“Oh, no,” Baba held up both hands as if warding off a blow. Or something a lot worse. “Not me. The last time someone gave the queen news that really upset her, she turned six of her handmaidens into swans. For all I know, they’re still swimming around in the royal moat. One of you should tell her.”
“I’d make a lousy swan,” Alexei said with a slightly slurred snort. “Probably sink like a stone. Besides, you’re the one who called us in on this; we’re just the hired help.”
Gregori gave a particularly Russian shrug, one shoulder shifting up and down expressively. “Sorry, Baba, you’re going to have to do it. And better sooner than later. You know how the queen feels about people who keep secrets from her. And despite your autonomy in this world, the Babas all report to the queen at the end of the day. She rules over all magic. You do not want to piss her off.”
Baba sighed, drank the rest of her vodka down in one fiery swallow, and stood up as decisively as her slightly shaky knees allowed. “Fine. I’m going. I’m going.” She turned to Chudo-Yudo. “I’m leaving you in charge. Try not to let the boys wreck the place while I’m gone.”
The dragon-dog licked her hand. “Try not to get turned into anything nasty. I’d hate to have to eat you.”
She’d taken two steps in the direction of the wardrobe, when Mikhail said, “Stop.”
FOURTEEN
“WHAT?” BABA ASKED, just a little testy. Maybe he was going to offer to go in her place after all.
“Is that what you’re wearing?”
She started to roll her eyes but thought the better of it after glancing down at her bare feet and funky skirt. “Damn. Definitely not a good idea.” The queen was a stickler for protocol.
She ran into the back bedroom and changed quickly into her formal court attire, coming back out dressed in a scoop-necked red silk tunic that hugged her curves, and black velvet tights tucked into high leather boots so glossy you could see your reflection in them. A narrow silver sword sat on her right hip, and a small ornate dagger was on the left, both hanging from a jeweled belt. Her usual wild mass of dark hair was caught up sedately in a gossamer net decorated with tiny garnets and rubies that glittered like stars in the gold filigree, and around her neck was a simple necklace in the shape of a dragon with ruby eyes.
“Better?” she asked, twirling around so they could all see. The stiletto heel of one boot dug into the carpet under her feet, and a tiny orange salamander gave a high-pitched squeak and wiggled out of harm’s way.
Mikhail waggled his eyebrows at her, leering enthusiastically. “Much! You clean up quite nicely, Baba.”
Gregori and Alexei nodded in agreement. Even the dog looked impressed.
“You know, Chudo-Yudo,” she said. “Since the boys are here, they could guard the Water of Life and Death for you, and the doorway for me. You could come with me,” she said hopefully. “Wouldn’t you like a chance to change out of that big furry form and spread your wings again?”
He shook his massive head. “Thanks, but no thanks. I’d rather be a live dog than a dead dragon. No way am I taking bad news to the queen. But be sure to give her my regards.”
Baba shrugged. There was no point in more stalling—time to go tell the most powerful woman in the Otherworld that not only was there a breach in her defenses not one of her people had caught, but that someone had been using it to break the rules on both sides of the gateway. That was going to go over well.
She walked over to the closet door and opened it—directly onto the passageway, with no juggling required. It figured that it worked without arguing . . . the one time she wished it wouldn’t.
*
ONCE ON THE other side, however, things didn’t go so smoothly. In theory, since she had a specific destination in mind, the door should have opened nearby, and a short walk would have taken her directly to court. Instead, she ended up in a murky back corner she recognized from her youthful misadventures as the home of an antisocial troll and his wife, a carnivorous tree fairy named Lucinda. Not people she wanted to meet up with again, even if she hadn’t been in a hurry. Focusing on her goal of seeing the queen and king, Baba took a deep breath and followed the nearest path that led elsewhere.
Thorny blue vines caught at her feet as she almost tumbled headfirst into a ravine filled with giant roses in garish hues of acid pink, electric green, and maroon. Petals larger than her hand rained down on her head as she tried to catch her balance, and the sickly-sweet fragrance caught in her throat. She concentrated harder, fighting her way out of the dell and onto another path.