Volume 1: Part 10

The light of the full moon cast an eerie glow upon the floor ahead of me. I stared out through the window; across the city of Greater West Allis. After my last test from Aphrodite, I had been confined to one of the tower rooms of the mansion. It had been several days since Aphrodite had sentenced me to become one of her golden statues. At this point, I simply wanted her to get on with it. The waiting had become unbearable.

Perhaps this was the final test; to see if I could actually escape Aphrodite's clutches. Left in my solitude within the tower, I had begun to detach myself from what was real, and what was not. Most nights I found myself revisiting the ancient Greek rooms I had previously wandered. The shrine to Artemis had been particularly appealing. I learned so much from the history within that place.

Here in the real world, however, I barely saw another soul. My only visitors were random maidens bringing me food and drink from time-to-time. For the most part, I was left alone; to torture myself with the knowledge of what was to come. Along with the knowledge of what had happened in the past. At least, as far as where the past allowed me to travel. Everything had been related to Artemis.

Stepping into the moonlight, I felt the inevitable tug of the shackle wrapped around my nylon-clad ankle. I had been chained to the floor of this tower room. Wearing only a pair of nude pantyhose, with a red satin robe, I still felt naked. The lightweight robe barely covered the top half of my thighs. For the time being, Aphrodite had been decent enough to give me clothing. A luxury which would be stripped away from me, quite literally, when the time came.

Aphrodite enjoyed these little head games. I knew better than to complain. Any complaint would result in a punishment gorged with humiliation. However, with the information I had gathered thus far, I knew it wouldn't even matter in the end. There would be no modesty in becoming one of her statues. All of the girls were incased in gold while completely nude, and only Aphrodite decided when, or if, they would get any semblance of covering. Either way, I was told the covering was always added later as a separate layer.

I closed my eyes for a moment; basking in the moonlight. The moon seemed to calm my nerves, if only temporarily. How I got to this point made very little sense to me. It still seemed like a dream, or a nightmare. Somehow I had been caught up in a whirlwind that had carried me far away from my normal life. Even if I were wearing ruby slippers, no amount of clicking my heels together would take me home. The door to the room creaked open, bringing my focus back to the here and now.

"This will calm you," Sophia said, setting a tray down on an old worn out table. "Aphrodite has chosen to memorialize you tonight."

"Is that what she calls it?" I asked, scoffing at the term. "I hope you put poison in that drink," I said, keeping my back to her.

A long silence filled the cool air of the room. "Poison would only postpone the inevitable," she finally said.

"Then poison me every single day of my life," I said, as a tear rolled down my cheek. "Nothing can be as bad as the hell you lot have condemned me to."

Another bout of silence filled the air, before Sophia spoke again. "Well… I'll leave you in peace."

"You said you were trying to help me," I muttered.

"Help you?" Sophia asked, stepping toward me.

I stared out at the moon. "In my vision," I said. "You said you were trying to help."

Sophia stepped to my side. "You had a vision?"

"There was a shrine on the edge of a cliff. The sea down below." I cast my gaze down on Greater West Allis. "There were abandoned buildings. A winding cobblestone path."

"What did you see in the shrine?" Sophia asked, stepping into my field of view. Her eyes were filled with a questioning gaze.

"A statue of Artemis," I said, picturing it in my mind. "Ancient relics. Texts. Figurines. You…" I slowly tilted my head up to face her. "Amara."

Sophia's eyes widened. "You…" She studied me for a moment. "How?" she asked, stepping forward. "Why could she not see that it was you?"

"Help me end this," I said, calmly.

"I…" Sophia's gaze turned to the floor. "I can't…"

"You disappoint me," I said sternly.

Sophia's head bolted upright, as if snapping to attention. "I no longer serve you," she said. "It's not as simple as…"

I shook my head quietly. "No," I said. "It never was."

Sophia sighed. "She's too strong," she said.

"We'll see," I said, gritting my teeth.

Sophia gave me a puzzled look, and then hurried to the door. "They will come soon to collect you," she said, glancing out the door. "If you make it…" Sophia sighed once more. "There will be clothes waiting for you."

My heart sank, as I remembered the Sophia of old. I closed my eyes, clenching my fists. "Pray I don't find you there."

