able to cook food before with no hint of fire. That was a moot point because I wouldn''t turn on the flames this time. Instead, I knelt to feel around the cool bricks for the secretive loose ones.


    Muscle memory took over as I was able to push the false bricks aside to pull out a giant hope chest.


    Emotions and memories clouded my sight as I scooted back to flip open the box. Everything in this was all I had left of Adam, aka Rex. The first three things were the pillow I had stolen from his bed, the suit I sobbed on and took, and the engagement ring. During the strange, endless days I spent at the Evans family home, I''d been able to grab other things he had left around my home.


    That included pictures of us. I pretended they hadn''t existed before, but here they were. Proof that what we had existed, albeit brief in the grand scheme of things.


    Hot tears streamed down my cheeks as I looked at Adam''s handsome face. He was so perfectly handsome, and next to him, I looked like a lovestruck jester. I dropped the album like a hot potato and grabbed his pillow to cushion the repeated blows.


    My heart panged painfully, and I gasped for air as I collapsed on the wood floor.


    Mordecai may have been right. I hadn''t healed. All I did was go from one extreme to another. First, I was manic and impulsive and then cold and forgetful of the past. If I was ever going to move on to a healthier mindset, I needed to change things.


    I put everything but the engagement ring back into the box. I then shoved the box back into its spot and moved the false bricks back in place.


    The gleaming ring wouldn''t fit my finger. I was still a child, but I didn''t want to put it back in for some reason. It was the most solid proof that everything Adam and I felt for each other was real. By now, he wouldn''t even remember me. He''s bound to be living happily with his true love, Evie. These thoughts brought pain, but I ruthlessly plunged ahead, confronting things I tried to avoid. Adam had loved me as I love him. That was equally as true as all memories of my existence being wiped away so he could live his correct life.


    My heart still beat with bitter regret as I left the hideaway home and returned to my cushy bed.


    Only I didn''t find myself alone when I came out. Mordecai was waiting.


    I pretended I didn''t see the six-foot lanky man my ancestor seemed the most fond of form-wise. I turned on my heels and made a beeline to leave my bedroom.


    "Gwendolyn Girru." His voice stopped my feet, and I pivoted to meet his gaze as if spellbound.


    "Are you going to punish me?" I blurted before I could change my words. I knew better by now than to say that. Giving him any ideas he would grow fond of was foolish, which would only spell disaster for me.


    "No." He said.


    I blinked and took a look at his expression with open curiosity. Mordecai looked haggard and worn out. How strange for my ancestor to be the one looking like a mess. "Then why are you here?" I said with my signature straightforwardness.


    "Can''t I see my descendant with no ulterior motives?" He said with a quirk of his lips. It was a ghost of a smile, and I made a face at the failed attempt at levity.


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    "Mordecai, what''s wrong?" I said as I took a step closer.


    "I see you decided to tackle the past," Mordecai said as an all too familiar coin appeared out of thin air. It rolled across his knuckles, but unlike every other time, he didn''t toss it into the air. He kept a continuous line of moving the coin from one hand to the other.


    "I decided to use this world the way you said I should. I need to heal." I said, but I had no bravado or energy in my voice. I felt as downtrodden as my usually energized ancestor was.


    "So you''re going to move on and find new love?" Mordecai said. His eyes, expression, and even voice showed a lack of emotion. It was the strangest I''d ever seen from him, and I thought that by now, I''d seen most sides of this deity.


    I felt no pain or strange emotion at his words, and I didn''t have to think twice about my answer. I shook my head and said, "I''m never going to fall in love again."


    "You really think that?" He said as his dark eyes burned into me.


    "I know so." I looked away, unable to maintain eye contact. There was no way I could ever love someone after Adam. How could I even attempt such a thing? I don''t want to live in this world without friends, though, and I certainly didn''t want to become bitter and isolated from meaningful relationships. I would forge different connections while mourning the loss of Adam for the rest of my life.


    The silence was deafening, and I could feel Mordecai staring into me without looking. Without warning, my hand was grabbed, and I jumped, startled by the warmth of his palms.


    "As always, I look forward to seeing your results, moldy bedbug," Mordecai said as his squeezing hands enclosed mine. "I''m feeling generous, so I''ll make your last memento of your only love unique."


    I gasped, but he was gone before I could shower him with questions. I looked at the ring and poked it. It didn''t look or feel differently. Impulsively, I sniffed it and found it smelled the same. With a twist of my lips, I slipped it on my finger, wondering if that would activate it, and gasped as I felt a sharp pinching pain in my chest.


    This felt like when my spacial ring connected to my soul. A tear slipped down my cheek, and I impatiently wiped it away as I watched the ring shrink to fit my current size. Now, no matter what, I would have this ring with me. It was next to my spatial ring, and seeing them together brought a sour yet sweet emotion to my heart.


    Oh, but that wasn''t all. I found that out when I tried to poke it to see if anything else would happen with it now on my finger. Mordecai had linked my hideaway home to the rose ring. From now on, I won''t have to rely on the bulky gift box being left out when I entered it.


    Wanting to build connections was more complicated than simply thinking: I want to go build connections with people.


    The powered kids like Graham and Clara would be the obvious place to start. Graham was one to avoid for obvious reasons. Clara was a possibility, but getting in touch with her would be tricky. Only I wasn''t able to get in touch with them so quickly. I didn''t have their numbers down at all. They called me when they wanted to hang out, or my father would tell me when there were plans.


    I was incredibly inactive regarding these budding friendships, so I wondered why they even bothered.


    So, I was left with one choice. Asking my father when I saw him next. It could be dinner or breakfast. His typical schedule was still intact; he was absent more from dinner than ever before.


    So it was with disappointment that I left the dinner table. The food was tasty, but eating it yourself was less fun.


    "Miss Dolyn, you barely ate!" Mrs. Mina''s voice held a trace of horror that made me blush.


    "I''m not that hungry," I said without glancing at the full table of entrees and sides.


    Within a heartbeat, the back of her hand was placed against my forehead. "You don''t have a fever¡­Are you feeling nauseous, perhaps?" She said.


    I could feel my cheeks grow hot. I''m not that much of a pig! I thought, but instead, I shook my head and racked myself for a good excuse. Fortunately, my quick mind found one quickly. "I''m going to go downstairs and go swimming."


    Mrs. Mina''s fierce eyes scanned me for any trace of a lie.


    I did my best to give my most innocent expression, and as expected, I didn''t fool her. Luckily, Mrs. Mina didn''t press me and stepped back so I could escape.


    The private pool has been my sanctuary since we moved into this lovely place. Only it was private no longer. I squinted at the handful of kids from the powered crew, including Graham and Clara.


    This was too much to be a coincidence. Before anyone could see me, I slipped out the door.


    I returned to the pool door and let my fingers grace the handle. If I go in, there might be no going back. I was opening the door to possible pain in the future.


    I closed my eyes and drew upon the memories of those I loved and lost. Knowing them was worth the pain. Even if my family''s spell undid everything and they would never know me or were created by said magic, it was worth the tears.


    I rocked on my heels as pain intertwined with a strange, warm feeling in my chest. I can do this.


    And somehow, I did.


    Only to find out that they had taken off. I made a sour expression at the empty pool room. Either they were in the changing rooms hanging out, or they''d use the backdoor to use the elevator.


    "Dolyn?" A voice drew my attention to a girl I recognized but didn''t know her name due to my lackluster attitude. She was smothered up in a towel that made her look like a sandwich wrap. She was definitely one of the powered girls, but which one?


    "Hey, you," I said awkwardly, waving my hand. Damn, I feel rather crummy now.


    "Are you looking for Clara?" The girl''s voice was slightly familiar, and I took another look at her. Her big brown eyes stood out against her porcelain-colored skin. Mousy girl? She was the one who warned me about Victoria, but for the life of me, I couldn''t recall her name.


    "I came to swim. Why was everyone here?" I said. Now would not be the time to ask her for her name.


    "We all live here now." The girl said with a slight smile. "We were going to show you this weekend."


    Wait, were the empty condominiums now filled with the super kids? How strange it was that my father planned this.


    "Dolyn?" A voice that made my heart painfully pound joined the conversation, and I turned to see Graham.


    His shaggy curly hair was dripping wet, but he had changed into a dark blue polo shirt and khaki shorts. It looked like he rushed out here.


    I gave a little wave, unable to speak due to the tightness in my throat. His voice was starting to crack, and it sounded like Adam''s still. How could I act normal around this kid?


    "I''m going to go get dressed." The mousy girl said.


    "See you later, Regina!" Graham said cheerfully, waving at the retreating girl.


    Regina. That was her name. I mentally repeated it a few more times to make sure I made note of that. The effort must have been too much for my body because my stomach grumbled as if protesting the effort.


    "Are you hungry?" Graham said, stepping closer to peer into my eyes. I looked up, and our eyes connected. He wasn''t wearing his brown contacts anymore.


    "Your eyes," I said, stopping my hand from reaching up to poke him.


    "I took your advice and stopped wearing contacts," Graham said sheepishly as he tucked a strand of wet hair behind his ear.


    I smiled, admiring the deep red color. His eyes were beautiful.


    "Let''s get some food!" Graham said, and before I could stop him, he grabbed my hand and led me out of the pool room.


    We took the elevator, and I watched curiously as he pressed the fortieth floor. Each condominium was spacious enough to take up about five to ten floors. For some reason, they were labeled to reflect that. Maybe it was a way to show off how wealthy each owner was that they could own more space. That was why the buttons were strange and went from the lobby, the first floor, to the fifth floor in that order. My home with my father was the penthouse, and I had to scan my card for that one to go up to the top floor.


    I looked at Graham, and he looked back at me with an open smile. Why was this kid so lovely to me?


    "Graham, can you see Auras?" I said as the silent elevator started to travel up.


    "Does that worry you that I see yours?" Graham asked with wide blinking eyes.


    "No." Which was true. It could be as telling as reading someone''s mind. Neither really bothered me because my mind was as empty as my emotional depths. "What does mine look like?"


    "Your aura¡­" Graham''s voice trailed off as he stared at me. I could feel the tension grow as the silence lingered. "It''s unique and different from any other I''ve ever witnessed."


    This boy was going to be a player. I thought while trying to nuke my giggle. He said what most girls would want to hear but not what I wanted to hear. "What color is it?" Auras were colorful, right? I wanted to know what color mine was most of the time.


    "It''s like the sunset. Red, gold, and pink with hints of orange. It''s so bright I can''t see others sometimes."


    I hiccuped in surprise. That sounded like the energy I saw coming off Mordecai all those years ago. His power was a rainbow of colors burning into my eyes; I had also likened it to the sun.


    "Sometimes it darkens, and the light disappears like now," Graham said. "What are you thinking about?"


    "How blood plays a part in who we become," I said, looking away from his bright eyes. I really am a descendant of Mordecai, no matter what form I take. How strangely eerie but comforting this was to find out.


    "Your father''s aura is the opposite," Graham said. "His aura is purple and blue and sometimes has hints of red."


    "So, do auras change colors with moods?"


    "Most people, yes, but some people have their own identifying colors that are unique to them that can change shades or strength of color depending on moods."


    That sounds like such an awesome power. I thought. I''d seen Mordecai''s colors because he let me, but how neat would it be to look at other people''s colors? Where would I be now if I had picked that power when Augustus asked me all those years ago? I''d be able to honestly know how Adam felt and maybe¡­


    My throat tightened at the thought, and I massaged it desperately, trying to ease the pain.


    The elevator dinged, and I all but started for the opening. I need air! Graham''s grip on my hand stopped me, and I turned to look back at him.


    "Right now, your aura has lost its light," Graham said.


    Because I was thinking of Adam, undoubtedly. But I couldn''t speak and instead stared at Graham.


    "Is my voice that difficult to listen to? Or is my power scary to you?" Graham asked me. He clearly hadn''t forgotten our first meeting, and how could he? His voice from day one was balm and poison to my heart.


    "Your voice," I said and closed my eyes, unable to look him in the eye anymore.


    "You must have really loved him." Graham''s voice was nothing but sympathetic.


    I opened my eyes to look at my right hand, which he was still clasping tightly. My spacial ring twinkled at me as always, but now it was joined by my rose engagement ring from Adam.


    "I still can''t believe he''s gone forever." There was more I wanted to say, but my throat was once again an impossible hurdle.


    "I''ll help you heal. Due to my ability, I''m really good at that." Graham said with a proud smile. "Do you want to be friends with me, Dolyn?"


    Friends. For the first time in a long time, the thought didn''t bring on pain, and I found myself nodding.

 Chapter Six

    Just like that Graham opened the doors to a future with friends. After I ate with him, we hung out with the other kids.


    So I did it! I made friends. I connected with Graham, Clara, and Regina. I even learned the names of the other three superpowered kiddos. Alec, Saul and Byron. With everyone living in the same building it was a piece of cake. Of course, we all had ridiculously long work days, but after dinner, we went swimming or played.


    I soon learned from Clara that the women''s bathroom was way more than I could ever expect. I had never bothered with it before and would go home to pee and shower. The girl''s bathroom had a steam room, a dry sauna room, showers, and a spa area always stocked with supplies. It had everything from drinks, towels, brushes, shampoo, and anything a girl could need.


    I wasn''t too big of a fan of all the fancy stuff, but with Clara''s expert fingers, I soon learned that you could glow and feel good with a face mask and the right conditioner.


    Days passed, and it didn''t take long for us to grow bored with the pool and explore the rest of the communal floors. They were empty but richly decorated. The floor was lush, and everything shone with the vigor of riches and cleanliness.


    You could take the elevator, but stairs also connected them, funnily enough. We found out that the thirteenth floor had ten private movie rooms. Two were small and meant for less than ten people; four could hold up to sixty, and four were for four or fewer people. Each room had different kinds of seating. Lush, thick chairs could go back until they became a bed; some were outright beds in other auditoriums, and some chairs had tables instead of cupholders on the side.


    The movies that played could be streamed online or from a movie disc. They could play in crystal clear images and 3d to make you feel like it was real life. A snack bar on that floor and a huge movie theater popcorn maker were always packed with goodies. Like with the pool floor, there were bathrooms with flattering lighting.


    We only took some time to explore this floor before discovering that the fourteenth floor was the ultimate gaming center. By ultimate, I mean ultimate. We lost the boys that day because every gaming station known to mankind was there in brand new packaging and at least twelve options for them to pick. Like the movie theater floor, individual gaming rooms ranged from digital to card-based roleplaying. This floor also had a fully stocked snack bar and bathrooms. But there were also showers in this one and pillows and blankets set up as if expecting we might spend the night on this floor.


    We girls left the boys to play and went up a floor to see what the final communal floor might be. It was a library. Almost entirely one colossal library. My eyes became as big as stars as I stared at rows and rows of books almost to the ceiling. This was the best floor yet! How much time was wasted not knowing this was here! There were study tables, rooms, and even a little cafe with all the makings for whatever drink you could think of. There was even a cute little instruction book; I guess it was too much to have someone staff it for us to learn how to make drinks. Regina took to that immediately while I fondled every book I could find. Clara took to the fountain and the art supplies that were near it.


    This became the new norm of how we spent time. These four floors were packed with supplies, and we were unsupervised on them. That meant that no maids, bodyguards, or passersby watched us. This was the only space where we could truly be alone because, at any other time, someone was always staring at us on standby. Someone came in when we were done to clean it up, though, because it was always spotless, no matter how we left it the night before.


    We ruled over the communal space from the twelfth floor to the fifteenth. That is until Clara became bored.


    "Let''s go shopping," Clara said as she stared down at me.


    I was sitting in a comfy chair reading a fascinating book about grief and loss. None of the tips would help me, but it felt nice to think I could pass them on to another someday. This wasn''t the first time that Clara had interrupted me while I was reading. Luckily, she learned to speak and not try to rip the book from my claws to get my attention.


    "Ew," I said, scrunching up my nose. I''d never been a massive fan of shopping. Sure, I liked things, but I wasn''t into spending money.


    "No sitting in here cooped up is ew. Let''s go to the mall and blow off some steam." Clara said with a huff.


    "We have everything we need here. What more could we need?" I countered, genuinely confused. I had all the food I could ever want, all the books I could ever read, and all the fun I needed at that moment. Why go outside my hightower to walk in an overcrowded stinky mall?


    But Clara was prepared for this. This wasn''t her first time trying to convince me to leave my sanctuary and go out in the real world. I had spent years never leaving. I wasn''t going to change that for anything.


    I thought so until Clara slapped a pamphlet on the page I was attempting to read.


    Bright colors tantalized my eyes, and I all but drooled as, without thinking, I scanned the words.


    "It''s an extraordinary bakery, and these tarts are internationally popular. I reserved a table."


    Not just any tarts, lemon. My favorite. I made a face and lifted my eyes from the pamphlet to look at Clara. It shouldn''t surprise me that my favorite treat hadn''t escaped her gaze. But why was she going out of her way to get me out just to go shopping?


    "We''ll hit up some stores, swipe our cards, then enjoy tea and tarts."


    Before I could stop my mouth, I was already asking about when we were leaving.


    Luckily, it wasn''t right at that moment. The trip was planned for tomorrow. I had time to ask my father about it.


    Work had him almost out of the home 24/7, but when I saw him next, he looked mildly surprised and pleased that I was asking to leave.


    "You haven''t left on your own violation since we''ve moved in, have you?'' He said as he scanned me over breakfast.


    "''I haven''t really needed to," I said primly, scooping heaps of sugar into my tea.


    "It was a good idea to make sure those kids moved in. You can go, but you have to take a bodyguard." My father said, turning the page of his newspaper.


    If this had been before the killer nannies, I might have argued, but my tiny body was not fit for combat. I''d gladly accept the support.


    "You can use your allowance, but if that''s not enough here," My father handed me a cell phone, and I looked at it strangely as I took it. "I''ve been meaning to give this phone to you, and you''ll need it to talk to your friends." He showed me the app on the cell phone that served as a wallet, along with other features I''d never had a real chance to try. I squeezed him in thanks, and after he left, I fiddled with it before Clara came to get me, saving all the numbers I now needed.


    I assumed it would just be Clara, Regina, and me, but the boys also showed up at my door. I looked at their uneager expressions. Only Graham seemed genuinely happy to be there. We shuffled to the elevator as Clara handed us each a printed copy of the day''s itinerary.


    I scrunched my nose and tossed my front door a look of regret. It wasn''t too late to go back home, was it?


    It was because Clara had cleverly seen my thoughts of escape and handed me a menu from the famous tart place. My heart panged painfully sweet at the thought of finding tarts as delicious as the ones Adam procured me.


    Ha, fat chance, but a girl had to try.


    We exited the building, and I blinked as I looked at the outside world. It had been years since I stepped outside, and the sun, unfiltered by thick bulletproof glass, was blinding.


    A strange feeling grew in my chest as I looked at the bright blue sky and felt the crisp air. It was spring. How did I not know that it was spring? I had become so isolated from the outside world¡­should I feel regret or shame? I didn''t know what to think or feel. As was the chill that seeped into my bones and soul. I spent so many years in perfectly controlled temperatures that this weak body couldn''t handle the difference.


    We were shuffled into a huge, expensive car. I didn''t have time to take a decent look, so we went off. Clara, Graham, and I were the only ones who didn''t immediately pull out a phone or device and start fiddling with it. I pressed my face to the glass as I peered out the window. This world I''d been living in for years was unfamiliar. Sure, there were movies, books, and windows that I could catch a glimpse of, but this was my first decent look at it¡­and for the first time, I wanted more.


    Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    When we arrived at the mall, it was shockingly plush. I half expected it to look like any malls I''d seen on TV or in movies. It is big, open, and slightly dirty but overall decent-looking.


    Nope. This mall was airy, glamorous, and packed with expensive stores I''d never heard of. I looked and felt like the mountainside orphan for the first time in a long time as I took in fancy storefront after fancy store.


    I highly suspected Clara might have roped them in with some promise, but after visiting the first store, I could see she wanted them to carry her bags. With the price tags, I half expected it to be an empty fancy mall, but people were walking around and shopping casual as can be.


    "I don''t think I''ll ever get used to this," I said with a half sigh as Clara encouraged Regina to try on clothes. I managed to skip that by picking out some clothing. Regina hadn''t wanted to try on anything to buy, and Clara latched on to her reluctance to spend money with a vengeance.


    "It doesn''t hurt to," Graham said. He was the only boy that stuck with us. The rest had ditched us for the food court and arcade.


    "That''s what I''m worried about," I admitted before I could stop myself. This lifestyle was fun and carefree. Yeah, I had to do a lot of schoolwork and build on my powers under the guidance of my strict father, but it was fun. This was a world that was going to last only a short time. One day, it would be overrun with zombies, and I would have to leave it behind.


    "You worry too much," Graham said with a laugh.


    I made a face at him. "If it''s not broken, don''t break it."


    "Aren''t your worries breaking your mind, though?" Graham said. His words might be sharp in honesty, but he was looking at me curiously.


    I hiccuped and shut my mouth. Damn, being able to read someone''s aura really gave you the jump on them.


    "You see too much," I said, looking away with a pout. He reminded me of someone else I had purposefully forgotten. Wyatt, my cousin, always seemed to know what was going on but was never one to give me answers.


    Even in the end, he sided with Adam and left me out of the loop. It was less painful to think about him, but it bothered me nonetheless. I thought of him like a brother; he was the closest I''d gotten to in our messed-up family.


    "Who are you thinking of now?" Graham said, snapping me out of memory lane.


    I met his sparkling red eyes, marveling at how I couldn''t hide anything from those eyes. I still had a choice in what I wanted to reveal, so I merely smiled and said with a shrug. "It''s hard to explain." I all but ran over to help save Regina.


    I ended up purchasing far too much. To thank me for giving her grace from Clara''s machinations, Regina gifted me a pair of gloves. They were thick enough to grant warmth during the chilly spring days and big enough to slip on over my unmovable rings.


    Luckily, the stores would send over most of our things, or we''d never be able to walk out the door. I would have slipped everything into my space for us, but no one wouldn''t be seen as suspicious that our purchases had happened to disappear. This was the next best option.


    "Isn''t this fun!" Clara said with a skip in her typically elegant steps. The gleam in her eye was that of a satisfied cat.


    I was about to give her a firm no but spotted something that stopped me in my tracks. A bookstore!


    "That''s the next stop on our itinerary!" Clara said with a smirk at my awestruck expression.


    "This is so much fun!" I said with joy as I raced inside. No one else but Regina really thought so. She was fascinated by the cafe inside. I was overwhelmed with joy at all the books.


    I walked and walked, grabbing anything that looked interesting and stacking them in my bodyguard''s hands. For some reason, the bookstore didn''t have shopping carts. They had these tiny baskets, and I made sure to fill them as much as possible. It didn''t take long for me to be left alone as the other kids wandered off. I had everyone''s number, so I wasn''t too worried, and besides, this was more than worth it.


    There were also stationary, home office sets up, and decorative journals. When I was ready to purchase everything that made my little heartbeat, I was astounded by the ten-digit numbers on the cashier''s stand.


    I bit my lip and scanned the digital wallet like my father told me to. I know he was rich, but what if this was too much? Should I go and put things back?


    It worked! Everything would be delivered home.


    I looked at my phone with sweaty palms. Mordecai was right. Being rich is the best!


    I texted Clara that I was done, and she gave me their coordinates. I thought the tarts would be the highlight, but the bookstore was the best place. Next, however, was the tarts finally.


    Or so it should have been. I arrived with a hungry stomach at the store, only to find that it was closed.


    Clara was fuming with not-so-silent fury as a man tried consoling her.


    I couldn''t hear much of what was being said, but given his apologetic posture and the huge close sign on the door, there was only one conclusion to draw.


    "Is it closed?" I said, looking at everyone and hoping someone would say no, it was just delayed.


    "The baker was bought by some bigshot for the day," Alec said. I looked at him and saw that he seemed as disappointed as I felt.


    "They said they''ll refund the money at least," Regina said with a shaky smile.


    Clara was attempting to bulldoze the man into opening the doors, but nothing could be done without the baker.


    "We can go get tea somewhere else." Graham tried to intervene, but it didn''t go over well.


    Somehow Clara managed to get the bigshot who bought the baker for the day on the phone.


    I tried to open and read a book while it went on, I could just make some lemon tarts when we got back, but Clara was raging. None of the other kids seemed like they would step in. The bodyguards with us were just silent statues.


    "You''re just an impetuous kid!" Clara screamed into the phone, and I had to bite back a smile. Weren''t we all? I set my book aside and stepped forward to the plate. She was too stubborn to back down, but if we were going to get anywhere, a cool head and firm voice would be needed. It was the least I could do for her, giving me this wonderful experience outside my hightower.


    "Clara, let me," I said but didn''t give her a choice, so I took the phone from her.


    "And whom might you be?" The voice coming off the phone was indeed that of a kid. For some strange reason, the hair on the back of my neck rose, and I furrowed my brow. It wasn''t a familiar voice, so why were my senses going off? My heart began to pound, and a long-forgotten emotion started to bubble up in my chest. I popped it and wet my lips nervously.


    "I''m Lyn," I said, dodging the truth, but it wasn''t an outright lie. Lyn could be derived from Dolyn or even my true name, Gwendolyn. Dolyn was a name that the public knew belonged to the Savage family, and even with the copycats it was clear that we came from affluent families. Best to err on the side of caution. "And whom might I be speaking to?" I said, mimicking his overly polite speech.


    "The new owner of the cafe. We''re closed today, so it would be best if you and your friends leave. You''re not welcome here."


    I scrunched my face as I turned to glare openly at the cafe. How rude. "I thought the baker was only bought for the day."


    "Buying the bakery and keeping those like you and your friend out seems profitable." The boy said with a trace of humor in his voice.


    He was having fun at our expense. I could feel my right eye twitch as I fought to regain my composure. I''d been through worse things than I could get over a snotty rich kid withholding my lemon tarts from me. "Are you banning us from ever coming in?" Surely, that can''t be what he was implying.


    "Effective immediately." He said in a terse tone, still laughing at my expense.


    "You little shit!" I shouted, unable to stop myself from swearing. Sure Clara overreacted, but we were all hungry and tired. She made a reservation. This kid comes in and spends more money to just buy the place outright to keep us out of it. I hung up and angrily handed the phone to the shaking man who had to deal with all of this.


    "Let''s just go home. I''ll make lemon tarts and tea for us there." I said, grabbing Clara''s hand. Everyone was too hungry and tired to complain, or maybe they agreed to leave. Either way, it was time to go home and finally eat something. My nose was running, and I wiped it away impatiently. This poor delicate body was going to be the end of me.


    I wasn''t able to make anything for anyone because I wound up falling asleep in the car. When I woke up, I was in bed. Mrs. Mina was fussing over me with a cool towel.


    Luckily, youth was on my side, and I recovered within a few days. My father had come in to check on me, and even my friends popped by. My days of clear liquids were over, and finally, I found myself at the dinner table staring at my father. I had far too much time in bed to mull over what I wanted to do next. The path before me was clear!


    "Father, I want to start a business," I said, setting my fork down to read his reaction.


    He wiped his mouth with his napkin and set it down to look at me. His face gave away nothing, but I could hear the questions his gaze directed at me. My father was a businessman, so I didn''t show up empty-handed. If I would get capital from him, I would need a plan. Again, I was stuck in bed for days with nothing but the fever of revenge brewing in me.


    "It''s not complete, but this is what I have in mind," I said, passing him the file I had composed. I, of course, used some of my fantastic new stationery items.


    He accepted it wordlessly, and I watched as he skimmed it over. He was going to be surprised by the low cost, no doubt. I just needed enough capital to get off the ground. Thanks to my spacial ring and farming world, I could gather most of what I needed for free. I was going to need an adult to help with taxes and all the official paperwork I would need.


    "Does this concern the boy who bought the bakery?" My father said, looking up at me when he was done.


    I made a face. Of course, he knew about that. Well, it didn''t have to, but the little shit spurned me into action. "I''m already way above my peers when it comes to academics. I need something more challenging, or I''ll start taking college classes for a challenge in a couple of years."


    "College isn''t bad, but you''re too young for it." My father said that with him in charge of my tutors, he would not allow me to start college. I suppose it would be strange for a child to do it, but wouldn''t most parents push their kids to achieve that?


    Not mine; he was still hiding me from the world while polishing me into a power-welding gem.


    "So, can I work on this?" I asked with begging eyes. I need something to keep myself busy while I wait for the end of the world.


    "I''ll give you enough capital to get started, but you''ll owe it as a debt. You''ll have to sign a contract. I''ll lend you someone to help with the paperwork, but it''s on you, Dolyn."


    Harsh but more than fair, considering all the money he let me swipe recently.


    Of course, he didn''t immediately sign off on it. I had to meet with advisors and other financial gurus. The only upsetting part of this process was that he wanted me to go under a fake name. That''s right; my father created an entirely new identity for me to run this company, and of all the things he chose for my new alias, it was Lyn Tuffin.


    Mordecai got his way in the end¡­again.

 Chapter Seven

    Thus, my little ol'' company called Lemon Rose was born. I put my plant manipulation to good use to help craft some of the best perfumes, lotions, balms, and salves. It took a lot of time and effort to get it off the ground, and I wouldn''t be able to pay my father back for three years when I turned fifteen.


