He simply uses me as a surface to push himself back into position before he snatches up my hands.
“Is this romance blooming?” I inquire.
“No, it’s me keeping you from touching anything else so you don’t murder anyone.”
“How boring.”
When we reach our destination, Joy pulls the car over and the four of us get out.
“I believe it was this way,” Mickey says as he sets off.
“It was very much not even on that side of the road,” Joy counters, walking in the opposite direction. Mickey is still busy looking away from us, but Riley doesn’t seem to trust him in the slightest since he follows the dead woman instead. And because I will follow Riley anywhere, I trot after him.
“Isn’t this superior? The wind in your face, the sun shining down on you? So much better than that death monster!” I declare in English since I seem to be getting the hang of this rather simple language.
“No. I like AC.”
“What is that?”
“It’s like little magic snowstorms blowing in your face to cool you down.”
“How much virgin blood or testicles does it take to run those things?”
Riley shrugs. “A lot, but it’s worth it.”
“It doesn’t take any sacrifice!” Mickey protests.
“I’m going to stop talking to him in English if you keep contradicting the things I’m teaching him,” Riley threatens Mickey. He is even tantalizing when he threatens others! “Torin, who do you want to believe? The very man who has dedicated his existence to your comfort these past few days or some strange man who has walked five feet from his car and is now summoning some undead to carry him the rest of the way?”
Mickey quickly looks over after he finishes his spell. “My legs are tired.”
“Because you don’t move!” Riley says as an undead half-giant crawls out of the earth, grabs Mickey’s arm, and begins dragging him across the field.
“I was thinking bridal carry at the very least,” he whines, but the giant doesn’t seem to notice or care, and Mickey appears to decide that this is better than walking and just gives in to it.
Even though the man comes across as quite lazy, I realize Riley was correct when he told me he’s an extremely skilled necromancer. This half-giant must have died many years ago, and yet Mickey makes him appear like he is still among the living.
“Here you are,” Joy says, and while there doesn’t appear to be anything there, when I get close to it, I can see the shimmer of a doorway. And when I press my hand against it, the glow of the Door comes to life.
I turn to Riley. “My plan is to jump in and grab something and be back out within five minutes. But there’s a possibility the Door will close, and I won’t be able to return. If that is the case… I really wish I could have eaten more food with you.”
Riley snorts. “When you come back, I’ll take you to eat more food. What about a buffet?”
“Will there be pizza?”
“There will be pizza.”
I nod approvingly. “Then I will go with you.”
I start toward the Door when Riley grabs my wrist. “Youarecoming back?”
“I plan to.”
“Right,” he says.
I beam at him. “Will you miss me?”
“Absolutely not. I just wanted to watch you ride an escalator again. I’m going to record it so I can enjoy it later.”