Sophia left the room without a word. The door creaked closed behind me. I continued to bask in the moonlight. Revisiting that ancient shrine, to view it once more before they came. The men she sent were not subtle. They barged into my room, grabbing me by the arms. Once my ankle shackle had been released, I was dragged from the room; down into the basement dungeons below.

The dungeons gave way to a darkened tunnel. Dim light at the end grew increasingly brighter as we drew closer to it. Stepping into the light, we came into a larger dome shaped room. The walls and ceiling were not of dirt and rock like the rest of the basement. They instead were a structure of large cut stones. Several box like displays were set about the room, and as I looked closer I realized what they were.

Those boxes were molds of some of the statues I had seen in Aphrodite's throne room. They were horrid constructions of wood and metal; meant to hold a person's body in various poses. An image of some poor girl being dipped into burning hot liquid gold bounced around in my head. It made my gut wrench, and a new hatred for Aphrodite stirred inside of me. Just as quickly as the image faded, my attention was drawn to something else.

Or rather… someone else. Huddled in a dark corner sat an old man; frail and beyond the years of a normal living soul. His body shook uncontrollably. He hid his face from view. The thugs who had been carrying me stopped before we drew any closer. They released me at the same time, causing me to drop to the cold stone floor. I stayed there on my hands and knees, still curious about the old man.

"Good, good," Aphrodite's voice rang out from another corridor. "Right on time."

The beautiful woman glided into the room. Her bare feet seemed to barely touch the surface of the floor as she walked. Decorative gold wire hooked around her middle toes and wrapped around her naked legs; rising up to disappear behind the dark blue material of her double slit gown. Each step she took displayed the restrained sexual elegance of a centuries-practiced woman. More gold jewelry adorned her bare arms, and drew my focus as she raised her right hand.

"You've been a strong one," Aphrodite said, as she brushed her hand through her long silky hair. "Perhaps a dancer… or a hunter…"

"Or you could let me go," I said, trying to remain calm.

"You had your chance for that," she said, turning to walk around the room. "You didn't want to help me." Her hand slid over one of the statue molds. "And you certainly didn't want to serve me."

"You wanted me to give you something that I've never seen before," I said, slowly rising to my knees.

"Enough!" Aphrodite exclaimed, raising her voice. "The time for debate has waned," she said, with a calmer voice. "Now let this be a joyous occasion." She turned to face me. "After all, you're to be commemorated."

I cautiously rose to my feet, well aware that her guards might force me back down. "While I'm sure some would consider that an honor," I said, choosing my words carefully. "I'm not one to appreciate having my body doused with liquid gold."

Aphrodite studied me for a moment. Then she let out a melodic little laugh. "My dear, have you ever heard the story of King Midas?"

I straightened in my posture. "The man who could turn things to gold?" I asked, slowly turning my head to the frail man in the corner.

"Something like that," Aphrodite said. "Though it's more tragic than most know. The version where he turned his daughter to gold is closer to truth." She slowly made her way back around the room. "You see, in some later tellings, the poor distraught king is cured of his sickness. And everything he touched and turned to gold, is restored back to its original state."

"I have a feeling it didn't turn out that way," I said, studying the frail old man. He seemed to lower his head even more than it had originally hung.

"Indeed, no," Aphrodite said. "In fact, the poor king was never cured of his… gift. Why his own daughter, still encased in gold, has a special place in my throne room." She stopped in her walk, and slid her hand over another mold. "I love beautiful things…"

"Gold is more beautiful to you than a living mortal?" I asked, letting some of my disgust slip into the question.

"It's not just the gold, dear," she said. "There is another aspect to the Midas Touch." She turned to face me, smiling pleasantly. "The gold he makes is of the purest, most beautiful variety. It cannot be tarnished. Even if the living who are encased were to curse and scream…"

"Their screams would sound like… beautiful music," I said, my voice trailing off.

"You understand," Aphrodite said. She gave me a proud look. "You've grown so much in so little time."

"More than you know," I said.

"So you see," she said, holding her hand up to me. "I must make you beautiful. I must give you --"

"Hunter," I interjected.

Aphrodite gave me a quizzical look. "I beg your pardon?"

"I want to be a hunter," I said. "I really liked shooter games before all of this happened." I smiled. "I think I'd be a great hunter."

Aphrodite returned the smile. "I'm glad to see you coming around," she said. "Most don't see the importance of this metamorphosis."

"Could I hold a bow?" I asked, noticing my question roused the guards.