    A lot of other things happened in these seven years. I became really close to Clara, for starters. Regina does some work for Lemon Rose, and given her affinity for creating drinks, it was easy to get her started on tonics for the company. Graham was the only one of the boys that I really hung out with. His voice wasn''t easy to listen to but was less startling as time passed. This allowed me to realize as it deepened that his voice wasn''t precisely Adam''s. It was familiar, but I was able to differentiate between the two.


    I could finally take classes with the kids, but they weren''t ordinary. My father had created a far too realistic battle simulation on the fourteenth floor.


    We had missions and learned how to use our powers to help each other. This was when everyone realized that I could portal things, but my true power was premonitions. I was able to use my senses to dodge and save my butt, not always, but often enough, it was suspicious.


    I finally learned all about the other superpowered kids. Regina had the power of duplication. She could make copies of just about anything. Alec had the power of potential realization, potential replication, and limiter removal. Saul had the power of super speed, and Byron could create mental shields and constructs.


    Graham had my clumsy back more times than I could count during training. In fact, maybe I''d gotten too close to Graham. I felt borderline cruel for using him to heal from my past, no matter how much he asked me to. I spent more time with him than I did, even Clara, and the two of us were bosom sisters.


    I contemplated this as I surveyed the room in front of me. What exactly was I doing here at this party?


    My father was the center of attention and far from me, allowing me to blend in with other wallflowers.


    Clara held her court of voyeurs, including Regina and Alec, helping her maintain order.


    I could see Saul and Byron in the background up to no good with a prank.


    Graham was next to me, pointing out tasty things to try.


    "I need to freshen up," I said with a shaky smile before escaping to the lady''s room. I managed to use the verbiage my etiquette teacher would be proud of, but I felt like a fraud in a bright yellow dress.


    I made it to the bathroom and paused in front of the mirror. It didn''t hurt to take a look at my appearance. My financial portfolio wasn''t the only thing that grew in the past three years. I was a beautiful, budding woman. I smiled slightly, but the ominous feeling in my stomach erased any joy the sight of my looks gave me.


    Something was wrong. But what exactly was wrong? I''d gotten better at detecting and exploring premonitions, but this was unlike any other. Given the glamorous style of my duds, I couldn''t use water to cool my head off. I couldn''t even pat my face with water because Clara was meticulous in that area, too, when she directed my image for the night.


    I had to rely on deep breaths and Mr. Brutus, as always. The magic of the bear hadn''t faded no matter how time passed. I squeezed him tightly, and that knot that was growing in the pit of my stomach released.


    "You''re looking carefree." A sardonic masculine voice caused me to hiccup and spin on my heels.


    Mordecai. I hadn''t seen him in years, not since he upgraded my rose ring. He was wearing a deep red suit that was lined with gold throughout it. The whole outfit sparkled like a gem, and I blinked at it.


    "What are you doing here? I''ve been on my best behavior." I said with a scowl. The last time we interacted might have been okay, but that didn''t negate the other terrible interactions.


    "I''ve come to warn you and congratulate you on your upcoming nuptials," Mordecai said with a painfully fake smile.


    I opened my mouth, "How can you congratulate and warn someone at the same¡­" I trailed off and hiccuped. "Nuptials? Whose nuptials?"


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    "You said that you would never fall in love again, and yet here you go, getting engaged to another childhood friend." Mordecai said, tsking as he shook his head, "You''re becoming a bit dull and predictable, Dolyn."


    I ignored the insults and focused on the whole engagement aspect. "What are you talking about? I''m not getting engaged. Who would I even be engaged to?"


    Mordecai''s dark eyes glimmered as he stared at me. What a strange accusation to toss at me. The only male childhood friends I had were people I was friends with, not romantically tied to.


    "Heed my warning. If you go through with this, there will be dire consequences." Mordecai said with a rather ominous flair before he disappeared. Only his rich laughter at my expense was left of him as he faded away.


    "What a cartoon villain," I said, scoffing as I tried to bluff externally as if I wasn''t phased. I''m not sure I pulled it off because I was pale and shaking when I saw my reflection in the mirror.


    What the heck was going on?


    I knew, though, as I exited the bathroom and looked at the scenery with fresh eyes. I looked at the mess facing me now.


    How could an engagement party be thrown for me without knowing I was engaged?


    I marched towards Graham, and his smile faded from his face. He could probably tell from my aura I was shaken and about to lose it.


    "Graham, I can''t marry you. I can''t marry anyone." I said, hunching my shoulders and looking for an escape. I need to run. A howl ripped itself from the pit of my stomach, and I unleashed a torrent of emotions. This feels wrong. All of this was too sudden.


    "Why?" He said. There was something in his voice that snapped my eyes to him.


    "Why would you want to marry a wreck like me? I''m one day away from snapping. You, of all people, should realize how dire my head space is!" My voice was too forceful, and even though I knew there were eyes on me, I couldn''t stop these emotions from ripping out of me.


    It took me years to even think of his name. How could I move on from him¡­from Adam.


    "Dolyn, I know that''s why I make the perfect partner. I understand what you''re going through, and you can use me to heal."


    "No, that''s ridiculous," I said, distancing myself from him. I''d gotten too comfortable with Graham. He''s clearly a soggy cookie-brain for friends, but this was too much.


    That nagging bad feeling was only growing, and I listened to it and took off running. The thick crowd of people seemed to grow only thicker, and they became obstacles that I couldn''t escape from.


    I attempted to nicely move people out of my way. Still, I resorted to shoving and elbowing every warm body I saw.


    That is until I saw him. No, it can''t be¡­


    "Adam?" Saying his name didn''t bring me pain but a strange burst of warmth in my chest. The man across the room stiffened and started to turn around to look at me¡­.


    Only it was at that moment I woke up.


    That wasn''t a dream. It was too realistic emotion-wise to be a simple dream. It could have been a premonition in a dream, but how was that possible? This was the first dream I''ve had as Dolyn in years. For some reason, this body would conk out, and I was never plagued with nightmares, dreams, or memories in my sleep. My dreams were necessary, this one more than others. This was my first dream as Dolyn since I grew close to the crew.


    Mordecai''s warning snapped me from this line of thinking. Wouldn''t he punish me if I moved on and started dating someone else? That, more than anything, might make the dream more believable. He wouldn''t have gone so overboard with my rose ring if he hadn''t been serious.


    I slipped into said rose ring. It mainly had stayed the same over the years. It expanded the storage capacity for clothing, accessories, shoes, and jewelry. It held more things, and I kept outfits I loved that I was too big for. With my luck, Mordecai would toss me into a new world where I would have to grow up again. It would help to have some clothes on standby.


    I walked past all of that and towards the bathroom to examine myself. My cheeks were flushed a bright red, and I tested my forehead. I don''t have a fever, but I didn''t look well. This body was extremely delicate. I was slim from all the general running around I did. This body had less tone than when I was Wendy. The only muscles I had were likely from all the swimming and weight lifting I did. My father trained us to have some basic self-defense.


    He gave up on me. A smile split my lip at the thought. There wasn''t much my father couldn''t control, and one of the things that surprised us both was how weak I was physically.


    I stepped away from the mirror to prepare for a full spa day. I needed the relaxation that came from an entire body care session. Soaking, exfoliation, deep cleansing, and hydrating were required for this body.


    However, I didn''t create the peace I usually did with this routine. One name was rattling around in my brain.


    The same name I had shouted in my dream, and I felt happiness beyond belief by doing so. Did that mean I was going to see¡­


    I slapped my cheeks ruthlessly to kill that thought before it could form.


    I''ll get to that when I do. First, I must ensure my father isn''t trying to set me up with Graham. I''d noticed the two chatting more often lately but didn''t think much of it. Clara was the social leader of our crew, and Graham was our formal leader. He was the one who guided our exercise and practice. My father was grooming him to be able to assess and prepare trials for us while teaching him strategy. I assumed it was only about that.


    I finished and left a few hours later, shining and feeling prepared for battle.


    Rather unsurprising, when I came to the breakfast table, I found my father and Graham eating together. Graham must have come here after his trip to Nasclow, a nearby city. He was taking over his father''s side of the business.


    All the pampering in the world couldn''t prepare me for this moment. That dream must have been a glimpse into the mirror!

 Chapter Eight

    Graham''s smile froze, and I could only imagine what my aura must have looked like to him in this moment. He had opened his mouth to greet me, but I turned my face away to ignore him.


    I found it highly laughable that sweet Graham could ever have a crush on me. If he did, I would have to be merciful and make sure it died. After all, my father had to be the culprit in trying to pair us. Graham was too naive to see these plans being formed without our consent.


    I attempted a quick breath to soothe my nerves, but it made it worse, gauging from his widened red eyes.


    I looked between the two, sat down, and proceeded to make as much noise as possible as I filled up a plate of food.


    My father continued to speak to Graham as if I hadn''t entered. One could consider it rude, but my entrance was also disrespectful, and my stay was no better. I made as much noise with my fork scraping and doing everything but actually feeding my mouth.


    "My mother is calling me, so I''ll have to get back to you on that, Mr. Savage," Graham said as he looked at his phone.


    "I''ll see you at training this evening, Dolyn?" Graham said.


    I could feel my resolve to be cruel weaken upon meeting his big red eyes. Why did he have to be so dang nice? I was being a bitch, and he was still looking forward to seeing me? I missed my chance to respond because he left quickly. I know things were strained between him and his mother, so that call must be important.


    "Have you forgotten your manners, Dolyn?" My father''s icy voice drew my gaze to him.


    "Father, I have not. I had a dream that you were planning something nefarious."


    My father set his fork down and gestured for me to continue.


    "Are you seeking to arrange a marriage between Graham and me?" I held eye contact as I spoke.


    "It''s already in the works." My father said it casually as if he was saying, "You are my daughter."


    "I refuse," I said, setting down my poor abused fork.


    "Why?"


    "I will never marry," I said.


    "Graham is an ideal marriage candidate for you. A child between you two will also have extraordinary capabilities."


    "You''re better off having another kid if that''s what you want," I said. "I can''t drag Graham down with my antics. He''s too good for me."


    "Undervaluing yourself will not stop this marriage from occurring. I had planned to surprise you but should have anticipated your powers predicting this." He said.


    "I will not marry him," I said. I was going to become a broken record at this point.


    "If you can''t give a valid reason, it will happen." My father said. This was not the first time his will attempted to override mine. I usually gave in but would not let it happen this time.


    I was going to have to switch tactics. I bit my lip and looked down. When my voice was ready, I said, "In my dreams, I have another." An image of Adam came to mind, and unlike any other time, I embraced what rose with the memories. The contorting of my heart and the flush of emotions was a welcome respite from the hole his absence created. "And I can''t have any other. If I do, unspeakable evils will occur." I wasn''t lying or exaggerating as I was known to do. My ancestor would fly down from the heavens to mess with me for breaking my word. That dream was a reminder of his will being a constant watching eye upon me. Thankfully, I had powers to work around his inflexibility.


    My father stared at me blankly and quietly for a long time after my words. I held his gaze as solemnly as possible, but it was impossible to outstare the master.


    "I would love a little sister, though. So if you get married, then so shall I." I said with a bright, shit-eating grin to break the prolonged silence.


    Repulsion at the idea of marriage flickered in his eyes, and I smirked. My father wouldn''t do such a thing, so I was safe. He hated marriage more than I did.


    Silence reigned supreme as my father''s unbreakable will met my inexhaustible resolve.


    It was too early to claim victory, but I''d thrown enough of a wrench in whatever my father planned that I left the home chipper. I say left, but I never left the perfectly air-controlled building. Anytime I left the hotel, I became sick. So, all I did was travel down to the Hub.


    I had the day off from my studies because I finished this week''s work last week. I was going to buckle down and work ahead again tomorrow, but I need a nice relaxing break now. I earned it.


    The Hub was empty, which wasn''t surprising. The seven of us kids were more often than not swamped with work. This was why we learned to party hard when the chance came.


    My initial thought of showing up was to go straight to the library, but for some reason, I found my feet taking me toward the thirteenth floor, which was the movie theater floor. A strange urgency kept my feet moving toward the bathrooms.


    I paused outside the door, unsure why I came here, but that urgent feeling pushed me to keep going, and so I did.


    The sound of retching greeted me, and I flinched at it. There was a cry of pain mixed into it, and I looked at the stalls.


    The door closed behind me, and there was a brief silence after the noise.


    "Who''s there?" A shaky, soft voice called out, and I could feel my heart clench at the fearful neediness of it.


    "It''s me," I said, stepping toward the only stall with the door closed.


    The stall door opened, and a pale face with big brown eyes peered up at me. Regina was on the ground with outstretched hands.


    Without thinking, I grabbed them and squeezed them lightly. I knew she was reaching up to open the door for me, but it also looked like a cry for help. She was reminiscent of me when I was pregnant and of a friend whom I lost¡­Lucia.


    I used my free hand to pull a bottle of water from my spacial dimension for her.


    She took it wordlessly, and I watched as she slowly wet her lips and mouth with it.


    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    I took it back when she was down and sat down on the ground with her. "Are you okay?"


    She shook her head with a numb expression. Her deep brown eyes conveyed fear, joy, and pain.


    "Do you want me to stay here with you?" I said, scanning her face and eyes.


    She gave a jerky nod, and I pulled her into my arms. Regina was chill to the touch without the slightest hint of a fever. Her face was flushed, and I petted her head, which was soaking in her pain.


    Several tears and a cup of cocoa later, she finally told me that she suspected she was pregnant. I knew she was with Saul, and the two were engaged to marry the following year when she joined him at age eighteen.


    "Will you go with me to see a doctor?" Regina said with bright, imploring eyes.


    "I will." Even if it made me sick going outside my ivory tower.


    "It''s going to be in a couple of days. I called it in already¡­"


    "I''ll go no matter the day," I said, pushing her hair out of her face.


    "Thank you, Dolyn¡­ I''m grateful that you found me."


    Me too. I couldn''t speak because my throat was tight. My gift led me here to help her; I''m grateful it did.


    I helped her off the floor and took her home. I''d never been to Regina''s home until today.


    Her home was regal and shrouded in purple and silver. Dark ebony walls lined with family portraits and tasteful art decorated the entrance hall. Her living room was swank and looked like it came out of a catalog.


    A few maids were on standby, but no one acknowledged us when we entered.


    "Thank you, Dolyn," Regina said with a stronger smile. She had already replaced her fears and insecurity with a mask of control and decorum. This wasn''t the same girl I met all those years ago. Clara''s authoritarian nature had rubbed on her, and maybe some of my resilience had too.


    I squeezed her hand. "Text me later, okay."


    She nodded, and I turned around to leave.


    I walked to the elevator to go down back to the Hub. This time, I was truly headed towards the library to relax in a comfy chair and read a good book.


    The doors opened, and Graham was there instead of an empty steel box. My foot that moved to enter stopped midair, and I made a face at the sight of him.


    "Dolyn? Are you getting on?" Graham''s voice was steady and the same as usual.


    How was it possible for him to be such a good guy? I was the absolute worst to him time and time again. Guilt warred with regret, and I ignored both of them when entering the elevator.


    "Do you have time to talk?" I said.


    "I do," Graham said.


    I pushed the button for the fifteenth floor. It was the library, but a couple of private study rooms were soundproof.


    I grabbed Graham''s hand once we got off the elevator and led him to the furthest study room. There was no window on the door and a lock, so we''d have absolute privacy.


    I closed the door, locked the two of us in, and turned to look at him immediately.


    "First, I need to say I''m sorry."


    Graham started to open his mouth, and I knew he would say it was fine without my gift.


    "It''s not okay. Graham, you need to be less forgiving of rude people." My hands were on my hips for some reason, and I could feel something akin to anger bubbling in my gut. I wasn''t mad at him per say¡­just frustrated at everything.


    "Not rude people, just you, Dolyn." Graham''s voice was so sweet I almost hiccuped.


    "I''m not worth the generosity. You deserve someone good." Which was the perfect segue to tell him we needed to cancel this engagement, our parents decided.


    "Dolyn, I think you undervalue yourself too much." Graham''s words were far too similar to what my father said. Both were in the habit of looking at me with undeserved affection.


    "I can''t be engaged to you. I''m not allowed to fall in love. I''ll lose everything if I do. My father doesn''t quite believe me." I said, recalling his expression that said he would humor me for now when I told him.


    "I believe you," Graham said with his soft voice, proving once again he''s far too good for this world. Any warm, gushy feelings towards him were zliched upon his next words, "We can''t cancel this engagement though. My mother''s business is riding on connecting with your father''s. We''re running out of money due to my father''s debts. My father passed, but his company is now hers, and it''s going under."


    There was pain in his gaze, and I softened at the sight of it. If I get engaged to Graham, would I get punished if I didn''t fall in love with him? What if we never went through with a wedding? Could we only have a long engagement until the world ended? What were Mordecai''s limits?


    My mouth parted, but no words came out. I had no idea what to say. I expected him to be opposed to it as well. Not as vehemently as me because he was kind. It turned out that he needed it more than I expected.


    "If we go through the engagement, maybe we can just keep it as an engagement," I said as my thoughts went to the party in my dream. Mordecai visited, and so did Adam. If we have the party, what if both actually showed up?


    "That might not be enough," Graham said ever the voice of calm collected reason.


    "Graham, if we actually get married, that''s only holding you back from finding someone you can love."


    "I love my mother too much to let her down, and I care about you too, Dolyn. Romantic love is a luxury I can''t afford." Graham''s red eyes deepened with an unknown emotion, and I stared at him, curious as his face darkened.


    This was a new side to Graham that I had never seen before.


    Still I needed to persist and be a voice of caution. "I also care for you, so I think we should plan for every possibility. If you fall in love with someone, I''ll step out of the way, so you have to tell me. This will work if we can openly communicate."


    "And you? What if you fall in love?" Graham said as he stepped forward, and I took a step back. The atmosphere was strange, and I gulped as I took another step back. I considered his words and ignored his actions.


    Love? That was also a luxury I could never afford to know, let alone taste again. I shook my head and said, "I''ll never fall in love again." Again had come out, and I covered my mouth at the admission.


    Graham''s lips broke into a smile, and it felt like the first rays of sunlight, "Sounds like we''re perfect for each other then." He said.


    Luckily, he didn''t persist in finding out who my love was. Graham and I had been together for years now as friends. Given my procilivties to never leaving my father''s hotel and how my only friends were known by him¡­it was just good that he didn''t seem to catch that slip.


    Things were settled, but it didn''t feel right, no matter how we rationalized it. Here, we are technically teenagers making a deal for a future. That by now, the world has taught me would ultimately be out of our control.


    "Rory Stanley?" A feminine voice called out, and Regina''s hand tightened on mine. We were at the doctor''s, and her alias was Rory Stanley. We were even wearing face altering masks.


    Our palms were sweaty as we followed the woman to the back. The check up was rather brisk. The pee test for pregnancy was relatively straightforward, and the results were just as quick.


    Regina was pregnant. She was still shell shocked as we rode back to the hotel.


    "I have to tell Saul, and we''ll have to move up the wedding," Regina said. She started to rattle off many things, and I sat next to her in the backseat, watching her wring her hands.


    "Breathe," I said, holding her face between my hands when she paused to inhale for breath. "Relax."


    I recognized this happy panic, and my heart shook in pain even as it felt joy for her.


    "Everything will work out for you." Just never for me. The selfish thought was luckily finished inside my head.


    I spent the next few days with a headache and cough. This hothouse body was going to be my undoing. Luckily, I would be gone before the zombies, but if time taught me anything, nothing went exactly as planned. Strengthening this body seemed impossible, so I was trapped in bed.


    I had visitors come to me to quench the boredom. Regina came, and later, she visited with Saul, and I was able to help them from my bed.


    I spent so much time helping Regina and Saul that I forgot one crucial thing: My father was making plans behind my back. This lapse in memory would come to bite me in the butt at dinner soon.


    "Father, who is this?" I asked as politely as possible.


    My father calmly took a bite of his steak and chewed it. I could see him taking his time as I all but squirmed in my seat.


    We usually ate dinner alone, yet here we are with a third wheel at our table.


    She was a beautiful woman who looked to be in her late twenties. Her lush dark hair was swept up into a neat bun, and her purple eyes held a strange ambiguity. That strangeness was directed at my father as if they shared the world''s greatest joke.


    "My fiance." My father said with a small smile.


    I could feel the blood drain out of my face as I looked between her and him.


    "We''re going to be married in six months." My father''s eyes held humor as he spoke.


    "You''ll make a wonderful flower girl." The lady who hadn''t been named said to me with a soft, almost believable sincere smile.


    I did the only thing I could to get out of this moment. I faked a fainting spell and crashed into my plate face forward.


    Everyone but my father around me panicked and seemed to believe it; after all, I am a weak girl who just recovered from a cold. But as I looked at everyone from underneath my eyelashes, I could see my father''s dark smile grace his face. His gaze was all but shining down upon me.


    Maybe I didn''t inherit my abilities from whomever my mother was. Perhaps they came from my father.

 Chapter Nine

    So that meant we would have at least three engagement parties and two weddings within a year. As I lay in bed pretending to be asleep, this thought rattled around in my head.


    My engagement party was going to happen when I was sixteen. Regina''s party was happening this week to make the wedding happen before her belly started to show. And my father found himself a soft-spoken hussy to marry just to shut me up.


    I forgot to tell him I had accepted the engagement, but it was too late.


    Why did my life feel like a romance novel all of a sudden? This world was supposed to be a horror zombie slasher-type film about a regular Joe protagonist who strives for power. Everyone was partnering up, though, and preparing for their adulthood as if the end of the world wasn''t within our horizon.


    "I guess it''s time to grow up," I mumbled into my pillow.


    Regina''s engagement party ended up becoming her wedding rehearsal. Surprisingly, she picked me as her maid of honor. We did most of the planning together since Graham and I were officially together, and he was picked as Saul''s right-hand man. I relied heavily on Clara''s social grasp as her taste and connections would always be superior to mine.


    I thought she would be disappointed about not being picked up by Regina, but she was okay with it. Maybe because I essentially gave it to her, and we became co-maids of honor.


    "Found you." An all too familiar voice spoke in my ear, and I jumped like a guilty thief.


    I couldn''t speak because I had stuffed five tiny tarts in my mouth and was chewing my way through them. I shot Graham a sharp look as my jaws worked overtime to chew and swallow. When my mouth was finally empty, I hissed at him. "Be quiet, or else we''ll be found." I was tucked away in a little corner that no one would think to find me. We were above the grand stage where the rehearsal was going on. It was dark, quiet, and secretive¡­well, at least until now.


    I wasn''t exactly shy in crowds, but I did not want to be in the center of all those people being directed. It wasn''t a complete shitshow, thanks to Clara, but it was too much noise for me to enjoy.


    "You have the best hiding spots," Graham said, not all phased by my venom. This boy was either far too used to it or just insanely pure.


    "We all have our talents."


    "I suppose mine is finding you," Graham said with a bright smile.


    I handed him a tart to shut him up, and he nibbled on it as we listened to the people below us.


    "Wait, how do you always find me? Is it my aura?"


    Graham smiled and gave a nod as he chewed the tart.


    "That''s not fair," I said with a pout.


    "We all have our talents." He said, copying my words.


    I gave him a look as I tried to ignore a memory that tickled my brain. Sometimes, Graham reminded me of more than just Adam¡­ To distract this line of thinking, I turned away and pulled out two bottles of water for both of us. The tarts weren''t dry, but I needed something for my throat.


    "Are you going to be okay though?" Graham''s question drew my attention to him, and I blinked.


    His red eyes shined in the darkness, and I felt strange momentarily. Something was rubbing across my skin, but clearly nothing was. Could he be scanning my aura?


    "Why wouldn''t I be?" I said, dodging the question and the weird feeling. Maybe my powers were finally growing enough to sense such a thing, or perhaps I''d just ignored it all this time.


    "I heard your father is getting married."


    "I forgot to tell him I agreed to marry you, and he took my words too seriously." At Graham''s blank expression, I told him about my conversation with my father and his new bride, Elena. There was no going back when I told him because my father had already signed the paperwork with her.


    Graham was chuckling when I finished, and I had no energy to shoot him a dirty look. Besides, life was better with humor; at least, that''s what I told myself to soothe my ego.


    "Your father never does anything halfway, does he," Graham said.


    I shook my head. "He seems happy with his future bride. Maybe I''ll get a younger sibling out of this, so it won''t be too bad."


    "Your hand¡­" Graham''s words drew my attention to my right hand. At some point, it had wrapped around my abdomen. It was white with tightness. Graham grabbed my hand, and I flinched. There was blood on my palm. "Dolyn¡­"


    "I''m fine. This has nothing to do with my father." And everything to do with my joy and aversion to babies. My mind was silent for once, with thoughts better left hidden. And so it was with a numb brain that I watched Graham wrap my hand in a handkerchief.


    "They''re looking for us," Graham said, and I peered down to see that my name was being spoken.


    "We better head down then and make what''s about to happen next worth it," I said, dusting off my face. It was best to hide the evidence.


    One of the funny customs this world had was that they didn''t celebrate birthdays. Oh, they kept track of when people were born, but it wasn''t a big deal in this society. Being alive wasn''t an achievement. Your accomplishments, like a new job, a degree, and a marriage, were. In fact, it was frowned upon to celebrate birthdays as it was believed to be bad luck to celebrate a false achievement. It was hard to appreciate being born in this world when no one said anything about it. New parents were allowed a private celebration once their baby reached the two-year mark, but that was not the same.


    You have to work hard to exist and then go to work.


    It was a good deal for the most productive members of society. Take my father, for example; he rose to wealth by never taking a day off.


    This is why I was almost speechless as I stared at my father feeding his bride at the dining room table.


    I had already turned in my work to my tutors and had scored the rest of the day off. I was going to indulge in taste-testing twenty lemon tarts. Each tart came from a famous chef. Not a single one I''d had so far came close to the ones Adam used to give me. If I could find one that did, I would pin down that baker and have them teach me.


    It wasn''t exactly for healing, but it was good for coping with my tummy.


    What was not good for my digestion was the disgusting scene before me. My carefully planned testing array was pushed to the side so my father could feed his woman some weird fish dish.


    What kind of love spell was my father under? He was clearly under a heavy one, given the complete character change.


    I scurried away from the scene before either could spot me and headed into my bedroom. I escaped into my locket and entered my sanctuary pocket world.


    Mordecai had lengthened the restriction time in the world to a full whopping hour. That wasn''t enough to cleanse what I witnessed, but at least I could roll around in the dirt as a palate cleanser.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    It was easier now than before to ignore the big giant countdown in the sky. I pulled out the touchpad and got through my dailys fairly quick. I was stocking up on a decent amount of produce. If I stayed later than planned, I wouldn''t starve and could feed hundreds of people for days.


    I wouldn''t say this was an addiction, but it was with a manic glee that I clicked and clicked and clicked.


    Finally, the alarm letting me know I had one minute came to be, and I scowled up at the sky. I wasn''t ready to leave my safety net. So I did the next best thing: I entered my Hideaway home in my rose ring.


    I wasn''t here to relax or take a spa day. I had one big purpose. I needed to finish my final gift to Regina. My green thumb was a bit stronger outside of these pocket dimensions, but I''d already planted and started the sprout.


    This world was fascinating in that there were new plants I''d never heard of in it. I experienced some differences when I was Wendy, but this world is unique. There was no such thing as roses here. The universal flower of love was the flower known as Caldasure.  This was because in this world, if tended properly, it never died. A flower breeder created it hundreds of years ago, and the world never looked back. It was a strange flower that changed colors with the seasons. Petals might fall, and new ones would grow color depending on the season. The Caldasure starts with five petals, but another petal is added to the total array each year. It symbolized love and status to have a Caldasure with a petal of every season. The initial five stated the same color, symbolizing the start of the love.


    I was attempting to become a breeder of Caldasure, but I wanted to change the flower by making it a hybrid with a rose.


    The Caldasure smelled like cinnamon, which could be because this world''s version of cinnamon was also strange. Cinnamon came from trees, but the flowers they created, on average, looked like paler leaves. I suspect that the Caldasure breeder used the cinnamon tree to make the Caldasure, but that was neither here nor there.


    I want to try my hand at creating a new life. If I can give Regina a Caldasure Rose, all of these efforts will be worth it. I wanted her to be happy.


    My hideaway home''s conservatory went from being a tea spot to a breeding ground of mayhem. I wasn''t just attempting to bring the rose into this world but many other mutant variations of plants. The more I worked with plants, the stronger my capabilities became. I wasn''t able to experiment too much outside of my pocket dimensions. My father didn''t allow plants into his home, and anytime I stepped outside, I became sick, so that, too, was limited.


    I inspected my version of the Caldasure. It was in the middle of the room, at the center of the chaos. The pot was handcrafted and one I''d been able to order online.


    Caldasures had specific pots, including shelves and openings where you were supposed to insert fertilizer and new soil. It was extremely difficult to repot them because of their picky natures. Most plants loved a new pot but not a Caldasure. So, their pots were intricately designed to ensure they never had to leave it.


    "Stubborn like me," I said as I fondled a leaf. If I wasn''t given a push, I''d never leave, and yet the universe seemed determined to push me around to new places.


