I giggle. “It really isn’t. The song just happened to talk about it a lot.”
Shadow Realm wine is fantastic. The world around me is swirling, like I’m on a slow carousel.
Arianna snorts, and I lay back, staring at the stars.
Rosie chirps, “Vivian, catch!” She throws a piece of chocolate my way, and I open my mouth to catch it, only for it to hit me in the chin and bounce into my shirt.
That starts a fresh spurt of giggles in Arianna, and I’m quick to join in once I realize I can’t find the chocolate.
Oh well, it lives there now.
Rosie looks at me thoughtfully. “Do you miss it? Your realm?”
I sigh, “I miss my friends. I made some good ones in college. They must be really worried about me.”
I turn to Arianna. “What about you? Did you miss the Mortal Realm?”
Arianna scrunches her nose. “Not really. Everyone I knew is dead. Besides, the other realms turned me into ten times the spy the Guardians ever could have produced.” She winks at me. “Don’t worry, Viv, I can teach you my tricks.”
I can hear the competitive teasing in her tone, and I sit up, ignoring how the stone wall is spinning behind her. “Pfft. I don’t care how much of an old hag you became while I was gone. You’re still not as good as me.”
Arianna gasps, throwing a pillow my way. I try to dodge it, but Arianna is just as drunk as I am, and it comes nowhere near me. “Spoken like a true petulant child. Too bad, Vivian. The student has surpassed the teacher.” She drives the point home by blowing a raspberry at me.
I open my mouth to sass her back, but Rosie stops our competitive bickering. “There’s only one way tosettle this,” she calls authoritatively, standing between us.
Arianna and I look up at her, and I think we’re all swaying.
“The Olympics,” Rosie says, solemnly nodding.
I frown up at her. “They’re not for a few years.”
Rosie’s brow furrows. “No, silly. We’re going to do the Super Spy Olympics. Right here. Right now.”
Arianna’s competitive streak is immediately triggered. “I’m in.”
I sit up, grinning. “I’m in, too. Ari – you’re going down!” I egg her on for added effect.
Arianna huffs, but Rosie shushes us. “You’re both going down if you don’t listen to the rules.”
We focus as hard as we can on her instructions. I can’t tell if Rosie is slurring or my ears aren’t working properly.
Maybe both?
“You’ll have three – er, actually,” she pauses to focus on the two of us. “Make that one challenge. I don’t think we’re going to stay awake for three.”
It feels like gravity is getting stronger by the minute, pulling me down to the stone floor. Rosie’s probably right on that one.
“What are we doing, oh wise one?” I ask her, trying not to giggle.
Arianna bursts out laughing, and that sets me off. Rosie is bent over, holding on to the wall, trying to stay upright.
“Shhhusshhhh, both of you!” she croaks through her own cackling. “If you don’t let me explain the rulesbefore someone passes out, then I’m the best spy of them all.”
Arianna and I both look away from each other. I know if I make eye contact, I will lose it.
“Your mission is simple. It’s a scavenger hunt. Each of you has to bring me back an item. Arianna, I want Morgana’s dagger,” Rosie instructs.
Arianna blanches. “She keeps it in her room with her.”