Aphrodite studied me for a moment, as if sizing me up for the first time. "That would please me," she finally said. She turned and plucked up an old rotted bow that had been leaning against the wall. "Midas… if I may?"

She held the bow out in front of the old man. I watched as his frail hand slowly lifted toward it. His hand trembled. Thinking to myself, I imagined Aphrodite had given the poor old man another "gift" of long life. It was hard to imagine how misguided and warped her mind had become. Not to mention how warped she had made his mind.

As soon as King Midas' hand touched the tip of the bow, a fine gold dust began to form upon the wood. The old rotted fibers of the wood grew into thin gold strands, managing to mend themselves together. Slowly the entire weapon began to shine, and a golden glimmer sparkled along the bow string. Inch-by-inch the bow became encased with a lustrous gold.

"That's amazing," I said, unable to take my eyes off of it.

Aphrodite slowly nodded, as she pulled the finished weapon away. "You see?" she asked, without waiting for an answer. "Such beauty should be showcased whenever possible." She carefully swung the bow over to me.

Cautiously I slid my hand around the bow. "It's beautiful," I said. "I don't understand though…"

"What do you not understand, child?" she asked, still holding the bow.

"Why the gold didn't transfer to you," I said. "In the stories it says whatever he touches."

"I did not touch the Goddess," the old man croaked.

"Indeed," Aphrodite said, letting go of the bow. "His touch only extends to the thing he directly touches." She took a step back. "And the longer he touches something, the further the gold spreads."

I held the bow in my hand, feeling the weight of it. Though solid gold now, it weighed as much as the original bow might have. It truly was astonishing. As I lifted the bow slightly, I tested the string. It had some actual give, as if it were an ordinary bow.

"So it's not instant?" I asked, still examining the bow.

"An unfortunate aspect he learned long after clinging to his daughter until she was completely changed," Aphrodite said.

I watched the old man lower his head with shame. "So he could have stopped it?"

"Perhaps she would have only had to live with arms dusted with gold," Aphrodite said, quite flippantly. "Now… cease with your questions. We must decide on a pose for you."

"May I," I raised my eyes hesitantly to watch Aphrodite. "May I have an arrow?"

"My Goddess," one of the guards muttered.

Aphrodite raised her hand dismissively. "I don't see how it can do any harm," she said. "Besides, you seem to be a willing subject. It's not unusual for some to bravely face their fate." She turned slowly to face me. "And if you do try something, I shall have you posed in the most humiliating of positions for your transgression. Is that understood?"

"Yes," I said, before wisely adding, "Goddess."

Aphrodite waved her hand again. "Give the girl her arrow."

The guard to the left of me stepped forward. He dug through a pile of old rotted wood and rusted metal. Eventually he fished out a decent looking arrow from the mess. Stepping over to King Midas he grunted for him to hold his hand out. Then he slapped the arrow in Midas' hand, and I watched the transformation once more.

"It's even more amazing the second time," I said, reaching out to take the arrow from the guard. He reluctantly relinquished the arrow, and I held it firmly in my hand. "This is indeed beautiful," I said, looking it over. "And perfect for the occasion." I glanced down at the bow and arrow. "I never thought I would hold a golden bow and arrow again."

Aphrodite stopped cold in her tracks, and slowly straightened her posture. "Again?" she asked, quietly.

Before anyone could react, I reached back quickly. The tip of the golden arrow plunged into the eye socket of the guard behind me. With one fluid motion, I brought the bow up, and the arrow back down. In a split second I had the arrow nocked. The bow continued to rise as I drew the string back. Then I let loose the arrow, watching it sail the short distance between myself and the other guard. It sank deep into his skull.

Both guards lurched away from me. The one across the room fell into King Midas' chair, causing the old man to stumble to his feet. Only in his frail state, he stumbled into Aphrodite. His hand grasped her gown to slow his fall. Slowly, Aphrodite's gown turned to gold. Aphrodite kicked the old man away from her, screaming insults. In his defense he reached out and grabbed her by the ankle; pulling it to the ground. She screamed in horror as gold dust started to form on her leg.

I quickly stepped forward. After yanking the arrow from the guard's skull, I sprinted for the corridor Aphrodite had entered from. She lunged at me, grabbing my arm. The unexpected assault caused me to drop my bow. Turning to face her, I saw the anger in her youthful face. Even angry she looked beautiful.

