Clash of the Otherworlds: Book 1, After the Fall by Elle Casey Read Free Book Online Page B

too harsh.  I do let go whenever I can; and I can help you learn how to do it too, if you want."
    I shrugged.  "If it'll make it easier to live with the screw-ups, I'm all for it."
    "Not only will it make that easier, but it'll make the screw-ups less frequent and less ... epic."
    I cocked my head.  "Are you suggesting I've had epic screw-ups?"
    "Not at all."
    Tim's voice broke into our conversation from beyond the door.  "Yoooo hoooo!  Anyone want to help a pixie out over here?  Can't fit under, can't fly through!"
    "Go away!" I said loudly.
    Ben jumped in surprise, leaning back a little with his hands up, looking confused.  "Wow, what'd I say?"
    I laughed, shaking my head and getting up, waving him off.  "No, not you.  Tim.  He's at the door."  I walked over to open it.
    "I really need to get one of those hearing spells from the witches," mumbled Ben, following behind me.
    I grabbed the handle and pulled, but the door wouldn't budge.  I frowned, wondering if I'd missed a lock somewhere.  I moved my hand out of the way, but didn't see any kind of buttons or hooks or anything that could be securing the door.  I tried once more, but it definitely wasn't moving.  I tried to force the panic away, but my brain couldn't stop thinking about how I was trapped in the room with Ben.
    "Here ... let me help you," he said, taking the handle and easily pulling the door in.
    Tim flew through the opening, exclaiming as he went.  "Whoa, nice place.  A little heavy on the doom and gloom, but I like it."  Tim stopped in the middle of the room, doing a slow hovering circle before he stopped, facing me, his hands on his hips.  "It's exactly what I'd expect from the Lord of Darkness Himself."  He grinned from ear to ear.
    "What'd he say?" asked Ben, shutting the door.
    "He said he likes your place.  That it suits you."
    Ben eyed me suspiciously, so I gave him my most innocent look.
    "Thanks," he said, looking over at Tim.
    Tim came over to me, doing some midair rolls as he talked.  "So, what's happening in here?  Were you guys making out?  Sucking face?  Snogging?  Lighting each other's fires?  Gettin' busy?"
    I closed my eyes, sighing loudly before answering.  "We were talking about ..." I looked at Ben, not quite remembering what we'd been discussing.  My eyes kept going back to the dragon tapestry.  We hadn't really been talking about it, but it was far more interesting to me than anything else right now for some reason.
    "We were talking about Jayne's powers and me helping her to use them better -to feel more confident- and for her to learn how to go with the flow."
    "Oh, that's good," said Tim.  "I'm sure the green elves will be happy to learn they will be coma-free from now on."
    I sighed.
    "What'd he say?"
    "His usual.  He's begging our forgiveness for the fallout we're suffering."
    "Fallout?"
    "From his intestinal issues."
    Tim buzzed up in front of Ben, gesturing and yammering on and on about personal boundaries and so on.  
    Ben heard none of it.  He just looked at me and said, "Maybe I don't want one of those hearing spells, after all."
    I shook my head.  "Trust me.  Pixies are better seen and not heard."
    We shared a smile, knowing we were both pissing Tim off to no end.  I was feeling more cheerful and confident already.  Maybe working with Ben wouldn't be all that bad.
    "Jayne, I sure hope you don't really mean that," said Tim, buzzing over to land on top of the decanter of absinthe.  "Because I have some juicy news for you.  But hey, if you'd rather just see this pixie and not hear him, I'll understand."  He pretended to be admiring his fingernails, squinting his eyes in careful examination, first holding his hand in an upside down fist below his face and then opening his hand and extending his arm out to view his manicure from a distance, palm facing out.
    "What'd you hear?" I asked, coming to sit down in the leather chair next to him, facing the dragons.
    "I'm not sure if we should be