Page 32 of Cheshire's Smile
“Why do you need to know?” Chess finally decided to ask.
“I’m trying to figure out the password for that silly dodo’s computer.”
Chess’s head tilted in that cat-like way he and his father shared. “But why?”
My jaw clenched. I would not smash the mirror. I would not start screaming like a mad woman. Sucking in a tight breath, I blew it out. Unfortunately, it did little to calm me, but at least I wasn’t about to have a meltdown.
“Look.” I turned the mirror to the closed doors. “The guards are gone. The doors are locked. We have no way to get anywhere, let alone the Shadow Realm.”
I turned the mirror back onto me. “We want into their computer so we can find out if they left a clue as to unlocking the spell on the Shadow Realm’s door.”
“Oh, that?” Chess scratched his ear. “You don’t need to get in their computer for that. You just say the magic word.”
I stared hard at the mirror. “And that would be?”
“Ummm... hold on.” Chess set the mirror down, giving us an unobstructed view of their bedroom.
Clothes were strewn all over the place. Piles of books covered the desk and floor. Their bed was unmade, half the pillows andblankets on the floor. How in the world two of the worst slobs were able to get along together was beyond me. I couldn’t handle all that mess cluttering up my space.
A few books flew across the screen while Chess muttered to himself. Finally, after what felt like forever, Chess exclaimed and rushed back to the screen, holding a small blue notepad. “Let me see. It’s in here somewhere.”
“What is that?” I tried to make out the small wording on the back of the notebook. Then I scowled. “Passwords? After all that lecturing about picking strong passwords so no one can guess them, Kat keeps her passwords in a notebook called ‘Passwords?’ Where anyone could find it?”
Chess gave a weak smile. “Well, after having to change her passwords so many times because she forgot them, this was the only way we could make sure they wouldn’t get lost again.”
I tried not to go on a tirade of how irresponsible Kat was, especially as the moderator between the fae and humans. How anyone trusted her to be in charge of anything was a miracle. That poor child in her belly was going to have a hard time in this world with such a scatter brain for a mother.
“Moving on.” I gestured halfheartedly. “Is there a password for the Shadow Realm door or not? And how does she even have the password?”
Chess lowered the notebook, his chin tipping up as he thought. “I’m not really sure. Probably because she helped Dorian set up the magic to lock the door.”
I choked on air. “Dorian? She helped Dorian set up the lock?”
It was hard to imagine Kat and Dorian doing anything together. The man was her ex-fiancé, for Reaper’s sake. One she had not only killed herself over, but then, as a reincarnation, she left him for the fae before me. The fact that ether one of them could even be in the same room with each other was unimaginable.
“I know.” Chess’s eyes narrowed, then smiled as if it was nothing at all. “They are really putting things behind them. Though, I think it’s partly guilt on his part for his whole part with the shadows.”
Cheshire cleared his throat.
“Oh, right.” Chess’s eyes flicked back to the notebook, flipping through the pages. “Wi-Fi password. Bank PIN. Oh, look! It’s my birthday!”
I palmed my face. This woman. I just couldn’t with her.
“Um... security code. Ah hah!” Chess pointed at the page with a wide grin. “Here it is. Shadow Realm.” His lips dipped in a frown. “I can’t quite make out what this says. Open says me? That can’t be right. Maybe it’s a different language.”
He traced the words on the page. “You know, the humans have so many languages, its really fascinating. Kat has been helping me with this app on the phone so that you can learn all kinds of languages. She says that if I learn French, she would wave the white flag. I’m not sure what exactly she means. Do you think it’s dirty? I sure hope so.”
My patience finally snapped. “Cheshire S. Cat! If you don’t stop rambling, I’m going to hide all of your cheese puffs when I get home. The password is open sesame.”
“What?” Chess stared down at the paper and then back up to me. “How do you know?”
“Because,” I huffed, “it was the password from an old book. The most overused password anyone in the Human Realm would use on the first try. She really needs to be more creative.”
“Oh. Well, if you say so.” Chess shrugged, not at all bothered by my threat or explanation. “You just have to go up to the door, put your hand on the chains, and say the password. Then voila. Wait, that’s French right? I should go say it to Kat.” He moved to get up, then sank back down with a distressed sound. “Maybe later.”
“What is it?” My foot tapped on the floor. The need to unlock the door and be on my way was tugging at me viciously. Except I was a good friend, or at least was trying to be. I couldn’t just hang up on Chess without asking him what was the matter.
Cheshire pressed against my back, a low purr helping some of the erratic energy running through me.
