Chapter Twenty-Four

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Wilma didn’t seem to mind me hanging around her shop, The Gem and The Moon. I’d had to check in a few times over the past couple of months without the looming threat of impending death for myself or others, and it had been quite lovely. Who knows, maybe having a real-life elf in the store was good for sales? Perhaps I should have been charging an appearance fee. I mulled the idea over in my mind while Wilma tended to a customer. Maybe she’d even be amused by the idea.

“Have a blessed day, may the goddess favor you,” Wilma said cheerily to her customer as they concluded their business. The young woman in thick goth makeup gave me a sideways glance as she collected her bag and left the shop. Wilma turned her attention to me now that the store was empty. “And you my friend, are right on time as usual. How are you?”

“Better every day, thank you,” I replied.

“My medicine never fails, just so long as you keep taking it.”

Wilma was referring to the barrage of magical effects Alistair had blasted me with when I crossed over into his warded area. The trap was designed to weaken me to the point of subservience and had I not killed him in the process, it would have worked. The long-term effects had been more debilitating than I could have anticipated, but Wilma nearly had me fully recovered.

“I know better than to deviate from your directions,” I remarked.

“Oh, do you?” she asked. “Is that why you fed an entire slumber potion to Ann?”

“You’re never going to let me live that down,” I said. “It worked, didn’t it?”

“It very nearly didn’t,” she scoffed. “You should have called me at that point; I could have walked you through a process that... you were lucky. Let’s leave it at that.”

“Speaking of which, how is her apprenticeship going?” I asked.

“Why? You hoping to have her back all to yourself?”

I shrugged. “That would be nice, but it’s not why I asked.”

Wilma let out a breath in a huff and leaned across the shop’s counter. “It’s going well. Frighteningly so, in fact. Between you, me, and the essential oils, she’d scare the shit out of me if she’d been gifted with any noticeable amount of magical output. The kid’s a savant! She has the potential to be dangerous as all hell, but she’s an ounce of power in a five-gallon jug of instinct, if you get my meaning. From strictly a position of strength, she barely registers. Thankfully, at least for the moment, I’d no sooner worry about her than a mother would need to worry about losing a fight to her newborn.”

“Why would a mother ever fight a newborn?” I questioned. “That’s absurd and profane. Be better at making analogies.”

Wilma waved a hand at me dismissively. “You’re missing the point. Her lack of raw strength makes her that more impressive. She understands how magic works as if she is looking at it with an extra dimension. Saying that she’s a quick study doesn’t begin to cover it. It’s taken me decades to understand concepts that she just... knows! In another time, without distractions, she could do so much more than I ever could.”

“Her distractions are her choice,” I remarked, ending that familiar line of thought. “And frankly, I think she’s right to have them. Ann lives in a very dangerous time and in a very dangerous place. Knowing how to defend herself is the right choice for her.”

“You don’t need to know how to draw an arrow or where to stab someone to protect yourself,” Wilma said a bit defensively. “I’ve been alive eighty-three long years, and do you know how many times I’ve had to fist fight my way out of a problem? Zero. And I deal with a scarier crowd than you do these days, most of the time at least. I use my words, I gather information, and I make the right deals. That sort of cunning will keep you safer than any weapon.”

“No, that will keep you safer,” I corrected her. “Because you’ve always been content to stay on the sidelines. And I don’t say that to offend you, there’s nothing wrong with that, but that is not who Ann is deep down. In her heart, Ann is a fighter.”

“Well, maybe she shouldn’t be. She’s not built for it. She gets winded stocking the shelves, how well do you think she’ll fare when someone, or god forbid, some thing wants her dead?”

I shook my head at the question. “Nevertheless, you would rather see her prepared than not, wouldn’t you?”

“You’re right,” Wilma conceded. “I think the whole thing is stupid, but you’re right. I can’t lock her up and that sort of trouble always has a way of finding people like Ann. But hey, between the two of us, she’s at least getting one hell of an education, isn’t she?”

“I can’t think of two people I’d rather have training her,” I admitted, but even as I said it, I recognized that there was a nugget of truth in what she was saying. Ann fighting monsters meant that one day she may very well have to deal with an Alistair of her own, and no amount of archery or potion crafting would prepare her for that. She still didn’t know all the details of that bloody conclusion, and if I could help it, she never would.

The door chimed just then as more customers arrived, two teenagers with more scarves than should be acceptable in a warm climate. One of them was looking for a deck of tarot cards and was very particular about what sort. I offered a small wave to the teenager who wasn’t part of the negotiations and received an awkward wave in return as they found somewhere else to stare.

Eventually satisfied and their purchase completed, the two left the store and Wilma sighed audibly in frustration. “Kids care these days about anything beyond aesthetics,” Wilma complained.

“Thankfully you don’t have a lawn; they might be tempted to play on it,” I teased.

“And ‘Get off my boardwalk’ just doesn’t have the same ring to it.”

“I suppose not!” I laughed. Wilma enjoyed the chuckle with me, but after a moment her expression turned a bit more serious.

