CHAPTER 6
“Are you excited?” Ricky twisted on the front seat of the station wagon so he could face Cameron, who was driving them to Galen’s house for a session of Dungeons Mindy was way better at them.
Ricky glanced at her and noticed a delicate crinkle of concentration on her face, which made him panic.
He couldn’t figure out the first few lines, but the going down on one knee might be a pledge of loyalty to a king or…
“Marriage?” Mindy murmured under her breath. Then her face lit up. “Love!”
“How do you love a statue?” David asked, not sounding convinced.
Mindy shrugged. “Wake up, noble warrior. We love you!”
“Tension fills the air,” Galen said, “before swiftly dissipating.”
Cameron pressed his mouth shut, clearly trying not to react to the proceedings. When he noticed Ricky staring, he forced himself to relax, his lips reappearing.
“I go up to the statue,” Ricky said hurriedly, “throw my arms around its neck, and give it a great big kiss.”
Galen grinned. “The tension returns to the air again, joined by the sound of trumpets, as the statue flushes with color. The stone lips beneath your own soften and become warm.”
“What?” Cameron gasped. “What’s going on?” He pulled back in surprise. “Who are you?”
“Zazzle Lightweaver,” Ricky said shyly. “Um… Hello! Are you—”
“The warrior collapses to the ground,” Galen interrupted.
“Are you okay?” Mindy asked. “Allura rushes forward to check on the warrior.”
“No!” Ricky said, raising a hand to ward her off. “This one is mine! I mean, he was clearly under some sort of magical curse, and that’s my specialty.”
“Oh.” Mindy seemed dejected. “Okay.”
“I’m all right,” Cameron said. “Just a little dizzy. What’s going on? The last thing I remember is marching to the Valley of Despair to do battle with the witch Hagatha when she suddenly appeared in this cavern.”
Whitney perked up. “As a druid, do I know anything about the Valley of Despair?”
Galen asked her to roll before revealing, “You do indeed! The Valley of Despair became the Valley of Hope after Hagatha Rotfang was defeated by the Chosen Ones almost a century ago.”
“Good news!” Whitney said. “The witch is dead.”
“Wonderful!” Cameron said. “That means I can return home to my friends and family.”
Ricky grimaced. “Um, about that. I believe you’ve been a statue for a very long time.”
Cameron blinked. “How long?”
“A hundred years or so.”
Cameron slumped. “I see. Then I am without purpose.”