“What do I say?”I couldn’t read the buttons on the phone.How was I going to type a message?
“There is a script to stick to, so I will type it.Select the contact.”
I scrolled the list and found my friend, then slid it back over the table.They tapped the screen, glancing occasionally at their tablet.
“By folded up, do you mean erased like I never existed?”
“No, packed up and excuses made.”
“My degree…” I was never going to finish it.All that work for nothing.
“You don’t need it.”
My teeth pressed into my lip, and a lump formed in my throat.I was never going back to the human world.“Am I going to die?”
They tilted their head and stared at me.“No, why would you think that?”
Why wouldn’t I think that?“I’m a sorcerer.”
They laughed.“We didn’t go to the effort of bringing you here to kill you.”
“But I’m dangerous?”
“Yes.In your world, your kind weaponizes children to use the magic they can tap into.And children in this world can create vast amounts of damage with just a…as you called it…wish.But you can use the magic in this world, something we can’t do.Sorcerers and children built this world.”
My eyebrows pulled together.“What do you mean?”
“This world is imagination given life.Magic was too dangerous to keep in your world, so this pocket was created thousands of years ago.”
My frown deepened, not understanding.The chair felt real beneath my ass, and the clothes I wore, plain light blue pants and a shirt with off-center buttons, also felt real, not imaginary.“But this place is real?”
They laughed again and snapped their beak.“Of course it is.We live and work and have families the same as you.But we were created to protect the magic from being stolen.Your kind created this world, and only your kind can repair any damage done.”
I blinked, feeling as though I’ve been handed the secrets to the universe in one giant horse tablet that I can’t quite swallow.“Wait, so sorcerers created this world, and the bridges, and the Bridge Guardians exist to protect this world or my world, or both?”
They nodded.
“Why would sorcerers damage something they created?”
“Greed, jealousy, anger.Your mother visited more than once.”
“She did?”I lean forward, desperate to learn more about her while hoping Farrow was wrong and that she was alive.
“There will be time to learn about her legacy later.We are hoping that you are like her.”
“In what way?”What did the monsters want from me?Not that I had much of a say since I was here and didn’t know how to go home.
“She willingly assisted in fixing damage.The Brotherhood of the Eastern Dragon sought to use magic for the betterment of your world and to protect this world.They have many enemies.I am surprised you made it this far without attracting their attention.”
“I never used magic until Farrow…” His name slid off my tongue.
Beak studied me, with what seemed to be a smile.“He has been notified that you are here.Yourcooperationwith him is one of the reasons you are here.”
I nodded as if I understood.“You want me to continue um…cooperating?”
Was that the polite way of saying he recorded me…oh shit, had Beak seen those videos?Heat rushed up my throat and exploded on my cheeks.I wanted to slide off the chair so the floor could swallow me.I glanced down, panicking that the floor was about to open, but the floor appeared to be nice and solid, the same as before.I needed to be more careful with my thoughts.
“If you want to, you can.Though that will not be a condition of your release.”
