Holding onto Babsy, perched on the sliver of a seat at the back of the bike—which Babette had apparently borrowed on the fly, AKA stole—Elspeth didn’t have much time to think about Luc. Too much squealing in delight and yelling, “Faster!” as she hung on to Babette while they took tight corners and raced down straight stretches.

Elspeth did not have the time to process how Luc made her feel—emotionally. Her girly parts, however, felt very wet and tingly.

At least she wasn’t alone in her attraction. His rather large erection had proven that. That kind of massive growth should be looked at. She’d volunteer.

For his health, of course.

When the bike slowed to a stop, she was ready to ask Babsy to turn around when she realized they’d not arrived at their hotel, but the airport.

“What are we doing here?” she asked.

“Time to go home.”

“Home? I can’t go home yet. I need to help Luc.” Help him with his grief. Help him adjust to this world. Help him out of his pants.

“Luc can help himself.”

“What of our luggage?”

“We’ll buy new stuff,” Babette replied. “We have to hurry. I have orders from your mother and the king to bring you home.”

“How kind of them both to care. But—”

Babette interrupted Elspeth. “They miss you.”

“They do?” Elspeth’s expression brightened. “I miss them, too. But really, if Mother wants to see me, I could just video call her. The king, too.”

“A call isn’t like a hug in person.”

“True.” She could tell Babette was coming over to the hugging side. “But what of our mission?”

“You heard the Emerald cow, nothing to see.”

Elspeth chewed her lower lip because she heard the lie. Did her bestie hide something from her? “You’re still pining for Joanna, aren’t you?”

“What? No.” Babette acted startled, but Elspeth knew it was an act.

She patted her bestie’s knee. “Don’t worry. You’ll find someone else. Someone who isn’t married or a homicidal despot intent on ruling the world.” Babsy’s last girlfriend now lived in some alternate dimension with a huge tentacled monster.

Which, for some reason, made her think of Luc. Earlier, she’d collapsed in sadness because of his story. Now that she’d had time to recover, she found strength in it. Purpose. He might not realize it yet, but he needed her. Needed her to show him how to be happy again.

I have a mission. Which was why, when they boarded the plane, she excused herself right away to go to the washroom—and kept on going out the door before it closed.

She ran back into the airport and then out to the area with all the taxis, only to realize she’d misplaced her wallet. On the plane.

“Oh fiddlesticks.” How would she get back to Luc?

She could always change shapes and fly, but this close to the airport, she’d probably get into trouble. The king had sent out a memo about them interfering with airplane flight routes.

She’d have to get farther away before she attempted it. Given walking was considered healthy, she set off with a jaunty step. A car pulled up alongside her. The window rolled down, and a very handsome man peered out at her.

“Can I give you a ride?” he asked.

The kindness of strangers never failed to delight. “That would be epic,” she exclaimed. “How nice of you to offer.”

She went to grab the door handle, only to pause as someone shrieked, “Elspeth Mary Canard, don’t you dare get in that car!”

Oddly enough, that sounded just like her mama. A quick whirl showed Babette stalking down the sidewalk. She didn’t seem to be enjoying the energizing walk, judging by her scowl.

Turning back to her Good Samaritan, she offered an apologetic smile. “Oops. I see my friend. I guess I won’t need a ride, after all.”

For a moment, she could have sworn the driver’s eyes turned red and, amidst the swirl of cologne, a hint of something else appeared. Something familiar…

He sped off just as Babette reached her, hands planted on her hips.

“What is wrong with you? We are supposed to be on a plane flying home.”

“I told you, I have unfinished business here.”

“Yes. Yes. You told me. Luc needs you. Blah. Blah.” Babette rolled her eyes. A lot of people exercised their orbs in that way around Elspeth.

“This isn’t just about Luc. It’s also about the missing girls.”

“What missing girls? The humans?”

Elspeth shook her head. “Nope. The dragon ones. Joanna lied to us.”

“I knew it!” Followed by a crowed, “Told you so.”

“And I should have believed you. Especially since it must have been hard to accuse her given your attraction.”

Babette’s lips flattened. The reminder of her impossible lust still hard to handle. “What made you change your mind?”

It was Elspeth’s turn to exercise her eyeballs. “Because I had a vision, of course.”