    It wasn''t time to present this to Regina yet, but it was almost ready. All this flower needed was a bit more time to hibernate, and then it would be prepared to bloom. Every day, I came by to feed the flower just a bit more of my energy; right now, it was on the precipice of flowering.


    I left my Hideaway home with a smile that was immediately wiped clean when I saw my room wasn''t empty.


    There were two people in it, and from the looks on their faces, they were waiting for me.


    I knew that my father and Graham were cozying up as future in-laws, but why did I feel guilty when I saw their eyes as I reentered my own room?


    The two were looking at me with varying expressions of worry and stoicism.


    I turned to leave right away, not willing to endure whatever the heck was coming my way.


    Graham caught me sneakily with his aura. It wrapped around my wrist with precision and strength.


    "So you can also teleport around like you move things?" Graham''s voice broke the silence.


    My eyes darted to my father as I wondered how to answer this. There was no way I would spill the details about my pocket dimensions. He was a power-hungry wild horse. He would want to utilize it, and I had my hands full being a plant breeder and business owner.


    "Kinda," I said as I poked at the red energy attached to me. It didn''t budge, so neither could my feet. Who knew what would happen if I slipped away? Would I drag Graham in with me? Could I even bring people into my dimensions? I had no idea. And I wasn''t going to try it out with Graham.


    "Dolyn, does my getting married make you want to run away?" My father''s voice was steady, but there was a touch of something in it that snapped my gaze to him. It wasn''t sadness but humor I saw dancing in his eyes.


    "I''m preparing gifts. I didn''t step out because you were making kissy faces with your wife." I said, attempting to cross my arms but only managing to cross one arm.


    "Where did you go?" Graham said, still not releasing me as he walked towards me.


    "It''s a secret," I said.


    They both gave me looks, but I stubbornly jutted out my chin.


    "Well, the planner is here for our engagement party," Graham said with a smile that could smooth over any situation.


    It worked for the moment, but as I met my father''s eyes in passing, I knew this was far from over.


    The planner was a pleasantly sweet-looking woman. She was soft-spoken and had a tiny stature that didn''t reach five feet. So, color me surprised when the bag she slammed onto the coffee table was almost her height and double her width.


    I didn''t need to look through the things she prepared for me to know what I wanted. I would make the engagement party look the same as in my dream, from the curtains to the music and the food served.


    I rattled off everything, including the venue, which was the hotel banquet hall my father owned next door. She wrote down everything as I listed off what I wanted. I barely had time to sip my tea because she jotted down notes efficiently and quickly.


    I sent a worker to help her back down and thanked her for her time. She would get paid for traveling all the way up, even if I just took thirty minutes of her time to list my demands. It would be easier than having her stay for six hours to review everything.


    "You really thought of everything." There was wonder in Graham''s eyes as he spoke. He seemed shocked that I had spent so much time thinking of what the party would be. It was not in my nature to give a hoot about parties.


    I had help, though; my prophetic dreams gave me the answer. "I dreamt it happened," I said, closing my eyes and imagining the grandeur of the party. "So it wasn''t me thinking, just repeating how my dreams portrayed it."


    Everything needed to look just like my dream. If I nailed down every aspect, what I wanted most could happen. My throat tightened as my heart crashed in my chest. If I did it right, he might appear. Was it foolish? Yes, and even cruel to Graham in some regard, but I desired this more than almost anything.


    And that made me a fool.


    Regina''s wedding was before my engagement party, and I''d managed to avoid my father the two weeks following it. I was actually thankful to my stepmother for distracting him.


    Of course, I knew that if my father truly wanted to confront me, no one would stop him. And I''d end up facing him in his private office like I am now.


    "Dolyn." My father''s stern voice washed over me, giving me comfort and steadiness.


    Our relationship was close, but there was a distance that hadn''t gone away the day he stopped picking me up.


    "I''m preparing for the end of the world, father." I blurted it out quickly before he asked any questions I wasn''t prepared for.


    "The end of the world?" He said. His face was a mask with no emotion.


    "I''ve seen it. Humans become rabid monsters with a virus. They cannibalize each other, and the world falls into chaos. Some gain abilities and can survive, but the world will forever change."


    My father leaned back in his chair as if my words rocked him. Nothing on his face showed a lick of concern.


    "You already knew that, though, didn''t you?" I said, eyeing him with suspicion. It shouldn''t be too surprising that my father did. He managed to gather the elite around him. And all the kids who moved into this building had insanely powerful abilities.


    Of course, one condominium was empty, but that could have belonged to the vain flame girl who attacked me.


    "Your ability comes from me. The day you were born, I lost my ability to see the future." My father said, "My final vision was the world ending, similarly to what you just said."


    I gulped. It was one thing to have conjecture, but to have it confirmed¡­


    "If I have another child, I may lose another power." My father said, but there was something in his eyes.


    "What else can you do?" I said.


    "What can you do, Dolyn?" He shot back.


    I thinned my lips and shook my head. So both of us would keep our secrets. I really am my father''s daughter.


    "Did you see yourself having another kid in that future?" I said after a prolonged silence. I was curious and unable to stop myself from changing the subject.


    "Yes." My father said, and his tone was final. Before I could open my mouth to ask more, he continued speaking. "So promise me you''ll look after the child as if he''s your own."


    Heh. I''m going to have a brother. Joy warred with an intangible feeling of regret. I technically had a brother, Augustus. One I''d done an even better job of forgetting than Adam. In my world, Augustus was more of a decorative statue than a blood relative. He didn''t care if I died or disappeared.


    My joy beat the regret, and hope soon replaced both emotions. For the moment, it was enough to forget that there was no way I should be able to participate in the future my father had foreseen. After all, I was supposed to leave this world when the zombies appeared.


    "So what''s your plan to combat this then?" I said. If my carefully methodical father knew this was the future, he already had a plan for everything.


    My father pulled out a remote, and I watched as he pointed at a wall. The bookshelf parted to reveal a screen. I was slightly disappointed, thinking there would be a secret back room. Instead, there was a flat screen depicting what the building I called home would become when the world ended.

 Chapter Ten

    I didn''t have time to reel from the information dump my father gave me. He was unbothered by the details of the zombies, only surprised that I had named them as zombies. This world didn''t have the concept of zombies, which is why there was so much bloodshed in the first moments. My father didn''t seem too concerned about that. He just wanted to consolidate his power and maintain his grip in a world of chaos.


    So, I was left to wonder how to do it. Enlightening the public was one way to help, but it would be challenging to do so in a subtle way. I pondered this as I watched the boys prepare for their bachelor party. I expected them to go wild with gambling and drinking, but they instead booked the whole Hub for them to game the night away.


    Regina, Graham, and I were stocking up the refreshments for the party. I was helping on autopilot while this problem still rattled in my brain.


    If I had my literary powers, I would be more confident in creating a book about zombies. I could only do it by completely ripping off the original timeline of this world. I''m not very creative, and if my father helped, there would be a way to boost sales to help inform people.


    I was heading to the elevator, lost in thoughts, when Bryon''s voice behind me stopped my feet.


    "If it weren''t the mods I created this game would be fucking pointless." His boisterous voice had me turning around in a heartbeat.


    "It''s better than nothing," Graham said, ever the calming voice, was already on duty for the night.


    "I''ll have to create a new¡­Dolyn, what are you doing?" Byron''s voice stopped because I marched up to him instead of getting on the elevator and letting the boys have their night.


    "I have an idea for a new game. You create mods and do computer coding stuff, right?" I said as I grabbed his hands and squeezed tight. He slipped his hands from mine and looked past my shoulder at Graham.


    I ignored that as my thoughts raced. Why hadn''t I thought of this sooner? Bryon and the boys loved games, but they also liked to take apart their consoles and VR sets to make them more interesting. Bryon''s ability to create mental constructs meant that sometimes they just ditched the controllers and messed around with whatever they could think of.


    I could see disinterest forming in his eyes, so I put a hand over his mouth. He jerked away from my possibly sticky hands and put a good two feet between us.


    It was strange how he looked nervous. I had other things to focus on, so I said, "What if humans became cannibals due to a virus that made them lose reason and memories? They could be called zombies."


    And that is how the game Brains was created. Just kidding, it took way more planning than that. I accidentally joined the bachelor party to work with Bryon and his powers to create the game''s premise. Saul and Regina ended up leaving to watch a movie together. Alec joined Bryon, Graham, and me in working on the concept.


    Of course, it would take some time before the game was released, but I knew with the backing of the families it had, it would be a hit.


    Regina was far more forgiving than Clara. She was the only one who was accidentally left out of that moment. The bachelor party ended up going great but didn''t work as intended. The boys did end up redoing it while Regina and I worked hard to get Clara to forgive us.


    We took her to her favorite stores and shopped until it hurt to walk around. Luckily, she forgave us, and our bachelorette party ended at a famous spa. It was in a different country, and it was with trepidation that I boarded my first plane.


    The lush seats and open quarters were unlike any I''ve ever seen in movies. I was used to seeing cramped seats and screaming babies on the screen.


    Only a handful of people were on this plane, and drinks were served in champagne flutes.


    "Money is the best," I said, bouncing a little on the seat.


    Clara and Regina looked at me incredulously. I looked back, and a nervous laugh slipped out before I said, "What?"


    "There are moments you act as if this is the first luxury you''ve indulged in," Clara said.


    It''s true. I''ve never lived in such opulence. It was going to be hard to come back from that. That was undoubtedly my devious ancestor''s plan from the start.


    I shrugged, unsure what to say.


    "Dolyn is delicate enough to be a lady, at least." A woman who joined our little getaway spoke up, and I made a face. She wasn''t part of our regular crew but a daughter of some big honcho who worked with Regina''s parents.


    My constitution was delicate, but I was by no means a lady of porcelain.


    Clara and Regina joined me in laughter, and the poor woman''s face heated up.


    We made it to Queen Island for the spa trip of a lifetime. Everyone looked excited and bright-eyed except for me. Predictably, I became sick the moment we landed.


    This damned body was going to be my undoing. I was too dizzy to even appreciate the luxurious suite that belonged to me. It was the third-best one, and its dazzling lights blinded me.


    I crashed into the bed, uncaring about the plans made for dinner.


    "Wendy." The man who still owned my heart said my name, and I could feel my chin quiver as I ran into his arm.


    I could forgive everything we went through to see him again.


    "You''ve forgotten me," Adam said.


    I looked up into his dark brown eyes and started to protest. To my horror, Adam''s eyes churned into a deep red. Adam''s handsome features had morphed into Graham''s, and I let go of him screaming.


    I was startled awake by the dream. My heart raced, and I found myself soaked in sweat.


    "I haven''t forgotten," I said. It would be impossible for me to forget you. Worse, my brain feared I was replacing Adam with Graham.


    I''m not. I repeated to myself repeatedly until I lulled myself back to sleep.


    My cell phone woke me up the following day. I perpetually had it on silent, but some contacts like my father, Regina, Clara, and Graham could bypass that, thanks to settings.


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    My room was covered in darkness thanks to the ceiling-to-floor curtains over the windows. The wealthy loved their windows, and this room was no exception. I barely glanced at them the night before, but someone must have come in and closed them for me.


    I grabbed my phone, and Graham''s smiling face greeted me. Why was he calling me?


    I swiped to answer the call and flopped back on the bed with the phone pressed to my ear.


    "Graham?" I said. I flinched and pulled an iced tea pouch from my space to sip. My voice was croaky and sounded like a frog.


    Ever the prince, Graham''s voice was smooth and gentle. "Good morning, Dolyn. I just wanted to know if you landed okay."


    I was supposed to call him and my father each to let them know I had. "I became sick after we landed. And instead collapsed in my bed." I said, which was to be expected with this sort of body. I drained the cup of tea, savoring the tartness of the lemon on my tongue for just a moment.


    "How are you feeling now?" There was concern in his voice, and that brought a smile to my lips.


    "I''m fine," I said with a much nicer voice. "Wait, what time is it for you?" I pulled the phone away from my ear to glance at the time. It was already noon here, so that meant it was¡­


    "Midnight," Graham said. "I wanted to give you time to sleep before I called to check how you were doing."


    "You shouldn''t have done that. Go to bed. Don''t you have a meeting tomorrow?"


    "I''ll be able to do it properly, knowing you''re safe." Graham''s voice rasped in my ear, and I blinked. If I didn''t know any better, I''d think that Graham was sweet on me. His voice stopped being a substitute for Adam long ago, as he was my friend. His words, coupled with the likeness to Adam''s voice, however, made me feel strange. I wasn''t comfortable with that feeling or the dream.


    I attempted to make an acquiescence noise, but it sounded like a grunt. I have to be wrong. Graham is just a natural flirt who is too kind for his own good. There was no way we could stay friends if I thought otherwise for a mere moment.


    Silence passed as I tried to regain my voice. When I finally achieved that, I said, "Good night, Graham."


    "Good night, Dolyn."


    I made a face as I pulled my phone away. I needed to text my father that I was safe. Though, unlike Graham, he already knew. The pilot worked for him, and even though we were chilling on a vacation island reserved just for us, everyone who worked there also worked for my father. There were always eyes on me.


    I put my phone away and shuffled out of bed and towards the bathroom. It was time to check the damage.


    Big dark circles were under my eyes, and my face looked swollen. My hair had been swept up into a top bun to keep it travel-friendly. That had fallen apart during my sleep, and what once looked decent became an array of trouble.


    "Girl, you have work to do," I said, moving my fleshy face around. Luckily, we came to this island for a spa day.


    After two hot lemon honey teas, I was ready for the spa! The group chat told me brunch had already started, so I didn''t bother changing into anything nice. We would spend most of the day in a robe anyway.


    The mansion we stayed in had just enough suites for our privacy. The main dining room, however, is where we all ended up for brunch.


    I was the last and by far the greasiest one to show up. Everyone was practically glowing with excitement. They all wore various summer dresses that showed off their thin calves and shapely shoulders. I felt absolutely haggard walking in and seeing them.


    The point of a spa day was to feel like a million bucks after all the work. What was the point if you went in already looking like a million bucks?


    I scrunched my face and sat the furthest away. The tea I drowned had not prepared me for the brightness that overflowed off them. All it managed to do was coat my throat with enough honey to make this light palatable. What was it with these rich girls being so damn happy and effortlessly together?


    I hiccuped as a face I wanted to forget came to mind. Of course, there was only one lady I truly meant when I said that. Her name was on the verge of breaking through my thoughts, but luckily, Regina interrupted it.


    "Dolyn, you didn''t want to¡­prepare at all?" Regina said. I could tell she was genuinely worried for me, and I laughed a little at myself.


    "I''m going to spend the day preparing and pampering at the spa." That is what I meant to say, but what came out was a hoarse cough.


    This damn body was going to be the end of me.


    I spent the first day of this bridal spa trip in bed, messaging Bryon on my phone. A fever made it just about impossible to do much, and the bed was comfortable enough to forget my woes.


    Bryon made quick progress on the game and would credit me with the story writing. I barely managed to avoid using the plot of this world as the background.


    I only partially pulled off an original thought. The character concepts on my phone showed me that.


    Adam looked back at me with his deep, stoic gaze. It was so realistic my breath hitched in my throat. The character''s name was something different, at least.


    My phone beeped, and I saw that instead of messaging me, Bryon was calling me.


    "So what do you think? I took what you said and improvised off the tips you gave when I was constructing character design with my power." He said when I answered.


    For the first time, I was grateful for this weak body. I could blame this dizziness on my fever, not my heart. "It looks good," I said.


    "Great. I was thinking of giving him a love interest."


    "No!" I all but shouted and bit my lip. "This is a horror action game, not a romance. We should have him focus on rebuilding the world and becoming the hero he''s meant to be."


    Selfish greed and sheer jealousy prevented me from agreeing to a love interest. Even if I could accept an interest, who could suit Adam? Certainly not Wendy, Gwendolyn, or even Dolyn.


    Gavin said it best: Adam''s soulmate was predestined, but that didn''t mean I had to witness it again.


    "Okay," Byron said after a long pause, and I could tell my venom had shocked him. "I''ll start on his team design using the notes we came up with. I''ll get back to you when you guys return from your trip."


    "Sounds like a plan," I said.


    I was feeling better by the third day and could play catch up on what I missed out on the first days. The spa trip was supposed to last a week but became two weeks due to the weather.


    Clara worked her magic, making it possible to plan Regina''s wedding. I contributed when needed, but Clara was such a party-planning Goddess I wasn''t required to.


    Time passed, and I went from looking like I was on death''s doorstep to practically glowing with youth and health.


    "Watch this fade when we land, and I get sick again," I said with a head shake.


    The girl in the mirror looked a little sad at that, but at least I had a headstart on my beauty before I fell apart again. The bags under my eyes were gone, and my cheeks looked dewy and soft. My hair looked lusher than ever and there was a spring to the ginger red hair. The only complication to this was the bandages over my right hand.


    I accidentally dropped a piece of meat on my BBQ skewer into the firepit and dove for it with my bare hand like a doofus. My skin was salvageable, but I had to wrap it with some salves to promote healing. I had to stop everyone from fussing about taking off my rings. They were fine under the fire and, unlike my skin, hadn''t heated up or become damaged in any way. Plus, they couldn''t come off. That is something I need to ask Mordecai about. Instead, I used the spaces until the allotted time so they would disappear and stop the fussing.


    "There''s a slight delay because of our new guests." A sacrificial lamb of an employee said. Our plane was waiting because another plane was landing with guests.


    I could see Clara''s eyes narrow, but before I could step in, Regina dismissed the man and distracted Clara with some minimal wedding tasks.


    I opened my mouth to join in the conversation, but my feet moved for some reason. I was headed to the new plane that had just landed.


    A sense of urgency, unlike any other, overpowered me.


    "Dolyn?" A voice called out to me, but I ignored it.


    The last time I listened to this instinct, I was able to be there for Regina. What could this feeling bring me now? My heart pounded in my chest fiercely, and the sensation brought sharp tears to my eyes.


    "Miss, I will have to ask you to step back." A big, burly man in a tight-fitted suit stopped me with one hand from getting any closer.


    I blinked at him, confused and dazed, as I looked at the plane. Who was going to get off it? Why was my heart beating so painfully? Someone on this plane was¡­


    Just as quickly, the feeling was gone. I blinked, then turned to look all around me. Why did that feeling disappear so fast? I took a few steps back and saw that the plane was emptied of baggage. A handful of people got off, but all looked like bodyguards.


    My powers had never been wrong like this before, so what was I missing?


    It was embarrassing and almost shameful having to trek back to my friends. Clara and Regina were looking at me with a question on their faces. They didn''t ask because they both knew of my powers. Later, I''d get grilled and could tell them. What was there to explain exactly? Something meaningful and life-altering was supposed to occur, but it was ripped from me just as fast.


    We boarded our plane, and I looked back at the island with pain. Mr. Brutus had to get pulled out of my things to squeeze. Maybe later, I''d understand why my heart felt like it was ripped out of my chest and as if something precious was stolen at the last moment.

 Chapter Eleven

    Regina''s wedding went off without a hitch. So, too, did my father''s. I attended both, but for the life of me, I couldn''t recall much about either. My mind was still on the island and the mysterious feeling that came over me. I couldn''t move past it as the feeling haunted me day and night.


    I was so distracted that I barely got through the last few days.


    "Dolyn, are you still upset because I will voice Atlas?" Graham was peering down at me worriedly.


    I made a face, unable to stop myself. "No," I said, but even I could tell from my voice that I sounded upset. That was one of the foolish things I said okay to without thinking. Bryon approached me with the idea because Graham wanted to give voice acting a go, and here we go.


    I asked Graham not to do it, but he ignored my wishes for the first time in our friendship. I was too shocked to be angry, but I could still be upset. I was tempted to explain that the character Atlas was based on Adam and what that meant to me, but¡­I couldn''t form the words. Graham''s voice was similar to Adam''s, and it would make it all the harder to get over everything.


    I turned my face away, and instantly, the wedding planner snapped at both of us.


    "This is a practice but also the prime time for photos!" She said, "Stop making faces and give me a smile!"


    Yup, we''re practicing the engagement party. My birthday is in a couple of weeks, and about a month after, our engagement will be announced, and the party will be done.


    "I have some special lemon tarts in the break room. They''re from a chef you haven''t tried before." Graham''s voice tickled my ear, and I whipped my face to look at him. I might have moved my face too quickly because he didn''t have time to pull away, and his lips pressed against my left cheek.


    "That''s the picture; look at that smile!" The planner fangirling from the side snapped me out of shock. I couldn''t properly pull away either because Graham had his arms around me. The damn planner had instructed it for more intimate shots, but now they might as well be shackles.


    Luckily, Graham dropped his arms, and I could escape to the breakroom, much to the dismay of the planner and photographer.


    "You said it was the picture." I shot back as I retreated to the breakroom.


    It actually did end up being the shot they used. Technology was advanced enough in this world to print pictures almost immediately. The photographer edited it a bit, though, because I know for a fact my cheeks aren''t smooth. I looked through all the edits she did and found that some looked more like me than others. Some looked almost like a different person entirely. What kind of photographer was this woman?


    I kept the one decent enough that looked the most like me. It had the fewest touch-ups. I held that demo picture in one hand and a giant lemon tart in the other.


    My smile at Graham''s words could easily be mistaken for joy and devotion to Graham. My chest tightened uncomfortably at that thought. This felt like deception of the worst kind. The only comfort I could garner towards this feeling was that Graham wasn''t in love with me. If he was, then I don''t think I''d be able to forgive myself or my father for forging this engagement.


    I couldn''t put the pictures out of my mind. They were copied and printed about a hundred times, after all. Each one felt slightly different, but I stopped looking closely at them after the third one. They were posted on walls and hung up even in my room without my consent. My father seemed so happy in his marriage bliss that he wanted to spread the love about his daughter''s future nuptials.


    Nothing changed between Graham and me, which helped me to relax around him. I''m not one for subtlety; he noticed my growing tense around him.


    Our actual wedding wouldn''t be until after I turned eighteen. It wasn''t going to be smooth sailing until then. Because tomorrow our engagement party was going to go down.


    My stomach was in knots as I was primped and primed for the spotlight. What should have been just a ten-minute touch-up and maybe three minutes max in getting dressed became a sixteen-hour event. Apparently, to be properly prepared for a party, you must be starved, glossed, and buffed out of every flaw possible.


    As the hours ticked on, my guilt about the whole thing and what I was looking forward to soon became bubbling fury.


    My skin was rubbed until it became an entirely new set of flesh. My hair was soaked, strained, and slathered like a plate of noodles until it shone. Even my teeth weren''t safe, though they''d already been whitened for the pictures. I heatedly debated with the stylist because I refused to remove my locket and rings. It''s not like I could because they were soul-bound, but she wanted something flasher for me to wear. Which made me grateful for my clunky everyday duds.


    Clara joined in on the fun while Regina did for some parts. The three of us were the daughters of the wealthiest families in the world. It goes to reason we have to look a certain way. My father didn''t want me to wear a face scrambler either. I was showing my true face to the public.


    Finally, I was released from the claws of the care team and allowed to enter the venue. Graham escorted me naturally. We were waiting behind the curtains of the stage. It felt like a play where the credits are rolled, and people take a bow. This was not the same. My father was giving a big speech about how he looked forward to this union and how he watched the two of us grow up. This tale of childhood friends to lovers was very touching, but all of it was bogus. It really was like a play in that regard.


    "Are you nervous?" Graham said lowly.


    I looked up at him and nodded. It wouldn''t do to lie to him; he could tell, and my hand gripped his arm and trembled.


    "I''ll be with you every step of the way." He vowed so gallantly a shot of guilt pierced my chest.


    "Don''t. You should use this chance to socialize and connect with my father''s people." I said. He deserved to make the most of this farce, and in doing so, I would make up for my part of the deal.


    Graham opened his mouth to say something, but we could hear my father announce our names. It was our time to step forward.


    I''d like to say I was graceful and delicate, but I could feel my face stiffen as I looked at the thick throng of people looking up at Graham and me. There were bright flashes of lights as pictures were taken, and I could hear voices, but all of it passed in a blur. My eyes were on one thing and one thing only.


    The venue looked exactly like my dream.


    I ended up wandering around in a daze as everything I dreamt of came to fruition. My father was busy talking. Clara was a dazzling hostess, and Saul and Byron were up to a prank.


    "You should try this," Graham said as he handed me a plate full of food.


    "I need to freshen up." I blurted with all the grace of a bulldog. I all but ran to the bathroom as my heart raced uncontrollably. The door to the bathroom closed, and I ran to the mirror to examine myself. What did I do next in the dream? I pulled out Mr. Brutus, but my fervently beating heart was barely soothed after I did so.


    "You''re looking carefree." An all too familiar voice shot at me with mockery.


    "Mordecai!" I shouted his name as I spun to tackle him. My ancestor jumped and stiffened in surprise at the sudden outburst of affection. Our last encounters had been anything but pleasant, after all.


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    "What are you doing?" He said stiffly. He didn''t pull me off, but he didn''t embrace me back.


    I couldn''t speak, how could I? I was happy to see this man. With him here, everything was going as it was supposed to.


    Mordecai poked me in the head. "I came down to warn you and issue a punishment if you continue down this path, not for a warm family moment." He sounded pissed and irate with me.


    I pulled away to look up at him. He was wearing the same suit as in my dreams, and it would put many young masters to shame.


    "I haven''t changed my mind. I''m not in love with Graham. He''s not in love with me either. This marriage is just for financial gain for our families."


    "Oh?" Mordecai said as his eyes narrowed. "Are you sure about all of that?"


    "Yes. I told you I won''t fall in love again."


    "If you fall in love with Graham or any other, you will suffer. You made a vow." Mordecai said. He grabbed a few errant curls from my top bun and tucked them back into place. "There will be dire consequences if you break this vow. That ring has become proof of your oath." He took off my glove to pin down said ring with a finger.


    I looked down at my right hand. It hasn''t completely healed since the last accident, at least until now. My gaze shot up at Mordecai. Did he heal me?


    "Can I hide the rings from sight?" I wet my lips nervously as something glinted in Mordecai''s eyes.


    Mordecai tsked, "So greedy for one so young. These are soul-bound items, and you want to hide them from sight?"


    "They don''t go with every outfit, and people find it weird."


    "I''ve done enough for today. I warned you and healed your scaly claw. Heed my warning, Gwendolyn. There will be no going back if you don''t."


    He vanished in a whiff of smoke, and I closed my eyes.


    It went almost exactly like my dream, meaning it was time for the finale. I whipped open the bathroom door, but all the vigor went out of me at the sight of Graham.


    He was standing in front of the door with a puzzled expression. "Dolyn, were you talking to someone in there?"


    I mutely shook my head. There was no way he could hear Mordecai; these doors were practically soundproof. I lost all sense of the party raging on until I opened the door. Then what could he have¡­


    "Did you see something?" I said. If he had, then he might have seen Mordecai''s aura. That was an absolutely terrifying idea.


    "Maybe¡­" Graham said. He looked so confused I took his arm and guided him back to the party. We found some seats while I tried to find my courage. I needed to say the same things I said in my dream, but looking at Graham, it was more challenging than it was supposed to be. He was a friend I didn''t deserve, and if I went back on my word, what did that make me?


    I gulped down the first drink I could grab at the table and looked around. Adam appeared in my dream, but there wasn''t a single person who looked like him at this party. People were making merry and having a good ol'' time while the supposed stars of the party were sitting on the sidelines wrapped in silence.


    Graham''s hand grasped mine, and I turned to look at him. Unwarranted, tears gathered and fell down my cheeks. It was past time to put Adam entirely in the past. That dream might have started as a true premonition, but clearly, it ended in wishful thinking. It was impossible for Adam to ever appear before me again. Maybe his appearance symbolized my finally letting him go as I kept my vow.


    Within six months, several things happened. Regina''s baby was born early. She had twin girls that she named Tonya and Quinn.


    Clara was flummoxed and wary around babies, so it was finally my time to shine. Memories of the little baby girl I cared for helped guide me toward helping Reinga and Saul.


    The girls were the sweetest babies, and holding them in my arms unfurled a giant shard of trauma from my heart.


    It was enough for me to wish for more babies in our group to be born.


    I wasn''t the only one too excited because baby fever went around, and soon, my stepmother became pregnant.


    My stepmother was the only one in the family who was not thrilled. I caught her more than once venting about how she went out of her way to utilize birth control to prevent pregnancy. I didn''t overthink what she said at first because women will react differently to pregnancy. Still, as her pregnancy went on, she became more hostile towards my father and me.


    She ended up disappearing, and my father went to find her. I wouldn''t see my stepmother after that ever again. My father didn''t come back for a year, and when he did, he was carrying my infant brother Darius.


    There was darkness in my father''s gaze and stiffness in his face. He all but shoved my brother into my arms and buried himself in his work.


    Darius'' eyes were several shades of green and blue at first. They finally steadied at a bright cyan color like our father. All the other babies I had known had spoiled me rotten. Darius was like none of them. He was colicky and cried at the drop of a hat. He didn''t like bottle feeding and was constantly spitting up his food. I soon lost countless nights of sleep rocking, feeding, and trying to soothe him.


