Despite my angry statement the night before to Adrian, going to my trial without Luis by my side felt like I was trying to breathe air without my lungs. But if my win would help my mother's world and my victory would also mean the freedom of an oppressed people, then I had to keep moving.
We had to take two vehicles because of the growing size of my entourage. Erick and Brin, the replacement for Luis, were in the other limo, along with Elsie and Beth. Jeanne, Adrian, Luke, Ciaran, and Dominic made up the party limo with me.
"I would give you all the apples of Hesperides for your thoughts, little Princess."
I made the mistake of meeting Ciaran's eyes because then I remembered what happened the night before. "I'll pass," I mumbled as I squashed my head into my shoulders like a turtle.
He chuckled as he sat back in his seat. But there was a heat in his eyes, and I received a tug on my link. I denied his metaphysical attempt to play footsies with me with a sharp, mental push back and he chuckled again. Luke narrowed his eyes at him when I blushed.
"Stop toying with Madeline, old man. Your position here is suspect enough without you addling her poor mind."
When I kicked Luke's shin, he grunted and rubbed it, then looked at me in surprise.
"My poor mind? Really?" I scowled.
"I only meant that Ciaran is a crafty god who might not be on your side."
"Me?" Ciaran chuckled. "Oh Luke, if you're not the blackest pot in existence, I don't know who is."
"Guys, stop bickering," Dominic said as he draped his arm over me. "See how tired she is!"
I was tired, but I wasn't five. "Could everyone stop patronizing me at least until the end of this trial?" That being said, I didn't push Dominic's arm off of me. I might have actually snuggled closer. I don't know.
Jeanne squeezed my hand and whispered, "So many swains after your heart. I've not seen such a court that adores their Elect so, My Lady."
Not Jeanne too! I made a spluttering sound with my lips, then closed my eyes. Adrian caused them to open wide again as he spoke to me through my link.
"Just ignore them all, G. You've got this."
I smiled at him and thought back to him, "How'd you figure out how to do this?"
"I remembered how it felt when you contacted me and did the opposite."
"This could be amazingly useful."
"Right? I'm feeling pretty special now. I was wondering what I could do with no powers. This gives me some rep now."
"No lie! You even have the power to cure insomnia."
"Oh, so I'm boring, huh?"
I twisted my lips with my fingers to keep me from grinning. "Sorry."
"Well, you can make up for insulting me by joining the boy band when we get back to earth."
"Consider it done." I laughed out loud, and Dominic squeezed me.
"What's so funny, Matty?" he asked.
I shook my head as I forced myself not to look at Adrian. I wanted to keep it a secret for a little while longer, especially from Luke and Ciaran. It would be nice to have an ace if they wound up using me.
"Don't tell anyone yet," I thought to Adrian.
"Got it."
I noticed that the guys in the limo didn't seem all that heartbroken that Luis wasn't with us - Dominic especially. He'd began chattering away about Danela and all that he'd learned, all while cuddling me closer. If Luis had been there, he'd have tried to figure out how to sit on both sides of me and would have bitten Dominic's arm off at the shoulder.
As it was, I didn't mind it too much, which I should have analyzed more, except I was so tired from my lack of sleep. Dominic was right about that, even if I found it annoying to be coddled. I'd spent a lot of years doing the bootstrap thing, even with Luis at my side. Nonetheless, I dozed while listening to the white noise of Dominic's delighted chatter. Jeanne leaned into me on my other side, patting my hand all the way to the city.
Someone nudged me awake as we entered the city gates, and I stretched forwards. Dominic helped me out of the car, and we walked back to the temple steps where Duir was standing, to the excited adoration of the entire city. There was a crush of people to muscle through, but we made it to our place.
We were the last ones there. Again.
"So kind of you to make it!" Duir said with a bright grin. I could see how Valenia could be her priestess. There were two other girls with their entourage that I hadn't met at the party.
"Madeline, meet Zovria and Xanda. They held their Becoming ceremonies in their countries and joined us here."
I nodded at the two women. Xanda looked much like the girl with the waterfall dress at the party, and I wondered if she was related. The other girl was an adorable confection with lavender hair and eyes. She smiled at me sweetly.
In front of us was a portal that shimmered like water within a gilt frame.
Duir turned to me and pointed at the portal. "You'll probably die in there, and then I won't have my fabulous catalyst to use anymore. This is your last chance to give up. If you do, I'll even send your friends home!"
Tempting. But, no. It was definitely a trap."You know I've always been rebellious, Duir. Why should I stop now?"
Duir Humphed. "Well, it was nice knowing you then." She nodded at Valenia. "Let's begin."
