The End of the World

Tales from the Tarot

Drake LaMarque

Copyright © 2024 Drake LaMarque
Grey Kelpie Studios

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by reviewers, who may quote brief passages in a review.

978-1-0670421-1-0 (epub)
978-1-0670421-2-7 (paperback print on demand)

Cover art by Fae Quin
Cover design by Amanda Meuwissen
Formatted by Amanda Meuwissen

Contents

Fullpage image

1. Chapter 1

2. Chapter 2

3. Chapter 3

4. Chapter 4

5. Chapter 5

6. Chapter 6

7. Chapter 7

8. Chapter 8

9. Chapter 9

10. Chapter 10

11. Chapter 11

12. Chapter 12

13. Chapter 13

14. Chapter 14

15. Chapter 15

16. Chapter 16

Epilogue

The End (of the World)

What Was First?

Tales from the Tarot

About the Author

Also By

Chapter one

Ash stood in an alleyway. He’d never been here before, which was a pleasant surprise. He thought he’d been everywhere. He’d seen hundreds of alleyways. Tokyo, New York, Dublin, every big city had its share of them, all uniquely flavoured to the city they belonged to.

This one though, it didn’t feel like any of those places. It felt alive, buzzing and strange. The graffiti scrawled over the walls told him nothing. He didn’t recognize the languages used.

A large image of something like a frog covered part of a wall, but it had too many eyes and he’d never seen a frog that particular shade of pinkish purple.

Ash turned in place. He was looking for something. What was it?

The alleyway stretched into the horizon in two directions. Above him were windows, some open, some shut, one boarded up. The ground was uneven, paved with mismatched stones, some marble, some granite, some carefully cut into cobble shapes, some wedged in to fill gaps. A few feet from where he stood was a shiny flat paved area of concrete. Further on was a place where the paving had eroded away and grass and weeds were growing.

Then he caught sight of someone. A shape, a man, yanking on a door handle that didn’t budge.

Ash moved towards the person. He had an idea to ask about where he was, but the movement wasn’t something he could control. He was drawn to them.

Whoever they were, they were someone he needed to know.

As he got closer, the shadows cleared. He saw a slight figure, slim, with baby pink hair. Male, probably, from the build. They wore tight black pants made of something shiny, and a thin, billowy white shirt.

“Excuse me.” Ash stopped a distance off, not wanting to startle them.

They turned and locked eyes and Ash was struck to the quick. Huge green eyes fixed on his, peering out of a face so beautiful, so delicately perfect it made him want to cry.

A feeling of longing so powerful it knocked the wind out of him seized him.

He’d never believed in soulmates, but now? This? How else could he explain it?

The man with the pink hair reached out to him.

“Attention passengers, the captain has signalled we are beginning our descent. Please return your seat backs to the full and upright position, ensure all tray tables are folded away and your personal items are either in the seat pocket or tucked under the seat in front of you.”

Ash Harrison came out of the dream as if struggling his way out of a deep fog. Confused, he tried to make sense of the plane seat he was in. The alleyway had felt so real it was as if the last leg of a long-haul flight was the dream.

He rubbed his hand over his face and groaned. Beside him, the woman who’d been reading a book the entire time gave him a withering look. Hopefully he hadn’t leaned over and drooled on her while he’d slept.

He pressed the button to get his chair upright, folded back the headrest flap and bent down to pull his shoes back on. He hadn’t taken anything out of his backpack except a pen to fill out his arrival card and a paperback novel he hadn’t even opened. Both of those were in the seat pocket, so he settled back, pulling his headphones from around his neck and put on some music.

Outside the window, Aotearoa New Zealand came into view.

On instinct, he snapped a few pictures. His photos of coming in to land were a popular series. One of those paired with the arrivals gate would make a nice post.

Should he be happy to see it?

Probably. It had been many years since he’d left.

Instead, he was numb. The familiar green coastline, the way the plane lifted and dipped with the winds off the Auckland isthmus, it was home, theoretically.

It should feel like coming home.

His sister was going to meet him at the airport. He was looking forward to seeing her. He wanted to reconnect. But he didn’t want to stay.

He should want to stay.

He should want to set down roots and become a member of the community and see his father. Visit his mother’s grave.

He was forty-four for god’s sake. His career of ‘travelling everywhere and somehow making it financially viable’ had meant to be what he did in his twenties. But he’d been good at it. People had paid him to write about the places he’d been. He had a very successful travel social media presence. He was even called an ‘influencer’ which wasn’t a term he liked, but he got sponsorships and money out of it so he wasn’t going to complain.

But now, it was over.

He’d been everywhere. His followers asked him to go back to some of their favourite places, but he didn’t feel it. He was burnt out and winding down. He had a thousand beautiful memories but he didn’t want to recreate them. He wanted.... He didn’t know what.

So, it was time to go home and grow up.

Time for the next chapter whatever that was. Maybe put together some of his better essays into a book, and see if anyone would publish it. Settle down? Buy a house? Get a “real job” and a partner, maybe have kids?

His stomach clenched.

The seat belt light came on with a bing. Around him the other passengers rustled and moved, packing things away. The service staff did a last rubbish collection and Ash leaned his head back.

Who was the pink-haired guy in his dream? Why had he seemed so real? So vivid?

What had he dreamed?

Probably just a random collection of memories blended and remixed, dropped into his head. It didn’t mean anything. Dreams never did, but the feeling of yearning lingered within him.

To do list: Customs, passport check, baggage carousel, biosecurity.

Biosecurity made him laugh. In a lot of places he’d visited they didn’t care much. Aotearoa cared deeply.

Ash knew why. New Zealand’s native plant and bird life were delicate taonga, sacred gifts that had to be protected. The benefit of being a tiny island at the bottom of the world was that its isolation had allowed all sorts of unique species to thrive. Introduced predators had a devastating impact on those species groups, and introduced plants might harbour pests and so on. Aotearoa had to be careful if they wanted to protect the land.

He walked through a carved Maori archway and was surprised to hear native bird song, and sound effects from insects and frogs. Now he felt like he was coming home. Bird calls he would have said he’d forgotten but his brain provided the names for: bellbird, piwakawaka, kiwi.

Nostalgia for his childhood welled up in him. He remembered his father taking him on walks through the native bush. Family trips to Taupo or north to Kaitaia in the summer. Beaches and sand between his toes.

He’d visited a lot of beaches, and he had his favourites. The crashing waves of Santa Monica, a hot dog in his hand. The endless stretch of blue water outside Fukuoka. Muri Lagoon in Rarotonga… There were a lot of beautiful beaches in the world.

But none of them were the same as Aotearoa’s beaches.

He posted on Instagram while waiting in lines. Choosing the best photo of Auckland from out the plane window.

Landed home in Aotearoa (New Zealand). Updates will be a bit slower, not likely to be travelling again any time soon, but I’ll show you a bit of my home. #Travelfluencer #Aotearoa #kiwiboy

His stomach churned.

He got his passport checked, collected his bags, and walked out of customs and through the automatic doors into the airport arrivals zone. He had a large backpack on his back and a roller suitcase containing everything he owned in the world.

The crowd of people waiting scanned his face and then looked behind him, every one of them waiting for someone else. His sister had said she’d be there…

Someone moved aside and he spotted her. She saw him in the same instant and her face lit up into a huge smile.

Ash smiled back. He moved quicker, his long legs, stiff from the plane, were grateful for the movement. He dropped the handle of the suitcase as Willow threw her arms around him.

“Ash Harrison! Look at you!”

“Hey Will, good to see you.”

“Good to see you?” She squeezed him tight and then let go, holding him at arm’s length. “Hardly covers it. You got taller. You’re all… you have a wrinkle!”

Ash laughed. “I didn’t get taller. And I do not have a wrinkle.”

“Well, you can’t see how tall you are on zoom calls.” Willow tossed her long brown hair behind a shoulder, then hugged him again.

He held on tight.

There were many things he had been glad to leave behind. Willow was never one. His sister, older by two years, had been the hardest to say goodbye to. She’d also been the one he’d kept in most constant contact with.

“Are you starving? You smell rank, when was the last time you showered?” She took the handle of his suitcase and started walking towards the car park before he could grab it off her.“Uh, good question.” Ash racked his memory. “I think I last showered in Singapore airport?”

“How long ago was Singapore?”

“Two flights.” He chuckled. “I got used to it, I guess.”

They stepped out into the bright sunshine. Ash winced, patting his pockets for sunglasses that weren’t there. He’d probably stowed them in his backpack. Sunlight was brighter, harsher in Aotearoa than it was anywhere else he’d been. Probably because of the hole in the ozone layer. Was it even still a thing? They’d talked about it so much in the eighties and nineties. He made a mental note to look it up later, after he’d slept.

“Well, I’ll get you home and you can jump straight into the shower. What do you want to eat?”

“Nothing really, I’m all right.”

Willow tutted her tongue. “I’ll make you something all the same.”

“I’ll probably crash out.”

Willow stopped at the payment machine and fussed with her card. “When did you last sleep?”

“Just now, before I landed. I had a really weird dream.”

Willow made a sympathetic noise. “You can probably sleep in the car too. It’s a bit of a drive still.” She led him to a car he didn’t recognise, but why would he recognise it? He’d been away for so long. So much about her life had changed, and she didn’t always send photos.

They stowed the things in the boot and got into the car. Willow started driving out of the car park.

Ash bolstered himself to ask the hard questions. “So…the house wasn’t too damaged?”

She gripped the steering wheel a bit tighter. Maybe she’d wanted to keep talk of the recent storm to tomorrow’s conversations. “No. We were really lucky on our street, the water flowed right down it. No one got flooded.”

“But the rest of the neighbourhood?”

“Yeah the rest wasn’t so lucky. Some people lost everything, whole houses full of mud. The council is doing a run of special collections because people are putting whole carpets, ruined couches, all kinds of thing on the side of the road. The government has promised payouts but it’s taking forever.”

“Must have been scary.”

Willow sighed heavily. “Yeah. I was seeing these updates on social media, people in buses in knee-deep water, and the bus drivers just doing their best to get people out of the flood zones. People stranded, cars submerged. I knew Charli and I were okay in the moment, but I had no idea...it could have changed in an instant, you know? We lost power for a while, but thanks to Mum and her worrying I have a good emergency kit and lots of candles. Some friends made it to my place… our place and sheltered for the night. For a few days really.”

Ash looked out the window at the brilliant blue sky and cheery sunshine and struggled to imagine it. The intense storms, accompanied by flash flooding were all but unheard of in Auckland until the last five years. The storm a few weeks back had hit the family home’s neighbourhood hard.

It was one of the reasons Ash had returned, to help Willow out.

One reason, out of a handful.

“I’m sorry.” He wasn’t sure what else he could say.

“Well, you’re here now.” Willow patted his knee.

Ash felt like it was a life sentence. He was here now. The implication being he was going to stay. To put down roots the way he should.

Raise a family.

Spend his free time with Dad.

Maybe that was unfair.

Willow was saying she would be glad of his help. Ash shook off the dread and changed the subject.

“How’s the nibling?”

“Charli? At her dad’s for the week.” Willow directed the car onto the motorway and smiled fondly. “She’s great actually, you’re going to love her.”

“I liked her the times I spoke with her.” Ash felt more nervous meeting Charlotte in person than most of the other things he was going to do now he was back. Charli was twelve and cool in a way Ash had never been.

“She’s very excited to meet you, but I figured you’d probably want some time to relax before you were smothered by an excited tween who wants to hear every detail of your travels.”

“Thanks.”

They lapsed into silence. Should he try and fill it? Willow didn’t seem bothered, focusing on negotiating the traffic and getting them home.

Home was out West, as Aucklanders would say. Towards the beaches of the West Coast.

Ash leaned his forehead against the window and watched the motorway give way to suburbs. So much had changed. New houses had gone up, townhouses and apartment complexes. New businesses on the corners of new street layouts. But the landscape felt the same. There were still green hills in the distance. When Willow pulled the car onto the ridge of Hillsborough Road, he could see the flat bays of the Manukau Harbour. Something loosened in his chest.

Home.

This was home.

He closed his eyes to hide the tears welling up. It was because he was so tired, and it had been so long, he was sure of it.

Chapter two

Ash’s body clock was so out of alignment he fell asleep on his childhood bed before Willow served dinner and then woke up as she was heading to bed.

“Jet lag’s a killer,” Willow said as she passed him in the hallway. “There’s a plate of dinner for you in the microwave. Are you up for some community work tomorrow? I said I’d help with cleaning up.”

“You don’t have work?” Ash was stuck, staring at an old photo he’d seen countless times but never really noticed. It was their parents on their wedding day. Willow had grown into the spitting image of their mother.

“No. Well, I should but I took some time off on account of my baby brother coming back. I only do part time anyway, these days.”

He tore his eyes from the picture and gave Willow a smile. “Thanks. I’ll, yeah if I’m awake I’d like to come along.”

“Cool. I’m heading to bed. See you in the morning.” She patted his shoulder and disappeared into the master bedroom. It had been their parents’ room, the last time he was here. He wondered what had happened to her old room. Probably Charli’s.

He made his way down the worn wooden staircase to the kitchen, studying the pictures on the walls as if in an art gallery in Paris.

They weren’t all the same as when he’d been a kid. The family portraits and images of his grandparents were still there, but someone had blown up and framed a photo of him standing beneath the Torii gates in Kyoto, looking upwards. He hadn’t even learned the name of the stranger who’d taken the picture, but it had been the avatar image on his Instagram ever since. Another addition was a picture of Willow and Charli, outside some DOC hut in the middle of lush bush.

In the kitchen, he heated up the leftovers, lasagne and a bread roll, and found a salad in the fridge to go with it. He sat at the kitchen table, the same one he’d sat at to paint pictures, or do his homework, and ate.

He’d never been alone like this in the kitchen as a kid. Someone was always making a cup of tea or preparing the next meal. Someone else coming through. Now the room felt decidedly empty with only him. He looked out the window feeling for a moment like the same kid.

Sure, he was older, taller, more worldly… but he didn’t feel any wiser. He had no idea what the future held, just like he’d felt when he was seven years old.

It was a worrying and demoralising thought. He was home, he’d felt it earlier. He was home and it was time to start a new life.

Wasn’t it?

Leave behind the backpack and the nomadic existence and make a future for himself, something stable…

But it didn’t feel right at all. Ash felt more lost than ever.

If coming home wasn’t the thing to fill the restless hole in his chest, what did he need?

He finished up his dinner and most of the salad and didn’t taste any of it. The sensation of longing that felt like a hole in his chest. It had been quiet, nascent, while he travelled home. It was always quiet on planes.

But now?

It felt like he was made of void. A big nothingness in need of… something?

Travelling helped, that was why he’d travelled for so long.

His mother dying was the start. He had gone to her funeral, finished up the last of his university papers, sold all his things and left. He had grieved, he hadn’t bottled it up or ignored those feelings. He’d wept for her in a tiny chapel in the French countryside, at a temple in Shanghai, at the edge of the Grand Canyon and so many other places. He knew whatever had happened to her after her death, wherever she was, she would be proud of him chasing his dream the way he had.

She’d be proud of the following he’d built, and the articles he’d written. He was proud of himself, seeing all those things, thinking of her like he was taking her with them.

But although she was the start of it, Ash knew it wasn’t a ‘my mother died’ void. Her death had been the triggered something which had always been dormant inside him. Now it was open, and he had no idea how to close it again.

Travelling helped. But it hadn’t fixed it.

Ash groaned. Sick of being in his own head, he stacked his dishes in the dishwasher and went into the lounge to find something to distract him. He looked through the bookshelf. His mother’s old linen-bound copy of Anne of Green Gables, his father’s coffee-table books of cycling tracks and beautiful locations over the world. A handful of battered linen-bound books of his father’s which were stacked on top of the bookshelf, gathering dust. He had no idea what was in those, never had. On the lower shelves, an array of books which had to be Willow’s; books on parenting, on feminism, on ethical non-monogamy and horror paperbacks. He took one of the Josh Malerman titles off the shelf and sat on the couch. The couch was unfamiliar, but it was in the exact same place his parents had always had theirs situated.

He read a few pages but his mind wouldn’t shut up.

How useless a person was he? Over forty, all he’d done was travelled the world chasing a dream. Finding fleeting moments, but nothing permanent. And now? He had no idea what he even needed.

He turned on the TV and let his mind go fuzzy, watching a game show, and then a drama and then an infomercial until finally he falling asleep again.

He was in the alleyway again. A different spot this time. A yellow door was to the left of him, with a sign over it that read ‘The Magic Shop’ in red script.

Ash was tempted to turn the knob and see what was inside, but a more pressing matter tugged at him. Was the pink-haired man here again?

He looked one way up the alley and then the other. No one was in sight, although he heard movement and talking from the windows a floor up.

He picked a direction and started to walk. He tripped on a loose cobblestone and caught himself on the nearest wall. Heart thudding from the almost-fall, he watched his feet closely as he continued.

Something caught his attention up ahead and he saw the man. He was closer this time, and Ash could see more details of his clothes. He was dressed for a steampunk festival, with a white shirt, suspenders, striped pants that went to his knees and brown ankle boots. His hair was soft-looking, baby pink and falling over his eyes and ears. He was trying to open another door, one made of steel, riveted and probably bolted from the inside. He put his whole body into it, both hands on the handle and leaning back to try and wrench it open.

“It’s you…”

There were certainly better ways to address beautiful strangers in a weird dream landscape, but at the moment Ash couldn’t think of any other words.

The man blinked, let go of the door handle and turned to look at Ash. His eyes were single-lidded and bright brown, a sparkle in them. He was short. Maybe five foot four? He pushed a hand through his hair as he looked up into Ash’s eyes. “It’s you! I didn’t think I’d see you again.”

Ash swallowed. “What is this place?”

The pink-haired man shook his head, making his soft pink hair fly about. Were his ears pointed? “I need your help.”

“My help?” Ash pointed at his own chest. This man must be confused.

“Yes, you.” The pink-haired man stepped towards him.

Ash moved forward too. It felt natural. “But you don’t even know me, and I have a void in my chest.” He had no idea why he’d said that, except he’d been thinking about it earlier in the evening. Why would he tell someone he didn’t even know about the void?

The pink-haired man tilted his head to one side. His eyes scrunched closed as he laughed—the most beautiful sound Ash had ever heard. “Silly! I can see that!”

Ash looked down at himself and yes, there was a big gaping hole where his shirt should be. He still had the outline of a shirt, and his arms and shoulders felt fine, but there was just… nothingness in between.

“I... I can’t usually see it,” Ash mumbled.

“It’s fine.” The pink-haired man stepped closer, reaching towards Ash like he was going to cup his cheek. It was an intimate gesture, but it felt like the most natural thing in the world to Ash who leaned in, anticipating the touch.

“Listen, this is very important. I need you to—”

Something crashed nearby.

Ash startled awake.

In the kitchen he heard Willow’s voice. “Shit, shit. Sorry, Ashy!”

“Are you okay?” He sat up from the couch and turned off the TV.

“I’m good, I’m a klutz!”

Ash rubbed his chest as he stood up. The image of the hole in his chest lingering only slightly less than the beauty of the pink-haired man’s face. He’d said he needed his help, he’d been about to say what Ash could do and now… this. It was morning. He’d slept on the couch.

Groaning, Ash made his way into the kitchen.

Willow was picking up mixing bowls and cooking utensils from the floor.

“What happened?”

“I nudged the dishrack and they all just went flying. Probably I stacked them too high again.” She set the pile on the kitchen bench and shook her head. “Sorry for the noise. You looked out cold.”

“I was. Weird dream. Have you ever had the same dream, or like… a continuation of a dream over multiple nights?”

Willow considered, turning to pour herself a cup of tea. “I’ve had recurring nightmares if that’s what you mean? Ever since we saw Jurassic Park way back in the day, I’ve dreamed velociraptors are after me.”

“No, more like…” Ash found the bread (in the ancient wooden breadbox of course) and put some into the toaster. “Like you’re in the exact same place, and the same person is there, and they remember you from last time?”

“Mm. No, never. My dreams are more a weird combination of boring everyday life and surprise velociraptors.”

Ash snorted. “Maybe it’s the jet lag but my dreams have been very weird.”

“Probably.”

“I keep on visiting this specific place, and there’s a guy there. I want to go back, explore it, see who this guy is, but I’m always woken up too soon.” He leaned back on the bench and folded his arms, waiting for the toast to pop.

Willow eyed him, sipping her tea. “That’s well, kind of obvious, isn’t it? You’re home for the first time in a long while and your brain is rankling at it.”

Ash frowned. “Maybe.”

“Or you just have trained your brain so well to move on it’s already doing it for you?”

He looked up at her, sensing bitterness, but her expression was bland. Maybe there was a sharpness in her eyes, but she didn’t mean it cruelly. She was trying to help.

“How can I go somewhere that doesn’t exist, anyway? Thanks a lot, brain.”

“You up for some going out and doing hard physical labour?”

Ash sighed. He didn’t much want to, but it was better than sitting at home and spiralling about the hole in his chest like he had last night.

“Yeah. Can’t guarantee I’ll stay awake all day, but I’ll give it a go.”

“That’s the spirit.”

The drive to the affected streets wasn’t long at all, maybe ten minutes, but Ash could see the change in the atmosphere. The grass was swamped, the roads caked with dry mud and fallen leaves. Berms were stacked with rolled up carpets and broken furniture. There were people bringing more things to add to the pile. He caught sight of a young teenager, dumping a stack of sodden paperbacks. Ash’s heart ached for these people.

“How much warning was there?” He asked, his eye caught by a waterlogged teddy bear sitting on top of a pile. He snapped a picture of it. “A day or so, but people didn’t know how bad it would be, not really, even with the other storms we’ve had lately. It was just so much rain. We didn't know where it would hit the hardest or for how long, you know?”

“Right.”

“These storms, they’re punishing. No other word for it.” Willow sighed as they pulled in beside a house which was at the bottom of a driveway. “We were working here yesterday too. The family stayed upstairs and were safe but the whole bottom floor, garage, the entire garden is mud.”

“Fuck.”

“That’s why we’re here.”

“Is there somewhere people could donate? I’ll make a post about it, some of my followers will want to pitch in.”

“Yeah, just a sec.” Willow tapped on her phone and a link came through to Ash in a chat app.

Big storms from #climatechange have messed up a lot of houses in Tamaki Makaurau (Auckland). If you have spare change please send it to the following link — lots of clean up being done by community volunteers, including yours truly. #savetheplanet #mutualaid

As they got out of the car, Willow handed him a pair of rubber gloves. “You’ll need these.”

A small but enthusiastic group of volunteers greeted Willow like old friends. She introduced Ash around. His mind was still fuzzy from jet lag but he could have sworn most of them were called Barry or Joyce.

He was set to work gathering debris from the garden and putting it into a huge flexi-bin for collection. It was simple work. Before long he was sweating. He pulled one of his vast collection of bandannas out of his cargo pocket and tied it around his head. Having his hair off his face made a difference.

It felt good to work his body after so long sitting on planes, but after a couple of hours his back started to hurt. Probably shouldn’t have slept on the couch. He managed a half-hour more before he was yawning so hard his jaw clicked.

He found Willow overseeing the sorting of waterlogged goods from the garage. “Wills, can I have the car keys? I need a nap.”

“You could use the couch upstairs,” she said.

Ash shrugged. “I don’t want to be in anyone’s way.”

She eyed his long legs and frame and nodded, digging out the keys and handing them to him. “Make sure and crack a window and move the car into the shade if you get hot.”

“Thanks.” He peeled off the rubber gloves and went back up the drive to where they’d parked. The car was the partial shade of a tree, so he got in the passenger side, reclined the seat back as far as it would go and wound down a window. He was out as soon as he rested his head.

The pink-haired man ran towards him. The man skidded to a stop and ran a hand through his hair, a nervous tic perhaps? The alleyway was beginning to smell familiar.

“Where do you keep going? It’s very frustrating.”

“Uh…” Ash looked around. “Isn’t this a dream?”