    It scared me a little bit because he cried until his little lips turned blue some nights. My father never came home, so Darius was left to me instead. I could leave him with the maids, but the thought brought intense guilt. Who knows what happened to his mother, and if I abandoned him as well, then what could he become?


    I even had Graham look at Darius, hoping he could pick up something from his aura.


    "He''s just a colicky baby," Graham said, patting Darius on the head. "I don''t see anything unusual in his aura.


    "Nothing unusual?" I said. I could feel my own tears threatening to fall.


    "It''s not you, Dolyn. You''re doing a great job with him. He doesn''t seem unhappy with you."


    It had to be me. Maybe he could sense the tension in my heart when I first looked at him in our father''s arms. I saw the shadows in my father''s eyes and the alienation he had put between us.


    I bit my lip and looked down into the big cyan eyes of my little brother.


    The light in my father''s eyes never came. And not even a strand of my stepmother''s hair had returned. Some maids disappeared during this time, and so did the familiar workers that came and went. Mrs. Mina left to welcome her new grandchild but never came back.


    My father rarely came home, so it was truly just Darius and I.


    All alone in this stupid penthouse.


    "Dolyn, what if I stay here with you guys tonight? Maybe I could help?" Graham''s voice lured me back to the present, and I stared at him dazed.


    "You need to get some sleep." He said.


    I opened my mouth, and instead of a polite refusal, what came out was garbled acceptance.


    Darius was peacefully lying in Graham''s arms. I had to take advantage of this!


    "My bed is big enough. After I clean his gums." I said.


    Graham made a weird noise, but when I looked at him, he had a serene expression. I might have misheard. It wouldn''t be the first time. The lack of sleep was getting to me, and these days, I felt like shadows had life to them. The way they moved and danced at night should be haunting, but it gave me something to watch during sleepless nights.


    Maybe my eyes were getting another upgrade.


    It didn''t take too long to get prepared. Darius tried to naw on my finger as I wiped his gums clean.


    "You just ate silly," I told him, avoiding his snapping mouth. Despite his fussy nature, he was a big baby and a happy eater. A quick change of his diaper was next. I didn''t bother slipping him into a onesie or pajamas. I learned the hard way that this baby runs hot like a furnace. If I put too many clothes on him, he''d get them off or scream as he wriggled.


    I could wrap him up in a snuggle cocoon with his baby blanket. By the time he fell asleep, it could naturally come off and keep him cool.


    My bedroom had practically become Darius'' bedroom by this point, so luckily, all of his toiletries were on hand. He was primed and ready for a night of screaming and fighting sleep.


    I re-entered my room to find Graham looking around my room. He was wearing a simple red satin set of pajamas. They matched his eyes and made his hair shine even fiercer.


    "Are the maids not doing their job properly?" Graham said as his eyes looked over my messy room.


    I refused to take a look at the mess I had created. "People left. They have enough on their hands dealing with the mess my father creates when he stops by. Here, hold him so I can change."


    Darius seemed okay with the shift in guard until he saw me start to walk away. I could hear him inhale deeply and knew what would come next. I ran for the bathroom just in time to listen to him yowl full force. I shut the door as my heart began to race. I looked around frantically for something to wear. Everything I had was dirty, so I had to rely on a place that had become abandoned again. My hideaway home. I entered and grabbed the first cleanish nightgown I could find.


    I stripped whatever I was wearing and slipped on the nightgown. It wasn''t until I was about to leave my Hideway home that I saw what I was wearing. It was one of the nightgowns Mordecai had gifted me all those years ago. It was a shimmery red gown with gold thread in it. Hints of bronze and bright cyan blue glimmered when it moved.


    I didn''t have time to care. It was going to get ruined by baby spit-up soon anyway.


    Graham had soothed Darius miraculously by the time I returned. I took him away, embracing his tiny body and fixing his cocoon.


    I turned off all but the nightlights while I held his still-shaking body. His teary gaze seemed to be accusing me of abandoning him. I wiped his cheeks and lay in bed with him on my chest. He closed his eyes and snuggled his face against my chest. Soon, his steady breathing could be heard, and he luckily fell asleep. This peace might not last, so it was time to get to bed.


    "Do you hold him like that when you sleep?" Graham said. He walked around to the other side of the bed and got in.


    "Not always. Cosleeping is better than sticking him in a crib to cry it out. That''s not the correct method. Mothers are supposed to sleep with their young."


    "You''re not his mother," Graham said.


    I hiccuped in surprise at Graham''s blunt wording. He was usually mister nice and sunny, but he even had to have some barbs of truth. My movement seemed to shock Darius. I pet his head and watched as his eyes slowly closed again. "I don''t know if he has a mother. I can''t take her place, but I am his sister. And right now, I''m the only family he has."


    The silence extended for so long that I thought Graham had fallen asleep.


    I didn''t wait to find out. I conked right out and enjoyed the sweet numbing joy of oblivion.

 Chapter Twelve

    I woke up to an empty bed. Graham must have taken Darius out while I slept. I pulled my phone out of my space to check the time. It was noon! I really slept in! I didn''t know it was possible in this body.


    I slipped into my bathroom feeling more refreshed than ever. My face did not reflect that because one night of great sleep couldn''t repair the damage alone. After locking the bathroom door, I slipped into my Hideaway home and changed into the first decent outfit I had.


    It was a random yellow sundress. When I popped back into my bathroom, I went in search of Graham and Darius. I expected them to be in the dining room, but it was empty. I could see dishes from breakfast but no sign of life.


    After a quick text exchange, I learned that Graham had taken Darius to the Hub. Regina and her girls were there, and they were having a playdate.


    I pulled out a matcha iced tea from my space and met them. They were on the gaming floor, and the three babies were crawling. Someone had turned the floor into a giant screen that lit up and made noises when certain parts were pressed. As I got closer, I could tell it looked like one giant keyboard. Regina was encouraging the exploration while Graham was nowhere to be seen. I poked around a bit and found that he was working on something else.


    With everything that had happened, I forgot about my plans to create zombies in this world before they actually existed. Graham, Byron, and Alec went through with creating the zombie game even though I stopped responding.


    "Dolyn said that they should smell like rotting flesh. How can we incorporate that into the game without having a dead body?" Alec was asking with a straight face.


    "The morgue?" Byron said.


    "They embalm and have other procedures to slow down decomposition. That won''t work." Graham said ever the voice of calm to their madness. "We''ll have to get access to a dead body another way."


    And that was my cue to ensure they didn''t spot me eavesdropping. I knew that video games in this world played on all the senses, but there had to be a few lines you didn''t cross. The boys had none in their pursuit of the perfect game, apparently. I shook my head and walked over to Regina.


    Darius spotted me first. The giant smile on his face was gone and replaced with heartbreaking sobs as he reached out to me. If I didn''t know better, I would have thought he''d been abused in my absence. Regina and Graham took good care of him and had helped me little by little these past six months, so I knew that couldn''t be it.


    Still, my heart was captured by those slippery wet chubby cheeks. I scooped him off the ground and held him to my chest.


    "He really loves his big sister," Regina said with a beaming smile.


    "He loves to be spoiled." I retorted with a face. My hands stroked his head regardless as he snuggled. "Do you want me to watch your girls and give you a break?"


    "Can you? So I can take a shower? They have an appointment in an hour, and I need a moment."


    I shooed Regina off so she could have a break and took over watching the babies.


    The day started great, but my father finally came home that evening. I knew then that he might have actually snapped into madness. He seemed okay at the start. We had dinner, almost like in the old days. But we had it on my father''s plane for the first time. It was nice being able to look out the window at the ocean as I ate.


    We landed for a pilot change in a city I''d never been to, and my father brought out desserts to distract both of his kids during this time. When Darius spit up his apple cookie on me, I went to change, and I wasn''t the only one in that short amount of time.


    I was greeted by suitcases, a car seat, a sleeping brother, and a stack of paperwork in envelopes.


    "Dolyn, slip this on over your clothing." My father said. His eyes were wild and haunted as he handed me bulky clothing that was several times my size. There was an accompanying face scrambler to cover my actual features as well.


    I opened my mouth to protest, but instinct made me obey him. Everything was bulky enough to just put on over my tee and jeans. I had changed again earlier because, as expected, Darius and one of the twins spit up on me.


    When I was done, he started strapping what looked like fat rolls onto my body. My mouth grew parched as his white knuckles tugged and affixed things onto me.


    "Father, why are you doing this?" I said. My words fell on deaf ears.


    "Here, put your brother under your clothing. He should blend right in with the outfit." He handed me a strangely peacefully sleeping Darius.


    I slipped him under with my father''s guidance, too afraid to say no.


    "This is everything you seem to actually treasure in this home. Take that stuff away like you normally do."


    I wordlessly slipped the suitcases and car seat into my space.


    "Good, now this paperwork is for the two of you. Your company is under your name but your bank wasn''t. There''s a new identity and bank accounts for the two of you. You''ll be able to live comfortably until the end occurs." My father said. His words were rushed, with no room to refute or add anything.


    "Wait¡­"


    "Can you take living things with you when you move around?" He said, his eyes frantically looking around for eavesdroppers.


    I mutely shrugged. I did not know if I could take Darius into either of my spaces. I didn''t want to risk anything happening to him if I did.


    "I thought so, but you have this disguise, so you''ll be able to get off the plane." My father said, looking around as if trying to recall more insane instructions.


    "You haven''t taken the paperwork." He grabbed the envelopes and shoved them at me. He was shaking them so hard they were starting to come undone and spill on the ground. "Take them now!"


    "You''re scaring me," I said as I grabbed the stupid envelopes and the fallen pieces of paper. I shoved it all into my spacial ring.


    "You have to go now. The car waits for Darius'' nanny, who can''t join us on the family trip."


    I opened my mouth to protest, but the plane''s door opened. A couple of unknown men stepped in. They were dressed in pilot''s uniforms, but I didn''t recognize them. My father consistently kept the same employees. Even if I barely rode in his planes, I knew his pilots because they were around. However, lately, a lot of people have disappeared when it came to my father''s staff.


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    "Escort the nanny off." My father''s firm voice sounded strong as usual, and I shot him a look as he carefully put his mask back into place.


    "Your children, sir?" The pilots paused, and I could feel my heart start racing.


    What the fuck was going on? There was no way I was going to get off this plane. Clearly something else was going on.


    "My daughter is in the bathroom with my son cleaning off spit up. Take the nanny off so we can leave. I have a meeting in six hours, and it takes five hours to get there. Stop wasting my time." The strong, collected, and in-command father was back into play.


    Which begged the question: what was the earlier display about?


    "If you struggle, your brother will be found out." My father''s crisp voice was low, and in a tone only I could decipher. He also said it in a different language. One that wasn''t supposed to exist in this world.


    I inhaled sharply as our eyes met. He must be one of Mordecai''s plants. I was still struggling with that idea as I was escorted off the plane and into a car. I couldn''t move because I was buckled down with the extra weight. I also tried not to struggle with the fat suit and match my breathing to the slumbering Darius. It was a tough time, and that didn''t include the mental toil my brain was going through.


    It was my father''s regular car to which I was taken. The driver was the same man I was used to seeing. How was this man here in this city that we flew to? My father must have prepared tonight to go down exactly like this.


    I couldn''t fully relax and spent the whole car ride chewing over everything my father had ever said to me. He had shown no hint of duplicity in this manner. Could I be mistaken? Could that language truly appear? Then how did he know that I would understand it?


    "Get off already." The driver said rather coarsely, and it was with shock to find out that we had come to a complete stop.


    Numbly, I got out of the car, grateful that he was at least a smooth driver. That meant that Darius hadn''t been jostled.


    "Wait¡­" I froze at the unfamiliar-looking building in front of me. Where had he dropped me off?


    "This isn''t right!"


    "It''s your home. Be lucky Mr. Savage afforded you this kindness, you slob." He peeled off, leaving those rude words in his wake.


    If my father had me dropped off here, then maybe there was something I was supposed to see. I couldn''t imagine my father setting one foot inside this building, let alone me. It was a decrepit townhouse complete with missing bricks, a damaged yellow door, and windows that shook in the breeze.


    It looked abandoned.


    I stepped forward with a dry mouth, one hand over where Darius was still sleeping. My father didn''t do anything without reason. There must be something in here that he left for me.


    I gathered my courage off the ground and walked into the building. I was greeted with a home that looked a lot better on the inside than on the outside. There wasn''t a sign of dust, dirt, or decay.


    The floor went from jagged steps to smooth gleaming wood floors. The walls had tastefully tan wallpaper that looked brand new.


    I walked around, trying to figure out what I was looking for. There wasn''t anything unique about this home other than the juxtaposition of the exterior versus the interior.


    That thought was destroyed when I finally entered the kitchen. Black gleaming countertops were lovely, but the little window near the sink showed the backyard.


    And the backyard was exactly like the front yard. Only the backyard had graffiti.


    Again, that language that shouldn''t exist was on full display. "Yveti." It had one clear meaning: Don''t look back.


    My father was telling me to not look back. He didn''t plan on Darius and I living here, did he?


    I wasn''t the best daughter, but I didn''t deserve this. Darius didn''t deserve this either. Why were we abandoned this way?


    Something about his rushing and not trusting his men with him alluded to more than just our father abandoning us. Putting aside the fact that he might be a spy, I could feel my eyes prick with tears.


    This man raised me and was the only one who cared for me, no matter my sass. His calm demeanor and controlling nature created a safe environment for me to improve.


    So, what pushed him over the edge? What enemy is he hiding us from?


    I can''t say that I immediately stopped thinking about the past, but what I did do was take off my fat suit. I stripped the bulky clothing and settled Darius on the loveseat with a decent amount of pillows to keep him secure.


    I pulled out the paperwork my father had given me and reviewed everything. It was exactly as he said. Darius and I had new identities, complete with birth certificates and government paperwork. There was a third identity of someone named Morgan Tuffin. Morgan was my father''s middle name. He made himself my guardian scapegoat if I needed to prove I had a guardian. The image on the ID was of a man I hadn''t seen before. I had a brand new ID card and a high school diploma. Darius and I each had trusts with money that wouldn''t be traced to him. Both of our last names were changed from Savage to Tuffin. The alias I used to run Lemon Rose was Lyn Tuffin. Did my father plan this from the start?


    Despite the glaringly horrifying predicament I found myself in, a smile split my face. Tuffin somehow found its way back into my damn life.


    It was a serious chunk of change that would allow both of us to live comfortably. We didn''t have to wait until we were eighteen either, which was necessary because the world would still end soon.


    I had money from Lemon Rose and the rights to it still. Lyn Tuffin had no relation to Dolyn Savage, after all. However, it would be hard to work for the company because Regina helped me make products. I could stop selling things, limit my clients, and make it more exclusive.


    I could feel a headache and knew my body was finally catching up to reality.


    My friends. I told Regina and Clara I couldn''t go to some party because I would eat dinner with my father.


    Could I even contact any of them safely? There was even a new phone for me to use in one of the envelopes.


    There was already a message waiting for me to open. It was something new this time, but it wasn''t comforting to see.


    "Stay hidden if you want to stay alive."


    It was from an unknown number, but I knew it was from my father because, yet again, it was in my family language that wasn''t supposed to exist in this world.


    Fear and adrenaline replaced the anguish my heart was feeling.


    This was not a place for us to stay. It needed to be a stop along the way. My father''s driver knew this location, and maybe others would? This had to be the reason my father separated from us. Something very wrong was going to take place.


    Why would he take me away from my friends and the Hub, though? Our home was equipped with everything required for life. It was so cushy I never had to step outside of it.


    Unless someone was untrustworthy among my friends or a worker in the building¡­Workers have started to disappear one by one lately, and no one has taken their place. Had my father been thinning the untrustworthy, which made this unknown enemy do something more drastic?


    I shoved everything into my spacial ring and picked up Darius. Better safe than sorry.


    There was one glaring problem that I forgot about until I was about to step outside the home. I didn''t have a car and couldn''t drive even if I did.


    My whole life I''d been chauffeured around. I didn''t have the chance to learn to drive as Wendy or Gwendolyn either.


    I didn''t have the family drivers to just call, either. I looked at my old cell phone. Was it possible to be tracked by it?


    If it was in my space, would that tracking end? Could I risk that?


    I didn''t have much on my phone that was vital. There were pictures, but sending them to my new phone would create a new trace to me. My email accounts or anything I could store online could also be traced to me. I would have to abandon everything if I was going to do this right.


    I bit my lip, I would have to print all of Darius'' baby pictures and the other images I wanted, and then I would destroy the phone.


    Luckily, I was like a little ferret and constantly put things inside my space. There was a printer in there that could connect to my phone. I must have printed hundreds of pictures after I set Darius back down.


    When I was done, I destroyed my old phone. I wrecked it into pieces and set it on fire in the fireplace. After it burned to ashes, I sealed it in a container and slipped it into my space. I looked through my new phone.


    I needed to create new accounts and decide my preferences. I could also use my phone''s GPS to figure out what city I was in. I had enough money to make sure I wouldn''t have to work. I could even feed us no matter what, but the most important thing I needed to figure out was where we would live.


    As my mind was sent into a neurotic spiral, one glaring fact became too pressing to ignore.


    Darius was sleeping for far too long. I set down my cell phone to inspect my slumbering little brother. He was breathing deeply but shallowly. He looked like a sleeping angel. That was the problem. Darius never slept like this.


    "Did our father drug you?" The words that slipped out were just as shocking as the revelation that he most likely had. There was no way this insane plan would have gone off smoothly if my father hadn''t handled Darius as a variable.


    I stood unsure of what to do as I looked at my brother and then at the fireplace. The fire was finally dying down, and the sun was coming up.


    It was time to leave this place and find a new place to live.

 Chapter Thirteen

    Old habits die hard, so I just chose a hotel to stay in. It was a competitor of my father''s called The Liz. The Liz was a trendy, up-and-coming chain of hotels. It was designed to create exposure, so the newly rich and new stars chose it. My father''s hotels were old-fashioned with modernly sleek designs. You go to the Savage Hotels for class and the Liz Hotels to be noticed.


    Somehow, the Liz hotels were even uglier than my father''s. Given the reviews, I was likely the only one who thought this way.


    I was smart enough to not stroll up looking like I did now to make a reservation. I created an online account with The Liz to book a suite.


    I said that three people were attending. I used Morgan Tuffin''s information to fill out everything. Being underaged sucks, but this was probably why my father created a mule for me to slug around and get into places.


    I couldn''t stroll into the Liz looking like this, so I changed while the taxi took its time to pick us up at the cafe down the street.


    Luckily, Clara taught me well about emergency touch-ups.


    I could do a decent enough job to look like a young, sleek, stylish girl. Of course, the baby carrier and the baby strapped to me took away from that, but oh well.


    We exited the home with no delay. I carried his baby car seat like a whip, ready to smack someone in the head if they approached us. I strolled down the street, eyeballing the slowly waking city around me. The decrepit-looking home behind me wasn''t alone in looking like trash. It hadn''t taken much for me to become a snob...


    I could feel my shoulders tense as I booked it to the cafe. Expectedly, the taxi had yet to arrive, so I ordered coffee and stood outside while we waited.


    It didn''t take as long as I feared before it zoomed over. The driver was a stout frowning man who looked displeased at the sight of Darius. I ignored him and strapped Darius in. I didn''t have time to buckle myself in before the rude driver took off down the street.


    I paid him exact fare with a firm narrowing of my eyes. I might have tipped him if the man had been even a touch polite, but he was rude and late!


    I held Darius close to my chest as I stared at the ugly Liz Hotel. It was popular, and people were entering, leaving, and walking by as I stared at it.


    I jutted my chin out and approached one of the ladies at the front desk. She was clacking on her keyboard with all the attention of a gnat.


    "Are you making a reservation or checking in?" She said. She was still typing away like she was chatting with a friend.


    I made a face and attempted to wipe away my annoyance. "I''m checking in for my father. He''s picking up dinner before he parks the car in the garage. I have his ID and the reservation number." I held up the ID card.


    She looked up at me and then paused.


    I had paid an exorbitant amount to stay in one of their suites for six months. Unsurprisingly, the front desk had been alerted to this already.


    I wasn''t hassled for being underaged or having my lie picked apart. The bored lady clicked, clacked, and soon handed me the keys to my room.


    When the door to my new home closed behind me, I could finally collapse with a fever.


    I wasn''t able to rest for too long. Darius woke up in a fitful rage of hunger. He was dry-mouthed and grouchy. He couldn''t be soothed no matter how I sang, rocked, or cuddled with him. I ended up crying with him at one point, and that actually stopped his fretful tears for a moment before he joined me in sorrow.


    All that sleep he had gotten meant that he was wide awake to torture me. Neither one of us got much sleep the next two days. Whenever he finally crashed I joined him in a power nap.


    I thought it couldn''t get any worse at that moment, but it did on our third night in the suite. I''d turned on the TV because I was running on low fumes, and I wanted to put on something for Darius so I could have a moment to think and plan.


    I never passed the news channel when looking for the kids.


    "There are still no leads in what happened to the Savage family." The news anchor said. I could feel my hands loosen, and the remote control slipped from my fingers and into the ground.


    Darius made a squeal and tossed his milk bottle to the floor. Usually, I would tell him to stop and clean it up right away, but how could I? My eyes were glued to the screen as images of a broken plane in the sea were displayed before me.


    "It''s been three days, but there is still hope that they could be alive and struggling for life."


    They? Who was she talking about? My father and the pilots? No, before she said family. The Savage family.


    If you knew this would happen¡­why did you go on the plane alone? I grabbed the TV with shaking hands and I squeezed the screen. Why would you do something so foolish?


    It''s like he sacrificed himself for us.


    "Da!" Darius was still tossing food, but he was pointing with sticky fingers at the picture of our father that appeared on the screen.


    This was a good picture of him. He looked in control and was slightly smiling. It was better than the last time I saw him. He had furtive eyes accompanied by dark circles. Our father''s hair was barely controlled, and his customarily smoothed suit was wrinkled. This picture was how I always thought of him.


    The image changed, and it was one of Graham and me. It was one of the engagement photos we took together.


    It wasn''t a good picture and was one I thought looked like me the least¡­wait. Why hadn''t I realized this sooner? The pictures were slightly different from the last and didn''t look like me¡­


    "He planned this from the start," I said, stepping back and collapsing on the ground. There was a reason why there weren''t any good pictures of me. Why I was so familiar with face changers as a kid. I stared at the screen as photos of the engagement party were displayed. I looked off in every single one of them, not entirely like myself. I wasn''t wearing a face changer, but my father must have found another way to distort the cameras. It could be a lens or, hell, even my makeup¡­


    "Sadly, we don''t have many pictures of Dolyn Savage, but her fiance Graham Owens has provided rescuers with them."


    Graham. His name was like a jolt to my chest. If I had known that my death was going to be faked, I would have told him everything my dad did from the start. I didn''t delve too deeply into why my father did this before. Darius didn''t give me a mental break to think casually about it. But now I know.


    I pulled my new phone out of my space and punched in Graham''s number. Right before I hit call, I stopped.


    Should I do this? My father went through elaborate loops to ensure Darius and I escaped safely.


    Why wouldn''t my father have sent us to the Hub if our old home were safe? He did this for a reason, and regardless if he worked for Mordecai, there was a genuine danger to our family.


    "Da!" Darius said, jamming his thumb into his applesauce. I watched it splatter, and the sight brought a small smile to my lips.


    "That is Dad on the screen," I said, erasing Graham''s number and getting off the floor.


    Maybe I''ll regret this, but this would be the final cruel thing I would do to Graham. It was better that he thought me dead like the rest of the world.


    Darius took a nap after lunch, meaning I got to nap. He behaved so calmly the rest of the day that I was beginning to think he was a changeling. Then bedtime happened again, and this time, he was screaming Da repeatedly.


    I pulled out a picture of our father, and he clutched it as he finally fell asleep. This suite had two bedrooms, but we shared the same bed. The fussy Darius couldn''t sleep on his own yet.


    Tonight, I was wide awake and anxious. I slipped out of bed and, on my tiptoes, left the room.


    I couldn''t risk the TV in the bedroom waking up Darius. The living room TV was also bigger, and I huddled in front of it all while pressing my face to the screen.


    As I expected, my father''s plane was still pasted across all the news channels.


    People had endless things to say about him and all his hard work. My fingers refused to remain idle, so I pulled up web searches and some more popular social media platforms. There were fewer nice things to say about him on some of these sites. People really dug into his business practices.


    My name came up, too. It was strange reading all of these stranger''s thoughts on me. I wasn''t a public figure and had been hidden from the world. A lot more people than I expected were curious about that. And some conspiracy sites pointed out the strange photos of me. Of course, some said I just had a face that didn''t take a good photo, and I couldn''t disagree. However, having so many pictures taken and none of them look like the same person was a suspicious trend.


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    "How does it feel to have the whole world talking about you?"


    I jumped and turned to look behind me. The living room was lit up only by the TV. This place was still unfamiliar, which had to be why I found Mordecai absolutely terrifying. He was lounging on my couch casually as if it were a throne. His face was half hidden in shadows, which only served to showcase his glowing eyes that looked like burning embers.


    "My father was your agent. Why did you let him die?" I said, rubbing my chest where my heart was painfully pounding fast.


    "My agent?" Mordecai said as his smile grew.


    His grin was playful and menacing, but it was missing something. In the past, Mordecai seemed to enjoy being caught or praised for his actions. He always took credit with aplomb, too. I faltered for a moment. Maybe my father wasn''t working for Mordecai?


    "Is he alive?" I said, but I could not look at Mordecai when I asked the burning question in my gut.


    Mordecai made a noncommittal sound, and I closed my eyes.


    "You have the power to ensure he is alive," I said slowly as I thought of how to turn this around.


    "Gwendolyn, are you attempting to make a deal with me?" Mordecai said. I could hear the humor in his voice, and I flinched in response.


    I opened my mouth to say yes, but I hesitated. If I did that, there was no telling what he would want in return.


    "How about this? Your father will return to you when you truly need him. In return, I will never put you in another world." Mordecai said.


    I turned around to look at him. That sounded suspiciously like a handout. Why would he promise me something like that? It was too good to be true. I opened my mouth to say something, but as I looked at Mordecai lazily leaning on the couch, my mouth snapped shut. The odds of me making things worse by speaking were also impossibly high.


    "Glad we came to a deal," Mordecai said as he smirked.


    I turned my back to him, brought my knees to my chest, and laid my head on them. Curling into a ball was the best way to handle this. My head was throbbing, and I felt like there was something wrong with what happened, but it was impossible to focus on that.


    The silence grew between us as the TV drew our attention to it. Graham was on it, and he was talking to reporters. He looked pale and haggard, and my heart twisted with guilt at the sight.


    "Your lover is mourning you," Mordecai said.


    I snapped my head to give him a glare. "He was my friend, and I feel awful about all this."


    "Then why haven''t you told him you''re alive?" Mordecai said.


    It shouldn''t surprise me that this deity had the time on his hands to studiously watch my life like a soap drama. What did surprise me was the strange look in Mordecai''s eyes. It was like he was waiting for me to pull out my phone and call Graham at this very moment.


    "I''m not wasting what my father did for Darius and myself."


    "Ah, so you don''t trust Graham," Mordecai said.


    I did trust Graham in many ways, but in this moment, there was enough doubt in my heart to still my fingers. Even if I could trust him with my life, could I entrust Darius to him? And what if someone else, the unknown problematic person, found out we were alive because I told Graham? I couldn''t risk it.


    "Would you have told Adam?" Mordecai said.


    My heart jerked at the name, and I turned away to face the TV again.


    "I''ll take that response as a yes," Mordecai said around his laugh.


    He was right. I would have told Adam in a heartbeat because I never kept secrets from Adam. Look where that got us. He kept all the worst ones, and everything fell apart.


    "You can''t compare the two like that," I said bitterly unwilling to let Mordecai get the last jab.


    "Because they''re not equal in your heart?" Mordecai said. He seemed content to poke me with a stick of savagery as he yet again opened up all of my wounds.


    "Why did you come here in the first place?" I shot back at him.


    "What a complete shift in attitude. Last time, you hugged me and was like a cute little puppy. Now you''ve gone rabid."


    The two of us locked eyes, and as usual, I was the first to break.


    "Is it possible to bring the living into either of my spaces?" I said. This was a burning question that I wish I had asked sooner and a great way to distract the conversation. It was strange how it had never really come up before. A worm once upon a time didn''t count.


    "You can," Mordecai said. There was a long pause as I waited for him to finish that thought. He didn''t.


    I could feel my teeth grind as I pushed ahead, "Would they be affected in any way?"


    "Depends on what you mean by that," Mordecai said. A smile was splitting his cheeks as he stared at me.


    He was toying with me on purpose. Getting anything from Mordecai without giving was impossible, but this was ridiculous. "Is it safe to take my brother into either of my spaces to hide with me?" I said.


    "That''s a better way to ask the question," Mordecai said. Still, the damn man avoided directly answering my question.


    I could feel anger bubbling in my chest.


    "You could take him in, but the duration wouldn''t be sufficient to hide. You could if you were in your true form without my punishment or limitations. Your spaces are powered by your soul since they''re soul-bound. You have yet to bring someone in, so building up a decent stretch of time in either space would take time. When the time wears out, you''d pop into existence precisely where you slipped away like normal but with whomever you brought in."


