Page 56 of Casting Butterflies

I set him on the ground, murmuring, “Now what?”

“We find somewhere we can regroup and plan our next move.”

Which turned out to be a seedy motel. Since we had no money, I became invisible again, reaching over the motel’s check-in counter, barely daring to breathe as I grabbed a key from the pegboard. The clerk never once looked my way, riveted on his television show.

With key in hand, I headed to the indicated room, trembling and exhausted despite my four-day nap. Using my magic so soon took a toll on my still-recovering body.

“I need food,” I muttered as I opened the motel room door to see a very basic space. A faded tile floor, dingy walls in need of paint, a bed with a mattress that sagged in the middle, a beast-sized television from the nineties.

“I’ll go and try to score us some cash,” Cedric stated. “Will you be okay here for a few hours on your own?”

“Yeah.” I hoped. Given the weakness quivering my limbs, I probably wouldn’t last more than a few seconds if I had to fight. But, with Valefor dead, maybe nothing hunted me anymore and I could relax.

“Open the window for me,” Cedric demanded. “That way I can get in and out easily if I need to make a few trips.”

The window didn’t want to open initially, no matter how I heaved, so I used a bit of magic and poof. With how easily I repaired it, I suddenly had the option of a new career as a handywoman in case this whole save-the-elves thing didn’t work out.

Cedric leapt from the window to the neon sign missing a few letters, to the roof of a car, then the ground. Would he have the same ease returning? Guess we’d find out.

I spent the time he was gone napping. I slept a solid six hours, according to Cedric, who sat by the pillow and stared at me. A jarring sight to wake to.

“Geezus, way to act creepy,” I grumbled as I rolled out of bed.

“Some people find it comforting to have a familiar face greeting them after suffering trauma.”

“Not when it looks like you’re trying to suck out my soul.”

“As if I’d want it.”

“How did the money quest go?” I asked, rubbing the sleep from my face.

“Well, thank you. I even brought you back a snack.” He pawed a small paper bag by my side, and I opened it find a sandwich.

“Did you steal someone’s lunch?”

“Yes.”

Maybe that was why it tasted like the best sandwich ever! Or it could have been because I’d not eaten in four days. Whatever, I devoured it and then felt energetic enough to take a tepid shower in the rusted tub. Rather than put back on the hospital scrubs the military had dressed me in, wrapped in the towel, I flopped on the bed face first.

“Don’t tell me you’re going to nap again,” an annoyed Cedric grumbled.

“I’m still tired.” And sad. And overwhelmed.

“More like hungry and in need of movement to rid yourself of the sluggishness. While it is tempting to retreat into depression, given you are mourning the death of the elf, you don’t have time to wallow.”

“If I want to mope in bed and cry, I will.” It hurt to think I’d failed him.

“Oh no you aren’t. We have to get moving.”

“Why? We’re in Moscow, and I thought we’d agreed it wasn’t a big deal if I took a day or two to sightsee.” Not that I really wanted to play tourist anymore.

“That was before the military you escaped put out a statement demanding anyone with information of your whereabouts to contact them.”

“What?” I sat up and stared at Cedric. “Those fuckers.”

“Surely you didn’t think they’d let you just walk away. Not only were you a witness to a wildly improbable monster attack but the other passengers made it clear you were very much involved. The story being pushed out to the public blames you for the incident, citing terrorism.”

“That claim won’t stand up for long once the witnesses are released and start talking, not to mention the videos likely already posted.” These days, at the first sign of danger, people tended to whip out their phones.