The pink-haired man tilted his head to one side. “Is it? It isn’t for me.”

Ash wasn’t usually quite this lucid when he dreamed, so he seized his opportunity. “What is this place?”

“It’s the alleyway, it’s a connection nexus.”

Ash narrowed his eyes. “Uh. right, sure.” He held out his hand. “I’m Ash.”

The pink-haired man looked at his hand in confusion, patted it once with his own hand and then looked up at him with a dazzling smile. “I’m Hallow of the Lonely Forest.”

“Hallow?” Ash dropped his hand again.

“Yes, Hallow.”

“Cool name. Where’s the Lonely Forest?”

Looking over his shoulder, Hallow’s eyes widened. He grabbed Ash by the wrist. “We have to run, now!” He started to run, dragging Ash with him.

Ash wasn’t the best of runners even when he was in training, and he certainly hadn’t been training for this. “What? Why?”

“No time.” Hallow ran lightly, barely making a sound on the cobbles.

From this angle, partially behind him, Ash saw a lump on his back, under his jacket. Weird, maybe he had a backpack on under there?

“This way!” Hallow turned down a small side alley, waved his free hand (the other was holding tight to Ash’s wrist) and a bright glittering orb appeared before them. Ash tried to stop running but Hallow’s grip on his wrist was far stronger than it ought to be for someone so slight looking.

“Come on!” Hallow tugged on Ash’s arm and leapt into the bright orb of light.

Ash fell through it, anchored by the tiny, forceful hand on his wrist.

Ash woke up, too warm, and with something heavy on his chest. He groaned, opening his eyes, to see two bright brown eyes blinking back at him, crowned with a fetching mop of baby pink hair.

“What the fucking hell?”

Ash tried to scramble away but the car seat wasn’t really made for scrambling. Hallow straddled him, breathless and panting, fully leaning on Ash’s chest. His hand gently let go of Ash’s wrist. “I… hello. I’m sorry about this. If there’d been time, I could have explained and asked if you minded me coming back with you and everything but The Quetch was right behind me, and there wasn’t time.”

“You’re here. Outside of my dream.” Ash’s voice was strained.

“Yes, but I sort of thought your world would be larger than this.” Hallow sat up, bracing one hand on Ash’s chest and promptly hit his head on the roof of the car. “How do you live like this?”

“I don’t.” Ash squeezed his arm out the window and opened the passenger side door. He needed Hallow off him, so he could breathe. “Go out that way?”

“Oh, a door, wonderful.” Hallow rolled off him and sprung out the door, far more nimbly than should have been possible.

Ash took a deep breath, grabbed the car keys from the driver’s side door and followed him out. “I don’t understand… any of this. I thought I was dreaming you.”

“Yes, you said.” Hallow was distracted, looking up and down the street and at the houses around them. “I see, there are lots of buildings and trees and things. But you live in this strange little box?” He turned back to tap the roof of the car with one small fist.

“No, I don’t live in it, I was napping. It’s how we get around, a form of transport.”

“Fascinating.” Hallow hummed. “So, which of these is your house?”

“None of them. I live a while off, which is why I needed a mode of transport. Listen, can you please explain to me how you popped into the real world from my dream? It’s like one of those weird wish-fulfilment novels or something.”

Hallow’s eyebrows jumped. He turned fully towards Ash. “Wish fulfilment? Did you wish for me? That’s forward of you, but you are very handsome… I’ll consider it. You said something weird before, about the real world?”

Ash flushed at Hallow’s words. He hadn’t meant it that way exactly, but now Hallow had brought it up, Ash was forced to admit to himself how handsome and alluring Hallow was. Insofar as Ash had a type, he wouldn’t have said Hallow fit it, but well. He had been on top of him seconds ago, and if it had lasted too much longer certain physical reactions would have occurred.

To set these thoughts aside, Ash seized on Hallow’s other question. “Yes, the real world. This one, the one we’re in right now, as opposed to the alley I’ve been dreaming about.”

Hallow shook his head. His ears were pointed. Ash saw it for sure this time. Under his candy-floss hair Hallow had pointed pixie ears. Costume ears? They had to be. Prosthetics of some kind. Why was he wearing them? Didn't matter.

“This is a real world, yes, but the alleyway is real too, as is my home, and countless other worlds.”

Another thing Ash couldn't quite understand. “Excuse me, are you saying the multiverse theory is real?”

Hallow arched an eyebrow and folded his arms. “Would you rather believe that you wished for me and I manifested out of your dreams?”

Ash’s vision swam and he clasped both hands over his eyes. “No. Yes? Maybe. this is a lot to take in.”

He took a deep breath. He had felt Hallow’s weight in his lap. He had felt warmth of his body. There was a scent in the air that hadn’t been there before, damp and warm, maybe touch of deep forest. This was real.

It wasn’t a dream. Hallow was actually there. He let it sink in for a long moment, struggling to accept the shift in reality.

He felt a small, gentle hand on his elbow. Hallow's voice was softer now. “Obviously, this is your first time dealing with all of this. I didn't realise and I could have been kinder about it. What else would you like to know?”

Ash dropped his hands and sighed, the sigh of someone who had no idea where to start with something so gigantic. Overwhelmed and not a bit frightened he gestured first at Hallow and then at the entire world. “It’s too much!”

“It’s all right.” Hallow took a quick step back.

Ash let out a moan of pure frustration with himself. Hallow had offered to answer questions. All Ash had to do was ask so he could better understand. Instead, he wanted to jump in the car and drive far, far away.

A book Ash had read popped into his head— Love for Imperfect Things, one of the most popular books in South Korea — a published collection of short social media posts written by a Buddhist monk. One particular entry resonated with Ash, discussing how people often want to fight difficult emotions, when what they should do is sit with them, give them some time. Then they would discover these emotions are teachers, friends that can show you something new.

He took a deep breath, imagining himself back at one of those temples and shrines. Throughout his travels in Korea, Japan and China, he’d visited so many temples, some tucked between skyscrapers in the middle of the city, others perched atop lonely mountains or placed within carefully tended gardens, each of them managing to feel serene somehow.

He imagined cherry blossoms blooming and the stone statues of the shrine guardians. Teachers, friends, he could handle this. He just had to accept his fear and his confusion and move forward. His shoulders relaxed. He hadn’t realised how much tension he’d been holding in there.

He opened his eyes and looked at Hallow. “So, okay. This is one of multiple worlds, yes?”

Hallow nodded, his mouth a straight line, his wide eyes. wary as if Ash was going to lash out.

“And I can somehow travel between these worlds while I sleep?”

“You can travel to the alleyway.” Hallow fidgeted with the hem of his jacket. “It’s a nexus, it connects lots of worlds, and it’s kind of a world of its own but largely it’s a place you pass through.”

“Like an airport!” Ash was relieved. He knew airports. “People work there, you can eat and shop and so on but for the most part people are using it to get from one place to another.”

“Sounds right although I don’t know what an airport is.”

“I dreamed myself to a multidimensional airport, and you’re from some other world and you were—” He stopped abruptly. Hallow had been running from something until this moment. “You were running.”

“Yes, from The Quetch.”

Ash licked his lips. “And what’s a Quetch?”

Hallow took on the air of one about to relay very bad news. “It’s a monster, it wants to kill me, and it’s blocked my way back to my own world.”

Ash forced another deep breath although that sentence hadn’t made him feel very zen at all. “When you say monster, you mean?”

Hallow held his arm up, flattening his fingers to indicate something far taller than he was. “Big, scary, powerful and unrelenting. Its face is… well, let’s hope you never have to see its face. The good news is because I used your dream to move to this realm, it shouldn’t be able to track me. It’ll be checking the doors, and I won’t have left a trail it can track.”

Ash swung his arms, trying to feel something normal. He ended up feeling awkward, which… well, that at least was normal. He crossed his arms again and looked at Hallow, trying to work out his next move. “Well, obviously you can hide here. I just don’t know how to explain you to my sister.”

“Sister?” Hallow smiled. “I’d like to meet her.”

“I’m staying with her. I’m guessing you’d like a bed and shelter, so you will be too. Maybe I’ll just say you’re a friend I met overseas somewhere, and you surprised me?”

Hallow nodded. “Yes, I’m a friend from over the seas.”

“We’ll see how long that works. And... we need to do something about how pointy your ears are.

Chapter three

“Iwish you’d told me you were expecting a friend,” Willow said as they drove back to the house. “I didn’t even know you’d got your cellphone working back here, yet.” Hallow had made a wonderful first impression on Willow. He’d bowed, saying it was an honour and he was sorry to have intruded in this way. Willow lapped it up.

“Oh well, global roaming.” Ash said, intentionally vague. He’d handwaved the ‘how Hallow had found him’ question by saying he’d texted. He’d also introduced Hallow as ‘Hal’ so he didn’t sound so otherworldly. “I should probably stop in and get a kiwi sim card though, it’ll be cheaper.”

“Sure, we could go to Kmart later on if you don’t fall asleep?” Willow glanced at Ash, as if she expected he might fall asleep again at any moment.

“I had a pretty good nap already but no promises.”

In the back of the car, Hallow was entranced by the view. He hadn’t understood the seatbelt, but Ash had explained it away as cultural differences. Now he had both palms and his nose flat on the window, watching the world whip by outside.

“This place is wonderful. There are so many trees! And houses!”

Ash cleared his throat to distract Willow from Hallow. “Don’t even worry. I’ll fix up the spare room for him, and I’ll go grocery shopping and stock up. I know you weren’t expecting an extra mouth.”

“Thanks Ash, I appreciate it.”

The drive home wasn’t long. Ash was relieved when Willow pulled into the driveway.

“This is our house, Hal.” Willow switched the car off and hopped out. “I’ll find you a spare key.”

Ash got out quickly so he could show Hallow how to undo the seatbelt.

“It’s a very beautiful house,” Hallow said.

“Thanks.” Willow stuck her hands on her hips and looked up at it. “I’ve done pretty well at keeping it looking nice. Hasn’t been easy on my own, but…” She gave Ash a sharp look.

Ash held up his hands. “I get it, I get it, I’m home now. I’ll help out once I’m over the jet lag.”

Willow’s expression softened. She nudged his shoulder with her palm. “I’m teasing you.”

Ash didn’t think she was, though. Not really. It couldn’t have been easy going through her marriage, her divorce and moving their father into a rest home on her own. He felt a jagged stab of guilt in his gut.

Ash took Hallow upstairs to what had always been the spare room, only to find it decorated with band posters and the bed made up with a teddy bear and everything. It must be Charli’s room now.

He closed the door again and went to the end of the hall to Willow’s old room. It still had a bed in it, he was glad to see. “You can sleep in here.” There were sheets in the closet and Ash got to work putting them on the bed.

Hallow leaned on the doorframe and watched him. “I have some questions for you, now.”

“Yeah, go ahead.”

“Your sister implied you hadn’t been home to help out much.”

“I, yeah, I’ve been travelling most of my life,” Ash said. “Seeing the world, exploring other cultures. Here.” He pulled out his phone.

“What is that?”

“It’s a phone, um. Originally you could call people far away on them, assuming they had one as well, but now people mostly just use them to send text messages to each other or share pictures like this.” He opened up Instagram and started scrolling through his own feed. He had a lot of unread notifications. He hadn’t spent any time on there to respond to comments.

Hallow took the phone off him and mimicked the way he’d used his finger to make the feed update. “Your world has all these places?”“Sure, yeah.”

“This is amazing.” Hallow tapped something on the phone. The app closed and the display showed Ash’s homepage. Hallow turned to Ash. “It stopped working.”

They had already been standing close, Ash watching over Hallow’s shoulder as he scrolled, but when Hallow turned he’d brought himself even closer. As close as when he’d woken up and Hallow had been on his chest.

Ash’s breath caught. “You closed the app. We can open it again. You want to see more?”

Hallow nodded.

“How about we sit down?”

They sat side by side on the bed, Hallow pressing his hip to Ash’s and leaning on his hand right behind him. They were so close Ash could feel the warmth of Hallow’s skin through his shirt.

He opened Instagram again and started scrolling. “What’s your world like, if it’s not like this?”

“Well, it’s a bit all the same.”

Hallow reached for the phone and tapped on an image of a forest in Peru. “It looks a bit like this, lots of meadows, but it’s mostly forested.”

“That’s cool. How long has it been since you were there?”

Hallow leaned back, away from Ash and shrugged off his jacket. There, on his back, were two gossamer wings. They looked something like dragon fly wings, but gigantic, lavender and folded neatly on top of his white shirt.

Ash gaped.

Hallow sighed. “An age it feels like. The alleyway wasn’t responsive to what I needed, either. I think it was months, perhaps? The Quetch didn’t find me until recently though.”

“You. Have. Wings.” Ash reached out to touch them, then caught himself, dropping his hand. It surely wasn’t polite to just touch someone’s wings.

The wings fluttered and Hallow looked over his shoulder, laughing. “Yeah, of course I do.”

“What’s of course about it? You’ve got wings! That’s not normal!”

Hallow giggled and shook his head. “It’s normal where I’m from. Are you telling me you don’t have wings?”

“Yes!” Ash swivelled on the spot to show his back, T-shirted and flat. “See?”

Hallow’s hand stroked up and down Ash’s back. Ash forgot to breathe. What was it about Hallow that made him feel so off-balance and silly? Did he have a crush on Hallow? They barely knew each other. It had to be his looks. Hallow was so desperately pretty and ethereal.

Hallow dropped his hand. “I guess that’s why you need cars.”

“Pretty much, yeah.”

“There was something else your sister said, about you falling asleep? Do you have a sleeping curse or sickness?”

“No, jet lag is… because the places I’ve visited are all over the globe, the time zones are different and it takes our bodies a bit of time to adjust for it.”

“Globe.” Hallow looked down at the phone again. “You live on a globe?”

“Well, sure. Don’t you?”

Hallow shook his head. “I don’t think so. The forest goes on and on, as far as anyone knows. You can get to cities and rivers and the ocean and so on, but no one’s ever found the end, or a place where it loops back.”

Ash swallowed down the feeling of panic. “That’s… pretty amazing.”

A world with no end to it? Where you could travel forever? It was more than amazing, it was the dream. Could he ever go there? Would he get cell phone signals there? Was this a way to explore forever and never have to settle down?

“I think it’s amazing you can circumnavigate your world.” Hallow’s smile twinkled.

Ash’s heart fluttered but it could have been the concept of forever being able to find new places to explore. “Wait, but The Quetch. Why does it want you?”

Hallow shrugged. “I’m not sure exactly. It could have wanted to eat me, or it could just as easily be toying with me for its own pleasure. The Quetch is hard to understand.”

Ash rubbed his forehead and sighed. “Okay. Um. I don’t really know how to help, I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry, you’re already helping.” Hallow kissed Ash’s cheek.

This was so startling a development that Ash slapped his own knee when he dropped his hand. Hallow startled back at the sound. Ash’s cheeks warmed so fast he felt he must be bright red.

“Sorry, is that not a normal thing to do here?”

“Um. It’s… no, it is normal.” Ash chose his words carefully. “But it's the kind of thing that happens between people when they’re already together.”

“Like you and I are together, right now?” Hallow moved closer again. His smile anticipatory. He was going to kiss him again.

Ash had to clear this up fast. “More like, people who have made a mutual agreement to kiss and cuddle and sleep together. People who fall in love.” All of Ash’s blood was in his cheeks. It was a miracle he could still talk. “Like, they’ve got to know each other, and they like each other better than anyone else and have a conversation about it and they might decide to stay together forever.”

“Forever?” Hallow sat back, his expression now utterly confused. “That’s a very long time. Where I come from kissing and cuddling is part of conversation.”

“Oh? Well, it’s quite different here. If you kissed me, I’d assume it was because you liked me better than anyone else.”

“I do like you better than anyone else here.” Hallow leaned in again, his hand moving onto Ash’s thigh.

“You only met me and my sister, it’s not exactly a solid sample size.” Ash gently moved Hallow’s hand off of his leg and shuffled away a few inches. “I like you Hallow, although I barely know you. I’m flattered you want to kiss me, but it’s probably best if we don’t.”

Hallow folded his hands in his lap and nodded once. “I understand. I’ll keep my hands and my lips to myself, and you’ve made me this bed, so I’ll sleep in it alone.”

Ash felt like a monster then.

To Hallow kisses and touches were as natural as speaking and here Ash had told him he wasn’t allowed to. But he had to say that. He couldn’t take Hallow to a store and have him kissing employees or strangers, he’d draw way too much attention to himself. Ash swallowed, sure he’d done the right thing no matter what his heart was telling him.

“Right, and when we see other people, even my sister, is there a way you can hide your ears and your wings? She didn’t seem to notice anything just now, but it’s only a matter of time.”

“Yes. I can glamour them easily enough.”

“Glamour...like an illusion?” Ash had read enough fantasy books to be familiar with the concept. He was glad he’d read so widely. “Can you show me?”

Hallow blinked and in an instant his ears weren’t sticking out from under his hair. When Ash leaned to look at his back, it looked entirely smooth and round. “Okay, great. You can pass for human.”

“Human is the name of the residents of this world?” Hallow turned back, looking pleased with himself.

“Well, we’re one of the residents. We like to think we’re the most important, but we have millions of species of wildlife and plants that we share the world with. But… we’re the ones who build cities, and aeroplanes to fly around, write books and so on.”

“You have books here?” Hallow’s face lit up. “Oh, thank the stars.”

“You like reading?” Ash’s expression matched Hallow’s. “I don't have a ton of books here, but the whole time I was travelling I was reading. There’s this thing with backpackers where we trade books, or lots of places have little free libraries where you can leave a book and take one someone else has left. Got me through some lonely nights.”

Hallow was bouncing on the bed now. “Books aren’t very common back home, but I’ve read everything I could get my hands on.”

“I have one or two in here, but most of the books in the house are downstairs in the living room and you’re welcome to read them. Assuming you can read English.” A thought pinged in his head. “Wait, how can you speak English? Is it, like, a universal language or something?”

Hallow snorted, which somehow managed to be cute as well. “No, it’s translation magic. I learned it as a child. It allows me to hear, speak and understand any spoken language. The tribes and communities in my world are quite isolated with their own dialects, so market days were hard without it.”

“Oh man, something like that would have made travelling so much easier.” Ash rubbed the hair at the back of his neck, remembering the first time he visited Tokyo and tried to make sense of the Kanji. There was a lot of English signage in Tokyo but it didn’t cover everything. Then there were the smaller places he’d visited, the backwater villages in Indonesia, the rural Chinese villages, the small European countries … He could have learned so much more.

“Are you all right?” Hallow put his hand on Ash’s knee, his eyes wide. “Have I upset you?”

“No, it’s. It sounds like a really useful kind of magic to have.”

Hallow nodded, rubbing his thumb on Ash’s thigh. “It is.”

Ash looked down at the hand on his leg and felt his cheek warm again. He moved his leg aside and Hallow took his hand back. “Okay, well, this is where you’re going to sleep, so I can leave you to settle in a bit and then come downstairs for dinner with us.”

Hallow gave Ash a twinkling smile and his eyes closed to crescents. “That sounds wonderful, thank you.”

Ash felt a sudden overwhelming urge to pounce on Hallow and kiss him and kiss him. He quickly removed himself from the room. He closed the door to his own room rather more forcefully than was necessary and scrubbed both hands over his face, groaning softly.

How was Hallow so cute, and so interesting and so… touchy?

He’d said touching and kissing was part of conversation where he’d come from, hadn’t he? Which meant Ash shouldn’t read into it. He was doing what was normal. It didn’t mean he was into Ash, or wanted to sleep with him.

He had to remember that. He wasn’t special to Hallow just because it was his thigh Hallow had been rubbing. Ash was assigning meaning: affection, interest, sexual interest, but for Hallow it was conversation.

Ash breathed out heavily. Cultural differences were fine. He was used to those, he could work with those. He would keep his head on straight and not let his heart get overexcited. He could do that. He’d done it before and he could do it again.

He changed out of the smelly shirt and pulled on something clean. Laundry needed doing. He could do it now, get his mind off other… certain people.

He loaded up the hamper with his dirty clothes. While he was emptying his pack he found a gift for Willow buried at the bottom. He’d forgotten he’d bought it for her. A loose blue T-shirt from Thailand with an elephant batiked onto it. He tucked the hamper under one arm and picked up the elephant shirt in the other hand and made his way downstairs. Willow was in the kitchen, peeling carrots.

“Hey, I got you this.” Ash held the shirt out to her.

“You did?” Willow set down the peeler and the carrot, wiped her hands off on a tea towel and took the proffered shirt. She shook it out and held it up. “This is gorgeous, thanks, Ash.”

“Glad you like it.” Ash shifted the laundry hamper to the other hip. “Listen, I’m sorry about all this stuff with Hal. I really didn’t expect it, or I would have warned you.”

“It’s fine, he’s fine.” Willow folded the shirt back up. “I could tell you were shocked. We have room for him. We need more groceries.”

“Of course. I’ll go after dinner, for now I’m gonna run some laundry.”

“Laundry. It’s washing.” Willow rolled her eyes. “How long were you in the United States?”

“A while.” Ash snorted and carried his basket out. “And the word laundry is used in lots of places!”

“Whatever!”

Chapter four

Ash set the table, distracted by the age of the cutlery. Willow was still using the same knives and forks they’d used as kids. Although there were scratches and the flower embossed on the handles was worn, the cutlery was still very usable. It was incredible really.

Ash lost himself in memory, thinking of all the meals these forks had seen. How many steaks, chicken pieces, potatoes and parsnips these knives had cut into. It was a weird nostalgia, making him acutely aware of time passing, and how much he had missed while being away.

Ash reminded himself he had to visit his father. The hole in his chest yawned open.

He was a terrible son. Going away for so long. He’d sent money back, at least, when he’d had big sponsorship deals, and he’d taken on some extra ones, when his dad was being moved into the home. He’d told himself it was enough, but now? It felt like nothing at all.

He looked over at Willow, visible in the kitchen, cooking. How many of the lines on her face were because Ash hadn’t been there to help? How had she suffered, shouldering it all alone?

He’d been reluctant to come home because of these very fears.

He took a deep breath, preparing himself to go into the kitchen and properly apologise.

A thumping noise reminded Ash he wasn’t alone in the house with his sister. Hallow skipped down the stairs lightly, dressed in a shirt Ash recognised as one of his old ones from when he was a teenager.

His pink hair looked soft as candy floss, and his face lit up when he saw Ash. “Is it dinner time? I’m famished.”

“You’re wearing my high school production shirt.”

Hallow stopped in front of Ash and grinned up at him. “What’s that mean?”

Ash tugged on the sleeve, rubbing the worn, soft fabric between his thumb and forefinger. “Uh, at our school we all put on a very big play? This one was Shakespeare, Much Ado About Nothing. It’s a comedy, I was a minor part.”

Willow walked in, carrying a large platter of steamed vegetables. “You were essential to the show. Don’t lie to our guest.”

“I wasn’t essential.” Ash shook his head. “I was a bit part that has some jokes.”

“Brought the house down. He could have been a lead in his final year, but he got shy and switched to backstage.”

Hallow looked between them, head swivelling as if he was watching a tennis match. He then fixed his gaze on Ash. “Why didn’t you take a lead?”

“I … wanted to focus on my studies.” Ash realised he had moved even closer to Hallow and was touching him when he probably wasn’t supposed to be. He stepped back, crashed into one of the dining chairs and had to right himself.

“I told you, he got shy.” Willow rolled her eyes. “Like right now. Help me carry the rest of the food in?”

Hallow, whose eyes had gone wide as Ash flailed with the chair, nodded and skipped past. Ash took a moment to breathe, turned to go into the kitchen, but Hallow came out balancing a salad bowl, a platter of meat and a breadboard with a loaf on it on his arms, walking as gracefully as a ballet dancer. Not a single item wobbled.

“Impressive. You must have been a waiter.” Willow followed, carrying a small dish of butter.

“What’s a waiter?”

