Free Clash of the Otherworlds: Book 1, After the Fall by Elle Casey Page A

wilting expression and flagging energy.  
    "Listen up, pixieman.  The grownups are talking now.  Time for you to go play in the garden."  I drew my hand back behind my shoulder and launched him towards the open glass doors that led out towards the flowers, releasing him from my fist at the apex of the throw, knowing he'd recover in mid-flight and right himself but only after being far away from me.  It would give me at least five seconds of peace and possibly another ten seconds of Tim working himself into a snit before I'd have to deal with him again.  And that might be just long enough to get Tony talking.
    "You were saying?" I asked, ignoring the sound of Tim's screaming as he flew through the air, tumbling ass over wings.
    Tony's gaze was following my pixie projectile, so I snapped my fingers near his face.  "Hey!  I'm over here.  The story?"
    Tony shook his head, getting himself back on track.  "Yeah.  Ummm ... okay.  So ... as I was saying, it's difficult because first of all, fae and humans usually move on to either the Overworld or the Underworld pretty soon after dying.  They just use the Gray as a transition zone of sorts.  And for those who end up staying -the ones who can't or won't move on- they start to get so disconnected from what we'd consider reality, they're very difficult to communicate with.  They're almost in their own worlds, locked inside themselves, if that makes any sense."
    Tim came buzzing back, remaining ominously silent, giving me the stink-eye before sitting down all prim and proper-like on the edge of a nearby chair, crossing his legs and folding his hands over his knee.
    Tony spared him a concerned glance and then turned back to me.  "I met a woman in there today who looked like a warrior of some sort, so I just talked to her about her last battle and that kind of woke her up a little ... or a lot ... at least, enough to get her focused on the spirit world so I could ask her some questions."
    "Did she help you?  Who was she?"
    "Not really.  Like I said, they're in their own worlds in there, so they ignore a lot of what's going on.  But I asked her if she could try and ... keep her eyes open for us, or whatever.  And no, I have no idea who she is or was.  They lose their Here and Now identities or names pretty quickly.  That stuff isn't important there."
    "How did you know she was a warrior?" I asked.
    Tony gave me a small smile.  "She reminded me a lot of you, actually."
    "Me?" I asked, confused.
    "Yeah.  The way she stood, her posture.  The way she held herself.  She was a take-no-baloney kind of spirit, just like you.  Plus, she wore weapons and armor."
    I couldn't help but smile.  "Thank you, Tony.  I like being described as a take-no-baloney type person."
    "I could think of another description," said Tim in a haughty voice, not changing his polite and cultured stance.
    "Save it, pixieman," I said.
    Tony leaned forward, whispering.  "Is he talking about his stomach thing again?"
    Tim zoomed up to hover in front of Tony's face, his hands on his hips.  "Listen up, Luke Gray Walker ... I don't talk about your pimples or your mighty unibrow, so you shouldn't be talking about my farts!"
    I burst out laughing, shooing Tim away, but a lot more gently this time.  
    Apparently he didn't like being a pixie-baseball.  He flew backwards from the room and into the garden, giving us the finger as he went out.
    "Oops," said Tony, ducking his head down into his shoulders a little, grimacing.  "I guess I offended him."
    "He's easy to offend.  Don't worry about it.  Tell me more about what you've found out.  And about Chase, too."
    "There's not much to tell.  I've only had a day or so to look around and ask questions.  Chase is working on his end to try and help us, but I don't communicate with him.  I just get a feel for his presence in the Gray.  Traces of him, I guess you could say.  But we're going to find the spot where those demons are getting through and find a