Page 59 of Shadow & Stars
“Your friend, eh?” Eric responded. “Does she know you killed her mum? I’m guessing no. Whatever Queen Margarite was, her daughter won’t be happy to know you butchered her mother.”
“I wouldn’t say butchered,” I said. Not-so-smart, too sassy in tone.
“She’s got no eyes!”
Without the glittery goldenness, the queen’s eye sockets were two round shadows in her head.
“Oh.”
The woman sighed. “This is too much. We’re wasting time.”
“Yeah, we are,” I retorted. “Let us go about our business and things can change for the better. You can’t arrest me or these two anyway.”
God only knew how they were still bound to me, but they were. Which meant they could be useful. I liked useful.
“But I really do need to speak with Queen Piper,” I added.
“My sweet, sweet daughter,” Margarite said.
Again, the two agents looked at each other. Their comrades were busy with the lockdown, evacuating people from their houses.
“This is just the beginning,” I continued. “There’s an army coming. I’ve seen a fraction of it, and it’ll only grow. Please, help me help you.” Did that sound condescending? I wasn’t exactly the best orator. “Please. I don’t know what else to say.” Well, other than me needing an army of my own to get the jar of time from a purple-haired prick who put a time-bending device in my chest.
Shit. What if opening the jar didn’t work? What if this was the real world now? And what if correcting time didn’t have any bearing on those already gone?
Oh, God. Was this it now? Would I have to face my sorrow for real without any hope of changing death?
“No…” I whispered. “Please… I can’t…” I lost my grip on my already pitiful strength, weakening by the second. Crumbling like ruins, coming apart at the seams. Destined for the pit of heartbreak, the tentacles of grief ready to strangle me.
Nothing short of what you deserve, killer…
“Oh, God…”
“What’s wrong?” the woman asked.
Weirdly, her voice slapped me away from the top of the spiral.
I looked up, meeting her hazel eyes. “Thanks.” I sniffled, only a few tears breaking free. Hopefully the rain hid those.
“For what?” she wondered.
“Nothing. I?—”
“Listen, this is messed up,” she said. “So is the whole world right now. I don’t know your full story, but my dad says I’m a good judge of character.”
Was she about to give me the smackdown, making it clear she considered me a shady bastard?
She didn’t. “I’ve never been wrong, and I’d like to tell my dad I wasn’t wrong this time.” She glanced left and right, then pulled out a phone. “Hello? Michelle here. I need a favor. Right. Yes, the street is secure. No idea of casualty numbers yet. Yes. Yes.” Nod, nod, a creased forehead. “I need transport into London. I know. Yes. It’s important.”
I turned to face Margarite. “You’re still with me?”
“Yes. When we can serve.”
“Absolutely,” Lizard Guy said.
“You’re still waiting, right?” I asked.
“For your restoration,” Margarite answered, pointing at the dagger. “It blocks our help, but not our presence.”
