Called by Midnight, page 3
“Humans don’t have eternal mates,” Hollie countered. “We get divorced. Cheat on each other. Ghost one another.” Her defenses were as high as ever, considering how things had gone down on Samothrace and before.
Dallon ignored her. “This way,” he said, striking off in the direction he’d pointed out before. “And hurry up. Things are moving quicker than I’d like, and we can’t afford to waste any more time chit-chatting.”
Hollie stood her ground, arms crossed. Sighing, the imp gave her a look, disappeared, reappeared right behind her, and gave her a solid shove. “Let’s get moving.”
Stumbling forward, Hollie managed to catch her footing, following in line behind him. “If you can teleport, why not take us straight to wherever we’re going?” she grumbled.
“Because I can’t quite remember where we’re going,” he shot back in the same irritated tone as hers. “Once things look familiar, I can lead us right to where we need to go.” His head swiveled, a neutral look on his face. Despite his expression, Hollie could tell that he was struggling to get his bearings.
For the first time since their arrival, she turned her attention to her surroundings. It looked similar to other realms, including Earth, with manicured lawns, trimmed trees, and in the distance, wooden and brick structures. You’ve seen one realm, you’ve seen them all, she thought, her emotions continuing to affect her attention.
They were in a garden of sorts, with linear paths of white gravel and symmetrical rows of plants and flowers lining the way. A few yards away, a stone wall climbed to shoulder height, an orderly line of fruit trees beyond the wall. Everything was as neat as a pin. The neatest garden I’ve ever seen.
Hollie leaned in to sniff at a light bluebell of a flower hanging off a leafy bush. She paused, confusion filling her face. There’s no scent. She tried another bud, and another, but no fragrance filled her nostrils. Maybe in this realm, the flowers don’t smell, she thought, then froze, leaning in close to the little bluebell.
A look of wonder bloomed on her face. It looked like a flower, like a garden of flowers, from far enough away, but when she looked closely, she could see that the petals weren’t composed out of plant matter, but instead tiny wires and cables no bigger than a strand of her hair.
Hollie let out a gasp when she noticed tiny pulses of electricity running through the wires, giving the faintest sheen to the bud. She straightened, suddenly realizing that electricity was pulsing through every living thing in the garden. “Where are we?” she asked, amazed.
“BeLafonte,” Dallon replied, distracted. They walked through the gate and onto a tree-lined boulevard of cobblestone. “We’ll make for the cluster of buildings down there,” he said, pointing into the distance. “That’s where we should find our destination.”
Hollie followed the imp, unable to take her eyes off the ‘nature’ around them. The trees were larger cables, she saw, twisted wires pumping power into them like breath itself. It was all artificial, and yet somehow completely real. But the marvels of the plant life couldn’t hold her attention as they reached the outskirts of the city before them.
From a distance, the city resembled any other of the rustic townships she’d visited during her time in the realms occupied by Fae. The structures had a medieval vibe, wood, stone, plaster and brick being the building materials of choice. But it didn’t take long to realize that cities in BeLafonte were not as old-fashioned as they appeared.
They landed on a cobblestone street with houses on either side, most two stories and several with thatched roofs that gave a neighborhood a quaint, fairy-tale feel. That is, until a metal-forged form sped around the corner and barreled toward them. In the place of legs was a single wheel about a foot in diameter. Above the wheel sat a copper trunk that became a torso as it climbed. Arms ending in C-shaped clamps hung from narrow shoulders, an ovoid head with simple features completing the creature.
“That’s a robot,” Hollie blurted out, perplexed. The appearance of the rolling machine seemed out of place in its surroundings. At least it did until it zoomed up to the door of one of the houses and let out a beep. The door, instead of swinging open on hinges propelled from inside, slid open with a soft whoosh, allowing the robot to pass inside before whooshing closed again.
“Yes, yes,” Dallon muttered dismissively. “Many wonders to see.”
