We were almost to the river. We were sure that Ruby would know where to find Orion.
Halloween lights and decorations were everywhere and shouts carried through the air. I couldn't hear the voices well enough to discern whether we were about to stumble down into a bunch of drunk teens or a group of tricker treaters or into something else.
Jay was all in black as always—jeans, T-shirt, and hoodie I wasn't sure where he had found them in my grandmother's house. His hair was pulled back into a long ponytail. His skin had a slight glow to it making him look otherworldly.
I wondered if I looked otherworldly too. Was there something about me that warded people off? I had always assumed that I was just weird, no more explanation necessary. Looking at him, I began to wonder.
He glanced towards me without turning his head and raised his eyebrows in a silent questioning.
"Just looking at you," I said.
"Why?"
"I... I was wondering where you found that—the clothes."
"Oh." He looked down, as though he'd only just given a thought to what he was wearing. "I made it with magic."
"So what are you really wearing?" The words left my mouth before I could think. I grimaced.
He didn't seem to mind; in fact, he flashed me another brief smile. "And if I said nothing"
"Then I would say that I heard sometimes if you look at something magic out of the corner of your eye, you can see right through it," I answered.
That brought surprised laughter. "What a relief then that I am actually wearing my old clothes under it. Although I'd like to point out that in that outfit, your last concern should be my modesty."
"Do ya like it?" I looked at him and ran my hands down the pink spandex catsuit. There had been no reason for me not to put it on right away. After all, it was Halloween.
"Now, that's the sort of question I have begun to expect from you. One which there is no good answer."
I grinned. We could do this. We would find Orion. Everything was going to be okay.
"Are we close?" he asked, and I nodded.
I followed him, stumbling along at my own pace.
When we finally reached the river it was an interesting sight to behold.
Green, blue, and white women were half submerged in the deeper parts of the river, other androgynous forms covered in bark and shimmery lights and scales were by the river's edge.
None of the creatures paid much attention to us.
"Artemis," a voice whispered, and I spun around.
It was Ruby, sitting on a log by the river's edge. She patted the place beside her. "Things did not go well."
"No," I said, sitting down. I wanted to be more angry, but I wasn't. "I almost died."
"Morgan's servant saved you, didn't he?"
I nodded, looking up at him, hiding in the shadows, his hands in his pockets, glaring intensely. It made me want to grin at him again, although I was afraid that he would be mad if I ruined his intimidating demeanor.
"If it wasn't for him, I'd be dead."
Ruby looked in his direction and then back at me. "Do you know the things he's done?"
"But you don't understand, she made him do those things!"
"I have no desire to be welcome among your people, old mage," Jay said, kneeling down on one knee. "I only wanted to know whether you were aware that you are not the only ones with new found freedom. There are evil ghosts, stone creatures and worse that are delighted to be free to live out their desires."