    I blinked, shocked that he had given me a straight response. His smile grew wider, and I sighed. He was eating up my reaction as payment clearly!


    "Rex entered into my space at will," I said. "He also trapped me in it."


    "Well, Adam is special," Mordecai said with a shrug. "His powers defy a lot of things. Your limitless capabilities mean nothing with your zero control over them."


    I couldn''t argue with that. I shut my mouth. My abilities had changed and become stronger, though. So why have they failed me time after time?


    "Why didn''t my powers predict this? I could have stopped it." The words were out of my lips before I could stop them. I didn''t want to think along these lines and had buried these thoughts as deeply as possible.


    Mordecai habitually pulled out the worst and hidden parts of my soul. It was uncomfortable yet relaxing how my emotions and mind were around him.


    "You can''t stop fate," Mordecai said. There was bitterness in his voice.


    "This can''t be my father''s fate." And it wouldn''t be from the deal I made with the Keeper of Fates. Who knows when or how that would pan out. I was too chicken shit to ask Mordecai. He might change his mind and add more twists to it.


    "How curious that you still call him father," Mordecai said.


    It started as a habit, and before I knew it, I thought of him as my father. He raised me the best way he could and, so far, was the only paternal figure who had protected me.


    "He raised me better than my actual family," I said, locking eyes with Mordecai.


    "And yet you did nothing for him," Mordecai said with a biting smirk.


    I stiffened and narrowed my eyes.


    I didn''t have a chance for a rebuttal because Mordecai was rolling an all too familiar coin across his knuckles as he dug into my soul. "I see from your expression you don''t understand. You did nothing for him, so why do you think you could have prevented this tragic moment?" He said.


    He tossed his all too familiar coin in the air, but instead of catching it, I watched as it morphed into a strange piece of fruit. I''d never seen anything like it before. It was a deep green, and I would have assumed it was unripe until he caught it and took a bite. The inner flesh was purple with bright yellow seeds dotting the inside. It was better to be distracted by this than what Mordecai was saying.


    "Take your friend Clara. She is a prime example of what you should have become. I set the stage for you to blossom like her. Clara understands connections and goes out of her way to assist her family in getting and keeping them."


    "She just enjoys parties," I said.


    "Do you really think that''s why she strives for the center?" He said.


    I froze, unsure of what to say. Mordecai noisily ate his fruit as my thoughts churned nothing fruitful in my head. I couldn''t be sure. Maybe I was just judging the surface and not giving Clara her just dues.


    "Her family isn''t as rich nor as powerful as yours, and yet socially, hers is stronger. I gave you the perfect spotlight to power, and you squandered it." Mordecai said with a comically dire shake of his head. "Women in powerful families are raised to support the men in their family through marriage and connections to build a stronger unit to protect from the outside. To control and unite, they can forge impenetrable social bonds through other women."


    "That''s sexist," I said without any fire. He was making too much sense. Also, he was showing his age. What''s worse than all of that was that he was right. I should have done more. I was plucked and dropped into a reasonably modern world. I wouldn''t have had the chance to be so selective and underground had the timeline been different. Luckily, my father hadn''t forced me to be in the spotlight.


    "Boys grow into men to support the family in a similar fashion. They find a partner to produce children and strengthen the family from outside attacks. These bonds of family are strong for that very reason." Mordecai said between bites of the fruit. Fleck flew out of his mouth as he noisily chewed and swallowed. "If there''s anything you take from this, loyalty protects and matters more than love. Without such a concept, you''re adrift in a world of enemies and unknowns."


    There was a lot I couldn''t argue with, but I had at least one thing I could shoot back at him. So I thinned my lips and said, "Funny you bring up gender when I never know what you''ll show up as. You''re proof that gender stereotypes don''t matter."


    Mordecai threw back his head with a sharp laugh that grated my ears. It was strangely eerie and deep. What a villain. I narrowed my eyes, using my annoyance to combat the fear the sound seemed to rip out of me.


    "If only you knew how I am proof of the opposite of that." He said when he was done laughing at me.


    "You''re going to wake up the baby, you dolt!"


    "You''ve gotten really comfortable calling me whatever you want, Gwendolyn," Mordecai said. His eyes started to glow brighter, and I fought the desire to gulp.


    I had no defense, so I turned my back to Mordecai to stare at the screen. I knew Mordecai wouldn''t harm me based on everything. I needed to be cautious, however. Mordecai wasn''t ordinary, no matter how casual he acted. He was a deity of vast prowess. He could find a workaround to do great harm while leaving me intact to fulfill whatever purpose he had in mind for me.


    "I have a gift for you for getting through the first part of your journey in this world. I won several bets thanks to you hiding well and keeping silent." Mordecai said.


    I didn''t have time to react before a warm hand was placed on my forehead. Ah! He moved way too fast. See, this was why I needed to be cautious. If he could move that fast, I could be dead before my brain had time to acknowledge it!


    "Your appearance last time almost brought me to tears with shame," Mordecai said with a wolfish grin. His teeth gleamed in the dark, and my chin quivered. "Remember, I''m watching you."


    Mordecai disappeared dramatically in a puff of smoke. His burning eyes made of embers was the last piece of him I saw. I waved the smoke away before I stood up to open the balcony door. The crisp cold night air was a breath of fresh air.


    The slew of emotions Mordecai brought me was a welcome reprieve from the numbness I''d been feeling all day. David Savage, my father in this world, was really gone. I hadn''t wanted to believe it, and I still didn''t. He was a powerful man with a ton of enemies. I learned that from his teachings. I was forced to grow up with the reality of how many people wanted him dead or hurt.


    Someone achieved it, and he got Darius and me out in time. He might have gotten himself out, too. Or did he really stay behind to sacrifice himself? I couldn''t take what Mordecai said as facts yet. Who knows when his words would actually come into play or if they could.


    Right now, Darius'' fate and mine are entirely in my hands. I stared at my hands and then looked at the empty space on the balcony. I didn''t have time to sit here and weep. I could mourn everything later. I have to take care of my brother and to do that, I have to become stronger.


    I didn''t feel any different. Mordecai said he was giving me a gift. There was no way it was going to be genuinely beneficial. He used me as a running gag to spice up his boredom. There wasn''t anything wrong with my appearance last time. I was dressed to the nines. Wait, I was burned, and he healed me. Did that mean I would no longer have a weak hothouse flower body? My chest grew warm with joy, and I exited the balcony to lie in bed next to Darius.


    I didn''t bother taking my cough medicine. I was finally going to have a healthy average body.

 Chapter Fourteen

    I am clearly an idiot. I woke up with a scratchy throat and an achy head. I religiously took the medicine to keep me afloat and capable of taking care of Darius. I always made sure that it never ran out in my system.


    I was too careless. I can''t believe I thought that Mordecai was going to make my body better. No doubt he was watching this and laughing his butt off.


    I didn''t have time to ponder what the gift could be because Darius started rolling on the bed. I barely moved in time to catch him before he rolled right off.


    He giggled when I caught him, and I couldn''t help but smile back at the sparkle in his eyes.


    "If you roll off the bed, you could hurt yourself," I said, bringing him closer to my chest.


    Darius squealed in protest, and I could hear him babble. He was almost talking in response.


    "Ready for breakfast!" I distracted him easily.


    The rest of the day was not that easy. He was bored with the suite. He was bored with his toys, and he was bored of me.


    Given how the breaking news was mostly about our family, I didn''t want to put the TV on.


    That left one option. Well, technically, two.


    "Do you want to go somewhere fun?" I said, scooping him up in my arms.


    "Da?" He said with a pout. Da became his word of choice.


    I held him close to my chest and entered my locket world. I didn''t know how to bring him in. So I just imagined both of us going in and gave it a try. Luckily, Darius was still in my arms when we entered.


    We were greeted by blue skies and bright green grass as far as the eye could see. Along the way, there were grazing animals dotting the horizon.


    "Da!" Darius was really excited to see this, and he wiggled to get out of my arms. I held on tight and looked up at the sky.


    There was a countdown, as usual, in big bold red plastered across the sky. Over the years, I''d managed to extend the time to six hours. This was the first time I''d entered it since my father''s plane went down. Instead of six it blasted 2:59.12 in the sky. I had less than three hours, and it counted down by the second.


    Mordecai said this place was powered by my soul. How long would it take to extend the time that allowed me to bring Darius in?


    I didn''t have time to ponder. Darius was still struggling to escape my arms. I set him down to let him roll around in the grass. We entered near one of the orchards, so he had plenty to play with. Apples dotted the ground, and he picked them up to gnaw.


    Even if I didn''t have predators, animals like ducks or chickens could hurt him if he got too close. I pulled out the control panel and monitored Darius during my daily maintenance.


    Everything looked alright and up to date except for a new icon in the menu part. I waited until I finished doing everything I needed to before touching the icon.


    It said shop. Could this be the update Mordecai had promised? However, it didn''t make sense because I never needed it before. I could customize whatever structure, farming thingy or animal-based thingy, I liked. And I used points to choose the animal. What could a shop provide me that I would need?


    I wasn''t able to get a direct answer. The screen showed a loading screen stating, ''Downloading update.''


    I looked away as it loaded to watch Darius digging in the dirt. He looked happier than before, and a matching smile grew on my lips.


    Was there a limit to bringing him into my Hideaway home? It didn''t have limiters for me, but would that change like the locket world?


    A cheery beep alerted me to the finished download, and I looked at the control panel with as few expectations as possible.


    I blinked at the screen. All the possible upgrades I could utilize or earn were displayed. They were sectioned off by animals, plants, expansion, zones, etc. My fingers became a blur as I clicked through everything.


    I had unlocked the beach long ago, but now I can unlock depths that expand on what could live in it. I could create sections of the ocean for specific habitats. There were also zones with different settings, and everything in them, from the rocks to the sky, would reflect that.


    Each one unlocked different animals, plants, and creatures.


    "Creatures?" I said, astonished. Not animals, it said creatures.


    I gulped and saw a notification. I clicked on it without thinking.


    "Due to upgrading, the world now undergoes seasons. Upon exiting, the world will reflect this change for your next visit."


    Shit. That was going to make it difficult. Currently, I bypass the need for seasons to keep growing annually with my abilities. Outside the locket world, it was fall, so the air was crisp and chilling into winter. Right now, in the space, it looked like a forever spring.


    I took a look at the plants and sighed. Mordecai giveth, and he curses, too.


    I looked down at Darius, still happily digging in the dirt. Then, up at the sky, I saw that only twenty minutes had passed.


    I needed to figure out what my zones would become and how I would navigate this changing world.


    I plopped down on the ground next to Darius and got to work.


    I needed to have this done sooner rather than later. If I was going to be in this world without my father''s and my friends'' protection. I needed to be prepared. The world''s end would come, and it was up to me to provide for Darius.


    Designing was a lot harder than it ought to be. I had to rearrange the whole world to have zones that would reflect unique zones. I was going to have one of each, including an arctic one. I started this process with over a billion points from all the farming I''d done over the past thirteen years. I didn''t really need to use them before. I could add more depth to every inch of this world with all the extras. I could even add things like benches, lights, and swings. Now that it wouldn''t be perpetual daytime, I had to prepare for what it would look like at night. My farm animals needed homes. The zones with predators and prey needed proper plants to build their homes. I now have to balance the equilibrium of Mother Nature. By the time I was done, I had barely ten points left.


    I wanted at least four zones within each climate zone to create a continuous cycle. That meant animals in each of them would be going through different stages. However, they couldn''t cross over into a different season of their zone, so that locked them in. There was a function that I paid for to warn of possible inbreeding. To combat that, I could mix and match the animals in each zone to prevent such an event. Though down the line when I earned more points, I could just add more animals to make it work.


    I was lucky to have a few zones called farming where I could put my farm animals. I did all the above regarding cycles for my different farming animals. Instead of four of each, I doubled it because I always need food.


    The ocean was scary, but it would be cool to have different zones that I could use for swimming, surfing, and exploring.


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Thanks to the upgrade, I could unlock mountains with snowy caps that would be perfect for practicing skiing or snowboarding. The hot springs were among the best things that unlocked in the mountains.


    This went from being a one-tier farming land with some plants and animals to replicating a complete world.


    I looked at the screen and saw that an hour had passed.


    Darius was eating his dirty hand next to me. He was leaning against me and was sleepily blinking up at the sky.


    "We''re going to be okay," I said, feeling tension I didn''t know existed escaped my shoulders. If we entered this world every day, I''d be able to build up the time, and we could hide from the world.


    "Da!" Darius gave me a gumless grin. I set aside the console and picked up Darius. The update would upgrade by the time we came back. So we might as well use up our last hour at the beach.


    Time passed, and Darius was revving down, luckily. I picked up my brother and, on a whim, slipped both of us into my Hideaway home.


    It worked, and as I frantically looked at the ceiling for some kind of countdown, I found it.


    Twelve hours?! I could stay in here with him for twelve hours.


    That had quite a few implications for the locket world and why the time there was short. Either Mordecai was messing with me, or the energy it took to be in either of the spaces varied massively.


    The locket world maintained animals and ecosystems. My Hideaway home was just that, a home in its own pocket dimension.


    Darius started to fuss and drew my attention away from the fine print. We''d have to come back after lunch. I needed to get him fed and hopefully down for a nap right now.


    Slipping in between these two spaces became routine for the next two months. I slowly increased the time I brought in Darius. Better yet, I was able to keep us as lowkey as possible while staying at the Liz Hotel.


    The pictures of me were vague, and I could stay hidden in plain sight, but I couldn''t take the risk. The more hidden Darius and I were, the safer we would be until the public forgot about us.


    It didn''t even take two months for that to happen. Something fresh happened that distracted the public.


    I could still find out what happened to my father''s property. Graham had inherited my father''s company and all of its assets. My father had him in the will in the event that something happened to Darius and me.


    There was a lot of negative press about that, but Graham managed to turn it around with the release of the zombie game he put together with Alec and Bryon.


    Brains became such a hit that they created a gaming company to expand on the franchise. Graham even credited me with the character creation of Atlas and named the company Dolyn.


    And then the public forgot about the Savage family entirely. It was like we never existed.


    My father, Darius, and I were gone, and the world continued because, to them, we didn''t matter.


    I didn''t have to stay hidden forever over the next six months. With the media''s short attention span, I slowly ventured into the real world. Well, it''s part of the real world. I took online classes at a community college. It wasn''t the easiest thing, but it became possible as Darius grew bigger and more independent. He could play by himself and took naps more frequently, which allowed me to get things done.


    He was nearly two now and a very chatty guy. I bought a puppy from the locket world store. I tried to pull the dog out, but I received a warning box that told me he would turn into soup meat if I did. I had never attempted to pull out animals from the locket world before, so I learned the hard way that the only thing that comes out of it is meat for eating. At least inside the locket world, the two became best friends. He named him Berry because the spots looked like raspberries on its amber coat.


    I could do my homework while the two frolicked around. I spent a lot of time studying. I was getting ready to apply to a university.


    I took forever to decide what I wanted to be, and I finally settled on becoming a nurse. With my talent for plants and interest in self-preservation, it was the perfect field. I could take care of Darius and others when the zombies come and do it in a way that made sense. If I''m lucky, I can find out how to heal my body, not that my dad''s experts could.


    I looked at the sky to check how much time we had left in the locket world. I upgraded it again, allowing Darius to stay there for six hours.


    Tension grew in the center of my forehead as I could feel panic rise and swell within me. How can I do this with Darius attached to my hip? I couldn''t leave him alone or in the Hideaway home or the Liz suite; I was still expensively renting. We had less than five years before the zombies attacked, so I couldn''t wait until he was older. If I left him with other people, would he be safe? What if he starts talking about all the magic in his life and gets weird eyes on me? Some could be chalked up to a kid''s imagination, but someone may take it seriously.


    "Dol!" Darius said as he ran up to me. "I found this!" He held a baby rabbit by the ears and thrust it into my hands.


    The poor thing was shivering and trembling as it shat itself.


    "Put it down. Its mama is likely looking for it." I said gently, guiding his hands to set down the baby rabbit. It thumped off wobbly as it scurried far away.


    I looked at Darius as he watched the rabbit escape. He didn''t ask questions about his mother, and I often talked to him about our father. Sadly, I had no idea what had truly happened to them.


    He was too young for the in-depth conversation.


    "Berry!" Darius said, bounding after the spotted dog that came running with its tongue hanging out of its mouth. The two tumbled to the ground together, and I let out a sigh.


    One way or another, it was going to work. Even if I had to yank Mordecai down to provide childcare myself. Since my cries for the damned deity went unanswered, I resorted to attempting spellwork to summon him. All of them failed, of course.


    My dream must have been affected by my line of thinking because I was plagued with images of Gods, monsters, and dragons every night.


    I''d had wild dreams since our first night in the Liz Hotel. But this was different. The oddest part of these dreams wasn''t who was that everything came in threes. The first dream stood out because although there were three huddled figures, the woman in the center and the man at her feet set themselves apart.


    I barely had time to register what was going on before my dreams shifted to an underground labyrinth. Each time, without fail, I would catch my bearings and have enough of a mind to look around, but then I was ripped from the scene.


    These weren''t premonitions; they were entirely something else.


    They almost felt like memories, but they couldn''t be my own. I would remember being in a labyrinth. A spine-shivering inducing roar shook the walls, and I hiccuped in surprise.


    And none of that was accounting for the dragons. I saw countless dragons. The biggest and boldest of them had the same eyes as Acuzio. His scales were a burning red with hints of gold. They looked nothing like the scales I had seen before, yet as I watched this dragon take flight, I knew it was my ancestral uncle.


    His proper form was monstrously huge. There didn''t seem to be an end to him, and he blacked out the sun as he took over the sky. The world was cast into shadow, and dream me was left with a gaping mouth as I looked up at him.


    How could I reconcile that something that powerful was a relative of mine, no matter how removed? How is it possible that my direct ancestor was not only his sibling but as powerful as Acuzio?


    What of their other sibling? There was a third to the trio and one who was mentioned occasionally, but I''d never been told what happened to her. If just anything would haunt my dreams, why can''t she?


    The dream shifted again as if responding to my tangled inner web of thoughts. There was a part of me that was excited. What would the third sibling be if my ancestor was a phoenix and her sibling was a dragon? Could I find out now? She would have to be as powerful, if not more, given that her mother was also the Goddess of Destiny.


    Instead of being on a cliff or a black underground, I found myself in a chilly forest with thickened air. The fog clouded my sight, and as I stepped forward, I slipped on the slick ground and landed butt-first in a pool of water. I made a face as I tried to stand. This embarrassingly repeated a couple of times until I heard the sound of wings. I looked up just in time to see a silver bird with a wingspan the size of a small van. It looked as if starlight had been spun in her feathers. She landed flawlessly and nearly silently in the water, causing tiny ripples.


    "Are you Caelestis?" I blurted.


    The bird tilted her head, and her form started to shimmer stronger. I fought the desire to blink. I didn''t want to miss seeing this exquisite bird. There was only one other who was as handsome as her. But I did end up blinking, and a woman replaced the bird when I opened my eyes.


    She was willowy thin and the tallest woman I have ever seen in any of my lives. Her long silver hair hung down her back and shined like the feathers from before. Her skin was the color of milk, and her eyes were made of melted light. Her long eyelashes were so pale that I almost couldn''t spot them. Her lips were the warmest-looking part of her body, and they had a soft golden hue on her skin.


    "Silver lady." I must have spoken again. Caelestis was the winter Goddess in Adam''s world. This had to be her. She was the embodiment of winter.


    She opened her mouth, and I think words came out, but I couldn''t hear her. It was like a wall had appeared before, preventing either side from talking.


    "Gwendolyn." A third voice spoke, and I stiffened, recognizing that one all too well.


    Aphra, aka Mordecai, was here.


    "How did you find your way here?" Aphra said, looking down at me. Her hair wasn''t as shiny as Caelestis, and unlike the silver Goddess, her pale hair was spun with wisps of gold and amber. They glowed with their own unique heat and evaporated the fog around them.


    "He wasn''t supposed to leave you for even a moment." She muttered as she eyed me up and down. I couldn''t respond; something was constricting my voice, and the thick air prevented me from taking a fresh breath. Aphra seemingly took in my continence and sighed. This was a woman I''d seen only once before, but for some reason, I was having trouble reconciling her as being also Mordecai. Something was off. Something didn''t feel right.


    "You shouldn''t disturb the dead," Aphra said, covering my eyes with her hand and not giving me a chance.


    The next time I could open my eyes, I was no longer in the book world nor a dreamland. I was in the middle of a warzone.

 Chapter Fifteen

    The bright blue of the sky could only hold my attention for a few seconds. The quiet oblivion of my dreams was replaced with violence and chaos. Explosions, curse words, and threats rained over my head.


    I sat up to look around and saw a group of about twenty people duking it out. These were no ordinary people. Some had characteristics of mythical beings like horns or wings. Others had flames around their hands or even ice. I was clearly the most normal-looking one, so how had I wound up in the middle of their fight?


    To make it worse, my body was smack dab in the center of the battlefield. The strangest part of all was that they didn''t seem to notice me.


    I attempted to scooch away, my mind racing, but just in time, a twinge in my heart allowed me to dodge an errant blade. My premonitions had kicked in, giving me a glimmer of hope amidst the chaos.


    I put a hand over my beating heart and chose to survive no matter how ugly it looked. I kept my body low and to the ground, as I ran away on all fours.


    I dodged flames, blades, and bodies as I bit my tongue to stop my screams from slipping past my lips.


    I could dodge everything as my innate talent for escaping problems kept me safe. It didn''t hurt that no one was aiming for me. It was almost like I was invisible to them all. I couldn''t focus on that, so I ran on all fours until I was past the battle.


    My miraculous escape had cost others their life. Corpses and body parts littered the ground as everyone seemed content to fight to the death.


    It didn''t help that everyone seemed to speak a different tongue. Words flew just as weapons and magic did.


    I spotted a shadow on the ground that, for some reason, prompted me to look up.


    A floating figure that looked eerily familiar held out his hands. The pressure on the ground smacked everyone still alive, hard on the ground. Well, everyone except for me. I wasn''t far from it all, but why was I exempt from this chaotic mess?


    The people collapsed on the ground, all closed their eyes, and I hiccuped in fear. What if they were dead?


    The floating man smoothly landed on his feet, and with the sun no longer at his back, I could see who it was.


    It was Wyatt.


    Wyatt had grown even taller somehow. His lanky blonde hair had turned almost platinum, as if it had been tempered in the sun and turned into transparent lace. His sparkling blue eyes shone in his tanned skin. His expression was savage as he examined all the bodies at his feet.


    I watched him silently as he rooted around in everyone''s pockets. He was stealing from all the people he knocked out! I refused to think that he killed them, so he must have just knocked them out...right? He had filled out and matured into his twenties. He wasn''t as big as his father, but I could see the family resemblance. He was stronger, and undoubtedly, his muscles would become as wide as his father one day.


    I hiccuped again, and quick as a whip, Wyatt turned his head in my direction. I gulped, but he said nothing as he scanned where I was sitting.


    Like the people who were trying to kill each other, he couldn''t see me? Why couldn''t he see me?


    On an impulse, I stood up and started waving my hands. Wyatt didn''t react, and instead, he went back to robbing.


    Emboldened by my stupidity, I walked closer to him, but his hand snaked out when I was a foot away and captured my wrist.


    "Wendy." He said as he looked in my direction. He couldn''t see me, but his powers must be able to sense me. His white teeth were already showing a shit-eating grin.


    "Wyatt, did you kill them?" I asked.


    "I knocked them out. What are you doing here?"


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    "Where is here?" I said.


    "You''re in the Divine Colosseum."


    Well, shit. That simple phrase repeated itself in my head as I followed Wyatt around. True to his word, he didn''t go out of his way to kill what he called the other contestants. No one else showed him the same grace.


    The Divine Colosseum was where Acuzio said I used my favor from him. This was history finally righting itself, but how did I slip here? I needed to return to The Liz because Darius was all alone now.


    Wyatt, as usual, could have been more helpful. The giant oaf was hellbent on knocking out every other contestant. He refused to answer my questions and didn''t care if I followed him or not.


    I followed him, of course. He was my only possible way out of this mess.


    "Wyatt!" I said as I watched him dodge and duck every elemental attack.


    He ignored me and grabbed a contestant by the throat. I watched with a sharp hiccup as he dangled the muscle-bulging man several feet in the air. Wyatt then chucked him as one would a ball.


    "Homerun," Wyatt said with a smirk.


    I started shouting at him, and finally, he turned to me. "Wendy, I don''t have time to be dragged into your mess. I have to be the last demi-god standing to win." He said,


    "Is that what this is?" I said, watching as he stole whatever items were on his victims again.


    "My father dropped me here as punishment for Gavin''s demise."


    I grabbed Wyatt''s arm. "What happened to Gavin?" I said with a dry mouth.


    "He''s dead," Wyatt said. "The World Tree in that world and him were swallowed.


    "And Adam?" I said, searching his hard blue eyes for answers.


    Wyatt''s eyes looked above me as his mouth twisted into a sardonic smile. "Why should I know?" He said.


    "Because you know everything," I said, smacking his arm. I should fear this hardened man. But it was Wyatt. The stinky monkey who I grew up with. My relief at seeing him overpowered any apprehension I should feel.


    "I haven''t seen Adam in years," Wyatt said. "I wouldn''t know what happened to him.


    I tried to hide my hope from sight, but I couldn''t fool Wyatt''s powers.


    "Focus on survival; we don''t have time for anything else," Wyatt said. He caught a blade that was aimed at his throat, spun, and stabbed the man who appeared out of nowhere.


    I stepped away from the two as the man bled out at our feet. Wyatt searched the man for goodies and started walking away.


    Despite my better judgment, I ran after him.


    I told myself that the man from before hadn''t died, but I don''t think my mind believed it. I had never witnessed such brutality, and the fact that it came from Wyatt was shocking.


    I silently followed Wyatt as he destroyed everyone in his path. He didn''t even break a sweat.


    There was a brief moment when no one appeared to attack Wyatt, and I watched him wrap up the minor wounds he had garnered.


    "How did you know we were related?" I said.


    Wyatt looked up in my general direction, and for a brief moment, I wondered if he could somehow see me. Acuzio said his descendants could recognize me, but he made it sound rare.


    "Gwendolyn," Wyatt said as he finished wrapping his wound and walked over to me. I felt a strange wave of something come down on me. "We''re cousins no matter how many generations removed. Your soul is proof of that."


    "Is that how Acuzio could tell as well?"


    Wyatt jerked as I name-dropped his father. And for the first time, panic crossed his face. I watched him dispatch countless attackers, but his father was the one he was scared of?


    "Don''t say his name. Speaking a God''s name can summon them."


    "I''m wounded Attarib." A deep, gravelly voice rubbed the top of my head, and I looked up to see the towering silhouette of Acuzio. The Dragon God was covered in shadows as his hardened flesh glowed hot like the sun.


    "Uncle!" I said. Finally, some relief from this hell.


    He smiled down at me, ignoring his son, who was glaring openly at him.


    "You''re not supposed to be here," Acuzio said as he petted my head. "This is for demi-gods to battle and earn their parents'' favor by becoming the champion."


    "Why am I exempt from that?" I said. It could be because I''m not Mordecai''s child or because I had that clause according to everyone.


    "You''re more important than any of these replaceable stones," Acuzio said rather heartlessly. I mean, his son was right over there, covered in another demi-god''s blood.


    I gulped and looked at Wyatt, whose face had hardened.


    "Wyatt isn''t replaceable," I said. "He shouldn''t be here."


    I couldn''t read the dragon''s expression as he stared into my eyes. He didn''t look mad, but he didn''t seem pleased. "Out of all my children, you grow attached to that one..." He said.


    "He''s my brother," I said simply. Wyatt was special to me regardless of the world we were in. Sure, he drove me crazy, but this was Wyatt.


    "Is that your wish? For Wyatt to be with you?" Acuzio said.


    I stared at Acuzio as I made a face. I forgot about his promise. He said he''d do what I asked of him the next time we met. Maybe he knew what would happen when he gave Adam the scale, and this was the apology.


    I was tempted to ask for a new scale to make a wish. If I could undo the original wish I made long ago, I could return to Adam. I could stop all this pointless pain, and we could start fresh.


    But I couldn''t. What if I made life worse? And I''d lose Darius. I''d held myself together by having Darius there to need me. I''d be a sobbing mess huddled in a corner without him. I couldn''t risk everything I built on a wish that could make everything worse just because of my greed.


    "Yes." I missed the monkey shit, Wyatt. He was a guy I''d need in my corner. I blinked seconds after that admission came out. "Wait, no!"


    But it was too late. Acuzio disappeared, and the scenery changed to my suite in the Liz Hotel. Wyatt, with all his blood, had followed me.

 Chapter Sixteen

    "Awe, shucks, I didn''t know you cared so much," Wyatt said as he reached for a hug.


    I made a face and promptly tossed him into the bathroom to clean off the gunk from the Divine Collosuem.


    "And don''t you dare leave my bathroom a mess!" I shouted through the door.


    I pulled out my phone from my spacial ring. I needed to order some clothing for the giant oaf. With the power of money, anything was possible. By the time Wyatt was done showering away blood and dirt, his new clothing would arrive.