They sat down to eat. Willow’s head tilted to one side. “How can someone not know what a waiter is?”

“English isn’t his first language.” Ash gave Hallow an apologetic smile. “So there’s some things he won’t be familiar with. A waiter brings you your food in a restaurant.”

Hallow nodded.

“Help yourself, guests first.” Willow handed Hallow the tongs to help himself to the dishes.

“This smells incredible,” Hallow said. “The cook has harnessed the spirits of the forest to make a perfect meal.”

Ash blinked.

“Maybe someday soon you could make us something from your culture, Hal?” Willow’s smile faded. “Which is, I’m sorry, I don’t think Ash told me where you’re from?”

Ash looked at Hallow and panicked. His eyes were single-lidded which would translate to an Asian country and he did look sort of K-Pop-ish with his pink hair. “He’s from South Korea.”

Hallow’s eyes widened and he nodded, his face going completely blank in a way that made it clear he was lying. “Yes. I’m from South Korea.”

“Oh my god, I LOVE Korean food! There’s this all-you-can-eat barbeque place in town I go to at least once a month.”

Ash felt his cheeks warm. “Well, Hal is from a small town, the food’s probably different there.”

“Yes.” Hal nodded solemnly and handed the tongs to Ash. “Our village is different.”

Willow blinked, looked between them and made a ‘huh!’ noise. “Cool. I’m open to whatever.”

“I’d be happy to cook for you.” Hallow’s expression brightened again. “Although I’m not very good, I really only know a handful of dishes.”

“That’s probably more than Ash can make.” Willow helped herself to the salad as Ash took some food onto his plate.

“Rude, I can cook lots of things.”

Willow leaned closer to Hallow. “He’s trying to impress you. He can make two pasta dishes and cheese on toast.”

Hallow giggled. A sound that went right into Ash’s empty chest and nestled there like a mouse, warming a tiny bit of him.

“Okay, I used to be like that, but it might surprise you to hear I’ve learned a lot since then. I’ve been travelling, I made sushi! I cook ramen, I can do all kinds of things.”

Willow chewed a piece of carrot and shook her head. “Cooking instant cup ramen isn’t cooking. And besides, I bet most of the places you stayed didn’t have a full kitchen, so when you say cooking do you mean toast? Reheating premade meals from the supermarket?”

Ash flushed, she’d caught him out. “I… well… often there was a kitchenette? Or a shared kitchen space…”

Hallow and Willow both burst into gales of laughter.

Ash scrubbed his face with one hand. “At least my pasta is really tasty.” Willow caught her breath and flapped a hand. “I’m just teasing, Ashy. Of course it’s tasty.”

Ash huffed and concentrated on the food on his plate. He felt useless. Here he was, a grown man, who could truly only cook a handful of dishes. He wasn’t even confident he could make sushi from scratch. The times he’d made was under the tutelage of various Japanese backpackers and homestay hosts, and they’d shown him every step of it.

Under the table, Hallow rubbed his foot against Ash’s leg. Ash looked up and Hallow’s eyes were on him, warm and liquid. He gave him a reassuring smile. The tiny warm thing in Ash’s chest got bigger.

Hallow and Willow clicked instantly. Hallow asked her about her work, and her life, and before Ash could process how, Willow was making a list of movies for the two of them to watch together. Ash cleaned up after dinner while Willow dragged Hallow into the living room to show him a selection of videos on YouTube he just had to see.

Ash was, content to be left out of the conversation. His body felt strange, too large, but too small for the whirlwind of emotions inside him. He felt such affection for Hallow it scared him, given how little they knew each other. What was he supposed to do with the way Hallow’s laugh, and kind eyes warmed the gaping hole in his chest? He didn’t want to get attached, and then have Hallow leave.

He washed the dishes and stared out the kitchen window.

A flash of movement caught his eye, out in the backyard. When he tried to focus on it, there was nothing there.

In his chest, a surge of nothingness flickered, as if something outside had pulled, revealing the void in his chest… But this was the real world and not the dreamscape Hallow said was real.

Did he doubt it? Hard not to, but he also couldn’t deny Hallow wasn’t of this world.

Ash leaned closer to the window, peering out into the darkness. Nothing moved. Unsettled, he flicked the light off in the kitchen and looked out again. Nothing there.

He went to join the others, relaxing into normal life for a moment. The YouTube clips on the TV did not hold his attention. Ash redirected his gaze to the framed Monet print that had hung in the same spot on the wall his entire life, one of a haystack in the fading summer light. He’d often stared at the colours, trying to understand how the purples and greens worked together so well. His father told him Monet had a magic way with paint.

He needed to see his father.

He had to apologise, explain where he’d been all this time and why.

He needed to make something of his life. Write the book he’d thought about, or else get a proper job.

But… Ash glanced at the pink haired man sitting on the other end of the sofa, and felt the warmth envelop him, banishing the emptiness. For tonight, he could sit and watch Hallow, and accept the truth. No matter how unbelievable it was, they were here together. Magic was real. There were other worlds. He didn’t have to solve anything, just sit with the knowledge and let it seep in.

Chapter five

Ash woke up warm and contented, arms wrapped around a gently snoring form. He nuzzled into the sweet-smelling person and smiled.

It took a few moments for his brain to process and the realisation he’d gone to sleep alone hit him. Who was in bed with him? His eyes flew open to see a mop of pink hair and his mind supplied the word Hallow.

He didn’t let go. He couldn’t bring himself to wake him.

Hallow’s back was pressed against Ash’s side, head resting on Ash’s bicep, and both his arms wrapped around Ash’s. He was clinging like a tiny fey koala.

Ash’s heart melted at the cuteness. He breathed out, a soft sigh he didn’t intend to be audible.

Hallow stirred, turning over, slightly squishing Ash’s bicep. Their faces were so close together they could have kissed. He opened his eyes. “I got lonely.”

“You … got lonely?” Ash repeated, dazzled by the warmth of Hallow’s smile. Seen this close, it was blinding. Hallow’s body pressed tight against Ash’s added to the heat.

“I hope you don’t mind? I couldn’t sleep alone.”

Ash cleared his throat. “Well. I don’t exactly mind. I mean, it was very nice and warm to wake up with you, but… my sister might get the wrong idea.”

Hallow’s eyebrows knit together. Even that was pretty. He didn’t have his glamour up, so his pointed ears stuck out from his sideburns. “Wrong idea?”

“She might think we’re sleeping together.”

“We did sleep together.”

“No, I mean. She might think you and I are…” Ash struggled with his pre-coffee brain to find words that didn’t also sound like he was coming onto Hallow. He wanted to. He wanted to pull Hallow on top of him and kiss him until neither of them could breathe but Hallow hadn’t meant anything by climbing into bed with him. He’d wanted another body to sleep next to. He wasn’t thinking about anything more. “Fucking.”

Well, that was… probably blunt enough.

Hallow’s eyes widened and he nodded slowly. “Right, and you don’t want her to think you’re fucking me.”

“Because I’m not fucking you.” Why was it so hard to breathe? Ash’s voice sounded strange.

Hallow’s forehead crinkled and then his expression went completely blank. He pulled away from Ash and sat up, tossing the blankets off. “Of course you’re not.”

Ash wanted to pull him back, tell him he wanted him, kiss him. Those plump lips would be so soft…

No. He had to be strong. Hallow needed to get home, not get into a complicated physical relationship with someone he’d just met. A relationship would be the last thing on Hallow’s mind. He was probably confused, trying to understand a new world, a new everything and here Ash was, thinking with his dick. He was the worst.

“I’m sorry,” Ash offered.

Hallow turned back, smile bright, glamoured up so his ears and eyes looked human again. “You have nothing to be sorry for. I’m sorry for invading your space. It won’t happen again.”

He was utterly sincere, Ash thought. So that cemented it. There was nothing between them, just Hallow wanting company so he could sleep.

Ash had to do better.

Willow was making coffee and Hallow was eating cornflakes when Ash came down. They were both weirdly silent which probably meant Hallow had told Willow his side of things and she was determined not to ask.

He didn’t want to start anything himself. He put on some toast and took a cup of coffee when Willow offered it.

“Hallow’s going to come along and help with the clean up,” Willow announced.

“Oh yeah?” Ash glanced at Hallow, who gave him a slightly uncertain smile. “That’s awesome. If you have time, we can definitely use more help.”

“I want to help. I have time.” Hallow ate another spoonful of cereal.

“Great.”

Hallow had dressed in some of the clothes Ash had given him. He made even oversized T-shirts and hopelessly dated jeans look sexy. Ash shook his head, annoyed with himself for thinking that way, objectifying him. He hurried his breakfast and got ready to leave.

Willow drove them to the work site and they were assigned different tasks.

Ash tried his best to lose himself in the manual labour, and not overthink things. But it was an impossible task.

He went to the skip to toss in some broken bits of bookshelf. Hallow walked past with a huge roll of sodden carpet on his shoulder. The carpet was far bigger than him, he had one arm up balancing the bulk of it, but he appeared to be completely comfortable balancing it, not straining at all.

Ash gaped. “How… how are you carrying that?”

Hallow turned towards Ash, his expression curious. “You can see how I’m carrying it, can’t you?”

“No, I mean. It’s so heavy and you’re … small?”

Hallow rolled his eyes and tossed the carpet into the skip as if it weighed no more than a piece of paper. “I’m stronger than I look, clearly.”

Ash’s cheeks warmed.

“Hal! Can you lift this one too?” One of the Barrys called out.

Hal dusted off his hands on the jeans Ash had loaned him and practically skipped off. “Sure thing!”

Ash watched, mouth dry, as Hall picked up another rolled carpet, bigger than the first, and hoisted it onto his shoulder. Even though the fabric was sodden and muddy, none of it seemed to rub off on him. His borrowed shirt from Ash’s teen years was immaculate.

“Close your mouth and get back to work.” Willow elbowed him in the side.

Ash instantly turned away, cheeks aflame. “I wasn’t—

“Sure, you weren’t.” Willow walked back into the backyard with Ash. “Listen, I know you’re not looking for anything right now, but Hal literally followed you home. And you clearly have a thing for him, so… What’s going on?”

“What did Hal say this morning?”

“You slept in the same bed but nothing was ever going to happen. He seemed kind of down about it, too.”

Ash fixed Willow with a stare. “He’s not staying. He doesn’t —” He couldn’t tell her Hallow was from another universe. “He doesn’t have a visa, or anything. He’s going to have to go home.”

He bit his tongue before he said anything about how hot Hallow was, how endearing, or how right it had felt when they’d woken up together that morning. How much Ash wished Hallow could stay. He felt perfectly content in a way he hadn’t felt since he’d been in a zen garden in Japan with a can of coffee and a pastry.

“You like him. He likes you, doesn’t seem too complicated.”

“It is complicated. I’m home, I’m going to settle down. He can’t stay, he needs to… He has things he has to do.”

“So what? You can’t have some fun while he’s here?”

Ash blushed again, and shook his head, letting his shaggy hair fall into his face. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Because you li-ike him!” she teased, drawing out the word. “He is hot and very impressive. I had no idea he was so strong. Clean-up will go so much quicker.”

Ash avoided her eyes. “Can we please focus on clearing up these branches?”

“Fine, but my point stands. He’s into you, and you should do something with the short time you have together. Seize the moment. Isn’t that the kind of thing you’re writing about all the time on your Instagram?”

Ash shook his head. “Places are different to people. Places don’t get hurt when you leave.”“Deep.” Willow hauled the green waste bin closer. “Put it on a T-shirt, you’ll sell out.”

“I hate you.”

“I love you, too.”

They stuck their tongues out at each other, both their childhood selves again for a split second.

Ash threw himself into the work, and tried his best not to think about Hallow.

He lasted three seconds and then Ash had to admit Hallow was using magic, which meant the small part of his brain still resisting the truth about Hallow was wrong. Magic was real, this was all real, and he had to do whatever he could to help Hallow get home.

Hallow was beautiful. And sassy, Ash hadn’t noticed before. He also was interesting, and magical and his body was warm and he’d smiled so brightly that morning the image was seared onto Ash’s memory.

He grit his teeth, determined to shake it off and focus on the task at hand.

Willow was right, they made a huge amount of progress with Hallow’s help. At three in the afternoon, when Ash was sweating like a waterfall, one of the Barry’s called it a day. Everyone gathered at the top of the driveway to congratulate each other for a job well done.

“I think we can take tomorrow off. Joyce will text about the day after.”

“Thanks to Hal, we moved really quickly today!”

Hallow grinned, humbly looking down as he received slaps on the back and hearty thanks from the rest of the volunteers.

Willow handed Ash the keys. “I’m beat. Drop me home and go to the supermarket, will you?”

“Sure. Hal wanted to check out the mall too.”

Hallow climbed into the passenger seat next to Ash.

Ash took a breath and tried to remember how to drive as Willow climbed into the back seat.

“It’s just like riding a bike.” Willow shut her eyes.

“God. Okay.” Ash set his phone to give him the route home and started the car. His first step on the accelerator lurched the car forward suddenly. He slammed on the brakes.

“The car’s never done that before.” Hallow clung to the hand rest, eyes wide.

“You’re fine.” Taking a deep breath, Ash tried again. Much smoother, he pulled into traffic, relaxing as the patterns of driving came back to him. Check the rear-view mirror, check side mirrors, watch speed, adjust to the flow of traffic… “Okay, yeah. I remember.”

“Mmhm. I’m gonna nap.” Willow turned half on her side and promptly began snoring.

Ash flicked the radio to the news and followed the route home.

“This is a department store.”

Hallow grabbed his elbow. His eyes were wide and he was breathing rapidly. “Is this the biggest one in the world?”

Ash laughed. “No, it’s not even the biggest one in the city. But for what we need, it’s big enough.” He steered Hallow towards menswear. “Let’s get you some clothes.”

“Ooh this is pretty.” Hallow reached out to a rack of frilly women’s blouses.

Ash stopped short. Of course, Hallow would be interested in all sorts of fashions. His instinct was to tell him it was for women, but really? What was the harm? Clothes were just clothes. He grinned. “Yeah?”

“There’s so many of them. How do I know which is right?” Hallow flicked through the rack with speed, and then pulled out something pink with tiny blue flowers on them. Forget-me-nots?

“Uh, we have sizing, see?” He found the label in the back of the collar. “They have little rooms where you can try things on. How about you pick out a few things, try them on, and then you’ll know the size you need.”

Hallow instantly became a frenzy of activity, moving through departments indiscriminately and tossing items into Ash’s arms for trying on. Athleisure wear, dresses, pants, work shirts, slippers, heels and boots. Ash regretted not grabbing a trolley, but he didn’t want to leave Hallow alone for a second, he was so single-mindedly focused on looking at everything.

He prayed that Hallow didn’t grab a whole lot of lingerie. Ash’s heart wouldn’t hold up if he had to imagine, or worse, see Hallow in lacy underthings.

Finally, Hallow hit the end of the clothing department and found soft toys. He picked up a soft blue teddy bear with a symbol on its belly. “What is this?”

“It’s a Care Bear.” Ash took it from him and looked at the label. “It’s called Wish Bear. They’re kind of to help kids understand their emotions I think.”

“I love it.”

“We can get it if you want it”

Hallow’s smile was so wide his eyes crinkled almost all the way shut. “Thank you!”

Ash’s heart thudded. He couldn’t find any words in his suddenly dry throat so he nodded.

“I guess I should go into the little room and try stuff on then?” Hallow looked around, the Care Bear held tight to his chest.

“I think they’re this way.”

While Hallow tried on clothes, Ash leaned against the wall holding the Care Bear and checking his bank balance on his phone. He had enough to cover Hallow’s spending today but they couldn’t make a habit of it.

Hallow pulled the changing room curtain aside, dressed in a pink sports bra with a black lightning design and a pair of pinstripe dress pants. “What do you think?”

Ash blushed, lost for words. He nodded.

Hallow pouted and looked at himself in the mirror, twisting so he could see the way his ass looked in the pants. “I think the size is right?”

“As long as you’re not feeling they’re too tight in any one place, or like they might fall off, then you’re probably good. They look like they fit you.”

“But do they look good?”

“They look really good.” Ash nodded emphatically. Good wasn’t nearly enough. Neither was wonderful, beautiful, handsome or perfect… Nothing in the English language came close to how the dress pants hugged Hallow’s ass and accentuated his tiny waist. “Gorgeous, really.”

Without warning, Ash imagined how Hallow’s ass would feel in his hands. Was it squishy? Hard with muscle? He wanted to take a bite out of it.

Inappropriate.

Hallow beamed. He stroked a hand over his chest, caressing the spandex of the bra, and bounded back into the changing room. “Thank you!”

They loaded the bags of clothes into the back of Willow’s car and Ash took the driver’s seat.

“That was so much fun,” Hallow said. “Much more gratifying than waiting for a tailor to finish your commission.”

“I guess so.” Ash pulled the car out and started driving. He didn’t quite feel ready to go home. He decided to take a scenic detour, maybe go up one of the volcanoes and show Hallow the view of the city from up high.

“You’re used to it, so it isn’t exciting for you.” Hallow had snagged the Care Bear out of its bag and now it sat on his lap.

It was adorable.

Hallow was adorable.

“Yeah, exactly. That’s one of the reasons I like to travel so much. Find something new, something I’ve never seen before.”

“It’s thrilling.”

Something about Hallow’s tone had dropped. Ash glanced at him to see him frowning out the window. He made an educated guess.

“You miss home, though.”

Hallow nodded. “Of course. I didn’t mean to be gone for anything like this long.”

“Do you want to talk about it? You could tell me what it’s like there.” He took the turn up Mt Eden.

Hallow must have sensed what he was doing because he stayed silent until the car was parked and the lights over Manukau Harbour were laid out before them.

Ash wound the windows down and shut off the engine, undid his seat belt so he could partially turn towards Hallow. “I’d love to hear about it. There’s so much I don’t understand about this whole…multiple worlds thing.”

Hallow undid his seat belt and turned towards Ash. “I told you I’m from the Lonely Forest?”

“Yeah I think so. Right before that thing appeared and we had to run.”

Hallow sucked in a breath. “Well, the Lonely Forest is part of the Grefanlands. There are meadows, forests, villages and then…more meadows and forests and villages. There’s rumours of a great city with a castle, but I’ve never seen it and neither has anyone I know.”

“Can everyone there do magic?”

Hallow shook his head, pink hair falling over his shoulder. Ash’s hand twitched to push it back into place. “My people can, and the Rabbit Village folk have a sort of hearth magic but it’s different to what we do. There’s some magical creatures and some ordinary ones.”

“Oh man, there’s so much I want to get into.” Ash ran a hand through his hair, largely so he could resist putting his hand in Hal’s hair. “But I guess I should ask the big stuff first.”

Hallow leaned back, stretching his legs out in the footwell. “Go ahead.”

“Why were you between worlds in the first place?”

Hallow turned his intense gaze on Ash. “My village has been suffering. There’s this yellow fungus, it grows on our crops and makes people sick. It’s magical in origin, we think. It resists all our pest control herbs and spells, and nothing we’ve tried has worked on it. I was sent to find a solution. I tried three doors before The Quetch came for me. It’s an ancient beast.” Hallow looked away, shaking his head slightly. “It hates change. Maybe it could sense what I was trying to do or maybe it simply doesn’t want anyone travelling between worlds. I don’t know.”

Silence fell. Ash looked out the windscreen at the view, and let it all sink in.

“You said it stopped you returning home.” Ash paused as the conundrum unwound in his head like a huge mind map. Or maybe more like one of those TV stalker walls with strings connecting seemingly unconnected items. “What do you know about the Quetch, what can it do? It must have some magic if it stopped you getting home.”

Listen to him—talking so rationally about magic, monsters and how to travel between worlds. How quickly things changed.

“I know precious little.” Hallow rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand. “I think I’d like to walk some, if it’s safe to.”

“Of course, it should be fine. You mean alone, or…?”

“Please walk with me. I don’t want to be alone at night in a strange world.”

Ash’s heart ached, feeling again that overwhelming desire to protect Hallow. To look after him. To kiss him.

Slow down, he’s asked for company on a walk, not a relationship.

The night air was cool but not cold. They took the winding path to the very summit of the mountain. The gentle breeze brought the scent of freshly cut grass. Ash heard a sole, late-season cicada singing from somewhere nearby. He paused to take a picture and posted it on Instagram without a comment, just the location tag.

“The Quetch is a children’s story. Something Ma told me to keep me from wandering out of the house at night. I thought that was all it was until I saw it.”

“Mm.” Ash sensed Hallow would continue.

“But I knew what it was the moment I saw it. Huge like in the stories, sharp teeth the colour of peeled onions, eyes that burned with fire within. Worse than all that, I could feel its intent. As surely as I can feel you standing beside me now. I could feel it wanted to grab me, trap me. Keep me, perhaps?”

Ash shivered. “Not kill you? The way it ran, I thought it seemed murderous.”

Hallow shook his head, his soft pink hair shimmering in the starlight in a way no one from Earth’s could. “No. Not at first. I could feel the desire. I think it’s a collector. It wants to add me to some terrible collection. Perhaps it ran at you because it thought you were a rival?” Hallow shivered, wrapping his arms around himself.

Ash yearned to reach out, to wrap his arms around him. He recalled Hallow’s words, how his people used physical touch casually, but his own sensibilities held him in check. He cleared his throat, resisting the urge to throw his arms around him.

Fuck it, he could always ask, right?

“Do you want a hug?” His voice came out thin, strained with his own strangled desire. Hallow turned away from the distant city lights. His eyes looked gigantic, sparkling and liquid. Two pools with starlight caught in them. “Yeah, if you’re offering?”

Ash wrapped his arms around Hallow and pulled him close, enveloping him in body warmth and concern. He wanted so much to take away the things that frightened Hallow. To wrap him up in his jacket and keep him safe forever.

Hold him.

Keep him.

But that was… He wasn’t like The Quetch.

He didn’t want to collect Hallow and keep him that way, right?

He didn’t want to stop Hallow doing anything, going anywhere. He wanted his freedom. Ash wanted a place in his heart, to be beside him wherever he went. That was different.

Chapter six

That night, Ash fell asleep part way through a chapter of the novel he’d picked up. He was in the alleyway again, but it wasn’t the same section he’d been in before. There were more posters here, one advertising the Moulin Rouge, one for something called the Share Place, one for a magic shop.

Ash stepped towards The Magic Shop poster, curious. ‘Whatever troubles you, we have what you need to get back onto the right path,’ the poster promised. ‘Herbs, poultices, crystals, runes, cards, gems, potions, rare ingredients, charms, amulets, countless tomes and more!’

“Countless tomes?” Ash murmured. Books of magic? He suddenly had an overwhelming need to find The Magic Shop. He needed those books. He wanted to learn everything that was written about magic.

A tug in his chest caught his attention. He glanced down. As before, when he was in this place, his chest had a void in it. How could something tug at a void? He thought he heard Hallow’s voice, very faint.

The sound of someone stepping on the cobbles.

He turned, expecting to see Hallow. Instead a huge form loomed over him. He couldn’t make out details, but there was movement in the darkness, the suggestion of a face that slid away when he looked directly at it.

The Quetch.

It raised a hand, far too large, out of proportion with the thing’s shoulders, and mostly long claws.

Ash flattened himself to the wall. What could he do? He had no magic and nowhere to run to.

The Quetch curled a hook into the void of Ash’s chest.

Intense cold filled the void, followed by pain so great that Ash screamed.

He blinked awake.

Hallow had his hand on his shoulder, shaking gently. “Wake up, Ash, wake up.”

“M’awake.” Ash clutched his own chest. He could still feel the throbbing pain of The Quetch’s hook. Had it been real?

“Tell me what happened.” Hallow climbed into the bed and wrapped his arms around Ash. There was some shuffling as he gently moved him onto his side to be spooned.

Ash relaxed into the warmth of him, taking a moment to catch his breath. Despite Hallow’s relatively small size, the cuddle made Ash feel safe and secure. Despite this, his heart thundered like it would never slow down.

