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

way to close it up, with or without the Overworld's help."
    "You're going to do that?"
    "I'll find the hole, but it'll be someone else's job to close it up.  That's beyond my capabilities."
    "So, who, then?  A witch?"
    "Probably," he said.  I could tell he was not saying something the way he was looking at me, as if judging my reaction.
    "Any particular witch?"
    "A strong one," he said, still staring at me.
    I sighed heavily.  "Don't tell me.  Let me guess.  Samantha?"
    "Maybe," said Tony, visibly relaxing.  "Does that make you upset?"
    "Yes, of course it does.  I can't get away from that bitch.  First she kills our friend, then she causes all kinds of problems trying to start a war between the fae, and now she's in here putting spells all over shit and pissing me off all over again.  Wouldn't you be upset?  Aren't you?  Honestly, Tony ... sometimes your ability to forgive anything is annoying as hell."
    "You've been the beneficiary of that forgiveness, you know."
    I picked up a pillow off the couch and threw it at his head.   "Shut up.  That's different."
    He caught the pillow after it bounced off his face.  "Yeah, yeah, I know.  We're soulmates."
    "Exactly.  So unconditional love and forgiveness is my right."
    "But not so much for anyone else," he finished.
    I smiled.  "Yes.  Now we're on the same page.  Finally."
    He tossed the pillow back onto the couch, out of my reach.  "Anyway, it's almost dinnertime and I'm starving."  He stood.  "Are you coming?"
    "Hell to the yes.  I'm hungry too and no friggin way am I going into dinner with Ben."
    Tony frowned at me.  "What's going on with you guys?  I thought after the ceremony that ... I don't know ... you'd find a way to at least be friends."
    I moved towards the door, looking back to see if the pixies were coming.  Abby and Tim were floating above their jungle room, looking down at something.  I stood at the entrance, waiting for them to notice us leaving, answering Tony without looking at him.
    "I can tolerate him.  That's about all I'll commit to right now."
    "That's not very romantic-sounding," said Tony, stopping at my side.
    "Yo, pixies!  Are you coming?!" I yelled.
    Both of them waved their hands at me, like they were slapping me over and over in midair.
    "I think their baby is sleeping," said Tony in a quiet voice near my ear, staring over at them with me.
    "Oh, shit.  I hope I didn't wake him up.  He's a pain in the butt sometimes."
    Tim came over to join us, blowing his wife a kiss on the way.  "Let's ride, feeps.  Willy's napping and Abby said to go."
    "Feeps?" I asked.
    "Yeah.  Fae-peeps.  Feeps."  He shook his head and rolled his eyes like I was the dumb one.
    "Tim, how do you know all these slang words like peeps?" I asked.
    "He knows peeps?" asked Tony.
    "I heard it once in the forest.  Come on, before that kid wakes up."
    I stifled a laugh.  "That kid is your son , goof."
    "Yeah, whatever.  Come on.  There's a strawberry on that buffet that's got my name on it."
    I looked at Tony.  "Yeah.  Tim has lots of secrets.  He's going to tell them all to me one day.  The first one I want to know is how much time he's actually spent with humans, because he knows way too much about our culture to be learning it from here."
    "The mysteries never cease in the Green Forest," said Tony.
    "You aren't kidding," I agreed, pulling the door to the room open, relieved that it moved so easily.  I guess I still belong here .

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    CHAPTER EIGHT
     
    THE THREE OF US MADE our way down the hallway to the dining room.  Tony and I wore moccasins that made no noise on the stone floors, and I felt the need to speak in low tones so my voice wouldn't echo off the carved rock walls.
    "Tim, you haven't told me your secret yet."
    "What secret?"
    "Stop messing around.  You said something in front of Ben, so I know you know something.  Have you been snooping around again?"
    "First of all, I'm not sure I'm inclined to discuss