Savage King: New Worlds - Milly Taiden Page 0,1

Not that Lilah had good enough aim to tag her. The rock flew past at least a foot away, bouncing on the ground.

Wren shook her head. Those two fought like sisters instead of cousins. “Lilah,” she said, “be careful with that. They aren’t normal stones. You might break it.”

Standing in front of Wren, Lilah slapped a hand on her plump hip. “Break a magic rock? Yeah, right.”

“You don’t know,” Daphne huffed, joining them after reclaiming the stone.

“Neither do you.” Lilah said to Daphne, then spun on her heel. “Let’s get this portal open. I have to work tomorrow.”

Wren saw the expression on Daphne’s face. If looks could kill. . .But it had always been that way. Lilah being bossy, and Daphne keeping it inside her.

She put her hand on Daphne’s arm. “Why don’t you say something to her,” Wren asked. “She’s bossy, and she knows it.”

Her cousin shook her head, stepping forward. “It won’t do any good. When she’s in a mood, there’s no changing it.”

Wren knew that all too well, but she’d stood up to her grumpy cousin when they were young girls. Since then, Lilah seldom pulled that kind of shit on her. She wished Daphne would have the courage to do the same. But what could she do? Daph had to do it herself.

She followed her cousins to the edge of a village. “Where are we going?” Wren asked.

“Chelsea said to keep this portal thing on the down low,” Lilah answered.

“Why?”

Lilah shrugged. “I don’t know. Something about the little elflings wanting to go to Earth.”

Wren smiled. That would be chaos the planet wasn’t prepared for. A dozen young elves running around, using magic to take every candy bar and sugar-filled drink they could find.

Actually, that was an interesting idea. Maybe she could work that into a plot line with a little suspense. Who could resist adorable little elves with big eyes and Spock ears? Of course, she’d have to work in the shifter tigers she was known for.

Well, maybe not totally “known for.” As a daytime journalist, nighttime romance writer, nobody knew her from a hole in the wall. But one of these days. . .

Magical stone on her palm, Lilah held her hand out to her. “Here, take this one,” Lilah said. Wren hesitated to take it. A bad feeling crept over her. How many stories had she written with the inciting incident being a stupid move on the main character’s part? But in this story, she wondered who the lead female was.

“Maybe we should have Chelsea or Avery here,” she said. “I mean, they are the ones with real experience with magic.”

Lilah rolled her eyes. “Wren, stop worrying. We’ll be fine. All we have to do is touch all three rocks together like Grandmom did, then, voila, we’re home.”

Daphne stared at the rock in her hand. “Grandmom said she would port over and get us. Maybe we should wait for her.” Wren felt better knowing Daphne wasn’t sure about this whole thing, either.

Lilah huffed. “Come on, guys. She won’t be here for hours, and I’m tired of eating berries and nuts. I need some good shit, like potato chips and ice cream. Plus, I want a hot shower.”

Both she and Daphne groaned in agreement. A tub of steaming water and lots of lavender soap sounded awesome. After the past days of helping the new residents of Elgon get settled into their new homes, she was ready to put her feet up and relax. What was supposed to be a surprise visit for Avery’s birthday turned into a day with “Three Men and a Truck,” minus the truck. And more than three hot men.

Damn, the entire village was made up of hot guys she’d spend years licking with delight. She had enough eye candy to write a decade’s worth of romance books.

“All right,” Daphne said, holding out her stone, “I so want a hot soak and to get out of these clothes. Yuck.”

They definitely weren’t dressed for manual labor. If Wren had known what they were going to do, she would’ve worn her sports bra and running shoes. What she had on barely held up her size-Ds anymore. It wasn’t meant to be worn so long. Of course, with D boobs, no over-the-shoulder-boulder-holder would last very long.

She held out her rock. “I’m ready. How do we do this?”

“Grandmom touched all three rocks together, and the portal appeared.” Lilah held her palm flat, stone on top. “Y’all put yours against mine.”

“One at a time or together?”

Lilah scrunched