Frost & Bothered (27 page)

They all gathered inside my stretched-out aura. "Discord Airlines is now boarding. Please secure your hounds, touch your fellow travelers, and keep all feet, paws, tails, and hands inside the aura bubble at all times. The emergency exits aren't something you'll want to use."

I waited until everyone was in contact.

"We will be making more than one stop on our journey today. Please do not leave your assigned seating unless the captain okays it." I flashed my toothiest smile around. "We wouldn't want to leave anyone behind. Everyone ready?"

Everyone was. "Great. Here we go."

Taking a deep breath, I teleported to the spot where Leglin and I had first been able to see them. After a quick check to make certain I hadn't lost anyone, I teleported again. Being able to skip across miles of snow sure beat slogging on foot.

Upon reaching the end of the line—which was near the trees close to the spot Connor had been stabbed—I took a really deep breath. "Next stop: the Unseelie realm. You may feel a little pressure this time."

My warning was a teensy bit off. It felt like trying to push through partially chewed taffy. We appeared roughly three feet above ground level, and not everyone managed to keep their holds.

I fell on my butt, and a steady thunder of pain filled my head. "Sorry. Oh, my head."

"That's enough for now," Thorandryll said. He'd landed on his feet. He bent, taking hold of my arms, and pulled me to my feet. "Set camp immediately. Alleryn, you'll attend to Miss Jones."

"I can do one more."

"Not until we redo the spells," Damian said. "That last teleport snapped your aura back in place."

Sure enough, the thin bubble was gone. "Oh, okay."

It didn't take long for the pavilion and thorn barrier to supersize. Alleryn hustled me inside, clucking like a mother hen. "You really shouldn't tax yourself."

"I want to get back, do what we have to, and go home. And get Rico and the others back where they belong."

He patted my shoulder before pushing me down into a chair. “I know, but how are you going to do it if you’re exhausted? Cordi, you have to take care of yourself. It’s comparable to airline attendants instructing parents to put their air masks on first, before doing it for their children. You have to take care of yourself before you can take care of others.”

“I do take care of myself.”

Alleryn snorted. “To a point, but when on a case, you have a tendency to overdo when it’s not exactly necessary.”

I didn’t argue. He was actually kind of right, and any future downtime I needed could keep me from being involved in whatever planning was possible. The elf patted my shoulder again before going into one of the side rooms. Alleryn returned with a small, dark blue bottle. “Drink this, and then I want to you to lie down for a while.”

“How long is a while?” I took the bottle and uncorked it for a sniff. “Does it taste bad?”

“It’s the same headache remedy I always give you. Drink up.”

I obeyed, because it didn’t taste awful. It didn’t really taste great either, but “not awful” worked. “How long of a nap do I have to take?”

“A few hours. You can use that room.” He pointed to a section of hangings, next to the room he’d retrieved the bottle from. “Go.”

“Okay, okay. I’m going.” I removed my coat as I went, dropping it over the footboard of the bed inside the room. Much fancier bed than the one in my room in Kethyrdryll’s pavilion. This one had a canopy. I sat down to pull off my boots, and then lay down as ordered. The drum contest in my head was still going when I dropped off to sleep.

A
low murmur of voices woke me, and my head no longer hurt. I opened my eyes while rolling over, and saw the door hangings move. The tip of Illy’s tail whisked out of sight.

I sat up, but couldn’t see any dog hair on the crimson coverlet. Weird. Illy had spent the night with me several times, and he’d always slept on the bed with me.

Oh, well, maybe he’d only come in to check on me. I stretched before scooting to the edge of the bed and reaching for my boots.

Out in the main room, lunch had been served. An empty chair waited at Thorandryll’s right. He indicated it, and I knew he’d been watching when I came out. “Join us.”

“Thanks.” I sat. We were having stew for lunch. “I’m fine now. We can keep going once everyone’s finished eating.”

He nodded. “Excellent.”

I
teleported to just beyond sight of our camp. “Okay, it’s like a five minute walk from here, and no monsters. Everyone out of my aura bubble.”

People let go of each other, and the hounds, stepping off as directed. I flinched as my aura retracted, even though I didn’t actually feel anything. “Not you.”

“I beg your pardon?” Thorandryll paused to look at me, his nose rising a centimeter higher in the air.

“We’re going ahead.” I held my hand out.
Logan
.

Hey, good to hear you
.

Same here. Ask Kethyrdryll to go outside, please. I have someone who wants to see him alone.

Will do
, Logan said, and a second later added,
Okay, he’s going out
.

Thanks
. I wiggled my fingers. “Come on. Your brother’s waiting.”