“I was in the alleyway. The Quetch saw me, it…” He paused, half-afraid that talking about it would summon it there, or make the pain more real.

His chest throbbed. If it had been a pain from a dream, it’d have faded the instant he woke up. What did it mean that he was still in pain?

Hallow pressed his palm to Ash’s chest. His small hand felt warm, and the pain eased almost entirely.

“Better?”

“Yeah.” Ash closed his eyes. “That’s got rid of the pain. The thing had these claws, and it hooked one right in my chest.”

“In the void.” It wasn’t a question, Hallow knew what he meant.

“Yeah. And it hurt. It hurt after I woke up. How does that even… I mean, I guess it’s magic but how does that work?”

“Somehow you’re travelling when you sleep.” Hallow rubbed his thumb in soothing circles on Ash’s chest. “I can’t travel, and you can’t help travelling. This is bizarre and confusing. We need help.”

Ash felt close to sleep again, warmed through by Hallow’s body and his presence. “Is it dangerous for me to sleep?”

“I don’t know. But it’s probably worse if you try to avoid it. Maybe since it already happened tonight it won’t happen again? Maybe it won’t happen because I’m here.”

Ash hummed, nuzzling back into Hallow’s chest. “Your inability to travel might be a shield, you think?”

“It could be. It’s just a guess though. We need to find the mages and sages of this world and get some advice.”

“We don’t have mages in this world.” Ash said around a jaw-creaking yawn. “Magic isn’t real.”

“Mmhm.” Hallow didn’t sound like he believed him. Fair enough, too, given the circumstances.

It didn’t matter. Ash hadn’t felt this safe and comfortable in a long, long time. He fell into a restful, dreamless sleep.

Ash woke up pressed against Hallow.

In his sleep he must have turned, and now he was the one holding the other man. Hallow was curled up against his chest, hands together between them, his full lips parted, his long eyelashes brushing his cheeks with each exhale. His pointed ears poked out from his soft pink hair and he was wearing a pair of flannelette pyjamas with a duckie pattern on them.

He was at once the sweetest, cutest, most devastatingly handsome and hottest man Ash had ever been in bed with.

He needed to kiss him.

But… What would that mean to Hallow? Would it be a nothing gesture, one of the casual touches that he thought of as part of conversation?

Ash wanted it to be more than that, to be a symbol of the affection he had for Hallow. How much more he wanted of Hallow, to touch and kiss and well, yeah, fuck him. He was half-hard now, just from their proximity.

But what was the point if Hallow was going to leave the dimension forever as soon as they found a way to do so safely?

Hallow, as if aware of Ash’s dilemma, opened his eyes, a languid smile pulling his eyes into crescent shapes. “You’re holding me.”

“Yeah.”

“I like it.”

Ash’s cheeks burned. He felt like this was his first time in bed with anyone. He felt too large, all elbows and utterly mystified by what he was supposed to do next.

Hallow grinned. “I think you like it too.”

“I do. I… I don’t know what to do.” The honesty fell out of him easily, probably because it was so early in the day.

Hallow leaned closer, their lips millimetres apart. “What do you want to do?”

Images flooded Ash’s mind — Hallow naked, riding him, Hallow on his front, crying out as Ash slammed into him from behind. Hallow’s mouth wrapped around Ash’s cock. He swallowed.

“I… want to kiss you. But I don’t want you to think it’s nothing. I really like you and I’m grateful you came in last night and calmed me down. I want to thank you but it’s not like that either, it’s that I like you so, so much.”

Hallow hummed, the smug sound of a cat that’s been given a bowl of fish. He leaned in and pressed his plush lips to Ash’s. They were even softer than he’d imagined.

It was inevitable, Ash realised. From the moment he’d first seen Hallow in the alleyway he’d wanted him, been drawn to him like a magnet. He didn’t believe in fate, but this felt fated.

Ash moaned, opening his mouth to tease at Hallow’s lips with his tongue.

Hallow responded instantly, lashing his tongue against Ash’s and pressing closer to him. He gripped the back of Ash’s neck, pulling him in.

Ash bit Hallow’s lower lip and tugged, rewarded with a soft, high whimper of need.

Ash moved his hand down Hallow’s back, teasing the elasticated hem of the pyjamas, wanting so much to cup his butt but not sure if he was allowed.

Hallow pulled back.

Ash let go of him instantly. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to go that far I just—”

Hallow placed a steady finger on Ash’s lips. “Hush. You’re fine. I like it.” He stripped the pyjama top off and then shimmied out of the pants under the covers. Ash felt the pants getting kicked down to the bottom of the bed. The heat of Hallow’s skin against his own.

He was extremely hard now.

Was this really going to happen?

He spoke in a hushed tone. “Are you sure? I mean, with everything going on, we don’t know what—”

Hallow climbed on top of him to quiet him with a kiss. He ground down on Ash’s hardness wantonly, eliciting a needy moan from Ash. “I’m sure. I like you too, and we can do this. We’re both adults. We can enjoy each other, there’s no reason not to.”

Ash tried and failed to catch his breath. Hallow’s ass on his cock was too much, too stimulating to keep a thought in his head let alone steady his breathing. “Okay.”

Hallow pushed the blankets back so he could pull Ash’s pants off him. In the dim light Ash saw Hallow’s cock, perfectly pink and standing upright, slim but long, larger than he would have thought given Hallow’s slight stature. Did he shave or was his species naturally not very hairy? What pubic hair he had was very sparse, more of a decoration to off-set the prettiness of his cock.

Hallow hummed in appreciation when he revealed Ash’s cock, heavy, nested in thick hair. “You’re big! I should have guessed.”

Hallow dipped his head and swirled his tongue around his tip. Ash covered his own mouth with his hand, so he didn’t get too loud in his appreciation. He had no idea if Willow was awake or if she could hear anything, but he didn’t want her to hear.

Hallow’s eyes were hooded, liquid with promise as he licked a stripe up Ash and then closed his lips around him. His mouth was hot and wet. Ash wanted to buck up into it, but he also wanted to stay perfectly still and take whatever Hallow would give him.

He opted for the latter.

Hallow carefully and with great skill bobbed his head, lathing his tongue against Ash’s length and sucking gently.

Ash dropped his hand from his own mouth. He reached to touch Hallow’s soft pink hair and immediately gripped the strands as Hallow took him all the way in. He tugged involuntarily and Hallow moaned around him, pulling back to lick at him and then take him deep once more.

Ash swore softly. “Not too much, I’ll come like this.”

Hallow chuckled, pulling off and licking his slick lips. “You want to come some other way?” He trailed his fingers up Ash’s thighs and over his stomach, teasing. “You want me to fuck you? Or to fuck me? I don’t care which, I’ll do it.”

New images flooded Ash’s head of Hallow pinning him down and fucking him and he bucked his hips without meaning to. Hallow grinned and bent in to lick at him again. “Wanna fuck you.” He croaked out. “But the other, sometime… maybe. Sounds good too.”

Hallow grinned and nodded, licking him one last time before climbing up to straddle his hips. “Like this?”

“Yeah, that’s… Yes, but I need to prep you…” He reached for Hallow’s hips, pulling him closer. Hallow giggled, a soft, teasing noise that went straight to Ash’s dick. “No, you don’t. I have magic for that.”

Ash’s mouth went dry. “Magic?”

“Mmhm.” He tugged free of Ash’s hands and gripped his cock, positioning himself to sink down. “Wait, protection, you’re from another world there could be diseases—”

“Stop fussing.” Hallow shook his head. “There’s magic for that too. Barrier magic. Nothing will pass through except your spunk.”

Ash groaned, never before this turned on by talk of protection. “Fuck, magic is so cool.”

“It is.” Hallow pressed himself against Ash’s hardness. Ash felt wetness there, slick as honey, as if Hallow had somehow secreted lube.

He could almost have come from that alone.

Slowly, agonisingly slowly, Hallow moved down his length. Two bright pink circles showed on his cheeks. His eyes looked glazed, staring right into Ash’s.

Ash moaned, his hands loose on Hallow’s hips, letting him control it. As he entered him he felt the wetness all around, hot and blindingly tight. “Fuck, Hal, it’s so tight.”

“Mm, I haven’t done this for a while.” Hallow’s voice was higher pitched, mostly breath.

Ash whined, wanting to feel all of him but not wanting to hurt him. “Neither, honestly.”

Hallow gasped and pushed down to bottom out in one go, moving both his hands to Ash’s chest. Ash leaned up to kiss his fingertips, moaning, trying to distract himself from the need to orgasm.

He was so close, but he wanted this to last as long as possible.

Hallow panted hard, his hair stringy on his forehead, his pupils were blown. “You feel so big, and so good.”

“Please move,” Ash gasped. “I can’t hold back much longer.”

Hallow complied immediately, rocking his hips and bouncing on his knees.

Ash caught the rhythm. His hips matched Hallow’s, but he couldn’t catch his breath. Hallow was so beautiful riding him. Far more beautiful than he’d imagined, and he was entranced. Hallow glowed in the barest morning light that filtered through the curtains. His pink hair sparkled, his every feature sharpened to hyper-reality.

I’ve never been so lucky, to see this, to feel it… to have him.

Ash ran his hands over Hallow’s abs, his sides and chest. Every inch of him was sculpted muscle covered in perfect soft skin. Groaning, he pulled him in for another kiss as he thrust up into him.

Hallow gasped against his lips, his eyebrows knotting together.

Ash took it as encouragement, thrusting faster as he held Hallow as close as he dared to.

This is too good. It could become an addiction so easily.

Hallow matched his movements, lifting and crashing down at the point for deepest penetration. His breath came out as sighs and moans.

Ash couldn’t hold back. “Come with me,” he murmured against Hallow’s cheek, smearing his own saliva there.

Hallow nodded, turning his head to offer his neck to Ash. Ash sucked a mark into it as he bucked up, coming with a loud moan.

Hallow’s voice broke on his moan. He collapsed forward, peppering Ash’s face with kisses.

Ash laughed and wrapped his arms tight around him. “So good. Fuck.”

“So good.” Hallow kissed his way down Ash’s jaw and over his neck. “That was amazing.”

“Best I’ve had in... ever, maybe. Better clean up though…”

Hallow pulled his hips up so Ash could slip out then waved a hand, magically cleaning them both.

“Holy shit, that’s so useful.” Ash squeezed him tighter. “You’re so good, you’re incredible.”

Hallow finally finished up his barrage of kisses and snuggled under Ash’s chin instead. “No, you are. You’re so big and kind and warm and ugh, everything. You’re everything I like.”

Ash blushed, grateful that Hallow couldn’t see it from his position. He squeezed him tighter. “That’s sweet of you. You’re more than I could ever have dreamed of for myself.”

Hallow giggled again. “And I came through to you from a dream! And then I came on you!”

Ash closed his eyes, trying to make sense of it all, and failing. How the fuck did his dream man come to him like this?

Maybe things didn’t have to make sense right then. Maybe lying there and feeling happy was enough. He could bask in the afterglow and relax. Just exist with Hallow, together in that moment.

The more he relaxed into the man next to him, the more this felt like home.

Chapter seven

“If I need you to pick me up I’ll text,” Willow said. “But I can probably get a ride with someone from here.”

Guilt pinged in Ash’s chest. “Didn’t Joyce say everyone can take today off?”

“Yeah, but some of us want to go in and do some cleaning anyway.” Willow nodded. “Hal got so much done yesterday, we’re ahead of schedule. It’ll be fine. Besides it’s volunteer work. You’re under no obligation at all.”

“Besides the obligation of care we have to one another as a human society,” Ash said. “Satre said—”

“Shut up about Satre, for God’s sake, and go. I have leaves to sweep.” She waved and walked off. Ash didn’t start the car up, torn between his desire to help the people who’d been flooded out and Hallow, sitting beside him.

The mark he’d sucked into Hallow’s neck was glaringly obvious whenever he looked at him, and thinking about what they’d done went straight to his dick.

“Are you okay?” Hallow asked, after a few long seconds.

“I, yeah. I am.” Ash started up the car, heading into the city.

“Who’s Satre? A friend of yours?”

Ash snorted. “No, he’s a famous writer, he was around last century. He wrote a lot about human existence and how to lead better societies.”

Hallow leaned his head back and regarded Ash. “Do you always consider his opinion before you do something?”

“No?”

“So what’s the big deal now?”

“Well, it’s a community thing, I guess.” Ash sighed, trying to gather thoughts that weren't replays of Hallow riding him like a Greek God. Focus. Satre. “I feel like I’m doing good by helping you, but would I be doing more good if we stopped and helped them clean up?”

“Life isn’t always balanced, though.” Hallow ventured.

Ash shrugged a shoulder. “Well, no.”

“And you could tie yourself up in knots always wondering which is the best thing to do.”

“Right… but I don’t know. I guess I’ve been selfish for so many years. I stayed away from home, I let my sister deal with… a lot of things alone. I did some good work overseas, helped with beach clean ups and volunteered at animal rescues and stuff, but it was all because it was what I wanted to do in the moment, or to look good on my Instagram. To endorse something so that some other people would donate money, and I didn’t have to.”

Hallow reached over to rub Ash’s shoulder. “You’re being very hard on yourself. I don’t think you need to be.”

Ash sighed. “Maybe.”

“Actions, well, they’re actions. Your intent to help is worth a lot, and you have helped, you’ve done a lot. Willow doesn’t seem like she’s holding a grudge.”

“No, I guess not.”

As they drove into the city, the guilt faded, giving way to confusion over what he’d done with Hallow the night before. He had to say something or Hallow was going to assume they’d do it again that night. He wanted to, so very badly, but he couldn’t risk both their hearts that way. It wasn’t fair to Hallow and it wasn’t fair to himself.

“Hallow, what we did last night, um. I don’t regret it, but I don’t think we should do it again.” He kept his eyes on the road, refusing to look at Hallow to see his reaction.

Hallow’s voice was light when he replied. “I thought you’d probably say that. I had a lot of fun. If you want to do it again, I’d like that very much, but I understand.”

It was what Ash had wanted to hear. So why did it feel like his heart was shattering? It was the right choice. He was being sensible.

As they drew into the city centre Ash was distracted trying to remember which streets connected up and which were only one-way.

They didn’t really have a lot of direction on how to find the sort of magical help they needed, but Ash knew that if magic users did exist in this world, there had to be some on Karangahape Road.

The road, capping the central business and shopping district, had a storied history. Protests, sex clubs, alternative medicine, pride parades, upmarket bakeries, festivals and live music could all be found there, written in the lines of the cobbles and in the faded signs of the old shop facades.

It was a place for everyone.

Finding a car park was no easy matter. As he navigated side roads, Hallow pulled out a small golden crystal and waved his hand over it.

“You were right about this place. There’s something nearby, a magic user, or a nexus or something.”

“Good.” Ash pulled the car into a park and switched off the engine, wiping his forehead. Driving in the central city on a busy Friday was stressful. “Can your crystal show us exactly where?”

“Yeah.”

They got out of the car. Hallow turned in a slow circle, then pointed towards K Road. “This way.”

Ash adjusted his sunglasses and looked around as they walked. So much had changed since he’d last been here, but a lot was still familiar. There was a new bicycle store, but that same little dairy had been open when Ash was a teenager. The essence of the street hadn’t gone.

Hallow paid little attention to his surroundings, focused on the crystal in his hand. Somehow he avoided bumping into anyone. His natural grace, or his intuition perhaps, had him weaving as naturally through the pre-lunch crowd as elegantly as a deer through trees.

In contrast, Ash was so distracted watching him that he collided into someone on a phone call and then tripped over a rental scooter lying on the ground, stumbling until he caught his balance.

Hallow glanced over his shoulder and smirked. “Nicely done.”

“Shut up, we're not all ethereal fairies.”

“Cute.” Hallow reached to take Ash’s hand, guiding him in his wake to avoid further mishaps. It worked too. By sticking close to Hallow, Ash borrowed a little of his grace and only tripped over his own feet once. Probably he should refuse to hold hands, try and build distance between them, but he couldn’t quite manage to pull away.

“I think we’re getting closer.” Hallow looked up. “We have to get across the road.”

“There’s a crossing up ahead, the rainbow stripes.” Ash pointed with his free hand. The rainbow crosswalk certainly hadn’t been there when he was a teen in the late nineties. Being out and gay was still dangerous then. AIDs and beatings and shame…

They crossed the road, Hallow sped up, visibly agitated with the time it was taking to get there. He was like a dog straining at the leash. Ash hurried to keep up but slowed when they walked past a bakery. There was an apple pie in the window that made Ash’s stomach rumble. “Why don’t we just—”

Hallow grabbed Ash’s arm so suddenly he dropped his phone. It landed with a clatter on the pavement.

“Shit.” Ash crouched to pick it up.

“Sorry, Ash, I didn’t mean to startle you, I thought— No, I’m certain. This is the place.”

Hallow jabbed a finger at a recessed door. It was half-hidden, jammed in beside a vape shop’s huge window. It looked like a locked door, maybe to someone’s flat, but there was a clear sign above the door. “The Magic Shop” was painted in bright red script.

“Well.” Ash pocketed his phone. “That certainly sounds like what we need.”

“It does.” Hallow strode forward and opened the yellow door.

Yellow door. The Magic Shop. It was familiar somehow.

Then Ash remembered he’d seen this door before, in the otherworldly alley.

“How can that be?” He looked around at the mundane city street and then at the door he’d seen in his dreams.

Hallow was through, inside already. He was wasting time.

Ash hesitated. It felt like too much luck to have found the place so quickly. Before he stepped through, he eyed the doorframe, suspicious that the door itself was going to move him between worlds without his permission.

He stepped through. It seemed to have done exactly that.

The shop was by far larger on the inside. The door was narrow, and the neighbouring shops too close to allow this spacious interior.

Ash’s nose twitched with the unmistakable smell of dusty books. He felt at home immediately.

Every second-hand bookshop he’d been to in every corner of the world had smelled exactly like this. He had frequented such places, dropping off whatever he’d recently read and picking up something new. The aisles were narrow, but tall. Taller than they should have been, with access ladders on sliders dotted here and there. There was a desk, leather-topped, made from sturdy reddish wood, with an ancient-looking till on top near to the door. No one sat there, but there were books piled on the floor and a shelf of jars containing herbs and crystals behind it.

“They have clothes here!” Hallow’s voice came from somewhere deeper in the shop.

Ash’s suspicion was still intense, but he didn’t want to lose Hallow. He summoned up his courage and closed the door behind him. Instantly the traffic, the sounds of people talking, a guitar busker, and the chirp of the crossing signal hushed. Ash glanced behind him in case the door was somehow reinforced, and he hadn’t realised. It looked perfectly ordinary — glass panes in a wooden frame, a flippable open/close sign hanging off it.

There was no reason for that door to have blocked all the sound out. Well, no non-magical reason.

“Hallow?”

“Yeah, Ash?”

Ash made his way through the aisles, trying to locate Hallow by the sound of his voice. Nervously, he looked up at the ceiling. It was far higher than would make sense, since all the shops along this side of the road had flats above them. The store spread wide horizontally as well. The aisle he stepped into to find Hallow should by all rights be the far side of the vape shop.

Ash’s brain buzzed, trying to make the dimensions of the place make sense. A pain throbbed behind his left eyebrow. He took a breath, trying to ignore the inconsistencies. Even if the co-called inconsistencies were in space and time, something Ash had previously thought were set in stone.

He turned a corner at the end of a long shelf of books to see Hallow emerge from inside a huge circular rack of clothes. He had a red and blue patchwork cap and bells on his head, the horns of it hanging down on either side of his face.

“What do you think?” Hallow shook his head so the bells jingled. It was a testament to his handsomeness that somehow Hallow made even this ridiculous garment look cute.

“It’s amazing.”

“Can I help you, fine folks?”

Ash startled. He hadn’t heard anyone approach.

The man was almost Ash’s height, about six foot, but the most remarkable thing about him was his outfit. He looked like a classic stage magician in black dress pants, a pristine white shirt with black waistcoat and bowtie under the suit jacket, topping it all off with a black silk top hat. From the tone of his skin Ash guessed he was either from somewhere in the Mediterranean or Eastern Europe, maybe even the Middle East?

Hallow smiled, pulling the hat off and setting it on top of the rack. “Hello, we’re here for magic.”

The man smiled, his eyes sparkling. “Most people who walk through my door are looking for exactly that.”

“What do you…” The words caught in Ash’s throat. Asking for advice on how to move between worlds, between realities wasn’t the same as asking for the location of the books on philosophy. “...have on moving between worlds, in terms of practical instructions?” Hallow asked, seamlessly picking up Ash’s abandoned sentence.

The Owner, which was what Ash immediately thought of him as, capital letters and everything nodded, taking in Hallow’s appearance with no apparent surprise. “Right this way, down aisle three.” He turned on his heel and led them to the far side of the shop. “Although it’s possible that what you actually want is down aisle thirteen. I’ll leave that to you to decide.”

“What’s on aisle thirteen?” Ash asked, curiosity piqued.

The Owner had gone.

Hallow scanned the shelves of books, making impressed noises. “Oh, this one is a history of the alleyway!” He pulled out the book and flipped through the pages.

Ash looked at the spines of books closest to him. They seemed interesting enough. Tomes on travelling, different worlds, even a copy of Stephen Hawking’s Brief History of Time but the suggestion of aisle thirteen nagged at Ash. It was an itch under his skin, like the one he got when it was time to move on from the current location and explore somewhere new.

Leave Thailand for Bali? Or head from Fukuoka to Sapporo? Stay here or look at whatever The Owner had hinted at? “I’m gonna check out aisle thirteen.”

Hallow nodded and picked up another book. Ash looked for the numbering system for the aisles and eventually found a small number three etched into the end of the wooden shelf.

Counting aisles, he found his way to aisle thirteen.

The shelves had no labelling on them beyond the spines of the books, so he started skimming them. All the books were hardcovers, bound in leather in different colours.

“The Magic Within, Unlocking Your True Potential, Cracking the Magical Eggshell, Magical Filter Removal…” Ash read out loud. Goosebumps prickling his skin, he pulled out Unlocking Your True Potential and looked at the contents page. It was a how-to guide for starting to practise magic.

Why had The Owner suggested he come here? Was this for Hallow? But he had magic already, although he wasn’t able to solve the yellow fungus problem, that was because of The Quetch, not because he was holding himself back from his true potential.

Did that mean Ash had the potential for magic?

Goosebumps prickled his arms and the back of his neck. He flipped to the first page, which seemed to be advising meditation. He put the book back on the shelf.

Then he picked up Magical Filter Removal. “Is it possible?”

“Everyone has magical potential.” The Owner said.

Ash startled all over again. The Owner seemed to have manifested behind him, no noise at all heralded his approach.

“But not everyone has talent, or the will to wield it.”

Ash swallowed, his mouth dry.

“Some of the things in the shop find their way to the correct owner. I think The Magic Shop is trying to communicate with you. Pay attention, read what you feel drawn to.” The Owner winked and walked off.

Ash groaned.

The book felt correct in his hand. He flipped it over. There was a single quote etched into the leather of the book.

“The best guide I’ve seen to opening one’s mind to the universe’s potential and my own.” The quote was attributed but the name was written in symbols Ash didn’t recognise.

There was a paper sticker with the price written on it. Ash tucked the book under his arm.

Hallow, when he found him again, was seated on the floor surrounded by open books. He had his legs folded and a book balanced between his knees. He looked up at Ash with frustration.

“These are all wonderful books but none of them have exactly what we need. I don’t know what to do.”

Ash sat beside him, leaning against the bookshelf and picked up one of the open ones to look at the diagram inside. It seemed to be showing a ritual circle of some kind.

He set Magical Filter Removal down and Hallow instantly picked it up. “What’s this?”

“I don’t know, I guess it… resonated with me? Or something? I wanted to get it. The Owner kind of implied that the shop wanted me to have it.”

Was this all a vast prank on him? The Owner was a hired actor, Hallow was too, and all this stuff about magic and other universes was a vast skit organised for some TV show or Tiktok prank?

