5. CHAPTER #2
“They tell tale of a lass who was born with the kiss of fire and died by it too,” King said suddenly, his voice oddly calm.
“She went to the forest and found its spirit beautiful. The forest came alive and found her beautiful too. They were Aodnait and Laisréan, the fire and flame, lovers whose hearts burned brighter than any other the land had ever seen. But the people must do as people do, and they were angered by her love for such a beast and hunted Laisréan to his death. When she saw what they had done to her beloved, she built a funeral pyre for him and burned the forest down around them all. She laid with him and died there, fire and flame, joined once more.”
Indy’s chest tightened. “God, people are horrible.”
“What?” King sounded confused and irritated now. “Why? Did someone take your pants?”
“Is that true, Dill?” Indy asked softly, ignoring King. “Is that what happened to you?”
Dill’s smile was sad, but he nodded, rocking the little woman—Aodnait—close to his heart.
“But you’re together now?” Indy looked down at the ring.
The path through the forest depicted inside could have been the forest they met in, though he still didn’t understand what the pot was or what it was for.
He also had some questions about how King knew the story.
His power was supposed to be seeing the future, not the past, but Dill had confirmed it was true.
Whatever.
“I wouldn’t say together,” King protested. “We’ve only just met, but I’m in yer lap and very close to yer mickey. Bit awkward.”
Indy put King back on the table. “I wasn’t talking to you, babe.”
“Who else would you be talking to?”
“Dill and his hot girlfriend.”
Dill chirped curiously.
“Girlfriend?” Indy gestured to Aodnait. “Lover? Your lil’ fire boo?”
Dill seemed to think it over and grunted, “Boo.”
“Adorable.” Indy stood. “You two have fun doing whatever it is you’re doing.”
“Where are you going?” King wailed. “Ah, Jaysus, I see how it is! You let me get close to your mickey and then yeh forsake me!”
“I need to find Gammy and then get the hell out of here, ’kay?” Indy narrowed his eyes. “I have some very personal and very important things that need to get handled as soon as possible—”
“With yer mickey?”
“Yes. Sure. Whatever. So, have fun, buh-bye now.”
“All right, bye bye bye.”
Indy stalked out of the room and back into the hallway in search of an exit. There had to be a way to leave. He returned to the bedroom, and it was only then that he realized there were no windows here.
Or in the bathroom.
Or in the hall.
Or the parlor.
Fuck.
Okay, the library.
He was certain he’d seen one in there.
Running now, he bolted into the library and grinned when he saw the bright green curtains. He didn’t care if he had to climb down four stories in nothing but this tiny bathrobe. He would find Gammy and let the whole city see his naked ass if that was what it took.
The sunlight peeking through those hideous curtains was the most beautiful thing Indy had ever seen, and he cackled as he whipped them back.
But…
There was no window.
The sunlight vanished, as it was only an illusion, and there was nothing but a blank wall.
“What the fucking fuck fuck?” Indy spat furiously.
He slapped the wall. Screamed at it. Called it filthy names.
It didn’t do anything.
He didn’t even feel better.
Fuming, he stalked back into the parlor to calm down and come up with a new plan.
His chest tightened and he clutched at himself, suddenly struck by a paralyzing surge of fear.
He had no idea if this was from his own emotions or his disease coming to take him.
He might be dying right this very second.
This could be it.
It might be—
“Did you handle yer mickey?” King asked cheerfully.
“No!” Indy snapped back. “I did not handle my fucking mickey! I’ve been a bit busy trying to leave this fucking shithole! Today has been shit! Complete fucking bullshit!” He snatched a pillow from the couch and hurled it as hard as he could at the wall.
Being a pillow, it simply bounced harmlessly to the floor.
“Fuck!” Indy had no idea why, but that only made him madder.
“Fuck today! Fuck it! Right up the ass! No fucking lube! With a concrete dildo! Yeah! Wrapped in barbed wire!” He looked for something else to throw.
“Got kidnapped by monsters, more monsters killed those monsters, including my boss, so my deal is fucked, and Mr. Heiss won’t give me a fucking new one, and yeah, I’m a little bit stressed! ”
He hadn’t realized he was screaming until he saw how King, Dill, and even Aodnait were staring at him.
“Does someone need a hug…?”
It was Gammy!
She sounded far away, but it was definitely her voice.
“Gammy!” Indy jerked around. “Where are you?”
“Here…”
King rolled his eyes toward a painting on the wall. “There!”
The painting was of a muscular black bull standing in a ring of fire framed in gold, because of course it was.
Indy hurried there to yank it right off the wall. He hurled it to the floor, watching it shatter—there, much better—and then looked at the wall to find a sleek black safe. “Uh, so… Anybody know the code?”
“Try one, two, three, four!” King called out.
“Why would it be that?”
“Because it’s easy to remember. Obviously.”
Indy punched in the numbers. He rolled his eyes as the safe beeped angrily. “Any other bright ideas?”
“Several!” King sounded very pleased.
Indy stared.
“What?”
Indy waved frantically. “Do any of them involve opening the safe?”
“Oh, fuck no.”
Indy pressed his face into his hands and tried not to scream.
The floor creaked, signaling Dill’s approach. He’d returned Aodnait to the candle, where she danced around the wick, and he now pointed at the safe, grunting low.
“Yes, Dill,” Indy said with as much patience as he could muster. “I need to get inside the safe and get Gammy out. Can you please—”
Dill ripped the front of the safe off like separating the halves of an Oreo cookie.
Indy flinched. “Okay. That works.”
Inside the safe were the earrings, plus the rest of Indy’s personal effects.
He went for the earrings first and held them close. “Gammy, hey! You okay?”
She flickered into view, standing beside him and her smile weak. “I’m fine, sweetie. Just very tired. Damn safe is lined with salt.”
Indy grabbed everything else out of the safe and returned to the couch. He reverently set the earrings down beside King. “Here. Close your eyes.”
Gammy scoffed. “I don’t need to rest! I am fine!”
“I’m gonna change.”
“Oh!”
Indy dropped the robe so he could put his old clothes back on.
“Why didn’t you tell me to close me eyes as well?” King demanded.
“Can you?” Indy snorted as he got dressed.
“Yeah, fine!” King huffed, and the glowing orbs vanished. A second later, they flickered to life again.
“Okay.” Indy paused. “Why aren’t you closing them now?”
“Why? And miss the show?” King whistled loudly.
Which was admittedly impressive.
Since he didn’t have lips.
Whatever.
Dill had put his hands over his eyes and turned around.
“I’m decent now,” Indy announced, putting the earrings back on. “Well, not decent, but at least I have clothes on.”
Gammy chuckled wryly and approached for a wispy hug. “I’m glad you’re okay, sweetie cakes. Lord, what a day it has been!” She took a deep breath. “Now, whatever that silly ol’ demon tries next, I am going to be ready!”
“Gammy,” Indy scolded. “You need to take a break and rest, okay? You’ve definitely expended way too much ghost juju or whatever. You feel like one of those air freshener things that poof randomly.”
“What’s going on now? Your deal?” Gammy was apparently ignoring him, her hands surprisingly solid as she touched Indy’s face. “How do you feel?”
“I…” Indy swallowed hard to keep the flood of emotions surging through his brain at bay. “Right now, I am fine. I don’t feel any different, but, so. I am not going to worry about it. Let’s talk about healing me, okay? As in, like, now. Right now.”