But she knew he still wanted what was best for Vyronas and so would always come when they called.
Without trying to break into the subject easily, Laina thought it best to just state why he was called.
“We have word that Empress Ralina has found Ava in The First Dimension. We fear that she may be sending some of her forces or those demons she has conjured through The Veil to capture her. You must leave at once and return Ava home.”
Laina knew this was a lot of information for anyone to process. The only subtle hint that Carrick was bothered by this news was the darkening of his blue eyes. Other than that, he did nothing more than nod, and turned to leave.
Laina knew she would get no argument from Carrick. Ava was a royal heir in hiding in The First Dimension, and all was lost if she fell into enemy hands, or worse, was killed. Laina knew that Carrick could get to Ava quickly and that he would not fail. He had more motivation than anyone to see that she remained safe. Yes, Laina had made the right decision to tell him like this. Now, she needed to get ready for the certain amount of fallout that would occur when Ava returned. Laina was so very tired of this war and hoped Ava’s return would signify an end may soon be near.
CHAPTER 1
The First Dimension of Earth, Wyoming – Present Day
“Scoop, lift, toss. Scoop, lift, toss”.
Ava Clairmont kept grunting out this mantra as she mucked out King’s stall. Sweat ran in tiny rivulets down her face, grabbing the dust and grime left by a hard day’s work.
“Scoop the poop, lift it up, toss it on the pile,” Ava chanted in a sing-song voice. It sounded much nicer than the way she had been groaning the words.
Her stallion, King, stood tethered outside his stall, munching on hay and watching her with dubious eyes. Really getting in the groove, Ava started shaking her hips while singing to the beat of her work. She gave a quick grin toward King.
“Come on, King, Old Man… sing with me. You gotta scoop the poop…poop for scoop…I’m a poooo-per scoooo-per”.
Sliding her shovel under the last of King’s “contribution” to her work, Ava chuckled to herself over the silly song she had created. She dumped the last of the droppings into the large pile outside King’s stall, and told herself she needed a bit of a break before she moved the pile over to the back field. Ava removed her work gloves and tossed them onto an old pine bench that stood against the far wall. A five dollar find at an old antique store in Casper. Ava mentally high-fived herself for such a thrifty yet practical purchase.
Still humming her little tune, she led King back into his stall and refreshed his water. She took a moment to admire her horse. King was a chestnut colored quarter horse with a beautiful blaze of white running down his back right leg. She thought it made him look unique. Giving him a pat along his neck, she stepped out of his stall and closed the door.
“See you soon King ol’ buddy. And let’s keep this little poop song between you and me,” Ava whispered conspiratorially.
Ava left the old barn, relishing the smell of the horses, fresh hay, and even the poop she just scooped. These were the smells of her ranch. Stopping at the water spigot just outside the barn door, she quickly washed her hands and wiped them dry on her jeans. Grabbing her water bottle she had left outside, she drained the rest of the contents and crossed the enclosed paddock that connected to the barn.
Looking beyond that, she saw the majestic snow-covered peaks of the Teton Mountains. It was a bright, sunny day in Wyoming and the snow glistened as if covered with crushed diamonds. The sky was a pristine blue with huge, fluffy clouds floating on a lazy breeze. They were just the sort of clouds that would cause Ava to want to spend a day laying on the front lawn, trying to imagine funny faces emerging from the various hills, nooks, and poofs that made up the cottony billows. It was warm outside for early July in Wyoming. Hell, sometimes they had snow in July.
The exertion of stall cleaning had left her shirt soaked in sweat. Her biceps burned from the constant shoveling and her lower back was sporting a nice ache. It