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word, still aghast at seeing what my real life looked like. I poured some water and choked down one of the antibiotics while waiting for the Pop-Tarts. As soon as they were done, I retreated to my room, eating quickly as I threw together an overnight bag. While I was packing, my eyes lingered on a half-finished puzzle on my desk. I sighed. How long ago had I started that one? A month ago? I loved jigsaw puzzles. I used to do one a night.

I was almost finished packing - I even included the first aid supplies, thanks to some residual mom-guilt - when the temperature dropped. An unsettling yet familiar presence filled the room, and soon Volusian appeared before me. I nearly dropped the bag.

"Mistress," he said with a mock bow. "I've come to report on the battle."

Chapter 8

There was a long pause as I waited expectantly. Volusian was enjoying this, I realized. He wasn't going to elaborate until I asked because he wanted to draw out the agony.

"Damn it! Tell me what happened!"

Volusian got this pleased look on his face that I suspected was the closest he ever came to smiling. "The Oak King is ..." I held my breath. "... alive."

"Thank God." Of course, thinking of my own wounds, "alive" might not mean much. "Is he hurt?"

"He is well and uninjured."

I sank gratefully onto my bed, knowing I wore my emotions all over my face. I hated to ever show anything like that in front of Volusian. I wanted to maintain an image of power. This situation was too important, though. Fear and worry for Dorian and the battle had been a knot within me, one I only just now dared to loosen.

"What about the others? Who won?"

"Your forces, mistress."

Again, relief flooded through me. We had won. Dorian was okay. "Casualties?"

"Inevitable, of course." Volusian didn't seem particularly concerned, but then, he was never concerned about much. "Death and injury on both sides. The Oak King's lands and towns remained untouched."

That last part was good news. But death and injury? No, I didn't like that. I wanted to know numbers, but for now, that was irrelevant. One death was too much. I'd get all the stats I needed from Dorian soon enough. I started to thank Volusian, but that wasn't the way our relationship worked.

"Go back to the Oak Land. Tell Dorian I'll be there shortly."

Volusian gave a small nod of acknowledgment. I expected him to vanish instantly, but he paused, eyes narrowing slightly. "My mistress has also been in a battle tonight."

I shifted slightly, becoming aware of the bandages covering my shoulder and back. "Yeah, I fought a fetch."

"Who inflicted great injury."

"It would appear so, wouldn't it?"

"But not enough to kill you."

The look I gave him was answer enough.

"Pity," he said. He vanished.

"Damn it," I muttered. I stayed where I was, staring off into space. I needed to cross to Dorian's land soon, but for now, I allowed the news to percolate in my head for a few moments more. Only, a new distraction presented itself.

Otherworldly magic washed over me seconds before a voice spoke. "You could end it easily, you know."

I jumped up from my bed as the ghost from the mountains appeared before me. Silently, I cursed myself for having packed up my weapons. Since my queenhood, attacks at home had dropped off, lulling me into a false sense of security. It was lazy of me. Foolish. With no care for the other carefully packed items, I upended my bag, dumping everything out. I grabbed my wand, expecting the ghost to attack.

Instead, she just hung in the air, face blank. "You shouldn't have come back," I said, wand ready and pointed. Weary as I was, banishing magic tingled within me. "You should have stayed away."

She stayed motionless, uncaring of the threat I presented. "I told you. I can't. I need your help."

"And I told you, I can't help you."

"I can help you," she said. "I can help you find the Iron Crown."

The magic welling within me paused and then I dropped it altogether. I eyed her warily. "How do you know about that?"

She gave a weak shrug. "I've been following you."

I began the banishing again, quickly working out her words. Of course she could follow me. She was a strong ghost, one who could likely flit between this and the Otherworld as easily as I saw her move around here. The magic of the Otherworld, which concealed so many spirits, would make her harder