As had happened in the garden, Hollie’s eyes began to adjust after a moment, and she began to notice the hidden layers of advanced technology that underpinned the world around her. The roofs, for instance, weren’t thatch as she’d thought. What looked like yellow straw were actually tendrils that reminded her of some sort of fiber optic cable, the ends of which gently looped back to connect into the house. The plaster walls seemed to vibrate gently with the same electrical pulses as the plants had, and where brick or stone was used instead of plaster, the mortar that joined the materials pulsed instead.
Hollie’s eye followed one pulse, catching it near the stone foundation and tracing it as it made a light blue path between the bricks, zigging and zagging until it reached the roof line and entered one of the yellow tendrils there. Her attention was so consumed that she almost bumped into a mechanical man whose lower half was comprised of four spider-like robotic legs. His upper half, however, was attired in a fancy topcoat and cravat, a decorative monocle hanging over a bushy mustache.
“I beg your pardon, milady,” the mechanical man said, blowing out a burst of air that made his mustache ripple, then removing his top hat with a flourish and bowing to her.
Hollie giggled, delighted by the robot’s politeness. “Not at all. It was my mistake.”
Giving her a nod, the robot returned the hat to his head and started off again, the motion of his legs making his top half bob like a buoy in rough seas. She watched him stagger off, biting her lip to keep from laughing.
“I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself,” the imp said, appearing at her shoulder, a tight expression on his face. “But could we hurry it along a little? I’d like to get away from prying eyes sooner rather than later.”
His tone dried up any remaining laughter. “You haven’t told me yet where you’re taking me. I thought your goal was Ahriman-abad.”
“It is, but I can’t just stampede there now that Maz knows what my goal is. He’s certain to be waiting for us to attempt to reach Ahriman’s palace. So if we can’t go to Ahriman, we’ll have to find a way to bring him to us.”
“Bringing a Prince of Darkness to us, huh? That doesn’t seem too promising.” Hollie didn’t like the way that sounded. The imp did little to inspire confidence. Whatever he’s getting me into is bound to be trouble. The best thing would be for me to escape as soon as possible.
Dallon seemed to sense the direction of her thoughts because he looped an arm through hers, setting the pace as they marched down the street. “There’s an intermediary here, a back channel to the prince, if you will. If I can just remember where his workshop is...”
His words trailed off as they reached an intersection. The imp’s head craned around, looking in every direction, trying to recall the object of their search. “It’s got to be around here somewhere,” he said, then let out a curse. “I don’t know how you humans do it, walking around everywhere like savages.”
Hollie looked at him sideways. It seemed the imp wasn’t accustomed to having to rely on his limbs instead of his powers of teleportation. She didn’t exactly feel bad for him, especially now. The world around them was fascinating, and she was enjoying their walk, despite knowing that at the end of it, she’d be traded to some sort of evil demon prince to be used as a pawn in some sort of sibling rivalry.
Just then, a robot of the one-wheeled variety sped past toward a multi-story building. For a moment, she thought it was bound to crash right into the structure, its speed too fast to stop in time. Hollie’s jaw dropped open in shock when she saw the robot’s wheel catch a contraption near the foundation that allowed its wheel to transfer from the ground to the wall. The robot zoomed vertically up the building, disappearing into a wide window on the fourth floor.
An idea unfolded itself in her mind suddenly, and Hollie had to hide a grin. I think I’ve just figured out how to give Dallon the slip.
Chapter Three
“DID YOU SEE THAT?!” Hollie called out, amazement in her voice.
“See what?” Dallon asked, annoyed. He was peering down a street that crossed the one they were on, a look of bafflement on his face.
“There’s another one!” she hooted, pointing at the robot chugging up the side of another building nearby. “That thing is quicker than the entire Packers’ offensive line.”
The imp followed the direction of her finger, then rolled his eyes. “You’re talking about the robots? They’re not so fast.” He dismissed her, going back to trying to determine the correct direction to head in.
“I disagree,” she said, pretending a sense of wonder that would hopefully provoke the hellspawn’s competitive nature. “I think maybe someone’s jealous.”