A surge of eagerness threatened to overwhelm my mental maze’s walls as Thorandryll took my hand. I teleported us inside the thorny barrier, and pulled free of his grasp as the two elves caught sight of each other. They simply stared for a moment, before hurrying toward each other.

I smiled as they hugged. Facilitating reunions was one of my favorite parts of my job.

"E
lven magic is freaky," I whispered to Kate, who nodded. They'd added their pavilion to Kethyrdryll's, and the pavilions had knitted together to form a larger one. Instead of a main room, we had a banquet hall. With a U-shaped table, which meant we could all see each other.

There were two bathing chambers on the wall opposite the entrance, their doorways separated by a long fireplace. Bedrooms lined each side of the long sides. Hounds lazed in front of the fireplace. They'd already eaten.

I was full too, and wondering if the elves planned to party all night. They were celebrating Kethyrdryll's return. Not something I had a problem with, but I'd done a lot of teleporting and it felt late. My grasp on time had failed me, with the endless night thing.

Percy side-walked toward my plate, his head turned in order to keep one eye on me. "What?"

The parrot balanced on one leg and snatched a piece of melon off my plate. "Cordi not eat?"

I'd been picking at the food remaining on my plate, but now that he'd stuck his scaly foot in it, wouldn't be anymore. Pushing the plate toward him, I said, "You can have the rest."

“Thank you.” He began gobbling down the bits of fruit with a vengeance.

As far as I was concerned, it was time to excuse myself and go to bed. There was a slight problem with that plan, because I didn’t know which of the rooms was mine now, with all of the magical rearranging.

Kethyrdryll decided to stand up and clear his throat at that moment. Everyone quieted to listen to him. “I’ve immensely enjoyed our reunion, yet it is late, and we face challenges unknown if we are to find our way home.”

“Of course,” Thorandryll agreed. “We should retire.”

That broke up the party nicely. I bumped Logan when we stood up at the same time. “Oops, sorry.”

“My fault. Ah,” he bent his head, lowering his voice. “Any chance you’re in a snuggling mood?”

I suddenly was, looking into his eyes. “Yes.”

A smile curved his lips. “I hoped you would be.”

“I have an ulterior motive. I’m hoping you know which room is mine.”

“I do. It’s the one closest to the ladies’ room.”

“Awesome. Meet you there in a few.” I needed to visit the ladies’, and noticed Kate and Alleryn whispering to each other when I turned to head that way. They were probably planning to meet too. I thought Thorandryll already knew about them dating. Maybe he didn’t.

I was brushing my teeth when Kate came into the bathing chamber. “Are you two still secret?”

She raised her eyebrows. “Sorry?”

“Oh, come on. He must’ve told you I found out.”

She gave up with a shrug. “Yes, he did. Habit reigns supreme.”

“After the book thing, I’m pretty sure Thorandryll knows too.” Alleryn had loaned her a history book to help solve a problem. Or shed light on a motive. Same difference.

“Probably. I’m more interested in what you and Logan were discussing out there.”

I couldn’t prevent a grin. “We’re snuggle partners.”

“Oh ho. Just snuggling?”

“Yes. For now.” I left the bathing chamber, her laughter following me out. Entering my room, I found Logan pulling off his boots, and a fresh nightgown lying across the foot of the bed. I grabbed it. “Be right back.”

“You can change in here. I’ll close my eyes.”

“No peeking?”

“No peeking,” he promised, and turned away. I hurriedly changed, a little disappointed he didn’t try to peek. Who knows where peeking may have led to?

Then again, the walls were soft material and not exactly soundproof. Plus, I was tired. “Done. How’s your owie?”

Logan turned around and took off his shirt. “Almost healed.”

The holes were gone, pink spots marking where they’d been. “Nice.”

We slid under the covers from opposite sides. I snuggled up to him when he lifted his arm. “I like snuggling with you.”

“That makes two of us.”

“You like snuggling with yourself?”

Logan squeezed me. “I meant with you.”

“Oh, good, because it would be weird the other way.” I muffled a yawn. “I’m tired.”

He chuckled. “I can tell. Good night.”

“Night.” Closing my eyes, I dropped right off.

A
t some point, I grew conscious of dreaming, but it wasn’t anything to write home about. Nothing but a jumble of memories from after I’d woken from my coma. Then it changed to the New Year’s Eve of the Melding. I listened to the distant pops of firecrackers, and my parents’ soft conversation. They looked so happy.

The sky lit up with multicolored sparks. I blinked at the brightness, and found myself standing in a line of people in long, white hallway. Tapping the shoulder of the man in front of me, I asked, “What are we in line for?”