Only Girl by Mary E. Twomey

Author:Mary E. Twomey [Twomey, Mary E.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-03-02T05:00:00+00:00

24

A Father and Daughter Outing

I think I was expecting some form of the Eden-like paradise when Dub ported me from the bottom of the well to the island, but what greeted me was some kind of science experiment gone wrong. We stood on the shore, staring inland at an angry twining of thick vines. Some were broader around the middle than my hips. The greens were vibrant, but they possessed a menace to them that seemed to seek out total domination. The vines were wrapped around every tree, choking the leaves off the trunk like a mutant boa constrictor on a mission. You couldn’t see much of the ground past the sand; it was all covered with vines, like the center of the island had barfed green spaghetti over the whole place.

I gasped when I saw some of them slowly shift, as if sensing Dub and me nearby. “What is this place?”

“This is your wedding present gone horribly wrong. There’s a magical stone in the tallest tower that took nature and set it in motion. Perhaps too much motion.”

“I’ll say. This is bonkers. What am I supposed to be helping with? This seems lightyears above my paygrade.”

Dub chuckled, seeming freer now that we were here instead of in the cabin. “Don’t you worry about that. See, the heart of the vine is in the center of the island. It’s this giant mouth that utterly destroys anything that’s placed inside. There are a few troublesome things that I need your help locating, so we can chuck them into the flower and destroy them for Kerdik.”

My mouth pulled to the side. “And Kerdik would be happy if we came back and the problem was dealt with? He wants these few things destroyed, but just didn’t know how to ask for my help?”

“He wants to impress you. Of course he wouldn’t ask for your help. But he needs it, little flower. Think of how pleased he’ll be when this doesn’t plague him anymore.”

“Okay. I’m onboard. Family first. Kerdik’s your brother, so let’s take care of him.” I pinched the bridge of my nose as my brain fought to keep up. “So we’re not trying to destroy this crazy plant, but we’re using its mouth in the middle of the island to kill off the couple of things that are giving him a lot of frustration? What are the things?”

Dub paused, as if trying to figure out how best to frame his response. “First off, you seem to think Kerdik is my brother. He’s not. He’s my son. It’s important for you to know that rare secret in case we’re ever separated. Do you recall how you summoned me to come here today? You simply press your palms together and say my name three times. Then I’ll be able to find you.”

“Roger, that. Stellar genetics, by the way. Are you the type that doesn’t age, like me and Kerdik?”

“I am, only much more powerful than either of you,” he said with a teasing wink.

I scratched my head, overloaded with too much new information.

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