Her tone drew his attention again. “Jealous? Of a clockwork creature with circuits for brains?” Scoffing, he shook his head and turned back to his work. “Now let me concentrate, will you?”
Hollie shrugged. “Says the guy who uses magic instead of his own two legs to cross a room. I bet you couldn’t climb that building so quickly without using your precious powers.”
Dallon paused, his body going rigid. He turned, and she saw a shine in his eye that told her that her words were having the desired effect. The imp’s eyes flicked to a wide seven-story building where one-wheeled robots were rolling up and down, entering and exiting through a multitude of openings in the structure’s sides.
Hollie watched him watching the robots, her mind attempting to find just the right goad to push him into a wager. “When’s the last time you won a race?” she asked, looking him up and down. “You look a little long in the tooth, so I would gamble that it’s been a while.”
“Long in the tooth?” he asked, his tone cold. “Is that one of your quaint human expressions?”
Hollie nodded, smiling sweetly. “It means old. And I bet you’re ancient.” She was careful to sprinkle as many words related to gambling into the conversation as she could to prime him. She had to stop herself from shouting in joy when it worked.
Hands on his hips, Dallon stared down at her. “What is it worth to you if I beat a robot in a race up that building?”
Schooling her features, Hollie pretended to give the question some thought. “Honestly, I don’t think it’s possible without magic.”
The imp’s lips compressed into a tight line. “Let’s say it is possible. What would I win for my victory?”
“Hmm...” Hollie stuck her hands in her pockets, already knowing they were empty. She then patted her dress, then ran a hand through her hair. Relief flooded her when she realized she was still wearing earrings. They were cheap, made of fake gold and crystal, but the imp didn’t know that. “I’ll tell you what. You beat a robot up that building without magic, and I’ll give you these.”
Dallon watched as she took off her earrings and held them in the palm of her hand. A moment of regret bit at her. The earrings had been a gift from her mother, ones Hollie had begged her to buy when she was much younger. She still wore them to remember her mother, so although they might be cheap, they were very high in sentimental value.
It doesn’t matter, she told herself. The minute Dallon is distracted by this stupid race, I’ll escape and keep the earrings.
The imp stared down at the two small shiny things in her hand and shrugged. “Good enough, I suppose. You wait here.”
Hollie tucked her earrings away in her pocket and watched as Dallon approached the building, standing in the way of one of the approaching robots until it stopped to bow politely. She couldn’t hear what the pair were talking about, but soon enough, the robot bowed again, then waited patiently when the imp returned to her side. “He’s agreed to a race to the top,” Dallon informed her. “You give the signal, then keep a close watch. The first one to the top wins.”
Hollie nodded and followed him back to the robot, who greeted her with another bow. Once they were arranged before the building, she took her place in front of them and lifted her arms. “I’ll count down from three, then drop my arms. That’s the signal to go.”
Arms above her head, Hollie started counting, realizing that a few people and about half a dozen robots had stopped to see what the commotion was. “Three...Two...ONE!” With a shout, Hollie dropped her arms, and the race began.
She whirled to watch them take off toward the building, Dallon seeming to grow claws along the way. He leapt onto the side of the building a second before the robot reached it and started barreling upwards. Hollie’s eyes widened. The imp is fast, I’ve got to give it to him, she thought, then told herself to stop being a dolt and run.
As swiftly as she could, Hollie ran from the building and toward an alleyway that let out on the next street. Forcing herself to ignore the wondrous sights she was racing past, she looked for opportunities to put some distance between herself and her captor, knowing she wouldn’t have much time to find a place to hide until she could locate another way out of this realm.
She passed a shop decorated with images of exotic locations, tall mountain peaks, dense aquamarine forests, and beaches with sand shining like jewels and froze, then backtracked, ducking inside. Her chest was heaving, her pulse jumping like a frog on steroids.