Ash looked around the shop, smelled the age-old paper of the books, looked up at the ceiling which seemed to have grown even higher than it had been earlier. There was no way this space could exist alongside the vape shop, unless magic was real. He knew, deep in his bones, that Hallow had never lied to him. Would never.

Besides, why would anyone want to watch a TV show where Ash, a travel influencer, was tricked into thinking magic was real? Wouldn't they just… have a ghost jump out at him, or put him on stage with a pop star or something like that? Quick pay off for the audience. No, this was all really happening, which meant he had to figure this out.

He sighed.

“Okay, let’s go ahead and choose some to take home and study. Then we can try and get to the bottom of it all.”

Hallow nodded, setting a handful of books to one side and returning the rest of them to the shelves. He was frowning, his mood subdued.

“You okay?”

“Yeah. I thought I was sensing the magic here because there was something essential for us to find. I guess I was wrong, and I was sensing the existence of the place itself, but I’m annoyed. I wanted a key.”

“Nothing so simple.” Ash stacked the books with his one.

Hallow’s mouth twisted to one side. “I was hoping for a crystal or a… I dunno.”

“Well, we haven’t explored the whole place. If there’s clothes, there’s bound to be crystals and maybe even little statues of dragons.”

“Why would anyone want a statue of a dragon?” Hallow got to his feet.

“Um, I guess because humans like cute things and sometimes like to make collections of them?”

“Weird. Dragons aren’t cute.”

Ash blinked. “Do you mean they’re like predators where you come from?”

Hallow tilted his head, eyebrows furrowed. “That’s a leap. No. I mean, they’re wise and ancient and should be respected, not made into cute figures to collect.”

Ash swallowed. “So, you do have dragons in your world? They’re a myth here.”

“Yeah, we do.” Hallow shrugged. They’d reached a large table shoved against the wall that held small baskets of crystals, runes and other small items. Ash wanted to run his hands through them, but he didn’t want to be disrespectful.

Hallow sniffed and leaned closer, bent at the waist. He eyed the crystals with a critical look and dug a small black stone out from the bottom of a pile. “This one, maybe… if I can pair it with the right… ah!” He grabbed a larger, jagged piece of rose quartz. “I think with these I can channel the stuff I read in the book, maybe. It might work. I’ve never done it this way, but I think it has a good chance of working.”

“Good.” Ash nodded. “There was a checkout counter by the door.”

“Can’t we use this one?” Hallow carried the crystals to a second desk which was close by.

Ash blinked. He hadn’t seen it before. How did he miss something like that? Had it moved?

The Owner sat behind this desk, flipping through a book. He looked up as Ash set the stack of books on the desk in front of him.

“Made your choices then?”

Ash’s stomach churned. That question felt far too large for a mere purchase. He looked away, rubbing the hair on the back of his neck with one hand.

“Yes, these please.” Hallow said. “Ash, I need your magic card to pay with.”

“Right.” Ash fumbled out his wallet and passed over his credit card.

His mind wandered. He should take a picture of the rainbow crossing and post that on his socials.

He still had to visit his father. Guilt soured his mood. He’d been so distracted with Hallow he hadn’t even visited his own father. He watched The Owner placed their purchases in brown paper bags and handed them to Hallow.

“A pleasure to meet you. Good luck,” The Owner said.

“Thank you, good luck to you, too!” Hallow took one bag, Ash took the other and they made their way through the deceptively normal front door.

Safely back on Karangahape Road, Ash’s shoulders relaxed. The world outside was exactly as it had been. Noise, and people and cars going by. Nothing to worry about here.

Ash’s stomach rumbled. He checked his watch, about midday. They’d spent longer in the shop than he’d realised.

“Let’s get some sandwiches or something to eat on the way home and then try out this stuff, huh?”

Hallow slipped his arm through Ash’s. “Sounds perfect.”

Ash wondered if he ought to drop his arm, not encourage this kind of friendly affection. Not when they were actively working to get Hallow back to another dimension. What they’d done the night before had been wonderful, transcendent in a way, but nothing between them could last.

Hallow would go home and Ash would remain here, trying to make something of his life, all the while knowing magic was real and that there was an infinity of possible worlds on the other side of the right door… Maybe he’d come back to The Magic Shop once this was all over. See what he could learn.

They retraced their steps to the apple pie bakery and picked out lunch. Ash couldn’t resist touching Hallow and smiling at him. They’d agreed to not sleep together but that didn’t mean things like this had to change, right?

And if it hurt his battered heart when they finally said goodbye, well. It would be worth every moment that Hallow smiled at him.

Chapter eight

“Are you sure this is the best place to do this?” Ash looked around the backyard of his childhood home.

Hallow nodded. “I’m sure. Magic’s always better outside.”

Willow clearly spent a fair bit of time back here. The flower beds were weed-free and the trees nicely trimmed. Ash could see several of the neighbour's windows from where they were positioned.

“Someone might see though.”

“Well, let them look.” Hallow was fiddling with his crystals and seemed quite preoccupied.

Ash blushed but went ahead and spread a picnic blanket on the lawn. He sat on one corner of it. There wasn’t much wind but he didn’t want things to get messed up.

They’d spent a good couple of hours eating and skimming the magic books, making notes and deciding on a plan of attack. Well, Hallow had come up with the plan, since he knew what he needed to make things work, but Ash had done his best to help. Now they were readying themselves for the actual weaving of the spell.

“If you’re going to sit there, I’ll go here.” Hallow sat in the centre of the picnic blanket, cross-legged with his knees pressing against Ash’s. “We need to be touching if you want to come through with me.”

“Just tell me what I need to do and I’ll do it.”

Hallow looked up from the book in his lap and wiggled his eyebrows. “Oh really? I didn’t know you were into stuff like that, but I can absolutely be the boss if that’s your thing.”

Ash’s blush was almost painfully intense. “Can we please just focus?”

“Of course.”

Hallow sat up and placed a finger on the text in the book and scanned it before clearing his throat. “Hum from deep inside yourself.” Hallow set the book down on the ground and dusted off his hands. “I’ll dance.”

“Uh, sure.” Ash really hoped that the neighbours weren’t watching now. He hummed the first thing that came into his head. ‘Dance All Around the World’ by BLERTA. A classic Kiwi song.

Hallow closed his eyes, lifted one arm in the air and executed a perfect body roll.

Ash’s breath stuttered. He tore his eyes from Hallow’s lithe form and concentrated on humming instead of watching the fey man move.

From deep inside? What did that even mean?

The song had a deep meaning for him, did that count?

Or was the instruction more about projecting from the diaphragm? He focused on his stomach muscles and pushed the air out as he got to the chorus of the song, switching from hums to the lyrics.

Hallow seemed to be enjoying himself. When Ash started to sing words, he caught his eye and nodded approval. For his part, Hallow was a born dancer. He twirled on his toes, flicked his fingers out like a ballet dancer, then swooped into a more sensual movement. He was beautiful. Every movement was perfectly executed, the line of his body forming graceful shapes.

Ash wondered in the back of his mind when he’d know if the ritual was working.

He felt it before he knew, an oppression in the atmosphere, akin to the moment before a thunderstorm starts, or a crowd holding its breath before a public fireworks display.

Haze shimmered in the air, like heat haze on a beach.

His ears blocked up. Ash fought the urge to stop singing to pop them.

Hallow spun faster and faster, spotting like a professional dancer, his head whipping around with each turn to focus on Ash.

Ash’s heart thumped hard.

Hallow stopped, his chest heaving from the effort of his movements. He pointed at the centre of the magic circle. A door sprung up between them.

Ash’s words died in his throat. That had happened, the door was really there.

He should be past being surprised by magic, but he wasn’t. One moment there was him, Hallow and a picnic blanket. Now there was a door in between them. Pressing the blanket into the lawn. A door with a frame, and a handle, and a fresh-looking coat of yellow paint. “There’s a door.”

Hallow snorted and peeked around the doorframe. “Yes, I know. We put it there.”

“Huh.”

Ash got to his feet. His knees felt distinctly wobbly. “Okay, so… We walk through it?”

“That’s the idea.” Hallow ran a hand through his hair and pocketed his crystals.

“What happens to it after we go through? I don’t want to leave it here for my sister to find and follow.”

Hallow nodded slowly. “Yes, very good point. I’ll cloak it.” He lifted his hands, gestured a complicated movement that looked a bit like that style of dance where people made shapes with their fingers. What was it called? Tutting?

The door didn’t look quite there anymore. Ash knew it was there, but he wanted to look away, to let his eyes slide to the side.

“That ought to keep it from being noticed. Come on.” Hallow took Ash’s hand and turned the doorknob with the other.

Ash held his breath as they walked through, although he didn’t know why.

On the other side of the door was the alleyway, exactly how it had looked in his dreams.

He breathed in, his nostrils picking up the scents of old beer, decomposing vegetables, petrichor and dirt. It felt like home.

He turned to look at the door as it swung shut behind him. “We should mark it so we remember which door it is.”

“It’s tied to my magic.” Hallow shrugged. “I’ll be able to find it again.”

“Well, sure, but let’s be certain about it.” Ash dug in his pocket and found one of his travel bandannas. He was in the habit of carrying a few of them. They always came in handy. He tied the bright green fabric to the doorknob. The door wasn’t yellow on this side, it was slate grey with a scrawl of graffiti over it. Ash wasn’t at all confident he would be able to recognize it without the bandanna.

He turned back to Hallow, who was looking at his chest.

Ash glanced down. The void was back.

It made him queasy to look at, so he shook his head and took Hallow’s hand again. “Come on, show me around?”

Hallow laughed, pretty and musical, and tugged him down the alleyway. “None of these doors look like the one to my home, and I can’t sense it, so let’s just have a look at what we do have. There’s a bar that way, it’s full of all sorts of people. We could get a drink?” He looked up at Ash. If he was disappointed at not immediately finding the way home, it wasn’t evident on his face. He looked hopeful. His eyelashes fluttered.

The void in Ash’s chest tugged. He took a half-step closer to Hallow. Their faces were inches apart, and mostly now separated by Ash’s height. “Hallow…” he whispered. He wasn’t sure exactly what he wanted to say, but his chest was pulling him and he wanted… he wanted.

“Come on. You like beer or wine better?” Hallow was off, tugging him towards a large door that stood half open.

“Uh, whatever?” Ash said. Disappointment flooded him over the loss of the moment with Hallow, but he sucked it up, curious for what was next.

They went through the door and into a huge bar. Bar was the wrong word for it, maybe tavern was better? The bar, tables and chairs were all aged wood. Hunting trophies decorated the walls — some of deer or antelope, but some were of mythical creatures, dragons and unicorns.

The place was crowded and noisy, with people clustered around the tables. A lot of them, like Hallow when they’d first met, looked like they’d stepped out of a fantasy novel.

There were people with goat legs, people with wings, elves and halflings and a man with a bushy beard who could only be a dwarf.

As Hallow wound through the crowd, towing Ash towards the bar, a boisterous table caught his attention. They were playing some sort of dice game. Some people seemed pretty much human. Could they be like him, people who dreamed about this place in between worlds and chose to spend their time here? It was a tempting thought. He had nothing left to explore in Auckland, nothing that needed doing… except of course, his father.

The bar was a circular island in the middle of the room, and there were several people tending it.

Hallow waved at one of the bar staff.

The barhand who approached them seemed to be more bird than human, with delicate limbs, huge eyes, feathers sprouting from their hair and shoulders, a large pair of wings folded at their back. Ash expected their voice to be high and hooting, but they sounded more like a gruff trucker. “What can I getcha?”

Hallow grinned. “Honey mead for me, please and my friend will have…?”

Ash leaned forward, trying to read the labels on the bottles shelved behind the bird person. “What spirits to you have?”

“All kinds, we have imports from all over the multiverse. What kind of flavours are you after?”

Ash’s tongue recalled the flavour of a blueberry soju in South Korea. He named the brand, expecting the bird-person to look at him blankly. Instead they nodded and turned to grab something from the shelf.

Hallow dug in his pockets and produced a handful of coins.

“What is the multiverse currency?”

“Any money,” Hallow said. “You heard them, they have imports from all over, so they take whatever currency people have.”

“That’s incredible.” Ash took their glasses as Hallow paid the bird person. How nice it would be to travel between countries and not have to exchange his lira for pounds or whatever the local currency had been. But he couldn’t imagine the difficulty humans would have in introducing such a system. Wars would break out.

But here, it seemed to work. He looked around, trying to see if there were any free seats, and spotted a small, empty table. “Over there.”

He and Hallow wound their way through chairs and past people to get to it. They sat and Ash set the golden mead down in front of Hallow.

Hallow lifted it immediately into a toast. “To us making a door together!”

“To us.” Ash tapped his glass on Hallow’s, then took a sip of his soju. It tasted exactly as it had back in that small bar in Busan. “This is pretty cool.”

Hallow grinned, bouncing a little. “Right? It’s only my second time here but it’s just as lovely.”

He leaned back in his chair, kicking his legs out so one of them brushed Ash’s calf.

Ash looked him over and was engulfed in a wave of affection.

What was he doing here? Falling in love with a fairy from another dimension who was trying to get home?

It was stupid. But they’d made something together. Ash had sung and Hallow had danced and between them they’d woven real magic, made a door that led between worlds.

And here was Ash, drinking soju and sitting with a void where his chest should be as if that was normal. He shook his head. “I feel crazy.”

Hallow laughed and leaned forward to take Ash’s free hand. “It’s a lot to take in, huh? Your world doesn’t have much magic in it. Here it’s pouring out the walls.”

Ash’s ears cleared abruptly. He’d all but forgotten that they’d been blocked. The noise of the tavern increased in volume. Laughter, exclamations, the general noise of people drinking and having fun together, it was the same whatever the language. “You’re right. It’s so strange to me. Two weeks ago I was travelling, and thinking that I’d seen everything I wanted to see. Now I’m here, and there’s… there’s so much more.”

“There is.” Hallow squeezed his hand. “But we can’t forget about the Quetch.”

“Right.” Ash’s shoulder’s tensed as if mentioning the thing’s name would immediately summon it. “And it’s after you—we’re sure it’s you in particular and it just doesn’t like anyone moving between worlds?”

“Well, yes. Like I said, I get the feeling it wants to collect me for some reason.”

“Hallow…”

“Listen, if it had a problem with everyone moving between worlds this bar couldn’t exist.” Hallow puffed out a breath and the hair hanging over his forehead fluttered.

“Good point. So, for whatever reason it’s targeted you.”

“And once it locks on a target it doesn’t stop until…it stops.” Hallow sipped his drink.

Ash squeezed Hallow’s hand, wishing he could comfort him more. “Okay. We’ll try and find your door, and if The Quetch comes, we duck back through our door?”

“That’s the basic plan, yeah.” Hallow slumped. “I wish I could show you all the nice things and not worry.”

“No use in being sad about something we have no control over.”

“I suppose.”

“Let’s focus on getting you back to the Grefanlands and your Lonely Forest.”

Hallow sighed. “The Quetch locked the door somehow, and I need… I need to retrieve a cure before I return. I was looking for it in the alleyway, but I couldn’t find it, and I guess I was too distracted in your world.”

“Something for the yellow fungus?” Ash guessed. “Tell me more about it and I’ll see if there’s something I can think of that would help?”

“My people, the village, or collective or whatever you want to call it, the community where I live, we get our food through farming and occasionally foraging the woods. But now, we can’t eat the things we grow, only what we forage, and the forest can’t sustain constant foraging for so many people.” Hallow’s shoulders slumped.

“That’s awful.” Ash’s mind was at work. Hallow had described it as a fungus, but it could it be some form of parasite? Chemicals, weed killers and fungicides might help if that was the case. “Can you describe it?”

Hallow opened his mouth just as someone nearby started to play guitar and sing. Hallow shook his head and sipped his drink. They’d have to shout to be heard over the song.

Ash nodded along with the tempo of the song.

The person singing was some sort of toadstool woman. She wore a full skirt in moss green, a matching blouse cinched in by a brown bodice, and her hair fell in waves under the wide brim of a toadstool cap. She played very well, moving between the tables and smiling as she sang. When they came close to their table, Hallow dug out a coin to offer her, she stowed it in a pouch hanging by her side with a third arm that Ash hadn’t seen before that point. Her eyes were the sort of golden-white that Ash associated with sickness, but for her appeared to be the peak of health. She spun so her skirts billowed out then moved to the next table.

“Do you know where she’s from?” Ash leaned forward to whisper.

Hallow shook his head but took advantage of the proximity to kiss Ash’s cheek. “Could be anywhere.”

“I think we can rule out my world.” Ash looked over as the woman’s third arm accepted an offering from a centaur.

“Mine too.”

Ash felt bad for thinking about fungicides. Something like that would be poison to a woman like her. Well, it wasn’t like he’d brought anything with him.

He drank the rest of his soju. “There’s some things back home that might help, things humans made that prevent blights and infections of crops. But it’d be trial and error getting the right thing and even then it might not work.”

“It’s worth trying.” Hallow said. “We’ll head back there in a moment. Did you want to see more of the alley? I don’t know how long we can stay here without getting… its attention.”

“I’d like to see more.” Ash watched the movement of Hallow’s throat as he swallowed the last of his mead. “But I agree we should be cautious.”

They left the tavern and went back out into the alleyway. Much like at The Magic Shop, the noise of the place vanished entirely as soon as they closed the door on it. It was a handy magic, one that Ash could have used in many of the hostels and cheap motels he’d stayed at over the years.

The alleyway stretched out in both directions. Hallow turned slowly in place, trying to sense something, maybe.

Ash examined a peeling poster on the nearest wall, advertising an opera at something called Opera La Rȇve, which was French. But he couldn’t recall any such place when he’d visited Paris. He pulled out his phone and took a photo of the poster.

“Don’t use that here.” Hallow put his hand on Ash’s shoulder.

Ash stashed his phone in his pocket but he was too fast, and it slipped right back out again, clattering to the floor. He crouched to pick it up.

“Shit.” Hallow didn’t swear much.

Ash looked up to see what Hallow looked worried. “Sorry, I didn’t realise it was a no-phones zone.” He stood up, phone securely in his back pocket.

“It’s all right, it’ll just attract attention. We don’t really want attention now.” Hallow put his hands on his hips. “Shall we try another door?”

“Absolutely.” They examined the doors nearest to them.

Ash felt himself drawn to a blond wooden door with a tree etched into it. The tree had a stout trunk and billowing wide branches of fluffy leaves. “How about this one?”

“Is that an Ash tree?” Hallow grinned. “That’ll be why you like it.” Ash blushed. “I didn’t think of that.”

“It feels positive to me, let’s give it a try.” Hallow reached past Ash to open the shiny brass doorknob.

It opened with the cheery jingle of a bell, and they stepped through to find themselves in a bookshop. It was similar to the Magic Shop in that there were rows of bookshelves and the same similar spell of dusty books. But this place differed in a couple of key ways. One was a gigantic table laden with books in the centre of the room. The other was that rather than the walls being lined entirely with bookshelves, here they were broken up with couches, nooks and booths with chairs and tables.

Each table held a vase of fresh flowers. Some Ash recognised, some he didn’t. Many of the tables also sported stacks of books. The chairs and benches were all lined with mismatched cushions. Ash spotted baskets of blankets dotted around the place.

“It’s Heaven,” Ash breathed. Hallow giggled. “Is that a good thing?”

Ash paused, hand reaching for a book titled ‘Native Plants of Netherbourne.’ “You don’t know what Heaven is?”

Hallow shook his head, shrugging.

“I’ll see if I can explain. In my world we have this thing called religion where people believe in a higher power, like, a god who created everything and they get together regularly to kind of… celebrate that?”

Hallow arched one perfect eyebrow. “Uh huh?”

“Yeah, and they have this concept of good and evil, where God—”

Hallow raised a hand. “Hold on. If this is going to be a lengthy explanation, perhaps we should sit down before you get any further.”

“Not a bad idea.”

Hallow moved towards the nearest booth, hips weaving like a dancer. Ash’s mouth went dry. It was far too easy to imagine those hips naked, and Hallow on top of him again… He grabbed the plant book and followed him, trying to get the images of Hallow out of his head.

They sat facing each other. Ash sank into the cushions with a sigh. It was very comfortable after the hard chairs of the tavern.

“Where were we?”

Hallow leaned forward on his elbows. “Good and evil.”

“Yes, okay and there’s this special book called the Bible. Well, other religions have other books, but a lot of people believe in the ones which use the Bible. I’m really oversimplifying this.”

“Simple is good. Stick with simple.”

“Lots of the religions have these rules for how to be good, and this concept of Heaven and Hell. After you die, you go to one or the other. Or I guess there’s purgatory, but that’s more detail than we need right now. The thing is, Heaven is for good people. In Hell, you get punished for what you did in life, in Heaven you get rewarded. I always imagined something like this would be the perfect eternal reward.” He licked his lips, wondering if he’d skimmed over too much. “Is that clear, or should I go more into the nuance?”

Hallow held up his hand again. “I get it. But like, does that mean your people are only good to each other because they think they’ll be rewarded after they die?’

“No.” Ash swallowed. “Well, that might be true of some people, but lots of us don’t believe in a religion. And then there’s some religions which don’t have Heaven or Hell, and it’s about being a good person because it feels right. Morals and ethics and so on, these are things that humans have debated and agonised over for centuries.”

“Like your friend, Satre?” Hallow blew out the side of his mouth and made his pink fringe flutter. “Huh.”

Ash blushed, flattered that Hallow had remembered their previous conversation. “What’s it like where you come from?”

“Most of our spiritual practice is to do with ancestor spirits, there’s nothing about reward or punishment. We have rituals for certain times and events, then we just look out for each other because we’re a community.”

Ash nodded. “That makes sense.”

“I miss it.” Hallow pushed a hand through his hair and then stood up. “I’m gonna find a book.”

Ash considered his hands. Had he gone too deep? Freaked Hallow out somehow? He hadn’t even gone into religious persecution or all the wars and crusades that had been fought in the name of religion. It was all too much. A simple life of rituals and events sounded enticing in comparison.

His father had been Christian as a kid, Presbyterian maybe? But once he’d married Ash’s mother, the family had never practised anything. Instead, his father had encouraged Willow and Ash to be curious, to love learning and finding their own answers. They had a good strong sense of right and wrong without religion.

He really needed to visit his father.

Ash had participated in countless ceremonies in his travels. He’d stayed in Buddhist monasteries and felt awe, even community with the monks and the other people staying, but they’d always been a disconnect. He didn’t believe in a higher power.

How did that sit with what was going on now? He was using magic, travelling between worlds, sitting in a place that felt so real, so familiar (just another bookshop), but it was more akin to something he’d dreamed than any place he’d actually visited.

There was something more to the world. Maybe it wasn’t God as Christianity understood it, but there were certainly mysterious forces and things he couldn’t explain. What did that mean for him? For the way he lived day to day? What would it change for him going forward?

“There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy,” he quoted, softly.

“My name’s not Horatio, but can I get you anything from the menu?” A soft, feminine voice asked.

Ash looked up, stifling a gasp.

The person who had spoken was tall, impossibly so, maybe nine or ten feet in height? She had a waterfall of golden hair that fell in a sheet with her ears poking out. Her skin was a gentle shade of powder blue and her dress looked like something from a Renaissance Faire by way of Hot Topic. The skirt hung to the floor, made of a gorgeous satin fabric with skulls and crossbones woven in. Her bodice looked like something a Disney Princess might wear, ribbons and lace. She had mushrooms growing on her ears.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t realise there was a menu.”

“It’s right here.” She reached over to a stand of cutlery recessed in a nook in the wall on the end of the table and withdrew a handwritten menu.

“This looks amazing.” Ash scanned the options. There were sandwiches, omelettes, curry and rice, salads, roast meals and a few things he didn’t recognise. Ash’s stomach rumbled. “Um, something relatively light perhaps…” He stabbed the menu with one finger. “Ham sandwich please. My companion might want something too?” Hallow appeared as if summoned and peered over his shoulder, one knee up on the bench, digging into Ash’s ass. “Curry rice please, and lemonade?”