Regina was the first to go through the portal, but she was happy to give me a dig before she did. "Oh no. You're missing another member of your court? Did he tire of you and run away?"
At the look on my face, she cackled. "Oh, no! He did! How absolutely grand!" She disappeared into the portal, still cackling.
Marisol parted with a dig as well. "Hope we find enough of you left for your funeral!"
The other two ladies disappeared with polite nods of their heads. Lavender girl also offered me a friendly smile before disappearing.
That left us. "Any of you that don't want to go, let me know."
"We're in this together, Matt," Adrian said. He sent warm thoughts and memories of us sleeping together the night before. He'd thought I was adorable, and it made me smile.
Armed with that for courage, I entered the portal and found myself face to face with the most incredible creature. And alongside it was someone else.
I screamed, and my friends stumbled through the portal with their weapons raised.
"What are you screaming for, Matt!" Mike hollered, waving his arms around. He'd been hiding behind the hideous creature and had nearly made me jump right out of my skin when he popped out.
"Are you crazy?? What are you doing here??" I pressed a hand to my heart as I scowled at him.
"I'm here to help! I swear!"
"Like I'll believe that. And what in the heck is that thing!"
The thing in question was somehow frowning at me. I'm saying somehow because it didn't have eyes. Where eyes should be, it had water lilies. It had crinkled the upper petals in such a way that it looked like a frown. I'd bumped into its snout when I entered through the portal and it blew hot breath at me in outrage. Its head was skeletal and looked like a deer's head. The rest of the body was bigger than a British double-deck bus and covered in a rough bark that was greenish from moss growing all over it. The thing was noisy too. It made a whooshing sound every time it took a breath. I looked down and saw that someone made its legs out of what looked like really long pliers. Or perhaps they were tongs.
Mike put his palm against his forehead and rubbed. "That's the vaadin, you spoon. What did you think it would be?"
"M'sorry..." I mumbled, embarrassed. Then I remembered I was angry at him. "Wait a minute; I asked you what you were doing here!"
"I told you why. Geez-Louise, Matt! Why couldn't you have let Franco grab you! I would have fixed it, I swear! I was outside the restaurant waiting to save the day, but then that old bat, Aisa, grabbed me and knocked me out. She put me in the freaking garbage can! Disgusting!"
"I wouldn't have needed any day to be saved if you hadn't done it in the first place!"
"I had to save you! Your freaking grandpa wanted me to kill you to pay my debt! You've been a son to me, Matt!"
"Daughter now."
He shrugged, "Meh. Semantics."
Should I trust him? His story seemed plausible. "You sure you didn't lose a bet again? Is this a trick?"
"We should bring him along for now. He may have booby-trapped the vaadin, and at least taking him with us will ensure he falls into his own trap." Ciaran said.
"I disagree. He's proven to be impulsive and untrustworthy. He may sabotage us in the air when the vaadin is carrying us all. Besides, we don't have an acorn for him," Erick said.
"Oh, those? He opened a bag holding dozens of golden acorns. "I got plenty. Don't worry."
I was definitely worried. "Where did you get them?"
He grinned. "I won a game! We use these acorns as money all over Aleria. Seriously!"
"He is correct," Luke said.
Great. Now that my three concubines were miles away.
Mike looked up at vaadin as he stated, "She's sorry, she's not from around here. Are we good?"
The uh... "animal" blew out a stream of hot air that bathed our faces. I coughed and waved my hand in front of my face. This vaadin character needed a breath mint. Its breath smelled like a sewer, all stagnant and mildewy. The vaadin stamped the ground with one of her... um... tongs.
"What? Why was she fanning her face? Oh, there was a fly, right, Matt?" Mike explained. I dropped my hand quickly and tried not to breathe too deeply as I nodded. He turned to me as he said, "Hey, hold up the payment."
I looked at him blankly, then down at my sack of acorns. "Oh, Right. Here it is." I held up the bag of acorns. Since the "animal" stopped frowning, I guess it was okay. Mike added one of his own acorns to my sack, then nimbly climbed up the side of the beast and mounting himself precariously on top.
It required a little more motivation to get me on the beast. The thing was ugly and looked uncomfortable. Another reason I didn't want to get up there was that it was really high up. "Can't we walk?" I asked.
"Well, we could, but it would be for miles through dangerous territory, riddled with flesh-eating monsters," Mike replied.
"Okay then, how about I stay here and wait for you guys to come to get me?"
"Well, we could, but before we get back, you'll probably have been eaten. We're in the Betwixt. It's the crossroads between all other realms. Lots of monsters are everywhere. Just get up here, Matt. Stop bein' a girl," Mike grumbled.
