Page 15 of The Great and Terrible

“Did I mention how handsome he is?” Elaine asked.

The others twittered their agreement.

“And he’s powerful. So brave!”

“Perfect even.”

“He’s the only one strong enough to survive the storms and escort otherworlders home,” Lulu added, “but he lives in the City of Lux.”

Finally! A rock-solid answer. “Where’s the City of Lux?”

“Over the river, through the woods, around the poppy glens and beyond the sands and minefields.”

I blinked. “Are you kidding?” The beauty was messing with me, right, quoting part of a nursery rhyme.Plus, poppy glens? Come on! Poison poppies were featured inThe Wonderful Wizard of Oz, too.

“We never kid,” Buttercup deadpanned. “Jokes can sometimes be considered lying, and lying is bad. But if you’re hoping to travel to Lux, don’t. Depart from these grounds without permission, and you won’t just acquire a crimen. Bounty hunters will give chase. If you evade them, you’ll have to deal with trappers. And if you can’t get around the poppy glens, well.” Color drained from her cheeks. “You’ll die badly.”

Hunters, trappers, and poppies, oh my. No matter the danger, I must, must, must get to the City of Lux. And I must do it as soon as possible with some of Patch’s serpens-rosa in hand. “This river. Where is it?”

“The river isn’t far from here. A mere ten miles due south. You have only to exit West’s office, turn left, left, right, left, and you’ll make it to the garden. Nobody but thestablekeeper will try to stop you.” Elaine met my gaze, as serious as a heart attack. “But you should stay put. The Wests are awful, but the journey is worse. Oh, the stories I’ve heard.”

Patch must’ve broken my ability to trust the citizens of Hakeldama. Because why had the ladies given me such explicit instructions if they truly expected me to stay put? Did they want to get rid of me for some reason, but couldn’t admit it? “Tandi stayed and died anyway,” I pointed out.

No one responded. They were too busy looking behind me with an eerie mix of apprehension and excitement. “Is that…?” Lulu’s voice trailed off.

My brow furrowed as I followed their gazes with my own. A large bubble rose from the bottom of the pool, breeched the water’s surface, and popped, revealing a pink-haired, pink-skinned beauty wearing an elaborate headdress and seaweed gown. Beads hung over her forehead, creating the illusion of bangs. Shark teeth dangled from her ears.

“Water maiden,” the bath babes squealed in one accord.

Water maiden? Hmm. There were no water maidens in Oz. Well, not to my knowledge.

Moving with unnatural grace, the stranger glided to the shallow end, reclined, and leveled a fathomless stare on me. “Welcome to Hakeldama, otherworlder.”

Her voice. Eerie and melodic and soul-curdling. “Who—” what “—are you?” What was a water maiden, exactly?

“I am Iris the Good, granter of your greatest desire, at your service.” The beauty dipped her head in acknowledgement.

The choir piped up. “She’s so pretty!” “A good friend to have!” “A terrible enemy to make!” “I’ve never seen one in person!”

Iris waved to them, an irritated swipe of her fingers. “Go.”

The choir members squealed and rushed from the water, then the chamber, never looking back.

“Some would call me a greedy mercenary,” Iris said,swirling a finger in the water, causing greater ripples to lap at me. “Others might compare me to a much needed savior. But either way, I’m here to aid in your return. I promise you, Moriah, you’ll never get home without me.”

Home, the magic word. “You’ve caught my interest, I admit it, but you’ve also raised my suspicions.” I’d taken a few business classes, and I knew a scarcity tactic when I heard it.Buy now or lose this opportunity forever. “You want something in return, I’m guessing.”

“Always.” Iris canted her head to the side, earrings swinging back and forth. “But if you’d like, I’ll go away and give you a few days to experience all the Wests have to offer. After you’ve experienced their…hospitality, you’ll attempt to escape and fail. Then you’ll be punished and in no condition to make the journey to Lux for weeks and weeks. Perhaps months and months. I’ll return then, when you’re eager to hear what I have to say.”

“Now hold up,” I rushed out. Because yes, she’d called my bluff. I didn’t have weeks and months. Nor did my father. If she could get me home sooner rather than later, I had to act now. “What do you want?”

“When the time comes, I’ll demand a favor, and you’ll do it without hesitation. My fee is non-negotiable. I help you, or I don’t. You say yes to my terms or you say no. Which is it?”

Eighteen words. That was all the water maiden had spoken, and yet she’d wielded each with the precision of a sword.

“The clock is ticking,” she said in a sing-song voice. “In five seconds, I leave and don’t return for six months. Possibly a year. I can wait for what I want. Can you?”

“I agree to your terms,” I grated.

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