Ash tried to drag his attention away from Hallow’s casual contact. Thankfully he moved away. “A pot of green tea, please.”

“Of course, coming right up. Welcome to my book café, my name is Mina. Please let me know if I can get you anything else.”

“Thank you, Mina.” The words ‘book café’ echoed through Ash’s mind. Heaven indeed. “And while you’re here feel free to look through any of my books.” She bustled down the aisle towards the back of the place.

Hallow sat down opposite him with a stack of seven books. “Hopefully something here will help.”

“Yes.” Ash looked at his own selection and took one of Hallow’s to speed up the research. Soon Ash smelled the enticing scent of curry. His stomach rumbled again. The book he was reading was interesting, stories from the alleyway, but it wasn’t giving him any particularly useful insights.

He closed it and reached for another, just as Mina returned. A tea trolley rattled behind her with no visible means of being controlled. Mina set their orders in front of them with a gentle smile.

“Thank you, this looks wonderful.” Ash’s sandwich was made with a crusty homemade roll, and the smell of the ham and mustard made his mouth water. Hallow’s curry rice was a generous portion and looked hearty, full of meat and vegetables.

“It’s my pleasure,” Mina said. “Just call out if you need anything else.”

Ash picked up his sandwich and took a bite. It was every bit as delicious as he’d hoped, with crunchy lettuce and slices of hard boiled egg complementing the cheese and ham perfectly. Hallow took a bit of his and his eyebrows shot up. “So good,” he said around his mouthful.

Ash swallowed. “Mine too.”

Between the food and the books, it felt like they spent hours in the book café. Ash could have happily spent more.

Hallow started to get antsy though. He kept changing his position, pulling his legs up to fold them under himself, stretching them out, crossing them under the table and sighing.

“Are you all right?” Ash asked, when Hallow sighed for the third time.

“Yes, but I can feel it looking for me. It knows I’m close.”

Hallow didn’t have to specify what it was. Ash’s heart sped up without any further prompting. “So, we should move on?” He downed the dregs of his tea and stacked the books back up.

“I think so, yeah.”

Mina moved up the aisles towards them. “Ready to settle the bill?”

Ash and Hallow both stood up. Ash wished he could take the books with him, or possibly stay forever. “Yes, here.” Hallow set coins on the table. “Thank you so much for your hospitality, Mina.” He bowed to her, and Ash copied him.

“Truly, a wonderful place you have here. Thank you.”

Mina smiled wide at the both of them. “You are welcome back anytime you like.”

She walked them to the door, and Ash’s chest for once, didn’t feel empty or sore. He glanced down and saw there was still a void, but it didn’t feel so awful as usual.

“I’ll definitely be back. Thanks again.” He shook her hand and walked into the alleyway, Hallow behind him.

Chapter nine

In the alleyway, the void reacted with a sharp tug. Like the place itself had yanked a section out of him. He took a moment to catch his breath, bracing his hands on his thighs, bending forward.

“All right?” Hallow wasn’t looking at him but he must have sensed something. He touched Ash’s shoulder gently.

“Yeah, it’s my void.” Ash straightened up. “I’m all right.”

Hallow squinting into the distance, facing away. “Good, because I think it’s here. That shape… run!”

Ash didn’t have to be told twice. He took Hallow’s hand and ran back towards the door that would take them home.

Thundering steps followed accompanied by a horrible roar.

“Hold on.” Hallow turned, not dropping Ash’s hand, and threw a ball of light back towards the sound. “Shit.”

Ash’s blood was already up, but the repeated swearing from Hallow panicked him even more.

Hallow yanked hard on Ash’s arm, urging him faster. His eyes scanned the doors on either side of the alleyway trying to see the bandanna and their way home.

The footsteps got louder, closer. Ash didn’t want to know what might happen if the thing caught them. He skidded to a stop and yanked on the nearest doorknob, dashing through, with Hallow right behind them.

“What are you doing?”

“Buying us some time.” Once Hallow was through the door, Ash closed it, but not quickly enough to avoid a glimpse of The Quetch. He closed his eyes, not wanting to see it. But the image of something huge, draped in grey shadows and with burning yellow eyes was seared onto his retinas. The hand, huge and clawed, reached towards him.

He slammed the door before it touched him. He held the knob of the door and braced his shoulder against it. “Can it follow us?”

Hallow shook his head. “It’s bound to the alleyway. But it knows we’re here, we can’t go back out right away.”

Ash’s nose twitched, was that sea salt?

“You’re welcome to stay as long as you like.”

They turned to assess the person who had spoken.

Ash gasped. They weren’t in a room at all, but on a beach under a balmy night sky. The man who had addressed them looked formidable, a certain blueish grey tinge to his skin and intense eyes. He wore a tattered robe over pants that reached just below his knees, and he stood barefoot in the shallowest part of the waves.

The sky above was indigo, tinged with purple, and the Milky Way shone like a pathway across it.

“Far out.” Ash turned back to the door, which from this side, was embedded into the sheer face of a craggy cliff.

“Yes, I’ve never seen a door there before, myself. Most interesting.” The blue-man licked his lips.

Something in his manner made Ash queasy.

Hallow must have had a bad vibe as well, because he adopted a fighting stance, legs braced against the sand and hands raised palms out. “We won’t stay. We’re only here for a moment.” Ash had never heard him sound so hard and serious. He kept his hand on the doorknob.

“No need to be afraid.” The man moved one foot out of the surf and up the beach, leaving his other rooted in the wet sand. His eyes were intense. “You’ve come to my island, my island is me. You are standing on the source of my powers, and if I wish you to stay, you will.”

Ash struggled to look away. “Hallow, I don’t like this.”

“Open the door,” Hallow whispered. “I’ll delay him.”

The man’s face contorted into something almost demonic. He raised both hands and Ash felt a thrumming in the air, something terrible was about to happen.

Hallow whispered a few words and flung another ball of light towards the man.

Ash fumbled the door open and fell through. He looked around for the Quetch but the alleyway was empty. He landed on his ass and scrambled to his feet.

Hallow backed through the door, not nearly fast enough for Ash’s liking. He wrapped his arms around Hallow and yanked him back, letting the door crash closed behind them.

Hallow hadn’t expected that, and his momentum was more than Ash had anticipated. They fell over again.

Ash groaned as his ass and then back hit the cobblestones. “What the fuck was that?”

“A witch, a powerful one,” Hallow said. “He definitely didn’t have good intentions.”

Ash could feel Hallow’s chest heaving, from the magic use or the adrenaline most likely. His own chest was tugging again. The void wanted Hallow. Was that a good thing or a bad one?

He loosened his grip on Hallow. “Sorry, I wanted you to be safe quicker.”

“It’s fine.” Hallow flipped himself over and kissed Ash on the mouth. “I appreciate it.” He got to his feet, offering Ash a hand up.

Ash took it, and stood, feeling flummoxed. Was that just a natural kiss that Hallow was used to giving along with thanks? Or did he feel something more for Ash? It was so confusing and now was not the time for pondering. “How did The Quetch vanish? Is it gone or is it still around, invisible or something?”

Hallow shook his head. “I don’t know but I don’t trust it. Let’s get to the door and head back to your home as soon as we can.” He turned in the direction of their door and started walking. “Good thinking on your part, grabbing a door. Saved our hides, my magic bounced right off it.”

“Shit. Let’s hurry then.”

The bandanna caught Ash’s eye up ahead and he pointed.

Hallow broke into a run and Ash did too. A howl echoed distantly.

Hallow held back to let Ash open the door. Ash crashed into the door and got it open as fast as possible reaching back for Hallow as he stepped through. Hallow caught his hand in an instant and they moved through with a lot more dignity than the last door.

Ash closed it tight behind them.

They were in the backyard of his family house once more. The sunshine, the sound of cars driving past and the smell of cut grass grounded Ash instantly. “Okay. so, that happened.”

“It did.” Hallow frowned. He touched the door frame in each corner, said a couple of words Ash didn’t recognise and then he produced a gossamer shroud and threw it over the door, hiding it from sight.

Ash’s mouth went dry. “How did… Never mind, you’re going to say magic.”

Hallow giggled. “It was magic, you’re right.”

Ash pressed a hand to his own chest, reassured to feel solid flesh, warmth and his own heartbeat under his palm.

“Glad the void is gone?” Hallow moved closer, placing his small hand over the back of Ash’s.

“I’m not sure that it’s really gone when we’re here. It’s not as obvious but I can feel it still.” Ash swallowed a sudden lump in his throat. “I think there’s something broken about me.”

“Well, maybe.” Hallow’s gaze softened and he squeezed Ash’s hand. “But that doesn’t mean anything. You’re still a good and kind person, and you have great potential to heal and grow.”

“You really think so?” Ash didn’t quite dare to hope.

“Yes. And remember, my magic had almost no effect on The Quetch. Without you to open the doors I’d have been stuck again.”

Ash frowned. “I don’t think that means you’re broken, I think The Quetch’s curse on you is effecting that.”

“Maybe.” Hallow wiped the back of his hand over his forehead and took a deep breath. “It’s so bright here, I love it. Like home.”

They stood for a moment, absorbing the sunlight and catching their breath.

Ash pulled out his phone and saw several texts from Willow asking to be picked up. It was late in the day. He had no idea how time worked between dimensions, but he was overdue to collect her. “Shit, I gotta go get Willow. You want to come or stay here?”

“I’ll stay here, get this all tidied up.” As Ash stood, ready to hurry out, Hallow caught his arm. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, just… I gotta go.”

Hallow nodded and kissed his cheek. “See you soon.”

Ash smiled, taken aback at the casual affection even though it was hardly the first time Hallow had displayed it.

Willow was chatting with one of the Joyces when Ash pulled up, taking a moment to say goodbye before she got into the car.

“Sorry I’m late.”

Willow waved her hand, dismissive. “We have a detour on the way home. Charli’s ride from netball fell through so we have to pick her up.”

Ash’s heart sank. “Charli,” he breathed. His mind whirled. How to explain Hallow to a tween-aged girl?

“Yeah, her week at her dad’s is up. I told you when you first got here.” She slapped her phone onto the dash mount with GPS open.

Ash’s fear battled with his excitement at finally meeting Charli. They’d video called, lots of times, but it wasn’t the same as existing in the same space.

“How do you want me to introduce Hallow to Charli? As your friend? Your boyfriend?”

Ash’s cheeks warmed. “I mean, she’ll notice he’s sleeping in my room, right? I guess boyfriend is fine.”

Willow clapped her hands together. “I knew it! You love him! He travelled all this way to find you and now you’re together and it’s so. Freaking. Adorable.”

Ash rubbed his burning cheek. “Shut up. It’s not like that, it’s casual. It’s a casual thing. We’re really just friends.”

“Mmhmm.” Willow folded her arms with a distinct air of triumph.

Ash turned the stereo up.

Willow raised her voice. “What I’m saying is he’s fun, he’s hot and he’s clearly into you. Why wouldn’t you embrace that?”

Ash considered. Yeah, Hallow was friendly, sweet and hot. Was he really into him or responding to Hallow’s likeability? Or was Willow noticing Hallow’s touchy-feely nature and reading something more into it? What about the way just thinking about The Quetch made his heart race with concern for Hallow’s safety?

None of it mattered. “He’s not staying though.”

Willow hummed. “How sure are you about that?”

“Very, Will. He has to get home.”

Ash turned the car into the pickup area of the high school car park. The GPS dinged that they were at their destination. Ash looked at the familiar old buildings of his high school, all those years ago. He’d been so unsure, so directionless. Well, some things never changed.

A young woman, practically a carbon copy of his sister at age thirteen, bounded up with a backpack over her shoulder and a large sports bag.

Willow elbowed Ash. “Get out to say hi, she’s a hugger.”

Ash got out of the car, tripped on his own feet and caught himself with one hand on the open car door.

Charli barely waited for him to right himself before she wrapped her arms tight around his waist. “You exist! In three dimensions!”

Ash patted her back, suddenly uncertain of how he should act. After a moment, he hugged her back. She felt familiar as his sister. “Hey Charli, good to see you without a screen dividing us.”

Charli squeezed him with a strength he hadn’t expected from her slim frame, and then let go to look at him more intently. “You’re handsome! My friends can’t ever be allowed to see you, they'd be insufferable.”

Ash laughed. He liked kids in theory, although he’d not had sustained contact with many of them. But there was something about this kid. This progeny of his sister — he cared about her instantly. He wanted to know what she thought about everything, what her dreams were, what she wanted out of life. He wanted to protect her.

Willow hopped out of the car and Charli hugged her next. “He’s so tall, mum!”

Willow nodded. “Yep, some recessive genes or something. He outgrew dad when he was seventeen.”

“I hope I get tall.” Charli threw her bags into the back seat and climbed in after. She talked the entire drive home.

Ash listened, rapt. He learned about her friends at school and her enemies, what classes she was taking, how the netball team was shaping up and how she thought they’d do in the inter-school competition.

He pulled up outside the house with his mind buzzing but for entirely different reasons than before. How would they explain Charli to Hallow? How were he and Hallow going to share a bed without catching feelings? Or... more feelings than Ash was already suppressing? What the hell were they going to do to get Hallow safely home? His head was full of questions without answers.

Charli dumped her bags in the hallway and went straight to the kitchen.

“I’m hitting the shower,” Willow called out.

Ash found Hallow sat in the living room reading a copy of The Changeover by Margaret Mahy. His face lit up when Ash walked in.

“My niece is here, she’s a hugger.” Ash stood in front of Hallow, not really sure what to do with himself. “So am I!” Hallow sat up in anticipation.

Charli bounded in with a muesli bar in one hand. “I’m Charli. Are you Uncle Ash’s boyfriend?”

Hallow’s eyes flicked between Charli and Ash. Finally, he grinned. “I am.”

Ash’s chest filled with pride. It was a lie of course, a convenient one to explain why he was sharing a room, and a bed, with Ash. But Ash liked the sound of it more than he should. His imagination took the phrase and ran with it, instantly bubbling with beautiful possibilities like growing old together and adopting cats and dogs.

He shook it off.

“Cool.” Charli sat beside Hallow. He put his book down, and by some extroverted common agreement, they hugged, each laughing.

Ash sat in the armchair, watching them, his chest full of happiness instead of yearning.

“I like your hair, it’s a very cool shade of pink. Where did you and Ash meet?”

“In a strange alleyway,” Hallow replied.

He looked like he was going to say more so Ash cut in. “In Busan, it’s in South Korea.”

Charli nodded. “I’ve heard of Busan, I listen to BTS. So, tell me everything, what did you first think when you saw him?”

Hallow started to talk, and Ash listened, rapt. Hallow liked him, he shared his first impression of Ash as a steady person.

“I saw him there in this random alleyway and I knew I could trust him.”

Ash’s mouth tugged into a smile. He wanted to be steady and trustworthy for Hallow. He wanted so much, and Hallow spoke so affectionately. Maybe this relationship could work?

But it couldn’t, could it? Loss filled his chest, chasing out the shred of hope he’d had briefly. Hallow was going home to another universe.

Could you grieve for something you’d never even had? That hadn’t in fact, happened?

Hallow started to tell Charli about the places Ash had taken him around Auckland.

Ash decided it’d be better for his heart and his mind if he absented himself. He went upstairs and updated his socials with a picture he’d taken of some native trees.

Did you know most of Aotearoa’s trees are evergreen, not deciduous? They’re all beautiful though. #kiwiboy

Weird to think how easily he could pretend to be happy, when he felt utterly defeated with sadness. How often had he updated his socials and pretended everything was fine?

He should be used to this by now.

Ash took the rubbish out from dinner just as the sun was beginning to set.

The neighbourhood was quiet, uncomfortably so. Usually he’d hear birdsong, kids squabbling and playing, traffic going by, all kinds of ambient noise. Now there was nothing but an anticipatory silence.

Goosebumps prickled his skin. He tried to stash the bag of rubbish in the bin quickly, but his fingers slipped and the lid banged shut again. He swore.

Once the bag was safely inside, he became aware of the distinct sensation of feeling watched. He turned to see a large dog nearby. The collar on its neck indicated it was someone’s pet, but what was it doing around the back of Willow’s house?

The dog, some sort of German Shepherd or Huntaway cross, stared at him intently.

An ancient fear roiled in his stomach. Was the dog watching him because it was going to start barking? Was it going to attack him?

As a kid he’d been terrified of dogs after one snapped at him. He’d largely lost that fear but now it flared up again.

“Good dog.” Ash kept his voice low and soothing. “Good dog. Go home now.”

The dog didn’t respond in any way. It stood as still as a statue, except he could see it was breathing.

Fuck. What should he do? Could he dash back inside quick enough? Ash took a slow step backwards.

The dog moved towards him, a single step. Its lips curled in a snarl, revealing a line of sharp teeth.

Ash froze. How quickly could he make a break for it?

It was a dog, right?

As he stared at it, the dog moved. Not forwards again, not backing up, but stretching. Elongating. The dog’s ears and hackles stretched like a shadow in the late afternoon.

Ash clamped his hand over his mouth to keep from screaming. It was impossible.

Magic.

Dark, scary magic.

Ash bolted for the back door.

The clatter of claws on the cracked concrete behind him was accentuated by a barrage of loud, deep barks.

The dog launched at him, hard paws slamming into his back and knocking him down. He threw his arms out to catch himself. His hands hit the gravel. His wrists jarred with the shock of his weight, his face missing the back stair by an inch.

Snarling, the dog bit his shoulder. Its teeth tore into his flesh.

Ash screamed.

The back door hit the wall as it slammed open. Hallow stood in the door, wings out, hands raised, He blasted pink sparks towards the dog.

The dog yelped and scrabbled off Ash’s back.

Gasping, winded, Ash tried to get up but leaning on his wrist hurt too much.

The dog barked again, lunging towards Ash.

Ash twisted, scooting backwards up the stairs on his ass.

“GET BACK!” Willow’s voice, loud and commanding.

Hallow pressed to one side of the door as a bucketful of water sailed out over Ash’s head. The water hit the dog right on its weirdly distended head.

Hallow stepped forward, putting himself between Ash and the dog. He spoke two words.

The dog shrank back into itself. It was back to ordinary proportions, the aura of menace facing entirely.

“Christ on a bike.” Willow pushed past Ash to grab the dog by the collar. “That’s the Singh’s dog. How’d you get out, eh? Why are you going after Ash like that?”

The dog gave her a sappy look and a gentle ‘wuff.’

“I’ll get him home. You two...” She glanced back at Hallow with his glowing hands and iridescent wings and shook her head. “Get back inside before the neighbours see.”

Hallow pulled Ash to his feet and they turned to do as she said. Charli stood right inside with a hand over her mouth and her eyes glued to Hallow’s wings.

Ash pulled the door closed and cradled his arm. “I guess you have some questions.”

Charli dropped her hand. “Uh, yeah!”

“Let’s wait until Willow gets back.”

“Let me see your arms.” Hallow reached for Ash’s hands.

Ash held them out for him. He twisted his neck, trying to see what the dog had done to his shoulder.

Hallow gently placed his palms on his skin. The pink glow warmed him, and the pain faded into tingles of magic as the pain dissipated.

As soon as he was done, Hallow’s eyelids flickered, and his knees buckled.

Ash caught him before he hit the wall or the ground. “Shit.”

“What’s happening?” Charli immediately inserted herself under Hallow’s arm, taking some of his weight.

“Not entirely sure, but my guess is he’s overdone it.”

Between them, they lugged Hallow into the lounge and settled him on the couch.

Ash’s stomach knotted with fear. Hallow was barely breathing, and his body was limp. “Hal, you okay? Hallow? Please answer me.”

Hallow’s eyes fluttered open and he reached a hand weakly towards Ash’s face.

“Ash, darling...” His eyes closed and his hand lowered. “Tired.”

“Of course. You okay here? I can carry you upstairs if you’d rather be in bed?”

But Hallow was already breathing the deep, even rhythm of sleep.

Charli found an old quilt and spread it over him. She looked up at Ash with large, round eyes. “He has wings.”

“Yeah.” Ash wanted to stay here with Hallow, to hold him, make sure he was going to be alright. But Charli needed answers, Willow too. He squeezed Hallow’s hand then placed it on his chest.

Willow walked in the front door, took in the scene in the living room with one glance and clapped her hands. “Tea. And explanations.”

Charli and Ash followed Willow into the kitchen. They sat quietly while she moved around the kitchen, making tea with the same bottled annoyance Ash remembered from his mother. Passive aggression with the emphasis on aggression. Cupboards slammed shut. Teaspoons jangled into cups. The fridge door lost a magnet as she threw it open.

Finally, she set the mugs in front of each of them and the biscuit tin in the middle of the table with a clang. She pulled it open, withdrew a shortbread finger and pointed it at Ash.

“Explain.”

Ash hesitated, trying to frame the situation that would sound reasonable, that wouldn’t make him look like he’d been hiding something huge from her... No words came. This was simply too weird to explain rationally. He swallowed a gulp of too-hot tea and came out with it.

“Hallow isn’t from our world.” Willow’s expression made him falter, but he knew he had to barrel on. “Unbelievable as it sounds, he’s a magic being from another world, another dimension. He didn’t fly in on a plane, he came to me from my dream. I dreamed I saw him, and he used magic to appear here. He’s being hunted by a monster. We were trying to find out more this afternoon and I guess it’s fighting back.” He blew on his tea, giving his words a moment to sink in.

Willow made an ambiguous ‘mm’ noise.

“This monster, I think that’s what happened to the dog. Somehow, the monster came through from another world and possessed it. Something... something like that. I don’t fully understand magic, yet. It’s unclear.” He took a biscuit and chewed it, waiting for them to respond. He expected Willow would shout him down. Charli? He wasn’t sure how she’d react.

“That is SO COOL!” Charli squealed. She pulled out her phone. “I wanna get some photos of Hallow with his wings out, my friends will freak out!”

Willow and Ash said “No” at the exact same moment.

“He’s asleep, that’s creepy, I forbid it.” Willow said.

Charli set her phone down with a reluctant, “okay.”

“Also a general no to posting pictures of him anywhere online including in a private message,” Ash added. “With that thing looking for him, it’s really important he keep a low profile.”Willow sipped her tea. “So, he healed your wounds with magic, is that right?”

“Yes, now he’s sleeping off the exertion. He’s been weakened by the monster and using magic wears him out.”

Willow nodded as if this was expected. “I’m going to need a bit of time to process this. But after what I saw in the backyard, the way that dog acted... I have to accept it.”

Charli looked between them, confused. “Wait, does that mean you can do magic, Uncle Ash?”

“I...well, yes. I can. Sort of.”

“I can’t believe it! Show me!”

“We’ve had enough magic for now.” Willow picked up her phone. “Go wash up and get ready for bed, Charli.”

“But Mum…” “I mean it Charli. Ash and Hal will still be here tomorrow. Your uncle and I need to have a talk.”

Ash swallowed. The word talk in that context shared the shit out of him.

Charli must have picked up on it too, because she squeezed his hand. “It was knowing you, Uncle Ash.”

Charli left the room.

Ash looked at his sister in wonder. He’d expected her to shout him down, to tell him he was crazy. “I don’t get it.” His chest constricted, an echo of the fear he’d felt staring down the dog. “I told you something unbelievable, and you’re barely reacting.”

“Ash.” Willow drained her teacup. “You’re my baby brother, and I love you. I’m absolutely fucking sick of your bullshit.”

“My bullshit?” Ash blinked. “You saw Hallow do magic, you said you had to believe me because of the dog.”

“I did. And I’ve had it. You galivant off overseas, leaving me and Dad behind. You didn’t come back when I had Charli, or when I went through a nightmare of a divorce. You wouldn’t even come back when Dad was diagnosed.”

Ash’s tongue felt like sandpaper. “I was out of cell service, I didn’t know...”

“You knew he was sick. You knew, you could have flown home from wherever you were, and you went to Tibet! You ran away!”

