Page 11 of There's No Place Like Oz

“Kansas. I’m from the United States.”

The scarecrow pondered that for a moment. “I’ve never heard of such aplaceeither. What are these states united against, exactly? Are you also ruled by witches?”

“I’d say we’re ruled by demons, mostly.” I muttered to myself. If I’d learned anything since I’d arrived, he’d likely take that statement literally. But then, I’m not sure I didn’t mean it literally. I dismissed the thought, then addressed him again. “Would you mind helping me down?”

It was hard to say if he was on my side or not, but if he wasn’t on the side of the munchkins, then that was good enough for me.

“Would I mind, indeed.” He reached out a lukewarm hand and danced his fingertips lightly along the side of my calf. I shuddered at the sudden contact, only causing the wire to cut into me more. He used the lightest pressure as he danced those fingers up to the hem of my skirt. I fidgeted again. That only got a low chuckle out of him. “Are you scared of me, Dorothy?” He asked with amusement.

“I-I don’t know.” I bit my lip, uncomfortable with the tingles his touch was sending through me. “I don’t know if you’re saving me or going to hurt me more.” I attempted to pry into his intentions, hoping for the former, but mentally preparing for the latter.

“Well,Iwould certainly be afraid of me if I were you.” He lifted my skirt an inch, never removing those cool fingers from my skin, and my heart beat picked up just from the look in his eyes. But then he stopped short and let his exploration of my legs drift back downward. He feathered light taps down my skin, then he drew small circles around my ankle bones. “After all, whether I help you or hurt you, sweet girl, all depends on if you can tell mewhereyou got these silver shoes.” His smile revealed shark teeth, and I swallowed into the painful sting of my restraints.

If he wasn’t on the munchkin’s side, that could very well mean that he was on the wicked Grunhilda’s side, and telling him I’d knocked the woman off her broom and murdered her with my house probably wouldn’t go over that well.

“Th-they were a gift.” I lied, but it was painfully obvious that I’d done so. My acting skills should have been much better than this, but fear had a way of shutting down any such talents. That was one of my many, many failings when I’d been on set.

He laughed again. Always so amused, yet it felt innately sinister in nature. “Sweetheart, I amincapableof reading or comprehending emotions, and even I can tell that’s a damn lie.” He stroked the top of my foot with the back of his fingernails, drawing lines down to the edge of my shoe, then he traced the rim of silver until he was back up to my ankles. With a suddenness that made me jump in my bondage, he took a firm grip of my legs. His fingers pressed into my skin so roughly I was certain he’d leave bruises. “I know who these belong to, and I know how important they are to her. They would never be given away as a gift. Certainly not to some pretty little thing from wherever the fuck Kansas is.”

His grip tightened until it hurt nearly as much as the barbed wire.

“Okay okay okay—Itookthem from the Wicked Witch of the East.” I confessed immediately. The only thing I handled worse than pain was keeping secrets. “I… I killed her. On accident, I mean, she’s dead from a series of unfortunate events that were only partially my fault, and I was barefoot, and the shoes fit me so… so I kept them.” This explanation was terrible, but at least it was honest. The last twenty-four hours had been such a sensory overload that I was still registering the reality of my role in her death. Saying it out loud was the first time I’d started to process it.

I closed my eyes tightly, bracing myself for the anger and vengeance that might come next, but instead, that confession elicited a laugh that was much more gentle than the last. His grip slackened. I opened my eyes again to meet a playful smile.

“Accidentally? How does oneaccidentallymurder the most powerful woman in Oz?” He motioned to the slaughter around him with a tip of his chin. “I could see someoneaccidentallyslaughtering the pathetic imps that she governs, but… my dearest Hildy?”

DEAREST Hildy? Fuck.

“W-was she your lover?” The nerves caught in my throat. I very much wished he would let me down, but the longer this conversation went on, the less he seemed likely to do anything of the sort.

“She was a lover of something.” He eyed me with a curiosity that didn’t feel menacing, but he still made no effort to untie me. “When your choices for companionship are a devil in a black dress or…” He jerked his head slightly to motion towards the munchkins. “A gaggle of goblins in flannel, let’s just say you choose the devil.”

“Are you going to punish me for killing her?” I tried next. Andthatlaugh was deep and guttural.

Crowe shook his head, as though he was unable to contain his amusement at such a question. He locked in eye contact with those devilish red rings, while he began drawing circles against my muscles with his thumbs. His grip moved upwards again, massaging me along the way, kneading and squeezing up my calves. It was becoming difficult to focus on anything other than the way he was touching me. “Do you like being punished, Dorothy?” The scarecrow asked in a low whisper.

I swallowed, but I didn’t respond.

“That’s not a no.” He smirked, but still I didn’t respond. So he rolled his neck, drawing attention to the scar that circled his skin. It looked as though he’d been decapitated and sewn back together. “MydearestGrunhilda quite enjoyed the way I punished her. She gave me many gifts when I was her whore, and not the least of which was an immortal body that long outlived my heart and my conscience.” His fingers slipped just under my skirt this time, climbing up just high enough to hide his hands completely. He now rubbed those circles on the sensitive skin of my inner thighs. “Don’t be so tense, sweetheart. Her death is delightful news. I simply needed you to confirm it for me.”

Comforting. I didn’t know why that was the first word to settle in my mind, but it was. His little circles inched dangerously higher. I clenched my thighs together, stopping the ascent before he felt something I’d rather him not notice. “S-so how about you help me down as a thank you?”

Crowe released me suddenly, then he touched a finger to his lips in thought. “I suppose such a thing does owe you my gratitude.” That sharp smile sent shivers through me. “Fine then. You can consider me in your debt, Sweet Dorothy. And I am a man who always pays his debts.”

“Thank you.” I managed to say as he began gingerly undoing my bindings. He freed my ankles, then he started on my waist, my neck, then my wrists. When the last wire was unraveled, he lifted me from the hooks that held me in place, and he set me softly on the ground. Just like that, I was saved.

I rubbed my neck absently where the barbs had injured me, then I turned to Tobias with a start. “I’m sorry, can you please help me get him down, too?”

Crowe nodded, then he joined my efforts of unraveling the barbs. I appreciated his superior strength as he lifted Tobias from his hooks and placed him safely on the ground.

I checked his pulse first, for fear he may have taken too hard a hit to the head. The gentle beating of his heart gave me calm, and I shook him lightly to wake him up. Tobias groaned as he blinked himself awake.

With a start, he sprung to his feet in a stance that was ready to fight. “Dorothy, are you alright? Who is this?” He growled.

I nodded. “I’m quite alright, thanks to our new friend.” I motioned to Crowe, who took a bow in response. “Tobias, this is Crowe. Crowe, this is Tobias. My… uh…”

“Her friend and protector.” Tobias immediately stepped between us. He placed a hand on my chest and pressed me slightly behind him. “Did you do this?” He asked with measured caution while surveying the miniature warzone. It reminded me of when Toto used to defend me from our house guests by barking wildly between us. Only now his bark was much deeper, and something told me his bite was much more severe.

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