"Who are you?!" she screamed, still recovering from having her scuffle with the old king.

I reached down, grabbing her wrist forcefully. "I'm Artemis, bitch," I said, glaring at her.

The sound of searing flesh started to erupt from Aphrodite's wrist. Her skin boiled beneath my grip. Aphrodite turned her gaze down, once more with horror. She screamed as she released her grip from my arm. Stepping backwards, she lifted her hand to the light. Streaks of black and green ran from her elbow to the tips of her fingers, while bits of flesh began to rot away. She screamed once more, and bolted for the dungeons.

I quickly reached down and gathered my bow. As I stood straight, I was greeted with the dead gaze of old King Midas. His wrinkled skin hugged dearly to his bones. His white beard looked like a mess of fine wires. And as I looked into his eyes, I only saw two balls of solid gold. His mouth slowly opened.

"You must go," he said. "This corridor will lead you to the outside."

"Your eyes," I said. "What did she do to you?"

"I wept for my daughter," he said. "In my grief, I reached to dry my eyes…"

I felt bad for the old man. "Can I save your daughter?"

"Take these," he said, holding up a few more golden arrows. "I kept them for the true Artemis." His hand shook as he held them. "Perhaps you can end all our curses. But not here. Not today."

I reached out to collect the arrows; careful not to touch his hand. "Thank you," I said, watching him step aside.

"Down this corridor," he said. "Listen for the sounds of nature, Huntress."

A commotion in the dimly lit tunnel prompted me to leave the room. I quickly headed down the corridor. My nylon-clad feet tread quietly and gracefully along the stone floor. The sounds of Aphrodite's guards haunted me from behind for what seemed like an eternity. Then there was nothing. I had run so far and so fast, that I had carried myself into silence.

I slowed down for several paces, until coming to a complete stop. I slumped over to catch my breath. I could feel my chest rising and falling. I could hear my heart beating fast. I could hear… wind blowing. Closing my eyes, I attempted to control everything and just listen. I took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. Then I took in half a breath and held it.

A twig snapped in the distance. The hooves of a doe beat against the ground as it ran, frightened. Leaves rustled in the trees overhead. Water trickled in a nearby stream. I heard the night owl calling. I heard the crickets chirping. As I slowly opened my eyes, they were greeted with moonlight through a clearing. The corridor had vanished. My feet sank into the damp ground.

"Magic mansions and magic tunnels," I said to myself.

I studied the area around me. On a stump nearby I spotted a gym bag. Just as promised, Sophia had left me a small parting gift. I hurried over to it, and opened it up. Expecting to find some frilly dress as a last ditch joke, I was surprised to find a hoodie with a pair of jeans. Digging deeper I found a t-shirt, bra and panties, as well as a comfortable looking pair of boots.

I left the bra and panties for now, and quickly pulled off my robe; shoving it in the bag. After slipping on the rather form-fitting jeans, I sat down and hastily put the boots on. I had no idea how long I had before Aphrodite's minions came chasing after me. I tied the boots up the best I could, and sat up straight. The moonlight hit my body in just the right way to give me pause. My breasts shined like two porcelain globes in front of me.

I sighed, looking down at my chest for a moment. "Is anything going to be normal again?" I asked the night. Quickly I snatched up the t-shirt and slipped it on over my head. "What am I going to do if I'm stuck like this?"

A distant snapping of twigs put me on edge. I shoved my golden arrows in the bag, and closed it. Then I put on the hoodie, slung the bag over my shoulder, and grabbed my bow. Having no real sense of where I was, I kept the moon to my right, and headed out. I really don't know how long I walked, but somehow I ended up at the edge of the city. Nobody seemed to be chasing me at this point, so I walked the quiet streets back to the only place I could think of; The Regale.

I had a lot of time to think along my walk. I thought about my short, but definitively male past, and what a female future might hold. That is if I didn't find a way to change back; which was what I was desperately in search of finding. Then I thought about my father, and what he must be thinking right now. I wondered if I should go visit him. Perhaps I should be headed home, instead of back to the girls.

My line of thinking even transcended my current predicament. I recalled my visions, and my multiple trips to ancient Greece. Had they caused irreparable harm to me physically, or mentally? I literally killed two men tonight, and it hardly haunted me. It was the only plan of escape I could put together. I imagined Aphrodite had a new profound hatred for me, and would most likely be hunting me.