Ash felt her words like a solid punch to the stomach. Shame washed over him. His shoulders sagged and he hung his head.

“You came back, you haven’t even met Charli before and now — You haven’t even gone to see Dad! I told him you were coming home, and he’s been waiting. You’ll do literally anything rather than face the real world. To face your responsibilities—”

Ash lifted his head. “That’s not fair. I didn’t bring Hal here on purpose!”

Willow hissed in frustration. “I know that. I’m just fucking sick of being the responsible one.”

The yawning hole in Ash’s chest stretched wide. He was trash. Everything his sister said was true. He had avoided mundanity as much as he could, but that had meant abandoning his family. His blood relatives. He quite literally owed them his life and he’d done exactly what he pleased with it. Taken no responsibility. “I’m sorry, Willow.”

“Really?” She raised her eyebrows.

“Really.” He swallowed. How could he possibly repair the damage he’d done?

Willow set her cup down and swiped her eyes with the back of her sleeve. “Is Hal going to be okay?”

“Yeah, I think so. He said he was tired though.”

“That’s good. Have you... what are you—” Willow took a deep breath. “I don’t even know what I should be asking you.”

“I don’t have a plan.” Ash looked at his hands. Maybe it was a sibling thing, but he’d known exactly what she meant. It was something he’d forgotten, that easy understanding. How comfortable he was around her. He’d left that behind, too. “I’m doing my best to deal with all of this, but I don’t know. I’ll go see Dad tomorrow. I’ll do more chores around the house. I’ll pick up Charli tomorrow, just tell me what you need.”

Willow wiped her eyes again. “That’s a start.”

“I’ll keep Charli out of whatever weird magic stuff is going to happen.”

Willow snorted. “Good luck with that.”

Ash dared to smile.

Willow caught his eye.

Then they were laughing. Suddenly, inexplicably, laughing together like they were children again. The tension melted out of Ash’s shoulders and tears ran down his face. Willow clutched her side, holding onto the back of the chair with her other hand and they laughed.

Finally, Willow caught her breath enough to speak. “You were never a wife and kids guy,” she said. “Not the settle down on the same road as your folks and spend your weekends mowing the lawn guy. We all knew it. Mum used to call you her wandering rain cloud, like in Winnie the Pooh.”

“I remember.” Ash sipped his tea, feeling lighter than he had in a long time.

“Still, it would have made a difference if you’d come home more often.”

Ash dropped his eyes to the table. He should have known Willow wouldn’t let him off that easily. “I know. Sometimes it was a cash thing, but — I think — mostly I was afraid. Afraid of being trapped here. Becoming another kiwi bloke who never amounted to much. Mowing lawns all weekend, like you said.”

Willow raised her eyebrows. “It’s not all bad, you know.”

“Charli’s amazing.” Ash offered it as an olive branch. He didn’t know how to tell Willow that he admired and respected her life, but it simply wasn’t for him.

“I really am.” Charli walked in, dressed in blue, starry pyjamas. She kissed Willow on the cheek and then Ash, who gave her a one-armed hug.

“G’night, Charli.”

“See you in the morning,” his niece replied.

“I’ll be up in a minute to tuck you in,” Willow said.

Charli headed up the stairs.

In the silence that followed, a thousand platitudes occurred to Ash but he swallowed them all down. This was a real conversation, it was important, and he wanted to hold onto it. Be as honest as he could with his older sister. “You have done amazing things.”

Willow snorted. “I haven’t climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, visited Angkor Wat or gone up the Chrysler Building.” “I haven’t been up Kilimanjaro either.”

She sighed, looking back at him. “No. But I’ve been happy enough. Aside from the divorce and Dad deteriorating, and all that. It’s not been terrible.”

“I’m sorry.” Ash willed every bit of regret he felt to be heard in his words. “I should have come back to help you out.”

Willow looked deep into his eyes, searching, and finally relaxed, her hands on the table. “Thanks. I needed to hear that, I think.”

He laid his own hand over hers.

“Have you been happy, Ash? I mean, I know Insta is curated and sometimes it’s seemed like you’re genuinely blissed out, but I’ve always wondered. Does it really make you happy?”

Ash thought he knew the answer to this. He’d been happy while he travelled. He’d had moments of complete euphoria, but like everything, it was fleeting. He’d always been trying to outrun his sadness. His fear. “It didn’t... make me unhappy?”

Willow raised an eyebrow. “It was what I needed to be doing but.” He swallowed. He’d committed to an honest conversation. “In the other world, the magical parallel dimension, I have this hole in my chest.” He tapped his chest, relieved to feel it solid. “Not just a hole, it’s like this void of nothingness. It’s terrifying, but it’s also exactly how I feel a lot of the time. Or, how I used to feel. Being home and talking with you, meeting Charli, and being with Hallow? It doesn’t feel as awful any more.”

Willow’s sceptical expression had softened. “Yeah?”

“Yeah. I mean, it’s a work in progress. I know I haven’t been a good uncle and I haven’t been there for you, but I want to change that going forward. I don’t know what’s going to happen with getting Hallow home, and what happens after that, but I really... I really want to make something work that allows me to see all of you. To make a life here, and with Hallow. I have no idea if that’s even possible, but as I’m talking, I realise that’s absolutely what I want.”

Ash heard his own words. He hadn’t realised he was yearning for a life with Hallow until this moment. Hallow had come to mean so much to him in the past few days it was impossible to imagine a future without him. He breathed out heavily. Was he allowed to want that?

Willow squeezed his hand. “We’ll find a way.”

They sat for a few moments, holding hands. Ash breathed through the emotions and willed himself not to cry.

Willow wiped her eyes with her free hand and cleared her throat. “That’s about enough dispelling generational trauma for now. I’m gonna make sure Charli is actually in bed and not live streaming Hallow.”

Ash chuckled. “I’ll take him up to bed.”

As he walked into the living room, Hallow woke up, pulling himself into a sitting position. His hair was cutely dishevelled.

“How are you feeling?” Ash stopped beside him, touching his hair gently. Hallow rubbed his cheek. “Awful. Exhausted.”

“Come on, I’ll help you to bed.” Ash tugged the blanket off and offered Hallow his hand. Hallow hauled himself up. Once upright, he swayed and grabbed Ash’s arm. “Whoops!”

“It’s okay, I’ve got you.” Ash slipped his arm around Halow’s waist and helped him up the stairs to bed.

Hallow didn’t bother with pyjamas, just stripped off and fell into bed. He fell asleep the moment his head hit the pillow.

Ash brushed his teeth, changed into PJs and climbed in beside him.

In his sleep, Hallow reached for him. Ash flicked the lights off and cuddled up to Hallow. The talk with Willow had been good for him, he could feel it. But her words still stung. He had to do better. If he was going to earn a future with Hallow, he had to do better than he’d ever done before.

For now, he let Hallow’s warmth and slow, steady breathing lull him to sleep.

Chapter ten

Ash had trouble waking Hallow the next morning. He almost nodded off over breakfast. Ash told him to go back to bed, and Hallow trudged upstairs yawning.

Ash dropped Willow off at [work? The volunteer meeting point?] and Charli off at school and made his way to his father’s retirement village.

It was a huge place, built into a hill. It centred around four tall apartment buildings, with smaller houses scattered around them. He followed the signs to the visitor’s carpark, parked and went into reception. Willow had told him how to find their father but he’d forgotten most of it.

The woman at the reception desk directed him to the correct floor and room number. Ash walked through the building feeling self-conscious. The staff had clearly tried to make the place as homey as they could, but the sterility undercut it. The potted plants, spotless carpets and clean, white walls did not distract from the smell of lemon cleaning products and bleach. The helpful signs everywhere put him in mind of a hotel.

His steps slowed considerably as he approached his father’s room.

He found the plaque that sported the number and underneath it, his father’s name in Comic Sans: Brendan Wilson

The door was the same as all the others, fresh white, clean and sterile.

Ash stood there staring at the door for a long time, building up the courage to knock. The knowledge that his father was on the other side of the door had him frozen. His skin ran cold. He couldn’t move his arm to knock.

A nurse bustled past with a stack of clean towels. “You lost, dear?”

“No, thanks, I’m just—” He knocked on the door. “Visiting.”

She nodded and walked on, sensible shoes making no sound at all on the carpet.

“Come in.” The soft voice was barely familiar.

Ash stepped inside. The room was small. The bed was the main feature. It had hospital sides and a button panel to make it move up and down. A door on the right hand wall opened onto a bathroom, and two reclining chairs sat by a small table under a window. The bookshelf confirmed that this was, indeed, his father’s room. He knew the spines of those books, all his father’s favourite sci-fi classics, books of history and the plant life of New Zealand. Some framed photographs served as bookends. Ash recognised the photo of himself at the Fushimi Inari shrine in Kyoto. He’d sent it home attached to one of his infrequent email updates to the family. His father must have printed it off or gotten Willow to. That photo had done well on Insta.

“Ash?” His father’s voice shook him out of his reverie. He’d recognised the chair but not the man sitting in it. He had the newspaper folded in his lap and a pen in his hand. Doing the crossword. After a moment of looking at him, he recognised something around the eyes. His father had aged, his skin pale and sagging, papery. He’d used to be such a robust looking man, now he looked like a strong breeze would knock him down.

“Hey, Dad.” Ash hugged his father.

His shoulders were thin, all bones and angles. The last time he’d hugged his father he’d been muscled, strong and resilient as a stone. He’d become an old man. Ash’s throat hurt. “How are you?”

He pulled back, really looking at his father. Rheumy eyes and saggy cheeks. He didn’t just look old, he looked like he was wasting away. “I’m all right.” Brendan raked his eyes over Ash, drinking him in like he was dying of thirst. “How are you? Jet lagged, I’ll bet. Take a seat.”

Ash sat gratefully in the other chair. “A bit yeah. I’ve been helping Wills with the flood clean-up and that’s helping me fall asleep at night.” “Good, good.” His father couldn’t stop looking him over. “Been a while, hasn’t it? Where were you most recently?”

“I came in through Singapore.” Ash pulled out his phone, thinking he’d show some photos then remembered he hadn’t taken any during his layover. For once. “It’s the most beautiful airport in the world.”

Brendan nodded. “I’ve seen travel shows about it. Hard to believe. Do they really have that giant waterfall inside?”

“Yeah, they do.”

Brendan’s eyes cut to the window and his bleak view of the carpark and the next apartment building. “Do you want to see some pictures? I have some from the time before?” Ash moved to perch on the arm of his father’s chair and brought up his photo albums. He handed it to Brendan to scroll through.

After a few minutes his father handed the phone back. “What’s your plan now, Ash? Got a job? A flat?”

Ash frowned. “I was thinking I might write a book, but I wanted to take some downtime first.”

“Downtime.” Brendan scoffed. “You’ve had years of downtime, haven’t you?”

Stung, Ash moved back to the other chair and pocketed his phone. He hadn’t expected his father to think of what he’d been doing as downtime. He had to change the subject, or he’d cry or start shouting. Neither of those actions would be helpful. He just had to do his duty visit then leave.“I’m helping a friend from out of town just now.”

“A friend.” Brendan’s expression hardened. He sat up straighter and pinned Ash with a look that made him feel sixteen years old again. “It’s been too long,” Brendan said. “Tell me the truth.”

“The truth?” Ash choked back a laugh. Which truth would he like to hear? That Ash was gay? That he felt a void in his chest and that’s why he ran away from home in the first place—the reason he kept on running? That magic was real and he was tangled up in it? Maybe that he was trying to solve an interdimensional puzzle and the stakes were life and death? “About what, Dad?”

“You’ve got a look about you. I can tell you're lying and there's something else I recognise.” Brendan narrowed his eyes. “You’ve seen something uncanny, haven’t you?”

Ash froze, his stomach knotting up in sudden fear. “Uncanny?”

“Maybe it’s a shop that didn’t make sense, run by a man in a top hat?” Brendan fixed him with an intense gaze. “Maybe you’ve seen a fairy or a goblin? Maybe you can do something that the laws of physics say you shouldn’t be able to?”

Ash had thought astonishment was behind him. He’d seen so much now, he should be able to take surprises in stride?

But his wizened father talking about magic? About The Magic Shop?

Ash gripped the arms of his chair, desperately needing to steady himself. “I... yeah.”

His father nodded, apparently unsurprised. “Makes sense you’d have the gift. You were always sensitive as a kid. You’d notice things your sister didn’t.” Brendan, with some effort, turned in his chair and pointed at the bookshelf. “There’s a book there, a blue linen-bound one. Fetch it down, will you?”

Ash got up without hesitation to scan the shelf. The book sang out to him, tickling his magical senses until he took it off the shelf. It felt heavier than it looked, since it was relatively slim. “Death is sniffing around,” Brendan said. “I've sensed it for a while.” He held out his hand.

Ash gave him the book. Brendan nodded thanks. “You came home, after so long. I think you’re going to have to protect Charli. Willow too, but Charli most of all.”

Ash watched his father flipped through the book, itching to do the same, to find out its secrets. “Why Charli?”

“Never seen anyone more likely to cast magic in my life. Not soon — you have to grow into it, the way I understand it, but things are stirring. And Death? He wants a taste, I’m sure of it.”

Ash sank back into his chair, feeling dizzy. “Dad, please just start at the…beginning? You know about magic?”

“It’s in my bloodline, the Wilson family legacy.” Brendan marked a page with one finger and closed the book. His intense scrutiny landed on Ash again. “It doesn’t always surface. Willow got none of it, I’m sure of that. I think you felt it in Charli, or maybe me, wherever in the world you were and that’s why you came back now. The magic pulled you back as sure as an anchor. Death sniffing around, I might have inadvertently called for you.”The suddenness of Ash’s yearning for home jumped into his head. The conviction one evening that he’d seen everything there was to see out there. He swallowed. “I was brought back to protect Charli from...” The question died on his tongue. He didn’t want to know the answer.

Hallow coming through from another world, lurking shadow creatures, The Quetch. Death? It could be any or all of those things. Charli was in danger, that’s all that mattered.

His father handed him the book. “I don’t know exactly. But this section deals with defensive magic. It should help you as things progress.” “How...but how do I even begin to use magic? All I know is Hallow found me, came through my dream into this world from another place. I didn’t actively do anything.”

“Who is Hallow?”

“He’s from another world, a fantasy world. He looks like a fairy, and well, he’s my boyfriend.”

Brendan nodded. “I see. Dreams are powerful places. For you, it will come naturally. I think of it like an itch that starts on my skin, energy flickering out of my fingertips. It could be different for you. There’s more than one way to cook an egg, after all. Meditation helps, or just focusing on the flame of a candle. Find whatever works for you. Above everything, trust your gut. Your heart knows what’s what even if you don’t have a solid understanding of magic.”

Ash looked down at the page on defensive magic and tried to accept this weird new reality. His father was Gandalf, teaching him magic.

When he looked up, Brendan was pressing his fingertips to his forehead. His eyes were closed and his mouth hung slightly open. “Dad, are you okay?” Ash spotted a Call for assistance button on the wall. “Should I call a nurse?”

Brendan shook his head. “Just help me to the bed. I need a nap.”

Ash cast around for a bookmark. He checked his pockets and pulled out a business card for The Magic Shop. But he hadn’t been wearing these pants when they’d visited, had he? He slipped it into the book to mark the page.

His hand felt huge and steady, helping his father up. Brendan’s walk was a shuffle now, slow and wobbly. Ash put his other hand on his back in case he fell. He felt frail, paper-thin.“Sorry son, this is what I’m like these days.” “Could be worse, eh?” Ash was painfully aware of his father’s shaky grip on his hand. He helped him to lie down, waited while he kicked off his slippers and pulled his blanket up over him. His father blinked up at him, already half-asleep. “Good to see you.”

“I love you, Dad.”“Love you.” His father patted his hand.

Ash swallowed around a painful lump.

Brendan sighed, his eyes closing. “My Dad, he tried to beat it out of me. Told me not to talk about it. That’s why—” His chest moved fast, like he was out of breath.

Ash swallowed alarm. “It’s okay. Ssh.”

“I should have been more up front with you.” He nodded once. The classic New Zealand stoic man. “Sorry.”

Ash could count on one hand the number of times his father had apologised to him. Throughout his entire life, Brendan had taken the hard line. My way or the highway. Never show weakness, never back down.

On reflection, that was the main reason Ash had run away. He’d never felt like he would be able to make his father truly proud. Better to run away and do his own thing and forget than be a disappointment.

But this? This magic thing, his inheritance? That was something that Brendan could be proud of.

He squeezed his father’s hand. “I’ll protect Charli.”

“No! Help her learn.” Brendan’s eyes snapped open. He fixed Ash with a steel gaze. “When the time comes, she should be prepared.” His eyes slid closed again. The next noise he made was a deep sigh as he fell asleep.

Ash stood for a while, watching. Tears ran down his face.

The tears were for a lot of things; how his father had faded, how Charli would grow up, get into danger, and for his own, confused self. He swallowed, bent down to kiss his father’s forehead and left, the book tucked under his arm.

Ash’s emotions had been a tumultuous confusion the entire drive home, but they all crystalised into affectionate joy when he returned home and saw Hallow’s baby-pink mop of hair, and pointy ears as he sat on the couch, reading.

He wanted Hallow. He wanted him like a burning match wanted dry paper. Only it wouldn’t be Hallow who burned, it would be Ash and his useless heart. He walked towards him, drawn inexorably, wanting with every fibre of his being. “You’re back! How’d it go?”

Ash sat beside him too close, crowding into his space. “Dad knows about magic. Apparently, it runs in our family. He thinks it’s why I came back from travelling. He thinks Charli has it too.”

“Really? That’s amazing.” Hallow reached for his hand and squeezed it.

“I’m...” Ash started and stopped again. What was he trying to say? How could he turn this impossible longing into words?

Hallow watched him, eyes curious and sparkling, a smile teasing at his lips. “Yeah?” “I’m falling in love with you.” His cheeks warmed. He hadn’t meant to be so blatant about it. But it was out now, might as well keep going. “I know there’s no future for us, but... I want to protect you and cherish you. I want to be with you all the time, wake up with you, fall asleep at night beside you... all of it.”

“Ash.” Hallow lifted Ash’s hand to his mouth and gently kissed his palm.

He didn’t say anything more, so Ash barrelled on. “I’ve never felt this way about anyone before. You’re perfect. Beautiful, funny, I love the way you appreciate everything around you, the wonder you have, you really see things. This is going to sound weird, but... But it reminds me of me. I like that we can share that. I want to show you so much, so we can be in awe of it together, you know?”

Hallow’s eyes had crinkled shut. He pulled on Ash’s arm, urging him closer. Ash moved easily, crashing his mouth against his with a relieved sigh. Hallow wrapped his arms tight around Ash and held him close. “I feel the same way, Ash. You’re the answer to a question I’ve been asking my whole life. I can’t believe I had to travel between worlds to meet you, but I’m so, so glad I did.”

Ash needed to be closer. He climbed on top of Hallow, straddling his lap, choking on the strength of his need for him.

They kissed, wild abandon making it messy. Ash’s lips were sloppy. He licked inside Hallow’s mouth and moaned as Hallow bit his lip. His hands roamed over Hallow’s frame, teasing and squeezing, tugging on his shirt.

“Maybe we should move to my room?” Ash’s voice cracked, betraying just how intensely he needed Hallow.

Hallow kissed down his jaw and to his throat. “Good idea.”

Ash could barely breathe as he climbed off Hallow. They hurried up to the room, touching each other and giggling like teenagers.

Hallow chased Ash into the bedroom, closed the door behind them and launched himself at Ash, tackling him onto the bed.

Ash yelped, laughing, enjoying the weight of him on top.

“You said something the other day, about doing what you’re told. Do you remember?”

Ash blushed. “Maybe.”

“You said, tell me what I need to do and I’ll do it. If you like, I’d be happy to tell you what to do right now?” Hallow leaned in to rub his nose on Ash’s, teasing and sexy as hell.

Ash groaned and rolled his hips, grinding up against Hallow. He’d never really traded power like that before, but he trusted Hallow and the idea sounded hotter than anything else he could imagine. “Okay.”

Hallow grinned and moved off him. “Take off your clothes then.”

That was easy enough. Ash sat up to pull his shirt off and toss it aside, humming as Hallow ran his hands over his newly exposed chest. He moved to the side of the bed to remove his pants and underwear, kicking them away and turned back, suddenly shy.

Hallow moved behind him, pulling his back close to his chest. “You’re so handsome, Ash.”

Ash flushed. “Compared to you? Hah.”

“Quiet. Don’t argue with your master.”

Ash shivered, his body responding to that in ways he hadn’t expected. “Master?”

Hallow’s hands stroked and teased him, moving further down each time but never quite touching his aching cock. “That sounds divine, coming from your lips.”

Ash relaxed into the attention, leaning fully back on Hallow. “Yeah?”

“How do you feel about me tying your hands?”

Ash closed his eyes. It was something he’d toyed with, experimented on with various one-night-stands, but he had always been the one doing the tying. His mouth went dry. “Yeah.”

“Yeah? That’s not an answer.” Hallow tweaked his nipple playfully. “How does it make you feel, to hear I want to bind your hands?”

Ash’s face couldn’t be any redder. “Good. Hot. You can do that.”

Hallow giggled in his ear. “Yeah? Then put your hands together.”

Ash did so. He was so hard. All this talk was driving him crazy.

Hallow gestured. Pink light coalesced into solid pink rope, winding around Ash’s wrists and pulling tight into a knot.

The rope was soft but unyielding. Ash tugged against it and moaned.“There you go. Now. What to do with you now that you’re mine?”

Ash swallowed his pride, too turned on to resist. “Anything.”

Hallow nipped his neck. “Get on your knees on the ground. I want you to suck me off.”

Ash slid onto the floor, rested his bound hands on his knees and waited patiently while Hallow removed his clothes. He sat back down, knees spread and beckoned Ash forward. “Lick me, Ash.”

Ash shuffled forward on his knees and leaned in to lick Hallow’s long, pink cock. He couldn’t help moaning at the delicious salty taste of him. He moved closer, wrapping his lips around the head and bobbing up and down, each time going a little lower, teasing, really. He wanted a little revenge for the touching earlier.

“You’re such a good pet for me.” Hallow hummed, stroking his hands through Ash’s hair and then suddenly gripping it tight. “All the way now.” He pushed Ash’s head down.

Ash went happily, loosening his jaw just a touch to avoid the scrape of teeth. He was full of him, barely able to catch his breath with how aroused he was.

Hallow held him there and pumped his hips a couple of times.

Ash slipped into a happy place, a fuzzy bliss of having nothing to do in the world but this. To pleasure his gorgeous fairy boyfriend, bound up and utterly his.

Hallow tugged his hair sharply and pulled out of his mouth. “I could come like that, you know. Use your face and leave you hard. I won’t right now, but I could. Maybe another time.”

Ash didn’t respond, he wasn’t sure how to. The concept of being used and left hard was so hot he couldn’t form words.

Ash’s head spun at the threat, surprised to find he liked the sound of it, how hot it would be to be tied up and helpless, kept at the edge at Hallow’s whim. He wasn’t sure if he was supposed to respond to that, so he didn’t.

With his surprising strength, Hallow pulled Ash up and onto the bed, laying him flat and using magic to bind his hands to the headboard.

Hallow straddled his hips and reached behind himself, his face crumpling as he prepped with a magic spell. Ash moaned, harmonising with Hallow’s noises, and bucked his hips uselessly.

“Almost. So needy for me, aren’t you, Ash? Say it out loud I want to hear it.”

“I’m so needy for you, Master.” Ash groaned. “Please!”

Hallow lifted to line himself up, the tease almost too much for Ash. Then the press of muscle, the tight sheath and the incredible heat of Hallow engulfed him.

“So good, saying please and everything.” Hallow braced himself with one hand light on Ash’s chest. He wasted no time rocking his hips. “You look so good, laid out like that for me.”

Ash could barely process his words, focused on the feel of Hallow around him. He rocked his hips gently, smiling when he was rewarded with a moan.

