CHAPTER 226

He held out his hand and concentrated his magic. Lights danced along his fingertips as it formed into the shape of a spider. It was a great spell to work on when he needed to take his mind off his worries.

"That's neat." Quetzalli contemplated his design. "What are you planning to do with that?"

"It helps me talk to them." He had the little lightning spider wave. Despite Velvet's death, he had discovered that he could still communicate with spiders. Many of them feared humans, but the illusory spider seemed to break the ice. It was another thing Velvet had left behind, something that was just for him. He dismissed the magic, then sighed. "Some days are easier than others."

"Agreed." She rubbed his back through the fabric of his shirt. "Speaking of easy...what would you say to finding somewhere private for a bit? Dana has been having more issues with her emotions, and time for us has been...sparse."

Quetzalli was likely understating it. Ever since the fight in Oregon, Dana's emotions had been all over the place. It was like the emotional side of her brain had been restored, but never properly synced to the rest of her body. She would laugh at inappropriate times, or sob uncontrollably while she went about her business. Ratu's theory was that it had to do with all the magic that Mike had poured into her, along with the Nirumbi flesh she had devoured. The naga was working hard on figuring out a possible fix for the issue. Despite the potential meaning of Dana's new behavior, her soul was still very much locked to her body.

"We could make some time," he told her with a smile. "I know of a pretty waterfall nearby if you want to go for a swim."

"Can that wait for a little while?" Zel walked up on the path from the valley below with a small retinue behind her. "I saw you up here and have some important things to discuss."

"Sounds serious." He saw a weird look on Zel's face. "Everything okay?"

"To start with, we have some news." She reached into a pouch around her waist and pulled something out. "What does this look like?"

She tossed it over, and Mike snatched it out of the air, then nearly dropped it in surprise. It was a thick vine with wilted leaves, but he recognized them immediately. They were the same vines that had once dragged him through the jungle to what was almost a very messy end.

"I thought the Mandragora left," he said.

"So did I." She made a face. "Some of our livestock went missing, and we think this is the culprit. Maybe it came back, or was just dormant for a while. We found this stuck under a fence that collapsed."

"Well, we know who we can ask." He stuck the vine in his pocket, planning a conversation with Amymone once he returned. "Just make sure it doesn't snatch anyone up."

"Nobody has disappeared yet." She looked over her shoulder at the centaurs with her. At some unseen signal, they turned around and went back down into the valley. "I wanted to have a word with you in private."

"Say no more," said Quetzalli as she sat on a nearby rock. When Zel stared at her, the dragon laughed. "I'm just fucking with you. I'll be in Oregon when you need me. I prefer the skies there." She stood and went through the door of the greenhouse. The path to Oregon was through a small cabin, somewhat like a playhouse, that Tink had built by the wrought-iron gate. The portal inside went to a room in the new barn that had been built in Oregon.

"What's up?" he asked once Quetzalli was gone.

"I have a confession to make." Zel made a face as she paced by the side of the cliff. "You see, I had a choice a while back, and I don't know that I made the right one."

"Life is full of choices and hindsight is twenty-twenty." He walked up behind her and put his hand on the small of her human back. "I'm willing to bet that you thought long and hard before making it."

"I did. But a conversation with a friend has been playing itself over and over in my head." She looked at the egg pouch and smiled. "How long until it hatches?"

"No idea. I take her for walks, talk to her, that kind of thing. As for keeping track of time..." He shrugged. "I'm trying to enjoy the moment is all."

"You and I once enjoyed a moment here. Do you remember?"

He smiled. "How could I forget? It was quite the moment."

Zel looked at the ground while pawing at the dirt with a hoof. "About that. I need you to know that what happened that night was probably one of the most important things that has ever happened to me. It validated me as a person. You made me feel special, accepted in a way I never thought would happen."

He pulled Zel toward him, then wrapped his arms around her waist. "Believe it or not, it's one of my favorite memories. I've been thinking a lot lately about not just how my magic works, but my heart. I have so many cherished memories with all of you, it's hard to pick a favorite. But that one? No argument." He could still hear the music from that night, see Zel smiling in the moonlight as they made love beneath an alien sky. It was a nice change of pace to lose himself in a happy memory.

"Uh, Mike?" Zel stiffened in his arms.

"Shit, sorry." He let go of her and stepped back. "I got nostalgic is all. I wasn't trying to put moves on you, I promise. I definitely don't need to start a fight with the centaur in your life, and we certainly don't need a repeat of the Orion incident."