“Why’s he different?” Will said.

“Because he has permission.” Bet’s lip twisted as a few strands of her black hair fell down and in front of her eyes. She swept it away casually and let out a soft and rapid tick-tack sound between her clenched teeth. Pexel immediately swept himself out of her bag and bounded to her shoulder. He stopped, stone still to take in Swoop and Will. After a few quick glances back and forth from Bet to the tag-alongs, he settled and wrapped is silvery tail up and around his body. Will wanted to stare, but needed to keep the conversation going while he could.

“What kind of permission?” he said.

“The Emperor allowed it. Basically, it’s his payment for doing whatever he’s told. He’s sort of the Emperor’s lackey, but because of it he’s far more powerful than anybody else. As far as we know, he’s the only one who has the particular privilege.”

Will’s mind sifted the information back and forth while simultaneously doing his best to stay engaged in anything Bet might say. He wanted to know why Murden was in Alabama. What was he looking for?

“Earlier,” Will began to brush a few leaves away, “Ezra said something about him getting into the portal. How’d he do it if you guy’s can’t.”

“He flew.” Bet answered as if it were nothing, then turned to Pexel and lowered her hand to the ground. “Go on,” she said. “Just stay close.” Pexel sprang down her arm and dashed into the trees nearby. This was the first time Will had seen the creature clearly, and now he noticed the distinct differences between him and any sort of common squirrel. It made sense why the description could be seen as an insult.  His ears were far longer and wider, his golden eyes were enormous and covered almost entirely by wide black pupils, and his tail was long and bushy, more like a raccoon or monkey’s. Will also couldn’t help but notice the silvery sheen of his fur. It almost looked transparent at the tips.

“Sorry, but… how’d he do that?” Will tried to stay on subject.

“Murden’s got a lot of Links, and plenty that fly. He must have ridden one through the portal.”

“It would have had to have been… really big,” Will forgot to pretend that he knew anything. “When I saw him there was… nothing around. Nothing like that at least.”

“That’s because he stowed it.”

“Stowed it?”

“Yeah, along with all the others. It’s cruel really. Like keeping them trapped. It’s something like a really large bubble I think. I’m not sure… I guess, whenever you met him he must have already switched it out. I really wonder why the Link does it to the rest of them.”

“What Link? What do you mean?”

“Are you really serious?” Bet seemed suddenly put out with the conversation. “Do you really know absolutely nothing, or is this some kind of joke. Or… or are you just trying to figure out exactly what it is we know?”

“No, please…I” Will stupidly shook his head. Every other intelligent word he might could use had evaporated from his brain.

“Please what?” Bet said. “How can you be such an idiot? How do you have a Link and know nothing about it? If you came from across the portal, you can’t have one. Those people can’t do it. They can’t”

“I promise… I’m not trying to trick you. Really.”

He wanted her to believe him, but there was no way to prove it.  Everything was so crazy… so new… He was an idiot, at least in this place.

Does Will?

Show Bet the bottle

Keep it hidden

This Poll is Closed