“Welcome,” an electronic voice with a friendly lilt said. The voice belonged to a willowy automaton in a gold-plated shift dress with hair made out of golden metallic strands. She walked forward, one of the rare variety of bots she’d seen so far that had two human-like legs. “How can I help you this afternoon?”
Hollie looked around the shop, a small space with a few sparsely filled shelves and only one rack that held clothing in refined prints. Fearing she’d made a mistake, she frantically searched for a place to hide herself. Eyes on the door, she scurried to crouch behind the clothing rack while motioning toward the robot clerk.
The clerk obediently followed, leaning over to address her. “Is there something I can help you find, madam?”
“An exit,” Hollie hissed. “A way out of here.” The clerk politely pointed in the direction of the door she’d come in, but Hollie shook her head. “Let me rephrase: Is there some way to leave the realm here? A portal of some kind?”
The images on the outside of the shop had her hoping that this might be some portal hub or some sort of inter-dimensional travel agency, but she was beginning to think she’d misinterpreted the signs. The clerk looked at her, its mechanical face blank of expression. After a moment, its chassis adjusted, and the robot’s head jerked as if she were flipping a lock of hair over her shoulder. “I’m sorry, I’m not sure what you mean.” She gestured to the rack. “I can show you something in your size, something that will make you a true whiz-bang.”
“A whiz-bang, huh?” Hollie said, disappointment deflating her. “Uhh...let me think it over. Why don’t you go back to whatever you were doing and I’ll call you over when I’m ready.”
She was hoping to get some space from the robot, who was looking at her attentively. It would only take a glance for someone outside to look in and see that the clerk was talking to someone out of sight. Jude...er, Dallon might not be the sharpest knife in the drawer, but he can still slice me without much effort.
The robot’s chassis shifted again, and she lifted her golden arm to push back another lock of hair, reminding Hollie of a model playing coy during a photo shoot. “I’m sorry, I’m not sure what you mean.” She picked up a dress off the rack and held it toward Hollie. “This one would bring out the pink in your cheeks.”
I’ve got to move, or I’m a sitting duck. Better get to waddling. Without straightening, Hollie crouch-walked over to a pot that was filled with a dozen of something that was between a feather and a long, thin leaf in a color Hollie hadn’t seen before, something between purple and blue. Figuring she was safe away from the merchandise, she hoped that the robot clerk would lose interest in her and go away.
The clerk watched her go, her head cocked and golden metal eyebrows raised. After a moment, she trotted along after Hollie, still holding the dress. “If you would prefer one of our tickle teasers, I can show you how to activate them.” She reached toward one of the bluish-purple feather-leaves, but Hollie grabbed her hand to stop it.
“I would prefer if you would leave me alone!” she growled in frustration, keeping her voice low and her eyes on the door. Outside the shop’s open entryway, she could see people and robots passing. Any moment now, one of them could be Dallon, and this clerk is a dead giveaway.
The clerk repeated what Hollie was coming to consider her catchphrase. “I’m sorry, I’m not sure what you mean.” Gently extracting its hand, the clerk tried again to pick up one of the feather-leaves. “Infinite battery life,” she said with a helpful nod.
“You or the teasing tickler?” Hollie said in a sardonic tone, then waved away the clerk’s correction of the device’s name. She grabbed the dress out of the robot’s hand and held it up, blocking her body as she stood. “You got a fitting room for me?”
“Right this way.” The clerk beamed, then started across the room to a black velvet curtain which wasn’t velvet after all, but very fine wires woven together like threads. She pulled back a portion of curtain and waved Hollie inside.
When the curtain closed, Hollie let out a sigh of relief. She tossed the dress on a hook and leaned against the back wall, giving her heartbeat a moment to slow. The moment was short-lived, however, as the curtain began to adjust itself, contracting in so that Hollie’s head and the tops of her shoulders were visible. The clerk smiled helpfully. “How’s that fit?”
Hollie let out a groan that came from her soul. “I haven’t had a chance to try it out yet,” she gritted between her teeth. “You’re worse than a needy puppy.”
