Page 156 of Dark Fate

Calimero's words are laced with a playful note, a knowing twinkle in his eye."The storm brewing within him is more than just for show—Lightning Wielder. Do you know of his heritage? I think it's high time for you two to curl up and unravel some of those hidden volts and rumbles." His voice dances with a note of mirth, suggesting revelations await in the space of quiet conversation.

My mind kicks into overdrive, zipping back to Meadow's cryptic sneak peeks of Rhyland—those snippets she painted with words about lightning and thunder.

Lucian's voice cuts through the air like a verbal chainsaw, his words laced with enough incredulity to choke a horse. "Hold the freaking phone, are my eyes deceiving me, or are you seriously shooting the breeze with a flippin' unicorn right now?" He pipes up from the back, his tone suggesting he's about two seconds away from checking himself into the nearest mental institution. "Because if so, I'm gonna need a moment to process this level of weird."

"He's not the brightest of your companions, is he?" Calimero's telepathic voice chimes in my skull again with a private aside that's more shade than an eclipse.

The comment catches me off guard, sparking an irrepressible giggle that bubbles out. The audacity! I mean, Cal's not wrong, but his sass is so unexpected it's hilarious.

Luciannarrows his eyes, his voice sharp enough to cut through steel. "Oh, it's funny? —HA HA. Excuuuuse me for being a little fucking confused when Princess here starts chatting up a creature that, up until about five minutes ago, I thought only existed in Lisa Frank sticker books and the wet dreams of prepubescent girls."

The moment hangs in the air, each face swiveling toward Lucian, wearing an expression equal parts disbelief and 'Oh, come on, dude.' In all his glittering grace. Cal's elegant headshake is all the answer anyone needs, and then that celestial whinny lifts into the air—unmistakably the sound of equine laughter.

"Well, no shit, she's talking to him, dumbass," Rhyland finally speaks up.

Lucianthrows his hands up, "Obviously, I'm the only one here who hasn't completely lost their grip on reality. My bad for attempting to apply logic to a situation that's about as logical as a fucking Escher painting."

"The stone, Lucian. Try to keep up," Erik remarks.

"Ah—yes. Makes total sense now!"Luciansays, rolling his eyes with enough force to generate a small gravitational field. "Because clearly, the only thing standing between us and total annihilation is a shiny rock that allows a one-sided conversation with My Little Pony over here. Clearly, I'm the one who's not operating on the same plane of existence as the rest of you enlightened fuckers."

He scoffs, "You know what? At this point, I half expect a talking mushroom to pop up and start reciting Shakespeare."

"Why are you so frazzled,Lucian?"Faderyninquires, his ethereal features etched with genuine curiosity.

"Duh—I'm jealous she," he motions to me, "gets to chat it up with a unicorn when I'm the one with the big brain here." He taps his head with the side of his finger, "Cerebral Hustler, remember?"

I can't help but snort at that, shaking my head in amused disbelief. "Cerebral Hustler? More like Cerebral Bullshitter, if you ask me."

Luciangasps, clutching at his chest in mock offense. "You wound me, sweet cheeks! I'll have you know that this brain of mine is a finely tuned machine, capable of processing complex thoughts and ideas that would make your pretty little head spin."

"Complex thoughts? Like what, exactly? The best way to style your hair for maximum douchebag effect?" I shoot back, unable to resist the urge to poke at his overinflated ego.

"Oh, haha. Very funny," he deadpans, narrowing his eyes at me. "I'll have you know that I've got a mind like a steel trap,baby. Nothing gets past me."

"Except for the fact that she's literally talking to a unicorn right now,"Erikchimes in, his voice dry as the Sahara.

Lucianwhirls on him, jabbing a finger in his direction. "Hey, I'm processing, okay? Forgive me for needing a minute to adjust to the fact that we've apparently stumbled into a fucking Disney movie."

Rhylandpinches the bridge of his nose, letting out a long-suffering sigh. "Can we please focus on the task at hand? In case you've forgotten, we've got a world to save."

"Right, right. The world. Saving. Got it,"Lucianmutters, waving a dismissive hand. "Lead the way, oh wise and glorious unicorn. Take us to the promised land or whatever."

Axilya, Faderyn, and Adrian are all doing their best to stifle their laughter at the brotherly banter these three are infamous for.

Calimero snorts, tossing his mane in a gesture that somehow conveys both amusement and exasperation. "Your friend is quite the character—"

"You have no idea," I reply, unable to keep the fondness from my voice.

"There is one last thing I must mention before you depart," Calimero says. The gravity in his tone sets my nerves on edge.

The anticipatory uh-oh chorus kicks up in my mind. Good news or bad, when a unicorn plays the 'there's one more thing' card, you listen. "Okay—I'm all ears," I said, steeling myself for anything.

What Calimero reveals next sends my mind reeling, yet it clicks with an almost audible sound, making a bizarre sense that leaves my eyes wide in astonishment. A pause suspends the moment.

Then I can't help but blurt out in disbelief, "You've got to be kidding?"

Rhyland

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