“You’re not just here for a chat today,” she said. It wasn’t a question. She knew what today was.

“Moving day,” I answered. “Is Debbie ready?”

Wilma nodded her agreement. “I don’t approve of her cake based, but outside of that, I’d say she’s as ready as she’ll ever be. I managed to stabilize her strength, recovered a fair bit of it as well. Debbie’s no longer as strong as a full-fledged Battle Born, but she’s close and she won’t have to worry about losing her strength again. And with the Abbott down and his cult disbanded, I’ve been able to keep a sharper eye on the area. As far as I can tell, Debbie’s done a decent job of playing dead; no one’s looking for her. And she has that reward money to start over. She’s fine. She’s better than fine. When I first met her, she was just three hundred pounds of doom and gloom. Now that she realizes that she’s done fighting for her life, she acts like a kid.”

“She is a kid,” I reminded her. “She’s barely old enough to drink.”

“Physically maybe, but she’s seen a few things. Who knows? Maybe she can go have a childhood for once.”

“And what about you?” I asked. “Are you ready?”

Wilma made an exasperated sound that bordered on cartoonish. “Please! I am beyond ready to have my space back.”

“You are a terrible liar, my friend,” I smiled at her and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. “And I don’t need one of your little charms to know that you’re going to miss her.”

Wilma grinned uncomfortably at that. “Maybe I will, but I’ll also enjoy having my backroom cleared out.”

“I’d like to thank you again for hosting her and healing her. I cannot think of too many places this could have been possible.”

Wilma tilted her head. “Well, I’d say that dagger you gave me as payment certainly covered expenses.”

“Indeed,” I agreed. “Is there anything you’d like to say before we leave?”

“No, Debbie and me said our goodbyes before you arrived. I’d just like to get on with the rest of the day like any other.”

I gave her one more squeeze on the shoulder and walked towards the back room. “Very well, we’ll see ourselves out, in that case. See you around.”

The back of the shop looked dramatically different from what it had been months ago. I guess the number of items hadn’t changed, but they were far more compact than they had been. What it lost in its showroom quality it gained in college dorm chic, complete with trash everywhere but the trash can. Debbie sat reading a book on her mattress but dropped it with a broad excited grin when I walked in. “Chalsarda! You’re here!” she exclaimed, lifting me off the ground in a hug.

I have never quite come to terms with how terrifying Debbie is when she’s happy.

“Of course,” I said, happy that my feet were once again on the ground. “You didn’t think I’d miss this, did you?”

“Never! I’m just happy to see you,” she beamed.

“And I am happy to see you as well,” I replied. “Even happier to see that you’re fully recovered. Especially your temperament.”

“I’m out, and very soon I won’t ever have to worry about being hunted ever again. I’d say that is more than enough reason to be happy.”

“I would agree,” I said with a smile, before realizing what was missing from this scene. “Where are your bags? You’re not considering staying, are you?”

“No, nothing like that. It’s just that when I said I wanted a fresh start, I meant it. Whatever I need, I’ll find it when I get there.”

I understood the feeling.

“Okay then, with that out of the way, I need to make sure you know what’s going to happen next. I know Wilma has gone over this with you, but humor me, okay?”

“It’s not a big deal; I’m ready!” Debbie protested.

“Respect your elders,” I scolded. The joke was more for my benefit than hers.

“Fine, but it’s not going to change anything.”

“Do you still have the glamour Wilma made for you?” I asked.

Debbie messily moved various items off her nightstand and retrieved the tiny scroll. “Right here.”

“Good. Now, the way this will work, you will need to hold the image of what you want to look like in your mind as you swallow the scroll. Be very careful not to lose focus, because this change is permanent. Whatever you decide won’t be a disguise, it will become what you are. From this day forward, you will age naturally in that body. And don’t worry about being too specific, your subconscious will fill in the blanks.”

Debbie nodded impatiently. “Okay, I promise I understand, now can I show what I have in mind? I think you’ll like it.”

I sighed. “Yes, very well, you’re obviously excited.”

“Okay, wait right here! I have an outfit, and everything planned!” Debbie then went behind a folding screen that she was more than a head taller than and gulped down the scroll with a swig from a water bottle. She immediately vanished from sight. “Okay, I’m almost done!” she said in a voice that had surprisingly not changed very much. It was perhaps an octave higher, but still recognizable as her. Her voice must not have occurred to her.

A minute later and Debbie reemerged from behind the screen. She was about five foot four, appeared to be maybe twenty years old or so, with thick auburn curly hair kept short. Bright blue eyes, rosy cheeks; I could have sworn I’d seen her before. She wore chinos and a white and stone blue plaid button down shirt. “What do you think?”

“Quite adorable, but more important is that you’re happy with the change,” I added, not able to get the feeling out of my mind that I’d seen this before. “Tell me, what was the inspiration?”

“You don’t get it?” she asked, and then her eyes shot open. “Oh right, hold on!”

Debbie ducked behind the folding wall and put on a straw sun hat.

