28.1 Fic: Mirage Reflection 7

“Listen, Toby. Buddy. We gotta talk.”   Lanterns lit amid the sounds of partygoers enjoying the perfume of wild roses and cypress, the sounds of tinkling of glass and low, muffled laughter.   “You have to promise to keep this between us, okay? I mean it, this is like top-secret, very sensitive information, and I don’t want it getting out. You can’t even tell Cri. Got it?”   A decisive nod and a huff.   “Great. That goes for all of you, too!”   Unimpressed hay-munching and snoring from the animals in the other stalls.   “I mean it! Toby, if they start talking, I’m counting on you to lay down the law for me.”   Silence, and a slow blink.   “Cool. So, as you can probably tell, I’m feeling a little rattled.”   Pacing fast, hair an eddying whirlwind behind her.   “It’s just –“ A pause, a worried lip, clenched hands.   “This is going to sound insane. “   A long pause.   “I don’t have feelings for Mika, right?”   A loud snort, a hoof beat on dirt.   “Of course not, that would be insane. I held a knife to the guy’s throat like, ten days ago. I didn’t even know his name!”   More pacing.   “I’m just hard up right now, is all. Stressed. We’ve been going hard for so long, my head isn’t on straight. And he’s been there for me a lot over the last several days, so I’m just confused.”   Decisive nod.   “He’s just very good at making me laugh, you know? I always feel like a loon around him, he’s constantly saying something snarky or stupid to lighten the mood, even at his own expense.”   A soft breeze, crickets chirping.   “And he’s so smart! Knew exactly what approach to take transferring Asmira to the Teeth. He helped free Ta’lok from the cultists’ control, ripped away that caster’s disguise. Recognized the fey in the bar, although I still don’t how. Protected me in Amir’s palace, sent him reeling.”   Pause.   “For all of the things I’ve accomplished lately, I couldn’t have survived most of it without him.”   A deep inhale.   “But he’s a skinny little NERD!”   Whinnying.   “He’s stubborn, he’s stoic, never explains ANYTHING unless it’s book stuff! ‘Why yes hello, my name is Mika and I’m a stupid, handsome, and obnoxious kid from Midnight whose accent is not distracting IN THE LEAST and my favorite things in the world are word puzzles and being edgy! ’”   Loud huff, plops down, heedless of the dirt beneath her gown.   “I’m being overly dramatic, aren’t I?”   Self-deprecating grin.   “I just - the dancing. In the Library. What the fuck even was that?”   Long silence, head in her hands.   “It doesn’t matter what it was. Because even if it was something, WHICH IT WASN’T, he’s not… interested.”   A curious head tilt.   “Oh - yeah, you missed that part, Toby. This was before you. We were leaving this bar, and he’d been flirting with this guy all week, and then he lets him down real hard right before we ship out. So I, of course, gave him shit for it, because what the fuck, dude? But he was all like, ‘I have too many secrets, it wouldn’t work, blah blah.’ ‘No love without trust’, or whatever.”   Throws a piece of hay, hits the side of Toby’s stall.   “Sounds like a pretty lonely way to live , if you ask me, but. Not my curse, I guess.”   Stands abruptly.   “Whatever this is, it’ll pass. I’ve had teensy, tiny crushes on friends before and they never went further than that. Totally fine, totally harmless. We just won’t tell him any of this, obviously, and it’ll fade in no time .”   “Besides! Can’t have my head in the clouds when there’s a god or entity out there that needs killing. Gonna have to be on my A-Game if we’re gonna fight something that’s got Mika this worked up.”   A contemplative silence.   “Do you think whatever it is can hear me right now, Toby? Probably not, huh, that would be nuts. But, just in case…listen up! I do not care where you are from, or how long you’ve been around, or what you want, but if you don’t let my friend go, I will make your pitiful excuse for an existence so miserable, you’ll wish you’d found some other random dude to bully instead of him. I do not care what it costs me , I do not care how long it takes, I will become your every nightmare, and I’ll have fun doing it. So. You know.”   Scuffs her shoe in the dirt.   “Keep that in mind.”   Another slow blink in response.   “Yeah, I know. More dramatics. Love me anyway?”   Ear scritches and forehead kisses gratefully received.   “Better head back, don’t want him to think I’ve run off scared. We’ll have our dance, and all will be well. Night, Toby! See you tomorrow!”   The sounds of the Noor party linger as she races out the door, accompanied by a whistling wind and a sense of certainty.   The stables go quiet again, but Toby thinks to himself, But are you sure all will be well, Princess ?