I reached back, and pulled my hood over my head. The Goddess must have been scared. Acquainting myself with my hunting skills and bow proficiency was the easy part during my visits to the shrine. My magical gifts were a bit harder. I only managed to master one of them in my multiple journeys. Although, it was a potent skill indeed. I lifted my hand out in front of me.

"Who knew that Artemis had the power to relieve and bring disease to women?" I asked the night air. "I never heard that in school."

I lowered my hand and continued walking. It felt like hours as I weaved my way through the city. For a long while nothing looked familiar. Then, as if it were a beacon, I recognized the parking garage from the other night. I hurried one block over, and started up the familiar main street. My father and I used to drive into the city this way. Coincidentally, or perhaps by fate, it had been the street Leann and Tory had led me down after they found me.

Quietly I strolled down the sidewalk. Trying not to draw attention to myself, despite carrying a golden bow in my hand. For a brief moment, I wondered if anyone could see it. After all, it was a bow made with magic. Either way, the few people who were actually out at this hour, seemed to be more interested in where they were going and what they were doing. I hurried along my way, pretending they weren't there, just as they were doing with me. Still I kept my eyes peeled for trouble; either from Aphrodite's men, or others.

Several blocks later I finally laid eyes on The Regale. The old-fashioned building still stood out like a sore thumb amidst the newer buildings. I glanced around the quiet streets, and found not one other soul nearby. Taking it slow, I proceeded across the street. Checking one last time for any onlookers, I placed my hand on the door. Quickly I pulled the door open, and slipped inside.

Prepared to find a pristine lobby, I was shocked to find it in disarray. Furniture had been upturned. Many of the display cases were shattered. There was a darkness to the building that had been so vibrant and vivid the last time I saw it. "How long had I been gone?" I wondered. "Had I been Aphrodite's prisoner for longer than I had thought?"

I quickly made my way to the main auditorium. The large door creaked as I passed through it. Looking out across the seats, I found many of them destroyed and turned over. Some were even missing. The stage sat empty, with several pieces of wood missing from it, or broken. It appeared as if it had never been used by the girls the other night. A damp musty smell blew in to greet me through the closing door.

"What happened here?" I asked, turning to leave.

I found myself running down the hallway of offices. Most of them looked as dilapidated as the lobby and auditorium. Continuing down the hallway, I grabbed the handle of what I remembered as the basement door. I had to jerk it several times to get it to open. It opened with the smell of dankness and decay in its trail. I peered down the dark stairwell.

"Hello?" I shouted. "Is anyone down there?"

After waiting for a few moments, I carefully set my foot on the first step. It creaked under my weight. With great care I made my way down to the basement. Several of the stairs were missing, slowing my descent drastically. I called out a few more times as I proceeded. Only to be met with eerie silence.

A few streams of light broke through from the stage above; casting light on the ransacked area that had once housed cots and temporary rooms. There were no signs of life to this place. Cobwebs seemed to indicate it had been some time since anyone even walked through here. I remembered there was a light switch, and turned to search the wall for it.

The sound of the switch echoed through the empty basement. A few dozen lights slowly came to life amongst the large empty area. Though they provided only a dim light, it at least was something. I carefully made my way through the basement, stepping over and around the overturned furniture. As a precaution, I slowly opened my bag part way, and drew an arrow from it.

"Hello?" I called out once more, only to be greeted with the echo of my voice.

Stopping near the place I had conversed with Leann, I studied the area. There was nothing here; no signs of life. I closed my eyes, listening to the silence; seeing if it would speak to me. Nothing called out to me. It was as if this place had never been touched by the girls, or anyone, for decades. I slid the arrow back into my bag, and carefully retraced my steps. Something wasn't right about this, but I had no real place to start looking for answers. I just felt as if I had to leave.

Several minutes later, I had ascended the stairs. Heading down the hallway, I cautiously checked the offices. They held no clues either. As I neared the end of the hallway, I stopped suddenly in my tracks. Across the lobby I spotted the figure of a girl kneeling on the floor. Reaching back to grab the end of an arrow, I slowly crept toward her.

"Who's there?" I asked, calmly.

"It's gone," a trembling voice replied. "It's all gone."

"Show yourself," I said, as I pulled the arrow from my bag.

"It's like it was never here," the voice said.

"Who are you?" I asked again. "What happened here?"

The shadowy figure slowly turned her head. "Why would they leave without me?"