"You're the only one that can complete the last task." Luke was staring at me with wonder. I laughed at ghosts, zombies, skeletons. Heck, I lived in a treehouse, so it wasn't exactly the height, but I was trembling in my socks over getting on this thing.
I hemmed and hawed some more until Ciaran sidled up to me and nudged me. "I'll sit behind you and make sure you don't fall."
"Promise?" I replied while chewing on my bottom lip. So much for my talk of not being patronized. Patronize away, boys!
"Promise," he said with a grin.
I held out my hand for Mike to grab as I scowled at him. Ciaran pushed me up from behind, until I was sitting behind Mike on the beast. I clutched his shirt and was rewarded by a stream of cursings when he nearly lost his balance. "Cut it out, Matt! You're going to make both of us fall."
"I'm dealing with it," I said with a huff. I knew why the thing was freaking me out. It reminded me of a kind of doll. I had a problem with dolls and even stuffed animals if they looked creepy enough - never mind my birds. I didn't have a problem with things I created myself. This was someone else's created monster, and I felt like dolls would come crawling out of its belly and eat me.
Ciaran jumped up onto the back of the vaadin nimbly and wrapped an arm around my waist. "Don't worry. You won't fall."
I looked at him over my shoulder, then at Adrian. We'd planned to keep Ciaran at a distance. So much for that.
"Okay..." I exhaled with defeat. Before I turned around, I saw Luke had mounted as well and he stared at us with his eyes half narrowed. He glanced down at Ciaran's arm around me.
"You seem awfully chummy with Madeline, despiteful godling."
"Despiteful godling! Haha! I shall make that a tattoo! Princess and I became good friends during training, didn't we, Princess?" He squeezed me briefly, but I gave no response other than a shrug. This only made his voice more cheerful when he continued. "I have decided that you will be my rival. Isn't that fun?" He grinned at Luke.
Luke shook his head and stared at me. "You can try, Ciaran."
Erick climbed on after Luke and muttered, "Can we get going?"
Soon everyone had mounted, and there was still room for more. My body lurched as vaadin began walking. I turned away from Erick and clutched at the bark beneath me. The stupid thing's back was so broad that my legs were already aching from the half-split they were in. It didn't have a smooth surface because of the thick vines that comprised its back.
All around there were trees, but it wasn't peaceful. I could hear things crashing through the bushes and other things skittering as we traveled forward. The reindeer-thing's wheezing joined with the noise. Occasionally I'd hear something like a roar that would make me flinch, and Ciaran would hold me tighter. I noted how comfortable that felt. So much for keeping myself separate.
Just before I'd made the vaadin turn around and take me back to the door, Erick spoke up. "Madeline... what happened with you and Ciaran?"
My brows raised as I turned to look at him over Ciaran's shoulder. Nosy much? "Why do you care?"
"He doesn't really want you, Madeline. He wants your power," Erick said.
"This isn't really the time for this, Erick." I turned my back on him.
"Just ignore him, Princess," Ciaran whispered in my ear, which made a chill go up my spine.
"I'm sorry for you." Erick finally sighed.
I chomped that bait like a twenty-pound bass. "HA! You're funny. Why?"
"Princess, ignore him. He's only trying to work you up," Ciaran murmured.
"No, I won't stop. I want to know what gives him the right to say that."
"Your uncle is young. He wants to do his best with you because the Counsul will take you away. Ciaran, though? You surely have doubts about his place in things. He wants Duir's power." Erick sounded like he was a car salesman trying to sell me a lemon.
"Sorry... I'm not buying it," I said, attempting to hide how much of his bait I'd swallowed. Ciaran squeezed me in response to my faith in him.
Erick shrugged, "Think of this as a desire to be a friend to you."
I scoffed.
Dominic cut in, "We think your desires should take a flying leap off of this camel-deer-plant thing."
There were other calls of agreement, and I sighed. Then I turned around again, my thoughts spinning. I hoped this Emperor of Tears wouldn't jerk us around because I thought everything was already falling apart. In order to distract everyone, I asked Ciaran and Luke to tell me about my two new opponents.
"Xanda is a siren from the Autumn court, and Zovria is a goblin," Luke said.
"That is a goblin?" I gaped at him.
"Maybe you should turn completely around, Princess? I'm sure it would be more comfortable. I certainly wouldn't mind."
I smacked Ciaran for his seductive comment and waited for Luke to answer. "That is a goblin, yes. Don't believe the human tales about them. They had seen the creatures when they were angry or hunting. Goblins have two forms they take, and the other form is quite hideous indeed. Their more pleasant form lures the unsuspecting into their traps. They love the flesh of other sentient beings. I am amazed that the stone would accept her."
"Maybe it didn't."
"That could be true, Princess."
I nodded, then gave a derisive laugh.