“A vision.” Babette repeated this slowly. Probably to ensure that she remembered it forever.

“Yes. A vision.” Elspeth began to walk back in the direction of the airport and the taxis idling by the curb. “I get them all the time, sometimes in my dreams.”

“Dreams aren’t real.”

“Mine are. I know the future.” Several versions, as a matter of fact. Which could get confusing, especially when she assumed certain things had come to pass. A certain election came to mind.

“You dream of the future?”

“Mostly. Sometimes the past.”

“How come I’m just hearing this now?” Babette asked, her expression quite skeptical.

Having been on the receiving end of that quite often, Elspeth never took offense but rather celebrated the fact that her friend didn’t take things at face value but questioned. Everyone should be so bright and inquisitive.

“Sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. Mama says I shouldn’t speak of it.” From a young age, Mama had whispered, “Never tell anyone about the dreams. They won’t understand. Hoard those secrets.” It was why Mama said she needed the drugs.

“Your mother knows?”

“As well as the doctors. Although they think I’m cured. I stopped telling them when stuff was going to happen. I did feel bad though when Dr. Gump got puked on that day in the cafeteria.” Elspeth, knowing it was coming, had sat in the far corner with her green Jell-O.

“If you’re seeing things, shouldn’t you be in some temple or something? Isn’t that where the fortune tellers go?” Babette asked.

“Do you think I could be a gypsy fortune teller? Those hoop earrings are really awesome. Although I’ve never tried to dye my hair dark.” Elspeth grabbed a curl and yanked it taut. “How would it look?”

“How about we forget the hair for a minute and go back to the dreams you have of missing dragons. What makes you think they’re real?”

“Not real so much as possibilities. I see many paths the future can take.” The branches were many and, oddly enough, converged with some acts only being small blips in the road. “Some futures have more divergences than others.”

“What you’re saying is the future is not set in stone. Cool,” Babette replied.

“Why aren’t you more surprised?” Elspeth asked. Then immediately answered her own question. “My mother told you I was special.”

“Actually, Aunt Klarice told me to ignore anything weird you do.”

“I am not weird.”

“You have to admit, you have quirks.”

Elspeth tossed her head. “I am unique. Did you know I can gnaw through braided rope in under three minutes?”

“A better question is, why would you do that, and why the fuck would you want to time it?”

“Why not?”

“More like, why me?” Babette grumbled. “Let’s get back to the missing girls. The ones you’re so worried about. Who are they?”

“Anyone and everyone.”

“Are you trying to talk like a temple priestess? Plain English, please.”

“What I mean to say is that the only real commonality between the missing people is their sex. All women. However, the ages vary.” Elsie closed her eyes as she tried to remember the vague dream from the night before.

“You said they were dragons.”

“And humans. The humans he tends to feed on right away. The dragons he prefers to savor.” Elsie swayed in place, the vision finally replaying, but this time, she controlled the pace of it. The talent of the Yellow. Not to fight or kill or burn, but to see the truth. History as it happened.

It drove some people mad.

Her mother was determined to ensure it didn’t happen to Elspeth. Hence all the hospital visits. Mama hoped to find a chemical and psychological balance to help her hold on to her sanity.

It worked. Elspeth didn’t need as many pills now to maintain her happy, as long as she abstained from alcohol. It undid all her training.

“Have you had any visions about me?”

Not one she cared to share. Elspeth intended to make sure that vision didn’t come to pass.

What of your promise to Mama not to meddle?

That didn’t count with friends. She wouldn’t let Babette get hurt. And she needed Luc to ensure that happened.

At least with Elspeth having admitted her secret, Babette didn’t argue much when Elspeth said they were going back to see him.

Her heart fluttered in her chest as the taxi approached his home. Wondering how he would react when he saw her.

Most people groaned and then pasted false smiles. Crazy Elspeth, who said the oddest things, who saw the good in the world. No one could handle it.

Until Luc. She would have never believed a man like him would even notice a girl like her. However, she’d seen it in a few visions of the future, their bodies entwined. Flesh to flesh. Joined as if one.

She couldn’t wait.

Entering his house, not bothering to knock—let Alfred have a break—she went to the library, knowing she’d find Luc there. Yet he didn’t even lift his head to acknowledge her.

He seemed much more intent on his map.

Which was why she snuck up on him.