With one foot in front of the other, I guardedly slinked my way across the lobby floor. Ready to draw an arrow in a moment, I kept my bow raised to my waist. I tilted my head. The kneeling girl stayed concealed in the shadows, to a point I could not make out her face. Her voice didn't even sound familiar to me. It could have been a Nymph playing tricks.

"Where did they go?" the girl asked, growing more upset.

"Who?" I asked.

"There you are!" a voice exclaimed to my right.

I spun on my toes, weapon drawn. "Stop right there!"

The new figure froze in the doorway, properly frightened. Her hands shot up with her palms facing out to me. A slight whimper escaped her lips. Silence filled the lobby for what seemed like several minutes, but everything felt like slow motion to me in that moment. After awhile I could hear the other girl sniffling, and the second girl's heart racing.

"Who are you?" I asked, attempting to sound menacing.

"M-my name is T-Tory," the girl at the door said. "P-please, I just came to get her." She pointed at the girl kneeling on the floor. "That's all."

"Tory?!" I said, lowering my bow.

"We don't mean any harm," Tory said. "She just got lost."

"Tory, it's me," I said, reaching up to pull down my hood. "It's Jesse."

"Jesse?" Tory hesitantly lowered her hands, and stepped into the light. Her eyes grew larger at the sight of me. "You… you made it out alive?"

"What happened?" I asked.

Before I could react, Tory had sprinted toward me. I made a split second decision that she would not be a threat, and put my bow to the side. She drew closer. Her arms stretched out before her. Then her arms were around me, holding me with a tight hug. I put my empty hand up onto her back.

"Everyone thought Aphrodite killed you," she said. "I can't believe you're here."

"She wanted to make me into one of her statues," I said. "I escaped."

Tory pulled back slightly. "You seem different," she said.

"I've… seen some things," I replied, looking into her eyes. "Where is everyone?"

"When you didn't return," Tory said, "we thought something horrible had happened." She broke the embrace, and stepped back. "And when they said you were dead? Well, Leann and Joanne thought it best if we changed venues."

"Joanne?" I asked.

"That's Leann's sister," Tory said. "I guess you two never met. You're going to like her. She was really interested in meeting you. And I just know --"

"Tory," I interjected. "How long have I been gone?"

Tory swallowed hard, glancing over to the other girl. "Four months," she said, solemnly.

"Four months!?" I exclaimed, taking a few steps back. "But this place is trashed!"

"It's a glamour," Tory said. "A spell to make it look this way."

"Right," I said. "Because none of you know magic. That's what you told me. Right?"

"I believe I said we're not witches," Tory said. "Which we're not."

"No," I said. "But you conveniently left out the part that some of you could use magic."

"You were upset," she countered. "I was trying to calm you down."

"Four months…"

"Tory?" the other girl asked from the corner of the lobby.

Tory turned and gave her a calm look. "Could you go wait in the car?"

The girl quickly ran up to Tory. She wrapped her arms around her for a brief moment. "Thank you for coming back for me," she said, before running for the door.

"So you all just left four months ago?" I asked. "You didn't try to rescue me, or even wait?"

"We did wait," Tory said, a little angry. "For four months!" She pointed at the lobby. "This… this was done yesterday. We all moved out of here a few days ago. Not four months ago." She walked away from me, before stopping to turn. "And we did try to rescue you." She sighed. "Or at least tried to parlay with Aphrodite. But you know how she is. She likes to play games. And the last time we met with her… she said…"

"She said I was dead," I said, solemnly. "Which is what scared you all."

"I'm not scared," Tory said, stepping forward. "I was angry. I would've killed to get you out of there. I know what it's like to be kept in that place. To be locked up… or, or… I don't know!"

"I'm sorry," I said, quietly. "Thank you for trying."

Tory paced for a moment, trying to calm herself down. "How did you escape?" she asked, still pacing.

I glanced at my bow. "It's a long story," I said. "One might say it goes back to classical antiquity."

Tory stopped and faced me. "You seem to have grown up quite a bit," she said, forcing a smile. "I know this isn't the greatest timing, but I'm here. With my car." She sighed, before continuing. "Would you be willing to go with me? Back to Leann and the others?"

I studied Tory for a moment, before sliding my arrow back into my bag. "There's some place I need you to take me first," I said.

"Where is that?" Tory asked.

"Home."

---

 
 
The End