until it was successfully drilling at the stone.
It took a long time, and a lot of power, but eventually the stone where the sigil had been was worn down to smooth, bare rock.
“It’s done,” I said, sad for the creature even if this had been its choice.
[Thank you,] it intoned. [I may sleep, now.]
When the creature set me down on the floor, I swayed wearily on my feet. I pulled power into me from the water still lurking in the air, but it barely took the edge off my sudden exhaustion.
This has been a long day, I thought.
[And it’s time for you to go home,] the creature thought back at me. [You need your rest. War is coming.]
War? I thought, muzzily. Real war?
[Yes. My child knows what to do. Trust her. Her thoughts for you are strong. She will take care of you.]
War? was my only, disjointed, response as I bent, wearily, to pick up my new ax.
[I will send you home now, Jane. And I want to thank you.]
“Wait,” I asked, finally able to get my thoughts back on track. I knew there was something I wanted to ask. “What about Anyan? Can you turn him back from being a dog?”
The voice chuckled. [Already done, child. He did not need to be out of the way anymore. Nor the gnome. They are both back to normal.]
I breathed an audible sigh of relief. Anyan! I thought, thrilled to know he’d be waiting for me. And hopefully no longer applying his own mouth to his junk.
As that is my job, snickered my libido. Both the creature and I ignored it.
“Wait,” I said, suddenly realizing what the creature had just admitted. “Did you let them get changed on purpose?”
[You needed to do this for yourself, Jane.]
“No wonder Blondie kept telling me there were things I needed to do alone. You scared the shit out of me, changing Anyan and Nell like that. And do you know where Anyan’s mouth has now been?”
[It was the only way to remove them from the picture, short of killing them. You inspire loyalty in your friends.]
I blushed at that, not able to think of a better compliment.
[Now, are you ready?] it asked.
“Yes,” I said, laying a hand on the tentacle still next to me. “But will I see you again?”
[I will always be there, in your dreams, should you wish to talk,] the creature responded, and I could feel pleasure suffusing its thoughts.
“Good. Then I’m ready.”
[Excellent. Oh, just one more thing…]
“Yes?”
[When we talked earlier, about feeling out of control…]
“Yes,” I said, feeling embarrassed about my outburst.
[Life is never in our control,] said the creature’s voice in its rich tones. [And it’s never easy. For most of us, survival is the only option. But it’s how we survive that counts. Does that make sense?]
I smiled, thinking of the choices people around me had made, including poor, dead Phaedra.
Yes, I thought. That makes sense.
[Good. Now let us be off…]
And with that I felt the creature’s immense power wrap around me, and that familiar lurching sensation of apparation.
[Be well, little Jane. And dream of me.]
I will, I promised, knowing it was true.
* * *
The town square? I thought. Really?
[I wasn’t sure where to put you,] the creature replied. [So I looked for people looking for you.]
“Huh?” I said, out loud, just as I heard a shouted “Jane!”
Peering around our darkened square—I had no idea what time it was, but it was clearly evening—I saw my dad running toward me.
Despite my weariness, and everything that had just happened, I couldn’t help but grin like I’d won the lottery.
My dad is running, I thought. He’s really, honest to gods running.
“Where have you been?” he asked, when he found me. “I came home to find you gone, and the house was a wreck, like there’d been a party. And no note! I’ve been looking all over for you. I thought maybe you were doing inventory at the store, or something.” Suddenly, he stopped chiding me as he finally got a good gander of me.
“What on earth have you been doing? You’re filthy. Are you all right?” My dad took a step toward me, placing a concerned hand on my shoulder.
I placed my own hand over his. “I’m so all right, Dad. It’s been a long night, but I’m very, very all right. And you were running!” I exclaimed, squeezing his fingers.
He grinned back. “I know. I ran twice today, without even thinking about it. Once to grab a runaway paper, and just