    He was taller than Graham, which was helpful to some degree. Over the years, I''d gifted clothing to my Dad and male friends. Wyatt would need the works in time, but he only needed the basics for now. I tapped the screen and paid a little too much for expedited shipping.


    Darius started making noise, and I set my phone down to check on the boy.


    I picked him up and kissed his chubby cheeks. The slight weight and baby scent were as comforting as Mr. Brutus. He protested my snuggles, and I set him down on the floor to watch him run off, giggling.


    I glanced at the clock. It turned out that only a handful of hours had passed since I was sucked into my dreams. I had gone through several different types of hells in a short span of time. But to Darius, it was a typical morning. He woke up and needed to go potty but didn''t have time for me.


    I yelped at the sudden realization that Wyatt was in our only bathroom. I ran after my long-gone brother, but I was too late.


    The bathroom door was wide open. Wyatt, half naked with a towel wrapped around him, was holding Darius.


    I covered my eyes, but it was too late. I saw just about everything, and I mean nearly everything.


    During our trek in the Divine Colosseum, I watched Wyatt efficiently dispatch his opponents. And now I knew why. Every inch of this man was sinewy muscle. In my glimpse, I saw scars that littered his flesh, and some were huge. They showcased the suffering he had gone through in our time apart.


    I kept my eyes down and watched as water dripped off Wyatt to pool at his feet.


    It was strangely quiet, though, so I peeked. Wyatt and Darius stared at each other. Darius seemed as stunned as I was at the number of muscles Wyatt maintained. He was poking Wyatt and pointing at him in awe.


    "Your kid?" Wyatt said.


    "No! My sister!" Darius shouted, jabbing his fingers into Wyatt''s cheek.


    "My little brother," I said. My phone beeped, and I read the text that said Wyatt''s clothing had finally arrived. How perfectly timed that was.


    I took Darius from Wyatt and left the little tyke in the bathroom to do his business.


    Then, I went to the front door and led Wyatt to the second unused bedroom.


    "This room can be yours. Let me know if this size works. I''ll order more." I said. I was eager to get started on breakfast, so I promptly scurried to leave.


    Wyatt let out a low whistle, and I turned to look at him. He was admiring the room.


    "This is a step up, little sister. You must be rich now." He said.


    The words little sister had an inflection that made my cheeks burn red. "I just said all that to get you out of that mess," I said, crossing my arms.


    "Right." He said, slowly drawing out that one word.


    I could hear the giant monkey boy laughing through the door I slammed.


    Breakfast was a spread that I took great pains to slap together. Wyatt and Darius weren''t picky eaters, but they were voracious. So I pulled pancakes, waffles, French toast, scrambled eggs, bacon, and scones out of my space. For drinks, there was orange juice, water, and coffee. Coffee was also the only thing I made fresh. My preference for coffee was to have it with sugar and cream. So I had both out in these cute pink servers.


    Wyatt approached the table as I was putting Darius in his high chair. I took half a second to eye his fit. I was relieved that everything seemed to work and noted the sizes so I could buy him some more clothes.


    "You''re an even faster cook than before." He said with a shit-eating grin.


    I rolled my eyes. Wyatt knew about my space. He''d been sneakily reading my brain for years by this point, and let''s face it, I''m not exactly subtle.


    Wyatt went for the coffee. The man filled his cup only to dump it down his gullet with surprising speed. I ignored that to plate for Darius. Without thinking about it, I made a plate for Wyatt after I finished doing that.


    He took and thankfully stopped drinking all the coffee, leaving me enough to have my first cup.


    Breakfast was strangely silent as everyone focused on their food. This was good because I needed to gather myself. This world was ending soon, and I was nowhere near ready for it. With Wyatt, we would be.


    Images of Wyatt''s brutal execution of violence flashed in my mind, and I gulped. Yeah, we would need this man to get through the end times.


    After breakfast, Wyatt claimed he needed to sleep before the information swap. I couldn''t deny that he looked like death warmed over. The full belly must have tipped him over into lethargy.


    While Wyatt rested, I made sure to maintain Darius'' regular routine. This meant we did some school work, had our play date, and ate snacks together.


    After I put Darius down for a nap, Wyatt emerged. He looked refreshed and hungry for lunch.


    "Let''s get out of here so we can talk," I said.


    I then set up the baby monitor because the best place to talk was the locket world. A while ago, I tested the baby monitor for such an occasion. I don''t know how it crossed dimensions, but it worked. I could stay a whole day per day by myself. Of course, now, with a guest, it continued ticking down to the slashed rate.


    Wyatt and I finally entered my farming world. He marveled at it, and I took the time to briefly describe how it worked.


    Then I dumped everything on him. Well, I left out the shameful moments after my departure with the pomegrante. I graced upon the backstory of why I was in this world and how Mordecai had dumped me in it.


    "I''m sorry for pretending not to know who you were in the second timeline," Wyatt said when it was his turn to speak up about what he''d been up to.


    I blinked, recalling how I had confronted him rather violently for some kind of reaction, but Wyatt had given me nothing.


    "How were you able to play it off so well?" I said. I was still dazed at how I had started to believe I was wrong about everything. "I started to doubt if it was really you. And why would you do that?"


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    "You''re incredibly naive for one related to Aphra," Wyatt said with a bitter smile. "You don''t hide your emotions very well, and you''re blunt to the point of the offense. At least in that latter regard, you resemble her."


    I bristled, not liking the way the conversation was going.


    "I admire that, but to survive among our relatives and those like us, you must be cold and controlled." He said.


    "The only cold relatives I''ve seen are my directly related ones," I said with a snort. My grandmother was kind and caring, but she was distant. My brother was a rock that oozed salt instead of love. My ancestral relatives were the hotheaded fuses that were always messing up my life.


    "You can only be that expressive when you have power in our world," Wyatt said. He had long dropped his smiling act, and I saw his true face again. His expression was severe, and the light in his eyes had turned grim. "They can afford it because no one can truly challenge them."


    "So you learned to be this way because of your siblings?" I said. It hadn''t left my mind that he was the youngest. I can''t imagine what that must have been like.


    Wyatt''s lips thinned, and he opened his mouth, but I held up a hand to stop him. I narrowed my eyes at him. "You just distracted me from what I wanted to know, " I said.


    A huge grin split his face, and I considered that his admission. My lips quirked into a smile as he said, "Not really. I was getting to it. I made a deal with Aphra."


    The levity in the air dropped, and with it, my smile. "You did what?" I said through numb lips.


    Aphra said this before, but I didn''t believe it. As much as I made fun of Wyatt, he was smarter than that. He had to know what making a deal with our relative would create.


    "This was when you left the timeline after saving me. That world was falling apart. Aphra came to me thanks to my making a wish at the World Tree. She said that if I wanted to escape that world and meet you again, I would need to make a deal." He said.


    "What was the deal?" My voice was barely above that of a whisper.


    "The next time I saw you, I couldn''t tell you I knew who you were. I had to pretend it was the first time we met." He said.


    Wyatt''s words hit me like a dump truck. My eyes became blurry and shaky. Wyatt, not knowing who I was played a massive part in my doubts. I was questioning my sanity and wondering if I got everything wrong because of that.


    The shock was giving way to a build-up of resentment and bitterness. Aphra, Mordecai, or whatever that deity wanted to be called did that purposefully. Was it to drive me mad or to push me towards whatever plans the Gods seemed to have regarding me? Whatever the purpose, I was one pawn in this tactical board game.


    Wait, the words pawn and board game reminded me of something. A memory tickled my brain, and I thought of that game box all those years ago. Lucia and Lucas didn''t know why they had it, but I appeared. When I opened it, I saw a pawn with my name placed on a board that looked like my home.


    That was too on the nose, even for Mordecai. Mordecai best messed with me by rubbing my face in it, though. I shouldn''t put it past him to tell me exactly what he was doing with that bit of fuckery.


    "Wendy?" Wyatt''s voice drew my attention to him.


    "I''m Dolyn now," I said. It was a habit, and the past ten years as Dolyn had me saying that. I still didn''t like the name Dolyn.


    "Is that a real name?" He said with a smile.


    "According to Mordecai, aka Aphra, yes," I said with a shrug. "He just used the last five letters of my actual name to come up with that."


    I needed to change the conversation. Undoubtedly, Mordecai was watching, and it would be better to move along to something else I wanted to know.


    "The board game Effaced..." I said. I wasn''t sure where I wanted to go with that, but if everything was on the table, I wanted to know about it.


    "That was my doing. Aphra gave it to me so that I could track you down," Wyatt said.


    Okay, it was time to move on to the question I was burning to ask. I bit my lip. "Did Lucia ever remember me?" I said, unwilling to meet Wyatt''s eyes as I asked him this.


    "She knew she was forgetting something but could not recover her memory of you. That didn''t make her feelings less real." Wyatt said. He added the last part as my face crumpled.


    It didn''t make them invalid, but the spell wiped out every piece of me in that world. I knew then without asking what that meant for the rest of the world and the timeline. My family''s magic erased everything it created, meaning my forest, home, and conduit were gone. No one could remember me. Wyatt would be the exception because he was like me and had God''s blood. But everything else would be reset.


    "Your baby?" I said. In the third timeline, she was pregnant, and I was excited to become the winter mother to her baby.


    His expression cracked, as did his voice when he said, "Both died in childbirth," Wyatt said, and I could feel the grief rock through the both of us at that. "I should have known better. I did everything I could to prevent pregnancy. There was no way she could carry a child of mine. She later admitted to secretly messing our contraception."


    My heart felt like it was being squeezed as I met Wyatt''s grieving eyes. I reached out to squeeze his shoulder. It sucked that the two of us were all that was left of our group of friends. It was fate, though, wasn''t it? Our bloodline interfered with their world, and the consequence was that everyone lost what was important. Our bloodline was corrupted and too dangerous for that world. I flinched when I realized that my thoughts were likely transmitted to Wyatt as I touched him.


    His warm hand covered mine, and he squeezed it. "It''s true. Our power isn''t pure. There''s also a curse on those in our bloodline regarding love. Aphra''s line especially."


    I pulled away and covered my abdomen with those words. Maybe that was why everyone in our family was single.


    We tactfully didn''t bring up Adam. Well, I didn''t at all, and Wyatt started to, but I told him I''d feed him to the sharks if he did. He wanted to explain his side of what happened. Still, I just wanted to bury it forever and forget that painful moment that ruined everything.


    I was still piecing myself together, and the last thing I needed was more reminders of Adam.


    We slipped out of the locket world and back to the hotel suite. Darius was still asleep.


    I needed to prepare Wyatt for what was to come to this world. He was above the moon with how advanced technology was. He still had complaints because he''d been to better worlds. He fell in love with how this world does video games. Once upon a time, I bought a headset allowing virtual reality. It made the zombie experience fully immersive. I was delaying playing the game but knew I needed it to train.


    Wyatt had heard of zombies, but when I told him this world would be infested with them, he became obsessed with playing the game Brains. Like me, he wanted to be able to prepare in some way. The best way to do so was with the game my friends created.


    Wyatt booted up the game in the living room with wide eyes. "This is Adam''s voice." He said.


    The game''s opening credits had a voiceover of the character Atlas. I hadn''t played the game before, so I didn''t know that. I did know that Graham had become a famous voice actor because of the character Atlas.


    "No, it''s not," I said, looking away from him.


    "It is," Wyatt said, shocked, and I could feel his burning inquiry upon my face.


    I ran away to get started on lunch.


    I could try to sell that Graham sounded different enough from Adam, but only I was fooled. Anyone who knew Adam could read between the clear lines. Atlas''s voice, character design, and attitude were based on Adam.


    "Why are you okay with staying in this world anyway?" I said when Wyatt entered the kitchen.


    Wyatt crossed his arms and leaned against the doorway as he watched me. He said nothing, and I could feel my defensiveness rise. I seem to find myself in the company of people who can look through me too much.


    "It will fall apart and become overrun with flesh-eating monsters," I said as I started chopping vegetables and fruit for a snacking platter.


    Wyatt said nothing as I babbled. He just stared at me as I unraveled.


    "I''m sorry." His firm voice stopped my rambling in its tracks. "You shouldn''t have been left alone with this burden. You can''t do this alone."


    I turned around to stare at him. His face was grave, and his gaze warm. This was the true face of Wyatt. Not the one that wore a mask for the world but the true him staring at me.


    "Let me support you." He said as he stepped forward. He lowered the fruit knife that I had accidentally brandished into the air.


    Mordecai''s words about family floated into my mind. He was right in many regards. For better or worse, a family was there to protect against outside attacks. It was vital to ensure the bloodline continued. Only by securing the success of the family could it go on. Wyatt was right, as well. I was alone in this big world, and I trusted no one right now. How could I? Anytime I found my footing, it was ripped away. I had to start new each time, and the hits kept coming.


    For all his bravado, I trusted Wyatt. Even if he had made a pesky deal with Mordecai, that was over. And he was family. The only family that had been there for me repeatedly. Wyatt was more my brother than my actual blood, one Augustus.


    "I''m sorry," I said. I spun around to set the knife down on the cutting board. "It''s been over a decade since we''ve seen each other. I don''t know how to trust anymore." My abilities gave me some security, but after the false premonition of Adam, I''ve seen nothing solid since.


    My ability had turned its back on me, and I had done the same. No wonder I couldn''t save my father. I bit my lip, then returned to meet Wyatt''s eyes. I need to be stronger, and I have to face the music. No more avoiding his eyes. Wyatt and Darius were all I had in any world.


    "Losing Adam broke something in me. I don''t want to talk about the ending. It''s old history." I said quickly because Wyatt had opened his mouth.


    "I don''t know how much time I have left in this world. Mordecai said it was time-limited, and the zombies would come before I leave. I''ll have to make a deal with him to stay longer to care for Darius¡­but if I fail, will you please do so in my stead?"


    "As if he were you." He said, and I almost fell to the floor with relief.


    I missed the feeling of safety and security from knowing someone had my back. Life hadn''t been kind for the past almost two years.

 Chapter Seventeen

    My plans for the end days had to change now that I had a partner. Wyatt dropped his sunny persona whenever it was just the two of us. Whenever Darius was around, he acted like a sunny big brother.


    Darius didn''t adjust as well as I hoped to the addition of Wyatt. He became even clingier with me, and whenever Wyatt tried to approach us, he''d throw things at him.


    "He''s just like you," Wyatt said with a laugh. He was using the local language from Green''s Mountain.


    "Thank you," Darius said primly in the same language.


    Wyatt and I grew still and looked at the boy.


    "Did you teach him that language?" Wyatt said.


    "No," I said, examining Darius, who was looking at us as he devoured an apple. The three of us were currently in the locket world. I needed to grow my limits with three people now that there were three in our survival group.


    "How did he know it then?" Wyatt said.


    I opened my mouth and closed it. I had no idea.


    "How about this? Do you know this language?" Wyatt crouched down to Darius''s eye level. He was using another language that I also knew.


    "Yes," Darius said, chucking a clam at Wyatt''s head. Instead of dodging it, Wyatt whistled, and the wind captured it and brought it back down to Darius.


    "Could that be his ability?" Wyatt said, meeting my stunned eyes.


    "There are people gifted with powers in this world. I grew up with some who had them." I quickly went into more detail about what my father had done with the Hub and my suspicions about the wealthy elites in this world.


    "So your premonition is stronger in this world because your father in this world had it, but it somehow passed to you when you were born," Wyatt said. He was stroking his chin like a villain in thought.


    "Maybe he made sure your brother had powers before he left."


    That was something I should have thought of sooner. I was so swamped in shame, pain, and guilt that I hadn''t thought of that.


    "Time! Time!" Darius'' cries stopped us, and we looked up at the sky. Our time in the locket world was almost up. I picked up Darius, grabbed Wyatt''s hand, and took the three of us out.


    "Time to revise plans?" Wyatt said with a shit-eating grin.


    We already had some thoughts in place for what we would do with the world coming to an end.


    Wyatt and I were both going to go to school. Between the two of us, we could watch Darius when the need arises. He was going to go to night trade classes to become a mechanic. It made sense with his obsession with things that need oil and grease. I would attend classes during the day to become a nurse.


    I would build up my powers, and he would vamp up some RVs and motorhomes for us to live in. I needed to prepare an oasis for the two of them in case I was swiped out of this world before the end came so they would have all the food they needed.


    We had everything accounted for except one thing between the two of us.


    I had to leave the hotel to attend nursing school. I was able to get in with my impeccable grades, but that was just the first hurdle. I needed to learn in-person skills, talk to people, and take in-person classes.


    I''d manage to craft my whole life without leaving the hotel suite. I could get sun in my locket world, food from it, or my spacial ring, and I had plenty of company. All of my needs were met.


    I tried convincing myself leaving the hotel wasn''t a big deal. I''ve done it before, but I felt unsteady and nervous. This was a whole new world to me in the sense that the first decade spent here, I had the help of my father in this world. Now, I have no such protection or structure. As a Tuffin, I doubt anyone would have a grudge or want to harm me in particular, but that didn''t stop the irrational fears that plagued me.


    I started with baby steps and documented them in my brand-new diary. It didn''t feel like much, but writing down my ideas and the steps to take always seemed to help me feel better.


    I ventured further and further around the hotel until I could finally step outside.


    There was the expectation that Mordecai''s so-called last gift would keep me healthy and unfazed by the world''s harshness. But that tiny, intricate step I took had me bed-bound for a week.


    I progressed, and the following few bugs weren''t as bad. Soon, Wyatt and I found a system that worked for us. He was curious about the world, so we took more trips out of the suite to explore. I didn''t get better, but I learned to live with a stuffy nose and a throbbing forehead. These daily walks also gave Darius the chance to take a look around the world. He was napping in his stroller and looked like a little angel.


    "It''s like you''re allergic to this world," Wyatt said, staring at me as we crossed the street.


    "I survive just fine in controlled environments," I said with what I hoped was in a firm voice, but all I could hear was snot clogging up my vocals. "Pay attention to where you''re going."


    "From what you tell me, we won''t have controlled environments for long," Wyatt said, ignoring my words and scanning my face. "Will you last long with that scrawny body?"


    I swiped, and he dodged a little too easily, considering he was carrying our bags.


    "Will you be fine with me at orientation tomorrow?" I said. It''s almost impossible to win against Wyatt. It would be better to just change the subject. My orientation is tomorrow, and I will meet my professors and fellow nursing students for the first time.


    "It will be fine. You won''t be gone long, and if it helps you feel better, you can toss us into the locket world for fun."


    "I''m not sure I can do that," I said. I''d never tried to do so before, and who knew what could happen to that?


    "You can try it on me tonight," Wyatt said with a huge grin.


    If it was on just Wyatt, it could be an experiment worth trying.


    "Okay," I said, stretching the final syllable, but rather than being playful, I could feel my mouth form the word as I froze. My nose cleared up as the fuzzy pain in my head faded. The noise around me faded into silence as only my heart beating painfully became all I could ascertain.


    A strange feeling was bubbling in my chest, and its anticipation was familiar. Why did I feel like crying and cheering at the same time? My head whipped around furiously, but all I could see was the thick throng of people on the street and Wyatt''s puzzled eyes.


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    I scanned the passing people as the feeling grew and bloomed in my chest. What I was looking for was absent, yet I knew it was close.


    "Wyatt, watch Darius!" I said as my feet took me sprinting down the street. Why do I feel this way? Why was every pore of my body opening to scream at me to run forward with all my might?


    I didn''t dare to ignore this feeling, so I slipped, pushed, and shoved my way through the throng of people.


    I didn''t have to think as my instincts took over my body. I followed this fervor, burning me inside out.


    The last time I had this feeling was at the spa. Something had guided me to the plane before I could find out why it had disappeared abruptly. I had a hard time recovering from that last time.


    I needed to succeed this time and find the source of this intense longing.


    "Gwendolyn." An all too familiarly annoying voice popped into my feverish headspace. I blinked and looked up at my annoying ancestor Mordecai.


    I was in a rather embarrassing pinch. A beefy dude hadn''t moved when I tried to wiggle by, and another man walking the opposite way created a mini traffic jam. I was now stuck between the two.


    Instead of helping me, Mordecai grinned at me with mischief in his eyes.


    After several apologies from all parties concerned, I could separate myself. I didn''t bother acknowledging Mordecai and took off running immediately. The feeling was fading rapidly, and in its place was grief so poignant I was yearning for the heat of before.


    I needed to find it again.


    "Gwendolyn," Mordecai repeated my name, and I ignored him again.


    He was clearly here just to be annoying, and I needed to find the source of my desire.


    "I found your father." He said.


    My feet stopped, and I pivoted to stare at Mordecai. He was grinning and rolling an all too familiar coin in his hand. "Care to play a game now?"


    I opened my mouth to shout some obscure obscenity, but an explosion interrupted me.


    They wound up calling the tragedy the Main Street bombing. An extremely wealthy man was driving by, and several assailants were aiming for his life. No one ended up hurt by some strange miracle. The bomb that was supposed to take out the car was disarmed partially in some way. The attackers were prepared, though, and tried throwing grenades.


    Mordecai did one good thing. He whisked Darius, Wyatt, and me out of the blast radius. Though I''m sure, it was just to watch the news on the TV. Like Wyatt, he was far too big of a fan of TV and video games. After we returned, the two were glued to the screen while I was scrolling on my phone. Darius was conked out in his room, luckily sleeping through the scene change.


    The weirdest part about all of this wasn''t that this strange event happened or that that feeling had overcome my senses again. No, the most bizarre part was that the rich dude who had his life targeted wasn''t named. I suppose it made some sense because people were out for his life.


    Chalking my curiosity to my innate nosiness, I scrolled and scrolled social media to no avail. There were no images of the man. I saw several men and women, but none were named the target.


    My head throbbed, and I could feel my brain power fade as my nose slowly became painfully stuffed again. What if the unnamed man was the reason for that feeling? This was the second time I''d had it, and that feeling led me to someone who was somehow heavily blocked off from me.


    I could have made it to him, but at what cost? I might have been hurt, but there were no bad feelings, only good ones.


    I looked up from my phone to glare at Mordecai. Clearly, his appearance was the most suspicious. He distracted me long enough that I didn''t catch whatever I was chasing and escaped whatever bombing went down.


    My scorching eyes didn''t escape Mordecai, and he peeled his own from the screen to smirk at me.


    "You interrupted me on purpose," I said. Every fiber in my being was screaming sabotage of the highest order.


    "Yes." He said languidly with a slow smirk. "It''s no fun if you discover things ahead of time."


    "Why do you seem to exist only to make my life difficult?" I shot back as that painfully poignant feeling started back in my heart. There was a growing suspicion about what I would find when I finally chased down that feeling, but I couldn''t allow myself to give it the time of day. If I allow this seed to fully sprout, what would become of me if I was wrong? It would be worse to be incorrect.


    "Trials and tribulations. Why should your suffering be any less than those that have come before you?" Mordecai said. His long, lanky body slowly unfurled, and the sight was inhumane as he walked towards me.


    I stiffened as his hands grabbed my chin and lifted it up, "Why should you waltz through without these things? Everyone must go through this, and if you fail, I will get to start these games all over." He said.


    He didn''t wait around to see my reaction before vanishing into smoke.


    "The Gods test their children." Wyatt''s quiet voice cut through the tension. "The tests vary, of course, but none of Mordecai''s children or descendants have ever passed."


    I managed to snort and could feel the heavy throng of emotions in my chest disperse with that exhale. "I can see why none do. No one fits his criteria."


    "You''ve lasted longer than most," Wyatt said.


    I couldn''t help but hiccup in surprise at this revelation.


    "Only a handful have made it longer than you. I think he''s crueler to you because he thinks you will pass."


    That wasn''t comforting. That meant there was a lot more to come. "I don''t get what his end game is. Did your father test you?" I said.


    "My father doesn''t test like Mordecai. For him, it''s survival of the fittest. He takes the children born during a century and leaves them together to fight. He then keeps the victor as an heir."


    I blinked rapidly at this. The smiling kind Acuzio was even worse than Mordecai. "What if they''re still a baby?" I said.


    "Dragons don''t age like normal children, but there have been times where there were young ones¡­"


    "How did you survive?" I cut him off, unwilling to hear the end of that sentence.


    "I didn''t. My mother sacrificed much to toss me into a small world hidden from most Gods." Wyatt said.


    "The world that we met?" I said, remembering what he looked like in chains. That wasn''t the first time I had met him, but the first he had met me. What would have happened to Wyatt if I hadn''t returned in time?


    "Yes. I had given up by that point. Gavin captured me upon my entry. He tortured me but was unable to kill me."


    I made a face. Gavin treated me with kid gloves in comparison. "He tried to actually kill you?"


    "My father doesn''t allow outsiders to harm his children. He paid Gavin a visit after shedding my blood the first time."


    I gulped. "So he is protective," I said.


    "Only protective enough. It doesn''t do to have outsiders able to kill his kin." Wyatt said with bitterness.


    I watched the icy detachment in Wyatt''s eyes with concern. He looked unshaken by the words out of his mouth. "Wait, if you''re supposed to be competing for the century duel thing...why did he allow you to be with me?"


    "His hands are forever tied when it comes to me now," Wyatt said with a grin that almost broke the tension. Before I could stop him, Wyatt''s hand was on my wrist, and his thoughts were transmitted into my head. "Aphra is my father''s favorite. If I''m with you during your trials, he wont do anything to prevent it. Whether you like it or not, he sees you as an extension and likeness to his favorite. My being with you is protecting you and doing what I should as a ''brother.'' He''d be overly pleased to see us together to do anything about it."


    This was the first time Wyatt had done this, but I shouldn''t have been surprised. The fucker was constantly showing off new techniques and abilities when it pleased him. I made a face, knowing he was reading my thoughts.


    "Is that why you''re with me?" I said out loud, scanning his azure eyes. It was impossible to read him, but I would try my hardest to pick up on any cue.


    "It didn''t start that way. I wanted to be there because you rescued me. Then I found out who you were, made a deal with Mordecai, and brought the rest of us here and now." Wyatt said out loud as he sat back.


    "Is your deal with Mordecai over?" I said, looking away to look at Darius, who had dozed off again.


    "I don''t know," Wyatt said. "I did what was required, but I''ve never heard anyone escaping from the Keeper once he starts to play. Not even death gives you a break."


    I snorted, recalling when my soul left my body and was in the afterworld. Mordecai had been in his own little office as the Keeper.


    "He only let''s go once he''s bored or has no more use," Wyatt said as he sprawled his long-form out on the couch.


    I doubt my ancestor was going to get bored of me or Wyatt. And I had no concrete idea what he wanted from me. There were hints, and I had more than a few ideas on what it was. All of them were strangely jarring.


    At the end of the day, I was being tested and tried through a somewhat unfair game. I was still alive, but that didn''t mean I was winning. Like my life, my humanity was intact, but that didn''t say much, either. My brother, grandmother, and other relatives had gone through these trials and failed in some way.


    They lost their mortality, and Mordecai dropped them from his games and his descendant roster. What was worse was the expectation on me to produce a child for this annoying God to start the cycle all over again should I fail.


    Which begs the question: if I was just learning all of this history about the Girru family line¡­what else did I need to find out? Were we really hiding our library home from the rest of the world? Was it really so important to keep that knowledge safe?


    Or had my family decided to stop the cycle and hide me from Mordecai? The latter theory was scary. It sort of matched up with the conversation I had heard Augustus and my grandmother say.


    That little trip that my brother thought would end all too soon had far-reaching consequences because Mordecai found me, and then everything went to shit.

 Chapter Eighteen

    Life reached equilibrium after all of the previous chaos. I wasn''t sure it could, but it did. Orientation was nothing special. Classes were fine, and avoiding meaningful conversations with my classmates became normal.


    The not-so-casual probing into personal lives held no interest to me. And I watched as students became friends and enemies during our short time together.


    Darius grew, and it was time to find a doctor for his annual check-up. Thanks to what our father had prepared, it went smoothly.


    Wyatt started his night classes, and Darius began to miss the sunny annoyance.


    Best of all, Mordecai stayed gone. I''m sure he was watching from somewhere and chewing some kind of nut. I couldn''t see or hear him, but that meant he was out of sight, not out of mind.


    So, it had to be a different relative to break the peace.


    "You don''t have any friends, do you?" Wyatt said over dinner one night.


    I stiffened but luckily didn''t drop the spoon I was using to give Darius seconds. "I don''t know what you''re talking about," I said.


    "Humans or even animal companions you can communicate with, hang out with, and support one another."


    I glared and said, "I know what you mean, but I don''t understand what that has to do with anything."


    "I have made friends in my class, and even little man Darius has made friends with other kids who live here," Wyatt said.


    I pursued my lip and sat back after I handed Darius his plate back. Why was everyone so obsessed with this?


    "Don''t you get lonely?" Wyatt said.


    "I have my books." And there was plenty of company in those pages.


    "I haven''t seen you read once in this world. I don''t remember you reading much in the last one either." He said.


    I paused, unsure how to debate that. As a literary witch, I wasn''t that into reading books like I used to be. Unfortunately, the monkey boy had a point.


    "You should go to the freshman party at your college. I got an invite, but I''ll watch Darius, so you can go." Wyatt said.


    "How did you get an invite? You don''t even go to my college!" I said as I stared at him in disbelief. Wyatt went to a technical school that had no association with my school.


