I’m about to turn and give my man a tongue lashing of my own when Rez steps up to him instead. Oh…he’s gonna get it now!
She places a hand on his shoulder and smiles, “I appreciate you telling me that. If shit hits the fan, I at least know that Moni will be in good and safe hands.” She puts her hands on her waist and looks at both of us and I take that moment to object.
“Wait a minute,” I say while my body flushes with heat. I know I’m turning bright red as I shrink down and get into Rez’s face. “You can’t just agree with him protecting and keeping me out of this, it’s unfair.”
She nibbles on her lip and nods. “You’re right. Before we continue, let’s draw up a quick plan on what to do in certain situations.”
The plans they come up with don’t really change. Save me and run to safety. Am I pouting? No! I’m silently planning a way to douse them both with sticky honey and locking them outside when the butterbees are hungry in the spring.
“Moni?” a voice rings out through the now pouring rain.
“Butterbees,” I mumble.
“Were you just thinking of sicking butterbees on us?” Chester’s sweet voice pulls me from my musing.
“NO!” I scoff and Rez rolls her eyes.
“Does this lead to where I think it does?” Rez asks, pointing to a grayish portal making my skin crawl.
“If you think it leads to Hell, then yes. The Ever Woods is on the other side,” I grumble as I follow where the silver mist trails off to.
We’re gonna die. I just know it.
Chester reaches up and squeezes my hand, “I won’t let anything happen to ya.”
“Yeah, you made sure of that,” I mutter.
“You can’t stay mad at me just because I want to protect you,” he insists as I pull my hand out of his grasp.
“Wanna bet? I’m pulling a Rez. No sex for you.” I hop off his shoulder and fly over to Rez. “Are we really going in there?” I ask her, my little heart skipping a beat as I look at the portal, and I think I see something moving on the other side.
“Yep,” she says, taking a deep breath and turning her head to look at me. “Lynx wouldn’t give up on me, and I know it sounds weird but I just know this isn’t a normal storm. It involves Lynx, Moni, and it’s not a good sign.”
“I’ll give you the storm. For as long as I can remember, it rains but it doesn’t come down like this,” I say, wiping my wet hair out of my face.
She gives me a stern nod and walks into the portal.
“Moni?”
I turn, and the sight before me makes my heart sputter. Chester is soaked from head to toe. His black fitted shirt is plastered to his body, his long hair hangs down around his face and even with him constantly pushing up his glasses, the water is just pushing them back down his nose in this storm. He stands there, his body slumped like I kicked his kitten as he looks at me with pleading eyes.
“I’m sorry that you’re finding me a nuisance right now, but I can’t help but want to keep you safe. I never thought I would find a mate since my species is almost extinct. So you’re extra special to me, and I’m scared that I’m going to lose you so soon after finding you. Please don’t punish me for loving you,” he begs, breaking my heart.
I pop up into my four-foot frame and walk into his open arms and press myself against his wet body.
“I love you more than you know, and I’m sorry. This is just new to me and I’m trying to learn, so we have to work together, okay?” I apologize.
He leans down and kisses my hair. “It’s okay. I just wanted to let you know I'm doing all of this out of love.”
“I know,” I say, looking up and grabbing his hand. “Now, let’s catch up with Rez.” I don’t leave room for him to rethink this, pulling us through the portal.
The first sign something is wrong is instead of the calming aspect of walking through, my chest feels like it’s being squeezed to death. I pass through and immediately fall to the ground trying to catch my breath. Chester falls down in my line of sight and starts coughing.
“Are you alright?” he manages to get out as he turns over to face me. All I can manage is to nod as I sit up and look around. Squinting in the dim light, I notice the portal didn’t spit us out at the normal boulders that are in the Ever Woods.
What the gooseberries is going on?
“Rez?” I yell, my voice barely sounding loud to me with the rain coming down harder on this side. Lightning strikes a tree next to us and a girly scream rips out of Chester as we cling to each other. I can’t even tease him about it because I screamed too.
