Baba waved a languid hand around the circle of courtiers that surrounded them. “Any of these, your faithful subjects, could easily don a glamour that would make them look and sound like Melissa. If you could send someone back with us to recant her earlier accusations, that would be most helpful, and both Liam and I would consider your debt to us in this matter repaid completely.”
“Ah,” the queen said, bestowing a wintery smile on them both. “Easily done, and most clever.” A satisfied look revealed that she felt she’d gotten the better of the deal. Baba had told him that those of the Otherworld hated being in debt to anyone, the queen most of all. Liam suspected Baba could have asked for a great deal more, but he was too relieved to protest. While the fake Melissa was in town, he could also have her sign the divorce papers he’d had sitting in his desk for the last two years. It would finally be over.
As the queen picked a noble to accompany them back wearing Melissa’s face, and chose a few trusted guards to escort them to the doorway they had entered through, and then close it once and for all behind them, Liam gathered the children together. The more time they spent in his company, the less muddled they seemed, although Baba said that eventually the time they’d spent in the Otherworld would soon fade to a distant dream.
Baba looked down at the dark-haired girl and said, “I’d like to have you come and live with me. Would that be okay? I have a lot of things to teach you. The land where I live is very different from here, but I think you’ll like it. And we can come back here and visit if you’d like.”
Preternaturally calm eyes stared back up at her. “I’d get to live with you?” Hannah asked. “In the sunlight place?”
Baba nodded. “Yes. And there are stars there too. You’ll like stars.”
“All right,” the girl said, as solemn and reserved as a judge. With her big round eyes and wise-beyond-her-years expression, she reminded Liam of an owl. They shared the same unblinking, somewhat disconcerting gaze. Liam hoped that Baba would remember to teach her how to laugh while she was at it.
“Oh, there is one thing,” Baba said with a hint of concern.
Hannah waited patiently. She’d undoubtedly learned the hard way that people were full of surprises, and had lots of practice bracing herself for the unpleasant.
“I live with a really large dog. Who is occasionally a dragon. Do you think that would scare you?” Baba seemed to hold her breath. Liam knew he was holding his.
The little girl glanced around at all the various monstrous shapes and sizes of creatures that made up the queen’s court. A tiny sliver of a smile snuck onto her rosebud lips. “I don’t think so,” she said quietly. She put her hand in Baba’s.
“Good,” Baba said, blinking back something that looked suspiciously like tears. “Then let’s go home.”
THIRTY-TWO
BABA FELT A little bit like the Pied Piper when she and Liam walked out of the cave entrance, followed by Hannah, Mary Elizabeth, the other missing children, and Petey, with Fake Melissa bringing up the rear. The bright light outside made her steps falter; she was temporarily blinded after her time under the muted Otherworld skies and the murky darkness of the caverns. Beside her, she heard Hannah give a tiny muffled squeak as she saw the sun for the first time since she was an infant.
Penelope Callahan was sitting on a rock, talking to the three Riders. They made an unlikely picture; the well-tailored society wife with her pearls and designer clothing and the motley and exotic bikers in their white, red, and black leather. But they all shared identical expressions of joy as they took in the sight of Baba and her company, and she breathed a sigh of relief to see them all safe and sound. Koshei was nowhere in sight, which was undoubtedly for the best.
“Mama!” Petey broke away from the rest of the children, who still seemed somewhat dazed and lost, bolting across the stony ground to be enveloped in his mother’s frantic grasp.
“Thank god, oh, thank god,” Penelope said, over and over, tears running down her face. “Oh, my baby. Thank god, thank god.”
Baba thought it might be a bit more appropriate to thank her and Liam, but under the circumstances, she didn’t really mind.
“Hello, boys,” she said cheerfully. “Did you miss me?”
Alexei shrugged shoulders like small mountains. “What, you went someplace? We didn’t even notice.” But a big grin split his craggy face. “I see you found what you were looking for. Run into any trouble?”
Baba and Liam exchanged glances. “Piece of cake,” she said.
“Yeah,” Liam agreed. “Piece of cake.”
Mikhail snorted. “Why don’t I believe you? On the other hand, you’re here, you got the children, and neither one of you is quacking or saying ribbit, so I’m guessing it all worked out okay in the end.”
Baba thought about poor, broken Melissa, trying not to think about how seeing her like that had affected Liam. He’d barely said a word since they left court, carrying the smallest child out in silence.
“Depends on your definition of okay, I guess,” she said somberly. “But mostly, yeah.”