    "I make friends and talk to people. Something you clearly need to do more of." Wyatt said.


    "I''m learning to live with a stuffy nose and a headache. I also don''t need to cope with fake chatter and nonsense questions." I said.


    "That''s what humans do, Wendy," Wyatt said. "No one can survive independently, so we learn how to make small talk that can forge greater connections. You need some friends."


    I looked down at my half-full plate. I had friends. People that I liked and grew close with. All of them thought I was dead. It seemed a vast insurmountable hurdle to get past that when guilt and shame colored my current worldview.


    "Look at what you''re teaching Darius. What if he ends up being a neurotic type A like yourself?" Wyatt said.


    I took the bait, unfortunately, and went to the party.


    Loud music, thick throngs of people, and messy floors was what I was expecting. Every movie about college parties had prepared me for such a sight. What I saw was something else entirely and made me glad I wore my face changer in hindsight.


    Instead of a frat or sorority house, the party was hosted in a mansion ballroom. They had an actual choir and musical players set up. It was all very classy and tasteful.


    I tried to turn around and leave my first chance, but the people behind me prevented such a quick exit. I did the next best thing and took off for the nearest hallway.


    I soon found myself in a labyrinth of halls. Each had its own decor and style, and I went from escaping to exploring so that I could stare and admire the choices.


    My exploration led me to a door unlike any other. It was the width of the massive hallway and went up to the ceiling. Intricate patterns hinted at hidden meanings upon closer inspection. The door was cracked, so I lifted a hand, ready to close that small opening.


    "You either get with the program or disappear."


    A voice full of pure malice took my joy and peace away with a jolt. My uplifted hand went to my mouth to cover it. Every muscle in my body tensed. The voice was familiar, too familiar.


    "I wonder if you said the same thing to your fiance." A woman''s voice said without a trace of fear.


    That familiar voice held disdain when he spoke again, "Changing the subject won''t stop this from happening, Li Na."


    "And yet, you didn''t say no." Li Na said. Her voice held no fear.


    I leaned forward to peek through the opening of the door. I should have run in the other direction, but my body was moving to confirm what my ears had pieced together.


    Unfortunately, it was correct, and my heart went still with fear. That voice belonged to Graham. I watched as he leaned back in his plush chair with an air of disdain and cruelty.


    It was an expression I had never seen graced upon his face, yet it was etched as if it belonged to it. Who the fuck was this man? How had I missed all the signs that he was capable of threats and malice?


    I must be a horrible detector of human nature. How many times has this happened to me so far? Adam, Rex, Wyatt, and now Graham. I always find myself surrounded by crazy people who hide either their madness or their true selves. Didn''t I have the power of foresight? Why was it never there when I truly needed it? Even as my mind began to race, I could feel my brain trying to rationalize what I was watching. Maybe I''m wrong? I did come into the conversation relatively late. There could be critical pieces of information that I didn''t know yet.


    My eyes darted over to the woman. She was absolutely gorgeous, with high cheekbones and legs for days. She sat idly, looking as unbothered by the threats as she sounded. Her almond, black eyes held derision and confidence as she gave stare for stare with Graham.


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    "I have no interest in your club." She said casually as she flicked a piece of invisible lint off her leather armchair.


    Dark laughter escaped from Graham''s lips, and I froze as he entered full villain mode. Maybe that voice was cursed? Adam went mad as Rex with it, and now here was Graham showing that he, too, was batshit crazy.


    It shouldn''t sound good, but despite the fear making me freeze, I couldn''t help but admire the lush, deep laugh. See, this is why I attract crazy people, I thought as I watched the two. Could it actually be me attracting them? I don''t understand why. I had little to draw them in¡­


    "The illusion that you have control over this is endearing. The only choice you have, if you refuse this generous offer, is the timing of your death." Graham said.


    That was my cue to leave.


    I stepped back and tried to recall every time Graham said my aura had disappeared. If I could lower visibility, I could get away.


    The woman was currently holding down the fort and wouldn''t need me to defend her. My cowardly feet wouldn''t move another inch as that realization hit me. I couldn''t be really thinking of leaving her to the machinations of Graham the Mad, could I?


    "You want me in your club because of my ability." The woman said with a scoff. "Your powers, like your threats, don''t work on me."


    I watched from the crack in the door as she stood up and walked towards the door. I was too enthralled by her overwhelming confidence and charisma to move out of the way.


    Our eyes locked, and for a brief moment, I could see something flicker in her gaze. Her face remained impassive, but her mouth opened and silently formed one simple word, "Run."


    I didn''t think twice and did as she said.


    I didn''t get far before a pair of hands grabbed me and tossed me into a dark room.


    I started to stammer an apology but was cut off when the lights turned on.


    It was Clara who grabbed me, not Graham.


    "I think you have the wrong--"


    "Dolyn," Clara said, stopping my lie before it could fully form. She reached out and ripped the face changer off.


    I blinked and gulped as I tried to stammer more lies.


    "I''m glad you''re alive." She said as she grabbed me into a hug. "I was so worried he did something."


    The he she mentioned had to be Graham. That man was batshit crazy. I hugged her back and soaked in the scent of her floral perfume. It had been so long since I smelled her, and it brought memories of home to mind. My heart hurt as my eyes leaked.


    "Were you aware of how Graham was all this time?" I said, stopping the nostalgia from weakening my resolve. I needed to remember the person Graham showed himself to be. And find out if I should trust Clara.


    Clara stiffened before she tightened her arms around me. "Everyone but you knew." She said into my hair.


    Figures. Once again, I was looking like boo boo the fool.


    "Why would you go along with him? Why follow him?" I said, recalling the way Graham led the group during our everyday lives. Why did they submit to him if they knew how wicked he was?


    "He''s the strongest of us, and no one can win against him," Clara said as she pulled away. Her violet eyes scanned me, and she rubbed my head before putting my face changer back on. "Hide Dolyn so he can''t find you."


    I grabbed her back into a hug and squeezed. "I missed you, and I''m sorry I couldn''t tell you we were safe," I said.


    "It was for the best that you didn''t," Clara said.


    I slipped into my Locket World and escaped a heartbeat later.


    I waited until the remaining allotted time ran out, and even then, I merely slipped into my Hideaway home.


    All I could do was stare blankly as my thoughts tried reorganizing themselves around my current reality. I didn''t want it to be reality. I didn''t want to accept what I had seen, but there was no denying it.


    Graham is not as simple as he acted around me. His gentle mediator persona was a front. But why would he put on that act with me? The only value I had was in being Daniel Savage''s daughter. So, was the purpose to gain a foothold in my father''s good graces? If I went down that line of thinking, he could be the invisible enemy my father had been scrambling from the last year of his life.


    That seemed ludicrous, though. Daniel Savage was a tycoon and the wealthiest man in the world. Why would Graham be enough to scare him away?


    It was the plot of a teen YA novel, not the dangerous world-ending novel on which this world was actually based. Graham was seeking Li Na because of her powers, so maybe it wasn''t the company Graham wanted? Graham desried power, and with his aura abilities, he could easily sense them.


    Then again, what if it wasn''t my father or the family company that he wanted. Could my Godblood be what drew his attention? This body was mortal, but my soul was inherited from Mordecai.


    My thoughts gave me no rest, and as I could feel panic and hysteria build, my cell phone rang.


    I flipped it open and was surprised that Wyatt had sent me a picture of Darius. My baby brother was tucked into bed and already asleep. Tears blurred my sight, and I wiped my cheeks clean impatiently. No matter what kind of person Graham was, I wasn''t alone. I have Wyatt, and I have Darius. I must get out of this situation and return home to them.


    I emerged from my escape with a pale face and a determined jut of my chin.


    The hallway was empty, and the door that had once captivated my attention was wide open. The room I had peered intrusively was empty and too vast to explore. I paid no mind to it as I all but ran down the hall. I had already changed my outfit and kept the face scrambler on. Graham could spot me even with these changes if he were still at the party. My only true plan was to keep thinking of Mordecai, Adam Wyatt, and all the other depressing thoughts that dimmed my light.


    I managed to slip past the elegantly clad people, waiters, and prying eyes to wind up at the entrance, aka my exit.


    I was out the door and tasting the sweet, fresh air of freedom when a voice called out.


    "Dolyn, I presume?"


    I hiccuped and jumped. I knew without looking it was Li Na. She had seen me before and had clearly recognized me. That didn''t explain how she knew it was me now? It could have something to do with her power.


    "Before you run, I hope you understand I didn''t tell your fiance about you."


    "I don''t know what you''re talking about," I said with a squeaky voice. Any attempt to disguise my voice led to failure because she looked unconvinced.


    I could hear stifled laughter in her voice when she said, "Judging from your expression, you had no idea your fiance was like that."


    My lips thinned into a flat line. How could I have known that? Like so many others, he had hidden his true nature from me.


    "I commend you for staying hidden, but you won''t be able to hide from him forever. He''s not only formidable but determined to find you. He''s even trying to gain my services in doing so."


    "What are your powers?" I said it before I could stop my stupid mouth from speaking.


    "They are similar to yours. I gain knowledge and insight from the world around me, allowing me to predict things. I saw this happening when we met at your engagement party." She said.


    I looked up to meet her eyes. They were much kinder than in that room with Graham, but I couldn''t relax. I had no recollection of her at my engagement party, but that didn''t say much. I was so out of it that day there was no way I could recall every guest let alone one.


    "Use your ability to read me." She said with a faint smile of expectation and excitement.


    "My power hasn''t been stable the past few years," I said. It used to be stable and predictable, annoying even, and training with my father should have strengthened it. Still, for some reason, it was stifled and hard to gain anything other than feelings about things. I couldn''t dream up visions, and over the years, I only had them happen a handful of times.


    "You might want to think long and hard about why that could be." Li Na said with a soft smile. "When did that change occur?"


    Well, when I was dumped into this world, it was easy to be pulled into visions. I had it happen often; although they were scary, they were expected. The last vivid one I had as a kid was when I was sick and may or may not have uttered a spell to find a lost love.


    After that, Graham and the rest of the crew moved into the building¡­wait Graham. I could feel puzzle pieces fall into place against my will. My vision of the engagement party happened when he was away from town. That was insane, though, right? It had to be a coincidence.


    "His power is just auras¡­" The words slipped out before I could stop them.


    "It''s not." Li Na said, "And if your senses weren''t blinded, you would have noticed the danger he posed. I had hoped you finally had due to your extended absence from this world."


    "Why are you telling me all of this?" I said, meeting her eyes and shoving aside all the turmoil in my heart.


    "We''re a lot alike. I''ve always wanted to meet someone like me." She said, stepping forward, and before I could prevent it, her cold hands snagged my wrist. "I want to pass something on to you before it''s too late."


    Where she touched me began to tingle, and I jumped as her palm heated up. Something was unfurling in my chest, and I gasped as my knees buckled. I could see dots start to dance around the outside of my vision.


    "What are you doing to me¡­"


    "Removing your limits." The last thing I could see was her lips as the words left her mouth.


    "Naughty girl, you shouldn''t have done that." A familiar male voice said, and I knew as I passed out that that voice belonged to Mordecai.

 Chapter Nineteen

    I woke up in a limo. The plush seating reminded me of my father but he wasn''t next to me, Mordecai was.


    "Why are you back again?" I said, rubbing my eyes and trying to remember how I got here. I must have passed out from whatever she did to me. I don''t think Mordecai was there to save me. It seemed like he was trying to stop Li Na from whatever she was trying to do.


    "Did you hurt that woman from before?" I asked.


    "How rude," Mordecai said with a sneer. "I''m here visiting my remaining relative, and instead of greetings, I get scorn."


    "You do realize you have a brother and his whole line of spawn still breathing and living, right?" I said.


    "My remaining child is so heartless." He said,


    I laughed despite my best effort to remain serious. There was something comforting about this banter with Mordecai. "I mean it, though. Why did you stop her?" I said.


    "She was meddling." He said with a shrug as if that could brush it all away.


    "That''s all you do!" I said, smacking the plush leather seat.


    "What I do is maintain the grand design. She was trying to remove your safety wheels before you could even walk. It would have created world ending chaos."


    "Did you hurt her?" I said, glaring at him.


    He faked being aghast, "She gave us this cushy limo to go home in. How could I?" He said.


    That was something, at least. I could take apart what he said, but this wasn''t the first time he had brought up my potential. I had something far more pressing on my mind.


    "What is Graham?" I said, looking as deeply into Mordecai''s eyes as I could.


    An all too familiar smirk graced his face as he met me stare for stare. "He''s your fiance, isn''t he?" He said.


    "You said I was the only one in the other world who could see your true self before. You did something, and I could see the lights that shone from you. Graham told me he saw lights similar in nature and color coming off me. How is Graham able to do that? Is he human?" I said in a jumble that came off a bigger mess than I meant.


    "It''s a shame something has to be dangled in front of your face like bait for you to pick up on the basics," Mordecai said as a necklace popped into being in his hand.


    It was something I''d never seen him with before, but it looked familiar. It was shaped like a coin but thicker than the coin he usually played with. The design was the same as the coin. It floated into the air before he dismissed it with a wave of his hand.


    "Ah, John is calling for me. Poor sucker is being consumed by the pet Golem." And with those words, Mordecai disappeared.


    I was too exhausted to rage. I had gone through almost the whole spectrum of emotions tonight. I leaned back against the limo and reviewed what Mordecai said and what he left out.


    Graham wasn''t human. He was quite possibly someone like Wyatt and myself. I hadn''t seen that necklace before, but clearly, it was another clue for me to bite on like bait. Why couldn''t Mordecai just say outright what it was he knew?


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    Li Ni''s attempts to help me were stopped, but maybe she could do something because I felt clear-headed and more powerful than when I set off for the party. I wasn''t too far gone to allow this limo to drop me off where I lived. The driver did not care and merely handed me a card when I asked to get off. Then I did like ten other things to hide my steps.


    I totally blamed Wyatt for what happened. Maybe Mordecai''s insults triggered my growth in deduction skills, but he had a point. I was letting too many things slip by without connecting the dots. How in the heck was the first party I was going to attend be so chaotic? Wyatt gave me the invite and look at what happened. Agent of Choas that he was, the fucker still worked for Mordecai.


    I became sick after, though, so I waited until I felt better to start hurling words. It ended in an impasse.


    Even if I was upset, it was vital that I had gone. Not only did I see Graham''s true nature, I met Li Na.


    If this was all part of Mordecai''s grand scheme, why did it feel like I was being slowly helped instead? I can''t say the journey was easy, but it wasn''t so bad.


    My resolve to stay stern and resolute against Mordecai was weakening. I could throw all my faults and problems his way, and he took them in stride. He wasn''t bothered by accusations, even if they were wrong or right. Whenever crap hit the fan, and I desperately needed someone, he was there¡­His end goal was still a huge, sloppy bowl of question marks, but out of everyone in my family, he''d supported me the most while actively being a part of my life. Even if that support was more torture than care.


    I bit my lip as I stared at my class notes in bed. It sucked being sick and stuck with my own thoughts. I was softening towards Mordecai, which meant, once again, the real person to blame for my problems was myself. I''ve had more than one life, and yet I continually screwed up. I''d been given more chances than most people have to live and change things, but I wound up making the same mistakes.


    How in the hell did I wind up with two secretly crazy childhood fianc¨¦s who are control freaks? This must be why Mordecai was laughing at me at the engagement party. He knew what was happening again, but his attitude towards Graham was different than towards Adam. Mordecai teased Adam and was annoying. I don''t think Mordecai has even bothered giving Graham the time of the day, let alone tease him. It seemed strange for the ancestor to not make an appearance but then again I wasn''t serious about Graham. Our union was merely for the sake of our father''s companies.


    The dots I hadn''t appropriately connected were lighting up my brain with activity. It''s a wonder it took me so long to make these connections. I did have my dreams and visions back without Graham''s interference, but that didn''t bring me peace. That meant I was bombarded with images, scenes, and things I didn''t want to know. I''d gotten used to dully living without them, but their resurgence should have sparked some kind of awareness. Apparently, my intellect had become a dull knife that I had no control over.


    Li Na had said that Graham was looking for me. He wouldn''t be able to actively harm me. I wasn''t alone; I had Wyatt, my duplicitous cousin and possibly Li Na''s aid. She wasn''t scared of Graham and was powerful enough to stand against him and make him want to recruit her.


    I had Wyatt bring me a burner phone to contact Li Na. She was pleasant and wanted to do pleasantries, but I had no patience, so I immediately set up a time to meet at a teahouse.


    It was a public space that could still afford privacy. I didn''t spend the time leading up to the meeting being idle. I can''t say those days were entirely behind me, but I needed to step up and do more.


    I attempted to look up Li Na, but all I could find were her father''s accomplishments online. It was a lot harder to track down any details of her. It was somewhat reminiscent of myself. I had a ton of conspiracy theory videos after my disappearance. Funny how that sent ripples online and made me my own person. No one really cared or possibly could care about the daughter of the wealthiest man before that. They all knew his name but not my own.


    Li Na was alive and well, according to social media. She frequently posted new things showing off her favorite brands and things to do in her downtime. That meant that Li Na hadn''t fallen victim to Graham''s threats.


    The two of us had the same idea when the time for the meeting finally came to pass. I ran into her while entering the teahouse, which meant we both arrived an hour early.


    There was an awkward pause as we laughed when it wasn''t a laughing matter. Either both of us were wary of the other or eager to meet. I wasn''t entirely sure which. What mattered most was that we both showed up.


    Since I created the reservation, I had planned to arrive an hour early, and our private room was ready. It was time to meet for tea and exchange information.

 Chapter Twenty

    The teahouse wasn''t that special, but it was fancifully expensive. I admired the lavish decor while we were shown our seats. If the food was as tasteful as the decorations, I must try the tea. They had their wares sold separately in a cafe up front. If you didn''t have the time to sit down and drink your tea, or if you wanted to gift items to friends and family, you could just pop by and buy things. I stared obscenely so at said wares. It was very attractive and far easier to stare at the wares than to think about this meeting.


    Li Na and I exchanged pleasantries with our server. I watched Li Na as she set her napkin in her lap and gracefully ordered. It was clear she''d been here before, as she didn''t bother to glance at the ornate menu.


    I gave credit to my etiquette teacher''s hard work and gracefully slipped my napkin in my lap as well. I also closed my mouth and sat up straight in my chair. It was strange to think, but years of her drilling these things made it second nature to sit gracefully at the table.


    The poor woman had two separate lifetimes of bad habits to wring out of me. If only she could see me now. I covered my smile with the menu to peruse my options.


    I didn''t have a clue when it was my time to order. Only one resoundingly clear desire came in: I wanted it all. When the end inevitably came, I was going to loot this place.


    It all sounded tasty, so I ordered two separate afternoon tea stands. The different rose tea options were tempting, but a simple black tea would be better, given the assortment of my treats.


    The server left with the menus and the two of us were left with only each other.


    "I knew you were powerful. I didn''t know that you''re powerfully connected as well." Li Na said as she eyed me.


    I cracked a small smile. "It''s not by choice," I said.


    "Your fiance is having me watched. I do hope you realize that." Li Na said. She was scanning my whole persona, and it was refreshing to be able to read what she was thinking.


    I was surrounded by a ton of cold-hearted marble blocks that never showed how they truly felt. Then again, maybe I was reading her wrong and only seeing what she wanted me to see. My track record wasn''t good. Still, it was with hope that I shrugged and said, "Which means he''ll find out that I''m alive."


    It was time to start actually using my brain. I couldn''t afford to act without thinking. I used to brag about my intelligence, but now I was beginning to question if I was just as naive and arrogant as Augustus always thought.


    One thing I did know was that Graham was going to find me eventually. I''d rather he find me on my terms instead of his.


    Our teapots arrived before she could say anything more. Each of us had our own pot. They even gave us an hourglass to flip when it was done brewing. Li Na and I wanted it strong, so we received only one hourglass to flip.


    "I''m not afraid of Graham," I said once the server was gone and the door was closed. There was a brief moment when I saw his true face, and I was shaken, but that moment had long passed. "I''m more worried about how you''ll handle him coming after you."


    "I''ll be fine." Li Na said with an elegant smirk. "He can''t touch me. My connections are just as strong as his."


    This truly is like some secret underground war of the powerfully rich, I thought with a smirk. This was definitely more the setting of a YA novel than the horror zombie tale I was promised.


    "What did you try to do to me?" I said briefly, enchanted by the hourglass and unable to look away from the falling sand.


    "There''s a patch on your memories and a block on your soul. I had hoped to remove both and help you." She said.


    It took every iota of control I could manifest to not freak out. A patch on my memories? The block made sense because I couldn''t access my literary abilities. There would need to be something on my soul to prevent that very core part of me from working. I was well versed by now in how this kind of spell worked. But something shielding me from my memories? What could I have possibly forgotten?


    I must have said that part out loud because Li Na nodded and said, "I say patch, but there''s actually two of them. They''re just so close, and one is rather crude and old. The other one is unbelievably strong. When I touched the latter one, that man appeared, and you passed out."


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    How interesting, I thought. I began gnashing my teeth in silent fury. It was almost as if he was the one to put the patch on my memory.


    I somehow held it together as the server returned with our tea trays. There was a prolonged silence as we started eating and drinking our tea.


    The first bite was heaven. Oh yeah, I couldn''t wait to loot their wares when the end times came. Cookies, jam, sandwiches and more. Each bite was delightfully textured, and each sip of my tea reset my palette to engorge some more.


    My favorite so far was my dandelion butter cookie. It wasn''t overly sweet, and it was surprising that I found myself drawn to such a simplistic cookie instead of the rose, apple, or any of my usual favorite flavors. It tasted like home and the nostalgia of the Unruly Forest. I had to bite back tears as the cookie melted in my mouth.


    "Is everything to your liking?" The server said coming in at the perfect time.


    "It would be even better if I could order some of these cookies to go," I said with what I hoped was a bright, charming smile.


    Of course, for the right price, anything was possible, but I didn''t have to haggle.


    "These were made by a novice baker. They''re unpopular, so we can box up some for you." The server said.


    Well, that was because people wanted the indulgent flavors they normally turn to, I thought. At least that meant that I could order however many of these I wanted¡ªand I wanted them all. Money really made the world go round, I thought as I watched the server leave.


    The server left, and Li Na and I were alone once again.


    "So why did you agree to meet me if you knew that your ex was having me watched." She said.


    She''d been brewing over this for a while and it was a fair question. "Because I don''t care if he comes after me," I said with a shrug.


    I wasn''t sure if Graham actually cared about me or if he just wanted my father''s company. It didn''t really matter at this point because I couldn''t give two figs about the company, and he couldn''t have me. I was leaning on him, really just wanting the company and making sure I was truly gone. There was a time when I might have expected genuine affection for me. I might have never known his true face if I hadn''t seen his threats towards Li Na. There was no way he wanted me. That boy wanted power.


    "If he had a hand in your father''s plane going down¡­" Li Na said with a strained expression.


    "It doesn''t matter," I said as I picked up my cup to take a long drag of the deep amber tea. I''d have time to cool off and think about that angle. Mordecai hadn''t told me where or how my father was, so everything must be fine like before he''d bring it up to dangle it as bait at the perfect time.


    And my father could handle himself. He had precognition before I was born. He''d seen things and seemed prepared enough to send Darius and myself off. It wouldn''t be too out there to suspect that he was still alive, biding his time. The work he put into forging new identities and having money for us didn''t spawn out of thin air. He was ready for what was to come.


    "I''m more concerned about the patches you talked about," I said.


    "Well, one is rather old," Li Na said with a faint smile. Something flickered in her eyes, and for a moment, I saw her gaze dart past me.


    I stiffened and willed myself not to look. Clearly, we had a newcomer listening in, and this was all she would do to warn me.


    "How old. You should speak freely." I said.


    Her eyes connected with mine in a question. I nodded ever so slightly, and a small smile graced her lips.


    My senses were still burning strong, so whoever was listening wasn''t Graham. Maybe someone who worked for him, but it wasn''t him, at least.


    "How old are you?" Li Na said.


    I picked up my cup and mentally tried to do the math. It hadn''t been that long since I had a birthday, but time seemed to blend into itself, making it harder to differentiate between my three different lives. Technically, none of them were fulfilled; each was either cut short or paused. I rattled off the age that Dolyn was this year, given the month of my birth.


    "That''s why the first block on your memory is rather strange. It''s over forty years old."


    I could feel my stomach drop to the pit of my stomach. Over forty years old? How could I have a block on me that old unless¡­Was it done as Gwendolyn?


    I used the tea to wet my mouth and delicately put the cup down. "How about the other." My voice had maintained its attempt at elegance.


    "I''ve never seen such a refined memory patched. Whoever placed it on you fully intended for you to never recover your memories from twenty years ago." Li Na said.


    A block that old could mean only one thing. This happened before I came into this world.


    "You said you were trying to remove my limits and help me before that man appeared, correct?" At her nod, I continued, "Did you try to remove the memory patches?"


    "I did, and before you ask, the only one I could touch is the more recent one. The older one may be flimsy, but something strange is attached to it. It reminds me of the patch tethering you."


    "Tell me about the patch," I said, setting down my cup to add more cream.


    "It''s what''s keeping you tethered to this world. It''s also blocking your full potential."


    My face must be incredibly easy to read, or it was just another one of her talents because she shook her head and said, "I can''t remove any of them. I tried to loosen them up in the hope that you could rip them off, but I was stopped. Whoever made them is stronger than me."


    "Can you get an idea of who or what made them?" I said.


    "The crude oldest memory patch was done by someone who probably didn''t realize what they were doing. The other two were made by the same individual."


    It was clear that the one that made the two was Mordecai. But the crude one that was over forty years old was by far the strangest.


    Who did I know forty years ago that could accomplish something like that? There was no way Augustus or my grandma could patch something shoddily...who did it?

 Chapter Twenty One

    My thoughts were put to rest because our tea time was over, and no answer would be found today.


    I watched Li Na walk away after a short pause. Neither one of us had much else to say. She couldn''t help me because Mordecai would pop in behind her again if she attempted to. He was gracious the last time he showed up. But that was only because Li Na and I didn''t know better. That grace might never be shown again if I intentionally circumvent his will.


    It was worth meeting her today, but I felt drained from the event. Yet again, I walked away with more questions that needed to be solved than answers to my problems.


    I sipped my tea and nibbled on my treats, selfishly soaking up the last bit of my free time. I would be sick when I returned to the hotel, so why not linger?


    I was also still waiting for my cookie box.


    Plus, I suspected that whoever was watching would approach after Li Na''s departure.


    They did.


    But instead of it being Graham or a man who worked for him, it was Clara.


    Clara''s dark hair was regally pulled up into a classy bun. Her dark violet silk dress carried the luscious scent of her lily perfume. Her deep eyes were emotional as she stared into mine. She sat down in Li Na''s spot and shoved aside Li Na''s dishes.


    "Dolyn, why aren''t you hiding your face?" She said.


    While I chewed and tried to buy time, the door to our private tea room opened. As if her elegant presence summoned help, the server came back.


    She did not have my cookie box to go but instead had Clara''s order.


    I made a face and poured myself some more tea.


    Clara''s inquisitive eyes turned up the heat on me after the server left.


    "I''m not afraid of Graham," I said. There were several reasons why I didn''t need to be. I had my spaces I could run to and Wyatt. The giant oaf was an impressive beast who could take on whatever creature Graham was. "Besides, he has the company. What else does he need?"


    Clara squeezed her eyes shut and rubbed the bridge between her brows. "I forget how clueless you are to everything..." She said.


    I bristled but settled when her eyes snapped open, and she focused on me again.


    "I''m wrong?" I said. Shit, shit, shit. I didn''t want to be wrong. It would be so simple if I were right all the time.


    "He wants you," Clara said.


    I made a face as I shook my head, "But does he?" I said. "I don''t think that''s the case."


    "Dolyn, stop assuming things and take an honest look at the people around you!" Clara''s voice lashed out, and I jumped. She sighed and then said, "It doesn''t matter. I can hide that you met with Li Na today. But you need to be more careful in the future."


    I nibbled on a lemon tart, expecting a basic taste, but froze when the sour treat touched my tongue. This tasted almost exactly like one of Adam''s lemon tarts...


    "This is for you," Clara said, interrupting my thoughts. She slid an envelope across the table to me, and I studied its ornate gold.


    I opened it as she poured her tea. I gasped when I saw what was inside. It was an invitation. In scrawled, big, expressive words, I was told I was invited to a party.


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    "This is the exact opposite of what you just told me to do," I said, making a face at her.


    She said, "Graham will be out of the country for a month following a lead on you."


    I gulped as my emotions fought a battle I didn''t want to examine. I opened my mouth to prepare my excuses. Clara''s sharp look snapped my mouth shut.


    "You dropped out of my life without a word, and I will not accept no for an answer," Clara said as she stirred her tea with a graceful twirl of her spoon.


    "I missed you," I said instead of the handful of things that I wanted to say. "I''ll be there."


    Clara inclined her head as if to say that was the only answer she would accept. "This party is to celebrate my engagement."


    I looked at the invite and saw Alec''s name there. It wasn''t surprising that the two were finally going to be together.


