But I needed to see to Josette.
“I think it’s best if Josette and I travel together and stay together, at least for a time,” I informed Valentine. “When we both become accustomed to getting around in our new world, then we can go off and do things alone.”
“Nonononono,” Josette said swiftly, shaking her head in a negative to strengthen her words. “I’ll be just fine.”
“See,” Valentine lazily swung her hand Josette’s way. “She’ll be fine.”
I looked to Josette. “My dear, this is our adventure, and I’ll emphasize the our in that statement. It’s my responsibility to look out for you. I can’t leave you to your own devices the instant you get there.”
“Mistress Valentine is taking care of me,” Josette replied.
“Indeed I am, and it’s all sorted,” Valentine added, quite definite about that, and I knew she was as she lifted her hands, and without delay, the room started to turn green.
I knew what that meant.
I took a step toward her. “Sister, this needs to be discussed. Josette is my charge and—”
“Practice on those heels, Franka,” Valentine cut me off to advise. “You have fifteen minutes to make certain you don’t take an embarrassing tumble the first time you see Noctorno.”
The very thought of that arrested me and the workings of my mind for a moment before I realized the room was becoming greener and I needed to act with haste.
I lifted my own hands, certain there was no way to beat Valentine’s magic, but I had to try…for Josette.
“Valentine, listen to me…” I began as clouds of blue started swirling through the green.
“I’ll be fine,” Josette promised.
Valentine stepped closer to her.
I ignored her. “Valentine—”
She smiled her smile that I had perfected (back in the day).
And then she and Josette disappeared, the green drifted away and there was nothing but the floating clouds of blue that had no purpose for I’d called them up to beat back the green and that magic, as well as Valentine and Josette, were gone.
I dropped my hands and the clouds vanished.
“Blast!” I snapped, too loudly. “Blast,” I whispered, my eyes darting to the door in hopes it didn’t open.
I’d already said my farewells to my brother, sister and nephews. These were not moments I relished, at the same time I knew I would never forget them and the warmth and love they communicated.
But during them, Kristian and Brikitta shared they were worried about my upcoming adventure. Previously they both were all for this it, but now that the time had come, they were getting cold feet. Especially when they learned communication between worlds could be difficult.
If Kristian heard aught amiss—say me shouting, “Blast!”—he’d come running, even more concerned, and I didn’t want to have to say farewell to him all over again.
Once was enough.
Noc had been right.
Goodbyes sucked.
It would be worse if my brother saw me in this dress.
He might not allow me to go at all (though he’d have a time of it stopping Valentine from doing anything—the woman, I’d found, was a force of nature, literally).
Annoyed at Valentine, but knowing she was correct, I did not want to take a tumble in front of Noc, I started walking tentatively again in those beautiful but bloody uncomfortable (and dangerous) shoes.
I found to my distress (and some shame) that as the minutes passed and I moved around in those shoes, not only did my feet hurt more and more, but I thought less and less of Josette, what she was now experiencing and the fact I was not experiencing it with her as we both had thought we would.
No, I thought more and more of seeing Noc again.
With me in this dress.
And these shoes.
And just seeing…him.
I shook my hands feeling my palms perspiring as I tried a faster pace, finding my footing.
Damp palms due to fretfulness.
Unthinkable.
Ah, but what had happened to the Franka Drakkar I once knew?
You do know the answer to that, Antoine noted in my head.
I stopped dead.
I hadn’t heard him in months. Even before Noc left me. Definitely not after.
She never actually existed, Antoine’s voice carried on. A part you played, mon ange, beautifully. But you’ve quite literally taken off the costume and face paint, put on new, and are now ready for a different role. The role, to be banal, of a lifetime. The role of you just being…you.
I turned my head and saw myself in the mirror.
Was that me, the woman with her hair flowing unhindered, her cheeks pink with excitement (and what Valentine said in her world was fittingly called “blush”), her eyes bright with nervousness, her breaths coming fast from anticipation?
I always loved your legs, Antoine murmured.
“Mon cœur,” I whispered.
Farewell, my Franka. I’d bid you be happy, but I don’t need to.
“Why?” I asked.
You’ll see.
Those simple words made a tickle run down my spine.
He said no more.
“Antoine?” I called.
He didn’t speak to me, and in my soul I knew he never again would.
“Antoine,” I whispered, feeling not-so-oddly pleased the last I heard of his voice, he sounded happy.
But mostly I felt uncertain that I was facing my greatest adventure and in doing so had long since let him go and was moving on.
That greatest adventure was not going to a parallel universe where women were referred to as infants (of a variety of species) and wore death-defying shoes.