“No, don’t tell me, you...” I let the words trail off in disbelief as I picked up an empty box of something called Unicorn Cakes and looked at the mascot in the corner.

“I did!” she exclaimed.

“You became Little Debbie, are you serious?” I asked.

“No, Little Debbie is a child. I’m the adult version of Little Debbie. I’m Adult Debbie!”

I had considered asking why she didn’t just get a tattoo later if she liked those little cakes so much, but then I thought of how many kids with Dire Wolf tattoos would become a Dire Wolf if given the opportunity and decided against it. The change was permanent; there was nothing to gain in making her question the decision now.

“I approve, you look lovely,” I said with a smile.

“Hey, look, I didn’t do this impulsively,” Debbie replied, her smile fading a little. “I can tell you’re having thoughts about this, but these snacks, garbage or no, hold a special place with me. Eating them was the first time I’d ever felt joy, even for an instant. I could have been anyone, but I want to be able to look at myself in the mirror and remember that feeling for the first time, every time. Does that make sense you?”

My cheeks heated up in embarrassment at those words. “More than you could know. I’m sorry, you’re right. This form was an excellent choice. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Adult Debbie.”

Debbie’s smile returned hearing that. “There you go! So, uh, what’s next?”

“Next is the sewers,” I said. “Then we get you to your new home.”

Leaving through the front of the store wasn’t an option. We’d been careful enough up until this point, but if anyone was watching the storefront and noticed Debbie leaving but never entering, she might still be followed. Fortunately for us, some years back Venice Beach had renovated their sewer storm drains, and that was the perfect time for Wilma to very illegally create an exit into the sewers. I navigated the two of us a few blocks away and stopped under a utility hole cover.

“This is it,” I told her. “Once you get up to the street, you’ll be in an alley with a man who will get you safely to where you need to be. Your new home is in Douglas, Wyoming. It’s nothing fancy, but it was cheap, paid in full, and you’ll have a considerable savings account remaining. And as a bonus, it’s just populated enough that you won’t attract attention by moving in, but not so dense that anyone would look for you there. Once you’re there, you cannot move for at least a year, and you are to make no significant purchases, and you cannot contact myself or Wilma. I will check in with you when it is safe to do so. I need to hear you say that you understand that part of it.”

“I understand,” she agreed.

“Good. The man above will also provide all of your new documents—identification, birth certificate; all of it. But as far as he knows, you’re just another average, ordinary human looking to get away. He’s good, so listen to him.” I produced a piece of paper from my hip sack. “This will have all your banking information and how to access your funds. The accounts are numbered only, and the contact listed here will help you transition this into a new account. Anything else that I’m missing?”

“No, but you kind of blew through that like you were avoiding something you’d like to say.”

I studied her completely unassuming face for a long second. “You’re quite observant, aren’t you?”

“I’ve been trained to be. So what is it?”

“It’s you that I’m worried about,” I began. “You can punch through a tank, and you have six figures in the bank; you have everything you need to start over and take care of yourself, I’m not worried about any of that, it’s just that I’ve been in a similar place to where you are now. One day I was owned, the next I was free. But I was fortunate because I had people who loved me to be there for me the second I needed them. There was a life for me, and my friends were my safety net. You just started to find people who cared, and I know Wilma, Ann, and myself aren’t much, but we’re a start. I’m just saying, are you sure you want to leave? It will undeniably harder for you here, but if you want, we will find a way to make it work.”

Debbie looked to be at peace as she took a moment to find her words. “Chalsarda, I love you. And I love Wilma. And I love Ann. In the past couple of months, you have helped me to understand that the world isn’t as small and bleak as I’d always thought. You gave me the hand that no one else was going to, and that is amazing, and I am forever grateful to you for it. But there are also a lot of ugly memories here as well, and I need to get away from them. Just for a while. I might come back, or I might see what else is out there because just think about it: There is so much that I haven’t seen, and even a place like Douglas in the middle of Wyoming is a place that I haven’t seen. And the more new places I see and the more new memories I make, the less the old memories will haunt me. That’s the hope, anyway. And I’m sure I could tell you the same thing, that you don’t have to be here, that you can start over, but we both know that you can’t. You have what you need here, and I don’t. So thank you so, so much, but I have to leave before I can come back.”

I understood all too well what she meant. We all deal with our pasts in different ways, and I could be accused of having not dealt with it at all until recently. She was right, I gave her a hand, but it takes more than the hand being offered. You still have to get back on your feet. You can’t hold onto it forever. I don’t imagine Debbie will be knocked back down anytime soon.

“You’re going to be brilliant out there. The best thing to ever happen to Wyoming,” I told her warmly.

“And you have a family here to protect, so don’t let them down. I’ll miss you.”

“I’ll miss you too, Debbie.”

Somehow, short as she was now, Debbie’s hug still lifted me off my feet.

Titles within The Black Pages Series

Book One

Empty Threat

Book Two

Warning Call

Book Three

Playing Dead

Book Four

Storm Chaser

Book Five

Last Shot

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