    "Alec won''t be there. None of our friends will be." Clara said. "At least you''ll be able to attend."


    "Why aren''t they coming?" I said. That was confusing to hear, given how tight everyone was.


    "Graham is upset with me." She said. "He''s called our friends with him while he leaves the country."


    "But your party..." This sounded absolutely insane.


    "I''ve hired the world-famous Chef Anna to cater it. Her specialty is lemon tarts." Clara said before she elegantly sipped her tea. "Arrive early so I can ensure you are properly attired."


    And just like when we were kids, I knew there was no point in declining. I wanted to be there to support her. I really missed my friend.


    Plus, I would get lemon tarts out of it. It was a win-win. I couldn''t bring Darius or Wyatt, but I had options if I needed to flee.


    I had a week until the party, which was used to recover from this weak ass body.


    Wyatt and I fell back into a pattern that allowed both of us to come and go. Darius continued to grow and, unfortunately, bonded with Wyatt. The little turds were attached to the hips to the point where I felt like an interloper.


    I couldn''t be upset because Wyatt and I used Darius as a gentle balm to move past what we lost. Both of us had lost children in the last world, and neither of us ever wanted to talk about it. Darius was a joy that warmed those battered parts of our hearts.


    Finally, Clara''s party arrived.


    Lured by the promise of Chef Anna''s world-famous lemon tarts, I showed up thirty minutes before the party started.


    I slinked around the kitchens, trying to spot the chef. I used my position as Clara''s friend to take several platters worth of tarts. I wasn''t subtle, either. I loaded those bad boys onto a cart and wheeled them out the door. I know that Clara set some aside for me, but these were going right into my space for world-famous snacking.


    When I was done sneakily slipping them into my space, cart, tarts, and all,  I left as quickly as I entered. Only to be caught a few minutes later by Clara. Dang, she must have known I''d try to sneak tarts and stay away from the party.


    "You didn''t even try the tarts, Dolyn." She said.


    I made a faulty smile.


    "And what are you wearing?" Her horrified voice and pale complexion showed genuine concern. I looked down at my baby blue jumper, which was not only comfy but stained with questionable plant juices.


    "That won''t do, come with me," Clara said.


    Forty minutes later, I emerged in a twinkling emerald ball gown. The corset top was decorated in emeralds that glowed like dying embers. It wasn''t bright, and I appreciated it due to my desire not to stand out and socialize. Simple dark brown flats would keep my feet comfy and with no one the wiser to my avoiding annoying heels. My lovely dress would cover up that fact.


    My bum-length ginger French braids were coiled up into a bun. I managed to slip in some lemon blossoms to liven it up. Much to Clara''s chagrin, I didn''t put on an emerald necklace and wore my garden space locket. Of course, I wore my storage ring and the ring Adam gave me.


    I attempted to escape as the partygoers started to arrive but never stood a chance. Clara captured me with a firm grasp, so I was forced to spend the next hour joined to Clara''s hip as she did her hostess rotations.


    My smile cracked like tired old porcelain as I was forced into polite conversations with preening assholes.


    It took some time, but I was able to escape. I needed to find a corner where I could study but could say I was still at the party so Clara wouldn''t be upset. I adored my friend, but she didn''t understand how limited our time for civilization was. I needed to spend this time learning and growing as knowledgeable as possible. On that note, I wasn''t going to enlighten her so she could enjoy her party. We had limited time, and this was her garden where she thrived. I needed an actual garden to thrive; we weren''t the same. These people were her daisies and tulips in her garden.


    These elite fuckers, however, were not the roses or carrots I''d want in my garden.


    I ignored the looks I received and sighed with relief when I spotted the stage. It was only used during the start of the party and, assumedly, the ending when it was time to tell everyone to leave. I could hide behind the curtains and eat some tarts while studying. My eyes lit with joy at this plan, and I scurried off to implement it.


    My feet stopped, however, when I saw Adam.

 Chapter Twenty Two

    Well, it wasn''t really Adam.


    There was no way this was Adam. I told myself this even as my feet were moving closer to him. The man''s back was to me, but I''d recognize that posture anywhere.


    Who else could be the embodiment of a starchy shirt?


    Out of every rich, rigidly trained young master I''ve ever met, only Adam stood like that. His dark chocolate hair was always slicked back like that. That dark green suit was the same one he wore when he returned to me all those years ago.


    It was Adam.


    It had been years since I''d seen him, but there was no way I''d ever forget him. My heart pounded with fear and pain that I was dreaming.


    It would hurt worse to be wrong.


    I could feel the rest of the room disappear as I locked in on him. Was this that elusive feeling I''d been chasing for all this time? Adam was in this world, too?


    My hands shook as I grabbed his arm and pulled him to look at me. "Adam!" I said, unaware of the tone in which it escaped my lips. I could barely breathe, yet I managed to say his name.


    The man spun to look down at me, and I gasped. Oh shitballs. It''s not him.


    The image of Adam that overlapped with the man vanished, and someone completely different stood in its place. Golden blonde hair, while slicked back, was not Adam''s darker locks. The warm, dark eyes I wanted to see were instead a set of shocking golden orbs. This man was also built differently than the slim young master that was Adam. His thick arm flexed its muscles as I held on. My grip became tighter as if it was my last anchor to this reality. This arm had seen labor and obviously toiled at the gym. Adam''s face was chiseled elegance on a platter. This man''s face was a hardened beauty that looked as fierce as his body.


    How could I have mistaken the two when they were night and day of each other?


    "What is your problem?" A shrill feminine voice snapped me out of my daze. I was so locked unto him that I didn''t see that he was with a crowd of people. The illusion my eyes created was instantly shattered as I was brought back into the present. The glaring silence that had dimmed was returned with shocking clarity.


    "I''m so sorry." I stammered as I could feel my cheeks flush hot with a mixed cocktail of pain, shame, and loss. "I thought you were someone I knew." The man silently appraised me among the annoying laughter from those around us. His intense scan of me gave away none of his thoughts on this matter. He slowly looked me up and down, and I could feel the hair on the back of my neck rise. There was something about his gaze that made me feel like running. Contrary to that notion, I could feel my feet lock in place and stiffen like prey on display.


    Finally, his gaze landed on my right hand, still holding his arm. I dropped it and backed away, fumbling to come up with something to say. I couldn''t for the life of me speak again as my throat tightened painfully. Luckily, my eyes didn''t water, but my knees buckled.


    I''m losing my sense of reality. Will I ever be rid of this pain?


    My joyous escape backstage was not as satisfying as I previously imagined. Sure, I had my books and my tarts to frolic around with. The books were boring, and the tarts were tasteless. How could I study when it hurt to breathe? The little ground I had steadily created beneath my feet was swept clean by an earthquake of memories.


    I casually tossed the books and all but one of the tarts back into my space. I wasn''t going to get anything done until I cleared my head.


    I rubbed my chest and did my best to soothe my painfully beating heart. The ache in my stomach reminded me of how empty that part of me was. I wrapped an arm around my midsection, but as expected, it didn''t help.


    Clearly, time was not a factor in my healing. It had been almost two decades since I lost Adam, and yet I was still looking for him.


    Tonight was just another painful reminder that I would fail when doing so. At least I didn''t curl up into a ball at that man''s feet. A small victory but one nonetheless.


    I tried to distract myself with left-out tart, but it didn''t work. My face scrunched in pain at the realization that it would be a long time before I could enjoy these so-called world-famous tarts. The chewed-up mush stuck to my mouth, and I winced as I tried to swallow it. Without looking, I carelessly tossed the uneaten half of the tart into my space.


    I needed to find another way to wash away the pain. Or did I just need more time? Time was supposed to heal all wounds, wasn''t it? Another ten years, and maybe I could ease the pain of losing him. Fuck that is a long time to go with this kind of crutch.


    Footsteps drew my attention, and I looked up, expecting to see Clara, the expert tracker. Instead, it was the man from before, and I dumbly gulped my bite of the tasteless world-famous tart.


    Why had he followed me back here? Surely a decent-looking guy like him didn''t need to listen to the ravings of a heartbroken woman?


    "Are you okay?" He said.


    I could feel that little hope of him being Adam dying with those three words. His voice wasn''t bad, but it wasn''t Adam''s. I knew Adam''s rich voice better than my own.


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    How could I still hope that it was him? What was wrong with me? Yet, as he stood there casually taking up space, I could see Adam in his movements. I watched, fascinated, as he strode a few steps closer. I lowered my lashes to hide the suffering in my eyes.


    I nodded and expected him to leave, but unexpectedly, he moved closer until he stood right before me. "I''m called Leo. What''s your name?" Leo said.


    I made a face, recalling how Dolyn was a lazy play on my real name, Gwendolyn. "Dolyn," I said. Like him, I didn''t say my surname.


    I didn''t dare look up but kept my lashes down. It was hard to look at Leo. Every gesture and even how he stood made me think of Adam. Time passed, and Leo spoke just when I was brave enough to look up.


    "Was this Adam supposed to be at the party?" My heart jerked at Adam''s name, and I shook my head no.


    I wet my lips and opened my mouth, praying my voice would come out. "No. I mistook you for him, which is silly considering how little you resemble one another." I said. I tried to keep my voice aloof and amiable. Grief laced my voice, and I was breathless with it. I fiddled with the rose ring on my finger, unable to maintain eye contact. Touching it gave me strength, and I could feel my shoulders relax.


    "How did you mistake me for him?" His question was soft, and the deep rasp cajoled me into looking up and meeting his gaze.


    The answer slipped out before I could stop myself: "Your posture. It was like I was seeing him again." My lips thinned at that admission, and I looked down at my lap. That sounded even worse out loud than it did in my head.


    "Is he your ex?" Leo''s voice seemed to persist, and I looked up again.


    His words, though, gave me pause. Adam was my best friend, and he was my lover. Undoubtedly, his love for... My unspoken thoughts connected like a knife to my heart as I stopped myself from thinking her name.


    He was never meant to be mine, and even now, I couldn''t bring myself to claim him.


    Yet I couldn''t say no. Acknowledging that we weren''t really together was tantamount to closing the door of what we were and could have been. It was spitting on all that we lost.


    I stood up and moved to brush past Leo and his strange persistence. Forget the party; I need to crawl into bed and cry a million more tears.


    Leo grabbed my arm and spun me to look at him. I gasped at the abrupt action, and my eyes flashed up to see his golden orbs. His face leaned down until his breath fanned over me. I found myself blinking stupidly at the scent of his cologne. The woodsy scent reminded me of Adam. No, it was exactly like Adam. I gave him bottles of my personal mix. I would know what he wore! But it was more than just that woodsy cologne. There was an undeniable combination of fine silk and Adam''s personal aroma. Was I losing it again? Only this time through my sense of scent, not sight? Regardless of the madness I exhibited, I found myself drawn to the good memories that scent brought me. My hands grabbed the front of his shirt as I attempted to bring that scent even closer.


    "You remind me of someone as well." Leo''s words stopped my spiral narration that was driving me mad. Before I could ask who Leo''s lips were on mine.


    I stiffened at the invasion of his hot tongue, yet I didn''t resist. He didn''t explore or waste time, and there was something so natural about how we connected. I closed my eyes and relied on Adam''s scent filling my lungs.


    Adam.


    Only with more of his plundering tongue, the less effort I put into imagining him as Adam. The way he kissed me and touched me was as if Adam were doing it. How many kisses had we shared? Adam learned all of my buttons, and likewise, I knew his. The way he used his tongue on me and his hands to cup my face was like how Adam would.


    I dug my hands into his hair like I''d done a thousand times and mussed it up as our heavy panting grew more ragged.


    He made a happy noise, and I bit his lip playfully. He used one powerful arm to hold me tightly as his lips found my neck and gave me a kiss right before my right ear.


    His scorching touch brought happiness, but I could feel fear growing. Was I lost in a fantasy? Was this something brought upon by my witchy powers? Maybe I missed Adam so much I found a way to make an extra subconscious?


    The hand that cupped my face moved to squeeze the back of my neck. That simple action brought me back to the moment. I gasped as his warm, calloused palm stroked me. The tears I had won the battle over before came to my eyes at the familiar kneading of my neck.


    So, for the first time in a long time, I turned off my brain and let my body do the talking. I clung to him and grabbed whatever I could to make this moment last longer. I inhaled his scent until I felt dizzy and imprinted his warmth onto me as much as possible. I could feel how hard he''d grown, and in response, I grew wet. His long, calloused fingers slipped under my dress, and pleasure shot through me when he found my clit.


    He nibbled on my neck, and I could feel these sharp kisses move down towards my breasts.


    The piercing ringtone of my phone sharply ended the fantasy. That ring was for Wyatt, and he was watching Darius for me. I pulled away to fish my phone from my bra. "Hey, it''s me, I just wanted to tell you that Darius woke up, and he''s looking for you." Wyatt''s voice cut through the sexual fog, and I looked up to see Leo''s unreadable gaze. He could clearly hear Wyatt, but he said nothing. Leon''s body, however, tensed, and his arms locked me to him firmly.


    "I''m on my way," I said. I was breathless, and my voice was thick with emotion. I hung up and elbowed Leo in his hard stomach. Does he have abs? Focus, woman, I scolded myself as I took advantage of his loosened grip to shimmy out of his hold.


    I could see Leo fully again, and disappointment shot through my heart. He''s really not Adam. How could so many things click into place for it not to be him? Joy and desire pulsed, making it hard for me to feel the pain I commonly endured. I was cocooned in Adam''s scent, and Leo''s touch imprinted itself on me. I didn''t want to leave, but I really needed to.


    Leo grabbed my right hand as I took a step back to leave. I watched as his long fingers traced my space ring and scar. The silence stretched, and I wet my lips: "I have to go; my baby brother needs me." I don''t know why I filled in that fact when I left it particularly vague for everyone else. I shouldn''t care if he misunderstood or heard rumors about me, but I found myself caring.


    Leo''s eyes didn''t look up at my words. He was intently studying my hand, and I could feel myself panicking to fill in the silence. "He doesn''t have his mother, and our father has left him to me to raise." Still nothing, and I reluctantly snatched my hand free and took a step backward. Leo looked up at this action but still said nothing. It felt strange for the previously intrusive man to be so quiet.


    The look in his eyes was demanding, possessive. There was something else, but it swirled in his golden eyes as elusive as his voice. I gulped as I ran towards the curtains to escape.


    "Dolyn." His husky voice caressed my back, and I paused. I rotated to meet his scrutiny. He advanced until he was again only a few inches away. I was too busy sucking in his scent to think it was strange. He acted so familiar with me, and I should be suspicious. Or was I that much of a sucker for Adam''s scent?


    "Leo." I sounded way more breathless than I anticipated.


    "Are you in love with Adam?" He said. His blunt words were as straightforward as his gaze and connected just as deeply.


    I gasped as my throat tightened and my eyebrows twisted. It felt like a chokehold, and my eyes were flooded with memories of before it. Much later, I would wonder why this man who stuck his tongue down my throat would ask such a question. Instead, I used a hand to knead my throat, but nothing would aid the constriction of air. I did the only thing I could do: I fled and didn''t look back.


    I wish I could silence the voice in my head that answered him.

 Chapter Twenty Three

    I wasn''t able to get away scot-free.


    Clara cut off my escape and dragged me to the bathroom. The wide, brightly lit mirrors showed the damage decorating my flesh.


    My long mane of hair was out of control. During the heavy petting, Leo managed to take down my hair. At a glance, I could see kiss marks all over my neck. Undoubtedly, I would see more once my dress was taken off.


    It was obvious what I had been up to.


    Clara looked as curious as a cat inspecting a new toy.


    "Dolyn." She said in a hushed tone that carried disbelief.


    "I can explain," I said. I looked away from her to stare at the reflection of myself. I had no idea how I was going to explain this.


    And I would have to do it more than once, so I needed to get my story straight.


    I broke my vow with Mordecai...I made out with a stranger. But as I took in my swollen lips and red cheeks, I hesitated on that last thought. What if he wasn''t a stranger?


    What if Leo was Adam?


    That was the only natural conclusion I could draw. The man smelled, felt, and acted like Adam. He might not have looked like my Adam, but here I was, wearing the shell of someone else. There was a possibility that he was doing the same.


    "You didn''t tell me you knew Leo Lone," Clara said as she fussed over my hair. Her firm fingers brushed the mess to pin it back on my head.


    "Leo Lone?" I said, making a face. The name sounded familiar for some reason, but each time my brain attempted to pin down why, it eluded me. Maybe I felt this way because his last name was as ludicrous as Tuffin.


    "He''s known as the new David Savage," Clara said. "His company is already going toe-to-toe with Graham and causing him problems."


    Clara said a lot more, but I tuned her out as my mind drifted to Adam.


    "So, how do you know him?" Clara said.


    Our eyes met in the mirror, and I grew a darker red. "Today was the first time I met him," I said.


    Clara snorted in disbelief before saying, "Dolyn, I''ve known you for years, and I''ve never seen you look at a man like that before. Have you ever even kissed Graham?"


    "You saw us kiss!" I said, pulling away to inch towards the door.


    "Nice try, trying to change the subject," Clara said with a smirk. She gestured at me for the universal tell-all sign.


    "Of course, I''ve never kissed Graham; it was never like that between us. We were friends..." I said.


    "Poor Graham," Clara said with an expression that said she felt the opposite way.


    I rolled my eyes and inched even closer to the door.


    Clara''s hands snaked out to grab my wrist. "You''re not going anywhere," she said with a wicked grin. "Not until you tell me how you know him."


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    "I don''t know Leo...I did know someone before him, and Leo reminds me of him."


    "Is that man the reason why Graham never stood a chance?" Clara said.


    It was annoying how set she was on this whole Graham thing, but I probably deserved it. I had never seen the true Graham for years, so there was no telling how deep his feelings ran.


    "That man is why no other has ever crossed my radar," I said with a firm voice.


    Clara''s beautiful smile lit up as her grip tightened on me. "Thank you for being open, Dolyn. You''re not one to open up, and I know you were closer to Regina," she said.


    I recalled my conversation with Mordecai and felt shame. It wasn''t right for me to dismiss all of Clara''s hard work. She was a good friend and someone I should be kinder to.


    "I''m not closer to Regina than you. I care for you two equally. It''s not easy to get close to people," I said. "When I was little, my father would hire people who had a grudge against him or would try to hurt me. Those people were lessons that taught me not to trust...."


    Everything I said was the truth, but not the whole truth. My father did hire those people to teach me a lesson, but my trust issues started long before those incidents. If anything, they merely deepened my lack of faith in people.


    I pulled away from Clara''s slackened grasp to hug her tight. "I''m sorry that I haven''t been a good friend. I get stuck in my head a lot."


    Clara said nothing, but I felt her shake as I held her close.


    By the time I got back, Darius had fallen back to sleep, but I chose to hide away in my bed. My moment with Clara couldn''t hide the rest of the evening from my mind. I needed to put it to bed and hide from any thoughts of Adam.


    By the time I woke up the next day, I managed to convince myself it was just a dream. I kept up that self-talk until I went to the bathroom.


    Yet again, the mirror showed me Leo''s handiwork. I had marks on my neck, and I saw more when I lifted my shirt. I sniffed my skin and found his musk strongly coating me. How did I still carry his scent? Why did the combination make my chest feel tight?


    It really happened, and the proof grounded me in reality.


    In the following days, I buried myself in studies and did whatever I could to forget the name Leo. The strange facts stacked up, but it was just a coincidence. There was no way he was really Adam. We were just two lonely people connecting, and it was a freaky fluke.


    No matter how many times I coached myself, I had difficulty convincing myself of this.


    It was made worse when I saw Leo on my college campus.


    My feet stopped working as I froze. My stupid heart started pounding in my chest as happiness bloomed in it, and my breath caught in my throat. Like last time, everything Leo did made me see Adam instead.


    My feet moved towards him before I had a chance to think of a plan.


    "Now what do you think you''re doing."


    A cold, familiar voice was the only warning I received before Mordecai cut off my viewing of Leo. He was wearing the facade of the all-too-familiar man. His outfit this time was very unusual. He usually wore sparkly suits that looked expensive, but he was in beach attire for some reason. He wore a floral-printed shirt and swimming trunks. There was even a pair of sunglasses propped up in his messy crop of curls.


    I tried to adopt a nonchalant expression, but Mordecai''s hard eyes told me I wasn''t fooling him. It didn''t help that I licked my lips nervously as I tried to wet my mouth.


    "Let me rephrase that: what were you up to last night?" Mordecai said.


    "I went to Clara''s engagement party," I said when there was finally enough moisture in my mouth to speak.


    "And during that party," Mordecai said.


    "Well, clearly, you already know!" I said, dropping all pretenses of the verbal dance. It was always better to choose fight over flight with Mordecai. Neither ever really served me well, but at least the fight reflex entertained him enough to leave me mostly unscathed.


    "You vowed to never fall in love again," Mordecai said. His dark eyes were burning.


    "I haven''t fallen in love," I said, mustering all my outrage as I crossed my arms to square off.


    "Good. Because if I have to drop by again to remind you, there will be trouble."


    "Unless he''s Adam," I said, locking eyes with my rude ancestor. "If he''s Adam, I haven''t broken my vow."


    "That''s a rather bold thing to claim," Mordecai said. "Need I remind you of how you left that world and what your cowardly act triggered? Don''t forget what your family magic does to abandoned worlds. Do you really want to risk everything on the ghost of a chance?"


    I faltered and looked away from Mordecai''s probing eyes. Sadly, my gaze fell on Leo, who was chatting with a group of men and women. The tiny bit of confidence I had pieced together was falling apart.


    I was more often than not wrong on everything. I lost track of the number of times things I assumed to be true were proven false.


    I didn''t know what the answer I needed to reach was, but I could hear Mordecai''s laughter as I tucked my tail between my legs and ran away.

 Chapter Twenty Four

    I wasn''t able to run away very far. I had a class coming up, so in the end, I only bolted away from Mordecai''s cruelty.


    I doubled back to head to class. I cut it a little close, but I was able to get to class on time.


    I sat through the lectures, participated in the clinical part of the class, and even nailed the labs somehow.


    When it was done, I walked around the campus until I found my favorite nook to eat lunch.


    My favorite nook was in the smallest library, which almost no one entered. The books inside were the oldest on campus, so there were small, private rooms for reading.


    The smell of old books invigorated me even when my stuffy nose prevented the smells from being registered by my brain. I found a great deal of peace inside the dark, winding halls.


    The building was air-controlled, with the hardest worker purifiers, dehumidifiers, and more. The reading rooms were turned up a few more notches because they were supposed to be used to handle delicate books and scrolls. However, I opted to study my books while eating or drinking tea.


    The rooms themselves were different, with various tables, chairs, and decorations.


    My favorite room was the forest-themed room called Woodland Sanctuary. It had green walls and bookshelves lined with leaves. I always felt refreshed when I closed the door and breathed its purified air.


    Today, I sat at the table and pulled out several things from my space. It was only a short time until I had a full-blown afternoon tea set up.


    As I held the first cup to my face, the wafting heat of my teacup comforted me greatly.


    I had managed to pull through countless times before now, and I knew I could do it again. I didn''t know if Leo was really Adam; it didn''t matter right now. I had finals to study for, and the last thing I needed was a distraction.


    Unfortunately, that new distraction appeared at the door as if my thoughts summoned conflict.


    My mouth dropped to the floor as Leo stood in the doorframe. His strong, incredible scent crossed the distance to grace my nose. I closed my mouth but could not do anything else as our eyes met.


    "Dolyn."


    When Leo said my name, it snapped me out of my daze.


    "Leo," I said with a dry mouth. I set down my cup and eyed the door behind him. Under my purview, he closed the door. Before I could say anything, he strode across the tiny room as if misreading my eye movement. He sat down at the table as his golden orbs scanned and devoured the sight of me.


    I felt like running. I felt like screaming. I felt like crying, and worst of all, I wanted to kiss him. I was swamped with a cacophony of desires that conflicted with each other.


    "You''re hard to find." He said as our eyes stayed glued to each other.


    "I only come on campus for class," I said with a slight shrug as I attempted to keep my tone casual.


    "About the night before..." Leo said.


    "It was a mistake," I said before he could complete that thought. "You remind me of my ex, and I overreacted because I was drunk. I would never do something like that normally."


    "You weren''t drunk," Leo said. His arms snaked across the table to grab my wrist. I felt my heart jump into my throat as he rubbed his fingers over my rings. "And it wasn''t a mistake."


    I meant to snatch my hand away and push away from the table to flee. I meant to get away from the room that he managed to suck all of the air out of. I planned to do all of that to make sure I escaped.


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    And yet, instead of any of those things, I somehow found myself in his arms. Our lips became fastened to each other as our hands groped and attacked the other''s clothing.


    The way he aggressively marked my skin was strangely tender. His impossible, strong arms encased me and covered me with my favorite scent.


    The table with my tea set was cleared off without spilling a drop. I must have slipped everything into my space...or he was Adam and had his abilities even in this form.


    I turned off my brain so that our union could be completed.


    I woke up at the Liz Hotel.


    It wasn''t in the suite that I''d been renting since my father''s disappearance. This room was much nicer than the one I paid tooth and nail for every month. The dark blue sheets covered up my nakedness, but shame still swamped me as I tried to recall how I ended up here.


    The darkly lit room''s furniture showed ageless class. That didn''t match the new-age modern sleek that the Liz Hotel repeatedly promoted. But it was definitely the Liz Hotel. The Liz logo was emblazoned in enough places that I could figure it out quickly.


    The dark blue curtains blocked off the windows and prevented me from seeing the world outside them. The only decent light came from the bathroom, where the sound of a shower could be heard. The clock on the nearby nightstand told me it should be night...


    I slept with someone other than Adam. Leo had to be Adam, I thought, because everything pointed toward it...he had to be just like me but using another form to live another life.


    But how? How could Adam be here under the guise of Leo?


    His abilities granted him God-tiered spacial control, but could he truly use that to ascend realities?


    Mordecai''s cruel words danced into my ears, and my dismay grew.


    I forgot one crucial thing¡ªmy family''s magic and how that would have affected Adam.


    Could Adam get over the brainwashing of his world being wiped and reset?


    I recalled the memory my feverish dream brought out and sighed. It was possible but highly improbable. My body hadn''t thoroughly cooled, so that may be why he could thwart it before...


    I got off the bed but stopped moving when I heard the shower turn off.


    I didn''t think twice. I wrapped the sheet around me, and I bolted out the door. Instead of a hotel hallway I could recognize, I found only an elevator.


    There was only one button, L, for what I assumed was the lobby. I entered it and pushed the button marked L.


    Wait a damn second, just how rich is Leo Lone? I found myself in what looked like a secret lobby. It was similar to what my father had done with our penthouse.


    I scurried into the darkest corner I could find without a camera and slipped into my Hideaway home. Showering and changing my clothing took longer than I would have liked.


    For some stupid, senseless reason, I was reluctant to erase the combined scent of Leo and myself.


    I knew better, but it smelled like Adam himself had imprinted his scent all over me.


    I jutted out my chin and resolutely wiped my body clean. I took my time in my bathrobe as I went over my clothing options. I wanted to be sneaky, and anything that would draw attention was out of the question. I opted for dark blue jeans and a simple hoodie.


    When I left my space, the first person I saw was, of course, Leo. He was leaving the elevator and didn''t break stride or look around. He walked past the desk with the receptionist, who batted her eyes at him. Bodyguards joined him, whom I hadn''t seen before.


    I watched them leave, and I stalled only until I saw the receptionist take a bathroom break. Then I made a run for it.


    I thought I''d done a decent job of taming my hair and cleaning myself up. But when I returned home to the suite, Wyatt eyed me with a huge grin at my expense.


    "Oh, la la la." He sang.


    I flushed, and my eyes darted to the mirror to see if my reflection had betrayed me.


    I looked normal, so maybe my expression gave me away.


    "Oh, nothing," I said, scowling at him as I moved to walk past him.


    "I''m proud of you for going out and having fun," Wyatt said with an even more giant grin.


    "I don''t know what you''re talking about," I said.


    Wyatt''s stupidly quick hand pulled off my hoodie and poked at a hickey Leo had left behind.


    The giant oaf didn''t have to say anything. I flushed hot red and quickly covered my skin up. "I...I..." I stumbled around my words as I attempted to find any excuse to cover up what happened.


    "You got over Adam," Wyatt said with a grin.


    Those words erased any humor the situation brought out in me.


    "Never," I said. "I can''t see myself ever getting over him. This was..."


    "A physical distraction," Wyatt said. My expression must have twisted into something scary because his smile disappeared. "It''s more than OK for you to have physical distractions. In fact, it''s downright mandatory for immortals. Give yourself grace. You''ve more than earned that."


    I wanted to say a thousand things, but I opted for silence. It didn''t feel OK to connect with Leo; it felt natural. And that, more than anything, made this feel wrong.


    The only excuse I could cling to was that he had to be Adam. But if he was truly Adam, then why hadn''t he said anything to me? Our interactions were too special not to be deciphered. I even called him Adam when I first saw him.


    Of course, my rings would have shown him who I was. I wore Adam''s engagement ring and my space ring. Adam would recognize both of these on sight, but he said nothing.


    That meant Leo must be part of some test or fuckery on Mordecai''s part.


    I was being tested, and I had failed yet again.