“There’s nothing more beautiful than you,” Ash managed to say. “You’re... everything. You’re hot, sweet, kind and so fucking sexy.”

Hallow’s chest puffed out a bit. “Thank you, pet. For that I’ll let you come. I like to hear you flatter me.”

The dam was broken, Ash let all his praise for Hallow fall out of his mouth unfettered. “I love your eyes, the colour of your hair, your wings, god, your wings are the most incredible thing...” The words spilled out of him, on and on as Hallow rode him faster and faster.

Ash felt his balls tighten and moaned. “Please, I’m so close.”

Hallow moved his hand to stroke himself and groaned. “Me too, come for me, baby, I wanna feel it.”

Ash jerked his hips and came, just as Hallow spilled over his stomach.

It took a few moments for Ash to recover. Hallow banished the magic holding him bound. He rubbed his wrists, surprised how they didn’t hurt. He almost missed the feel of the ropes.

Hallow cleaned them with magic and then wrapped his arms around Ash. “We’re going to need to clean properly this time.”

“We’ll have a shower in a moment, I want to hold you.”

“Of course.” Hallow kissed him softly and squeezed him against his chest. “Anything you want, my darling.”

Ash swallowed a sudden lump in his throat. How wonderful, how perfect it would be to have this moment over and over again. For the rest of his life. He wanted it so much it hurt, it scared him. But it was the best kind of frightened he’d ever been.

Chapter eleven

Hallow cooked dinner for them all that night. Using the time Ash was out picking up Charli and Willow, he made a delicious hearty stew, not unlike cottage pie. Afterwards they all moved into the lounge for cups of tea.

Ash had brought his father’s book of magic to the table and had been reading it while the others talked.

“So, what all is in there?” Willow finally asked.

Ash stuck the business card back in the book to mark his page. “There’s defensive magic... maybe it could hold off The Quetch?”

“Can we protect the house?” Willow looked toward the window, at the darkness outside.Ash nodded. “Yeah, I found some charms for habitat protection, but my magic is weak. Hallow might have more luck with it.”

“You need mana, like in Delicious in Dungeon,” Charli said.

Ash glanced at Charli and then at Willow. Should he tell her what their father had said about Charli? Or would that just freak Willow out too much? No need to add fuel to the fire.“What’s Delicious in Dungeon?” Hallow asked.

“Speaking of mana...” Ash looked at Willow and then back at Charli. “Dad said something weird today. He knew that I had magic.”

Willow sat with her feet tucked under her, sewing a patch onto a torn woollen blanket. She set the needle down. “You what now?”

Ash related the conversation he’d had with his father. How bizarre it had been, but so matter-of-fact at the same time.

Throughout, Charli got more and more excited, bouncing in place, her phone for once, utterly ignored.

Hallow watched her, beaming.

“He knew... Granddad knew about magic? What the fuck?” Willow said. She pointed at Charli. “Don’t ever repeat that.”

“Which part? The swearing or the part about magic?” Charli’s eyebrows raised. “Any of it,” Willow replied.

“So,” Ash said, before Charli could argue. “I’m going to cast a defensive spell on this house, with Hallow’s help. If that’s okay?”

“Wait, you can’t just drop this and run.” Willow glared, folding her arms. Ash had been halfway to getting up but now he fell back into his seat.

“Sorry.”

“This is some multi-generational bullshit.” Willow folded the blanket and set it aside. “And I don’t get why I’m left out?”

“Just because?” Ash ducked his head. “I don’t know, I’m sorry. Dad said that it was me and Charli. I really want to put something around the house, to keep something like the Singh’s dog happening again. To keep Charli safe.” Willow sighed. “Fine. Whatever, go do that.”

Ash and Hallow walked around the house as part of the ritual. Ash held the book open and recited the words written within it, guessing at the pronunciation. Part of the spell was in English but part was another language he didn’t recognise. And considering how many different languages he’d encountered on his travels, that said a lot.

Hallow held a soft pink glow in his hands, the gentle light beating back the shadows. His pink hair reflected the light, almost seeming to be a light source itself.

Ash’s heart felt weak every time he looked at Hallow. He wanted so much to hold him again, but this was too important, he had to focus. When they were next to the hedge, most of the way around the house, Ash heard something rustling. The hedge didn’t move, but there was definitely something in it.

“Keep going,” Hallow said.

But Ash had to know what was causing the noise. He reached out to touch the leaves. “Ash!” The hedge erupted with shadows. They took the form of hands, arms all reaching out, reaching to grab him, to snatch the book.

Ash stumbled, almost dropping the book as he fell against the side of the house. He lunged for the book, only just catching it and keeping it open on the same page. Hallow’s magical energy flared bright as a flare, dazzling Ash. He heard a shout, the sound of Hallow’s feet scuffling on the pavers. “Ash! Finish the spell!”

Blinking to clear his vision, Ash peered at the page and read the rest of the spell as quickly as he could. The magic tore out from inside him like lightning, friction on his oesophagus.

The shadows vanished, but so did the light. When he looked up, Hallow had gone as well.

“Shit.” Ash’s stomach dropped and the void in his chest yawned open. He bent double, overwhelmed by the twin sensations. “Hallow! Hallow where are you?” His voice strained, cracking, raw from the magic and his own terror.

He’d fucked up, big time. Why had he touched that damn leaf?

The porch light clicked on. Willow appeared in the doorway. “Are you okay?”

Ash straightened up, one hand pressed to his breastbone, trying to hold himself in his body. His other hand cupped his mouth and he shouted again. “Hallow!”

They searched around the house, over the hedge in the neighbour’s yard, up the street, inside the house, until Ash had to admit it. Hallow was gone.

They went back into the house, defeated. Ash’s stomach felt like it had gone entirely. The void in his chest cracked so wide he felt like it must be visible even here in the real world.

He pressed his hand to his sternum again, reassuring himself it was solid.

Willow took his elbow and ushered him into the kitchen. “You look awful.”

Ash tried to take a breath to steady himself but his whole body felt tense. He was painfully aware of the ache of the void. He was trapped in it, his fear overriding everything else.

“We’ll find him.”“How?” Ash spun in place, tearing his arm from Willow’s grip. His eyes raked every corner of the room as if Hallow might appear in the breadbox or under the bananas. He couldn’t waste a single moment.

If The Quetch had Hallow it was certainly hurting him. He couldn’t prolong Hallow’s suffering. He had to go, to use the portal in the backyard. He had to rescue Hallow, now.

He made for the door but Willow yanked him back by the arm. “Where are you going?”

“To get him back, of course. I messed up the spell, and now he’s gone. Not by choice, he was taken! I have to.”

Willow looked like she wanted to argue with him, but Ash stared her down.

He’d spent his life running away from difficult things. He ignored pain, bottled up his unruly emotions, hid from unwanted truths... Now he was determined. His path was clear and he was about to take it. “Will, please, I have to do this.”

Willow narrowed her eyes. “Why? Why are you putting yourself at risk?”

“I love him.” Ash said it with a force that reverberated through him. A magic incantation. The void in his chest shrank. “I love him and I have to save him. Imagine if it was Charli who was taken? Nothing would stop you chasing after her.”

Willow stepped out of his way, a smile breaking over her face, and something else—relief perhaps?

“Is there anything I can do?”

“Dad’s book! I had it just before...” Ash cast around. Willow picked it up off the table. “You dropped it outside, so I grabbed it.” “Thank you.” He kissed her cheek, stashed the book under his arm and dashed out the back door.

Ash went to the magic circle in the grass, lit the candles. Without hesitation he used his sense of magic to tear the shroud Hallow had placed over the portal asunder, and stepped through. It hurt, sparking a shadow pain somewhere deep in his void. Ash ignored the sensation. That was a problem for later. His jaw clenched, as he looked one way up the alleyway and then down the other.

It was deserted. Did anyone actually live in the alleyway aside from The Quetch?

How was he going to find The Quetch? It must have a lair of some kind, somewhere it slept, somewhere it would have taken Hallow. He walked towards the book café door. Not because he thought The Quetch would be there, but to check Hallow wasn’t hiding inside. Maybe some part of Ash simply needed the comfort of the place. Running on pure adrenaline, he didn’t question his instincts.

He pushed the door open and found the place unchanged. The same dusty smell of books filled the air, mingling with the enticing aroma of coffee. There was no one at any of the tables.

Mina, the owner appeared. “Welcome back!”

“Have you seen my friend? The pink-haired guy I was here with last time?”

Mina shook her head. “No, I’m sorry. Not since you were last here.”

“Thanks.” Ash turned and talked back out. “Fuck.”

The owner called something after him but he didn’t have time for small talk. He walked up the Alley. Should he check the bar next? What other doors had they opened? Had he marked his own door? His thoughts whirled, all problems and no solutions.

He paused only to look back and see the bandanna from last time, still tied to the doorknob. He pushed on.

He opened the door to the bar, not expecting much. It was dark inside, the only person visible a satyr sweeping the floor. “We’re closed.”

“Right. You haven’t seen a pink-haired man have you? He has wings too, from ...” He searched his memory for the name of Hallow’s home. “Grefenlands?”

The satyr shook her head. “Nothing like. Been a quiet night.”

“Thanks for your time.” His heart thundered as he strode further in the valley. He was in danger of losing his adrenaline. If that happened, he might fall into despair.

His task felt hopeless. It’s an endless alleyway that leads to dozens, no, probably thousands of other worlds. I can’t open every door.

He tried the closest one. The metal knob burned his hand. He pulled back, shaking off the pain.

The Quetch was probably torturing Hallow. Terrible scenarios rushed through his mind. The Quetch pulling Hallow’s wings off, making him cry, scream... sucking the magic out of him like a vampire. He couldn’t stand to imagine it.

Ash stopped walking. He clutched his head with his free hand and groaned. What was he doing?

This was foolish. He could barely use magic but he’d dashed in here, expecting to find Hallow. Rescue him? He known about the world of magic for mere days. He was delusional. He was a fucking travel influencer. He should go home, take the next sponsorship he was offered and head to a resort. Forget this whole thing. Do what he was good at.

The void gaped open, tugging at his pain and his self-doubt until it was all-consuming.

His father’s words echoed in his mind. “Listen to your gut. Your heart knows what’s what even if you don’t have a solid understanding of magic.”

He didn’t have a solid understanding. He had dashed in without thinking, led entirely by his heart. But if Brendan was right, his heart was the key.

Ash crouched.

He curled his body around his father’s book and listened to his aching heart.

You’re wasting time, a voice in the back of his head said. Anything could be happening to Hallow while you try this. There’s no guarantee it will work.

He shook his head. Focus!

He thought back to the silent hours at a temple in Kyoto. The sound of water running. The call of birds. Nothing else.

His heart was afraid, uncertain and yearning in equal parts.

His attention strayed to the void.

He took a deep breath in, exhaled through his mouth. Okay, the void wanted attention? He could focus on that for a moment.

In the centre of the emptiness, he found a soft pink glow.

Hallow.

There was a tiny piece of Hallow in his void.

Without another thought, Ash surrendered to it. He gave over all his worrying, his stress and fear. All the energy went instead to the pink glow. He envisioned himself cupping his hands around it, protecting it as if it were a flame on a breezy night. “Hallow,” he breathed. A prayer. A longing plea. “I’m here. I’m going to find you. Hold on.”

Resolve straightened his spine.

Ash stood upright, dropping his hands to his sides. He let the magic inside him fuel the pink glow into a shining beacon. It drew him up the alleyway, the opposite direction to where he’d been going.

The alleyway was silent. But in a different way to the temple. This silence was pregnant with malicious intent.

Ash’s footsteps echoed, bouncing off the walls like a martial drum. He ignored the oppressive sensation of being watched and kept walking. Cupping his hand over his chest, he protected the pink light, his link to Hallow. He was on the right track, following the beacon. He would find him and he’d do whatever needed to be done.

The alleyway darkened. Rubbish collecting in piles on the cobbles. Dried leaves, discarded food wrappers, dirty clothes. The graffiti and posters on the walls were ancient, faded. There were fewer doors. It felt like the part of the alleyway people forgot, or perhaps...avoided.

Ash swallowed a lump in his throat, focused his gaze on the pink light and kept walking.

There, up ahead. The alleyway darkened into shadows. Was it a dead end? No — something told him it was the lair of The Quetch.

His steps faltered. He had to prepare.

Ash shoved his father’s book into the waistband of his pants at the small of his back. He pulled his shirt over it and tucked it in, safe. He imagined his magical power resting on his shoulders, falling and settling on him like cherry blossom petals. Becoming part of him. Pink and powerful, like Hallow’s. Its presence thrummed through him, responding to his summoning.

He cleared his throat. “I know you’re in there. Give him back. Now.”

The shadows moved.

Ash’s stomach roiled. The void expanded horribly wide and fast, taking up more of his body than it ever had before.

Wildly, he suppressed the sensation and focused on the pink glow. He had to do this, no matter what happened to him, He had to free Hallow.

Chains clinked as the shadow moved again, forming into the hulking, twisted shape of The Quetch. Huge, clawed hands extending to either side as it pulled itself out of the shadows, slow and sure.

Ash’s void constricted and expanded again, as if trying to break free from him. He coughed twice, gathered his magic into his hands and threw it at the monster.

The magic burst out of him with a sharp tearing, like the sensation of tearing off a band-aid ratcheted up by a hundred. It hurt, wrenching his bones and making him aware of every tendon. He cried out as it hit the Quetch, still connected to the magic somehow.

The beast fell to one side, its rumbling voice diminished to a low whimper of pain.

The fall revealed the slumped form of Hallow, his pink glow faint, his wings fluttering.

“Hallow! I’m here!” Ash shouted.

Hallow looked up, a faint smile pushing through the sadness. “The chains...”

Ash’s eyes raked the shadows. He saw a black rope made of shadows wound around Hallow’s torso and neck, partially pinning his wings.

Ash summoned his power and threw it like a softball, aimed at the chain where it anchored Hallow to the base of the wall. The chain broke without a sound, the smoke vanishing into thin air.

Ash’s heart soared, this was going to work!

Hallow stood up. The relief on his face gave way to horror.

The Quetch rammed into Ash’s side. Ash had never been hit by a car, but he imagined this would be what it felt like. A hard, solid impact that he could do nothing but endure.

Winded, Ash landed on the hard cobbles. He scrabbled for purchase trying to escape the hulking, damp form of The Quetch. His void spread to encompass him, aching, strange and overwhelming. He couldn’t think. He couldn’t draw breath. It hurt when he tried, a stabbing pain. A broken rib? If it had punctured his lung he didn’t have long. His gasps sounded hoarse, rasping and animalistic.

The Quetch roared, drowning out all sound, drowning out his own breath and his very thoughts. Its jaws were massive, full of ichor-dripping fangs.

Ash scrambled inside himself, looking for his magical power and finding only dregs. He grabbed the dregs and shoved them at The Quetch. The last thing he could possibly do to fight.

All he could feel was teeth, digging into his neck, tearing his throat open. Absolute agony, the worst pain he’d ever felt.

Then, nothing.

Only the void.

Chapter twelve

Lavender slowly intruded upon Ash’s senses.

He was wrapped in the void, aware of nothing at all.

But slowly the lavender grew stronger… and was there light as well?

The moment he acknowledged the light, Ash woke up. His head felt like someone had taken a table saw to it. His vision was blurry and he had daggers in his throat.

He groaned and immediately regretted it, closing his eyes again.

He sensed movement overhead. More danger? He forced his eyes open. Everything was painful brightness but he saw a blur of pink.

Pink was good. Pink meant Hallow.

“Don’t move, don’t try to talk.” Hallow’s voice.

Relief washed over Ash. He’d been looking for Hallow... He’d been looking for him in the alleyway, hadn’t he?

His eyes had fluttered shut. He needed to know more so he opened them again. It didn’t hurt as much this time.

His vision cleared slowly. He wasn’t in the Alley. It was too bright. No, this was... his mind was blank. Slowly he recognised his own bedroom.

“How?” Ash’s voice sounded like he’d swallowed barbed wire.

Hallow’s familiar hand pressed him gently down to the bed. “You came to save me, love. Used everything you had. You have to take it very slowly.”

Ash coughed when he tried to reply.

Hallow offered him a water bottle with a sipper lid, holding it to his lips. He drank gratefully, tasted something sweet and vaguely salty.

“He’s awake!” Hallow turned his head to shout it but Ash still winced.

Footsteps thundered in the hallway and the bedroom door banged against the wall as Willow ran inside. “Ash, you idiot, I thought we’d lost you.” All her anger and panic and momentum halted abruptly at the side of the bed and very gently, she touched his arm. The careful pressure contrasted with her tone. “Bastard.”

“Technically, he did die.” Hallow said the words softly, obviously not wishing to make anything worse. “But only briefly.”

“Christ.” Willow peered into Ash’s face, searching.

Ash’s stomach clenched. “Died? I died?”

Hallow moved to the other side of the bed to Willow and sat down, picking up his hand. “How much do you remember?”

Ash squeezed Hallow’s hand reflexively. He needed the comfort of Hallow’s warmth. He cleared his throat. “I went in to find you. I used the portal in the backyard. Then I realised—” He took a moment to catch his breath. “I felt a part of you, in my void. In me.”

Willow huffed. “Your void.”

“In the other world, Ash has a hole where his chest should be,” Hallow supplied.

Willow waved the explanation away. “I’ve heard. I want to know more but not right now. Please continue.”

Ash sipped from the water bottle. “I let the piece of you lead me to you... That doesn’t sound right. But I found where The Quetch was hiding. I heard chains, and I used magic to fight it. I thought it had worked, and then it hit me.” He swallowed, searching his memory. “I don’t remember anything after that.”

Hallow’s thumb stroked gentle circles on the back of Ash’s hand. “My people, the power we have, whatever we use it for, whatever it can do, it all comes from love.” He pursed his lips, glancing at Willow. She nodded at him. “What you did, when you came to save me and died doing it? Like I said before, you used everything you had. It’s the most powerful spell possible in the Grefenlands. Your actions didn’t just break the chains The Quetch had put on me — It broke the curse and freed my powers.”

“Holy shit.” Willow patted Ash’s shoulder. “I only got like, seventy percent of that but good work, baby brother.”

Ash tugged on Hallow’s hand, he needed him closer. Hallow moved in, helping Ash sit up more.

Ash wrapped both arms around his frame, careful not to crinkle his wings. “I love you so much, Hallow. When I thought you were in danger, I couldn’t think straight. I could only think about getting you back. There was...nothing else I could do.”

Hallow leaned into him, arms pinned to his sides by Ash’s embrace. “Thank you.”

“How am I alive then?” Ash mumbled into Hallow’s shoulder. Hallow pulled away enough to free an arm. He wiped a tear before he spoke. “My magic brought you back. The moment the curse broke, I felt your life running out and I took hold of it. I pulled your spirit back into your body and healed you.”

Willow ran both hands through her hair. “Okay. I’m going to put some soup on and try to process all of that. And— give you two some privacy.” She walked out, shoulders tense.

Ash looked into Hallow’s startlingly beautiful, familiar eyes and reached for him. He felt an overwhelming joy and he needed to convey it somehow. His cheeks were damp. “Thank you, Hallow. I... you saved me. Thank you.”

“You saved me first.” Hallow slipped an arm around him and kissed his nose. “Thank you.”

Ash tried his best to stay in this fluffy, happy moment, but something niggled at him. “The Quetch? Is it dead?”

“No. It’s still there. I got you away, and I sealed the portal behind me to stop it following, if it even can... but it’s still there. I can’t defeat it alone even with all my magic back.”

Ash took another drink and winced as his vision flickered. “We still need to beat it to get you home, then.”

“Don’t worry about that now. You only just woke up, and you need more sleep.”

The front door slammed downstairs. There was a brief moment of quiet, and then footsteps clattering up the stairs. Charli burst into the room and launched herself at Ash. He caught her with a grunt.

“Careful!” Hallow tried to slow her trajectory and lessen the impact on Ash by catching her arms but it didn’t really work.

“You ASSHOLE! You were dead? Like actually dead, I’m SO glad you’re alright!”

Ash patted Charli’s back, closing his eyes and enjoying her solidity.

No, it was something else. Something he was aware of when he held Hallow. It came to him instantly: he could feel her magic. Her nascent potential. It felt familiar, warm, like home.

She climbed off him, oblivious. “You really scared Mum. She’s pissed.”

“Yeah. I can imagine.”

The three of them looked at each other for a moment, smiling, enjoying each other’s company. “But I’m okay now.”

“So, what happens next? Is Hallow moving in?”

Hallow frowned and looked out the window. “It’s a possibility.”

Ash grabbed for his hand again. “But didn’t you say you were wandering for a purpose? The blight on your food crops?”

“In time they’ll give me up for dead and send someone else though.”

“But your family... they’d miss you,” Charli said. Her eyebrows were knitted together and her mouth pulled down, imagining something terribly sad.

“And The Quetch would go after whoever they sent, right?”

Hallow looked back at him, his expression schooled. “It seems likely.”

“Then you can’t move here. None of us can pretend there’s no consequences.”

Hallow folded his arms. “I wish I could. I could be happy here if it wasn’t for the other things.”

“So what then?” Charli rolled her eyes. “You can’t stay but you can’t go back?”

Hallow ruffled her hair. “Uncle Ash needs more time to recover. His body had the worst shock it possibly could have. He also needs plenty of food to build himself back up. We plan after he’s better.”

Ash teared up. For so many years he’d been on his own. Coped on his own. Got sick and had to pay extra to stay longer in a hotel or hostel, closing himself off to eat whatever he could get his hands on, resting and navigating foreign pharmacies for medicine. Lying alone, feeling helpless.

Hallow just laying out so simply what he needed, and knowing that he, Willow and Charli would make sure he was taken care of? It felt so strange, but so welcome. He needed to be taken care of, and he had people who would do happily do it.

“What is it, what’s wrong? Are you in pain?” Hallow moved closer, pressing his palm to Ash’s forehead.”

“I’m just...” Ash searched for words to describe the surge of emotions but came up with only one. “Grateful.”

Willow came in with a bowl of soup, it smelled divine, chicken and vegetable. Probably their mother’s recipe. She took one look at Ash and Hallow and placed the tray of soup and toast on the side table. “Come on, Charli, let’s give the boys a moment.”

Charli protested but Willow dragged her out, shutting the door firmly behind them.

Ash wiped his eyes on his pyjama sleeve.

Hallow moved closer beside him and pressed against his side. He didn’t ask if Ash was all right, which he appreciated. “Can I hold you?” he asked instead.

“Yeah.” Ash’s voice broke.

Gently, as if afraid Ash might shatter, Hallow slipped his arm around Ash.

Ash pillowed his cheek on Hallow’s chest, listening to the beat of his heart and allowing his tears to flow freely. There was nothing else in him. All he could do was cry and be held.

Hallow hummed, his voice surprisingly low, fluid, beautiful. He sang him a song in a language Ash didn’t recognise.

Ash calmed down, the tears drying up.

“How’s your void, love?”

Ash lifted his head to look at his chest. It looked ordinary, but then it always did on Earth. He closed his eyes and concentrated on the strange sensation of emptiness and longing he’d become used to.

He couldn’t detect it.

His heart beat. His lungs inflated and released air. His body felt solid, complete. The sensation was so foreign that he sat up straight, pulling out of Hallow’s grip to pat himself down. He felt only a warm body, solid muscles, and pyjamas.

He turned back to Hallow, full of wonder. “It’s... I think it’s gone? Is that even possible?” He didn’t dare hope. Most likely it was hidden because he was in the real world. But the yearning, the sense something important was missing, he couldn’t feel it. Could it really be gone?

Hallow tipped his head to one side. “It’s possible. Do you want me to check?”

“Please.”

“I don’t know if this will work.” Hallow’s hand lit up with baby pink light. He pressed his palm to Ash’s chest, spreading his fingers out and pressing the pads against his collarbones.

The warmth of his hand had Ash’s heart fluttering as if it was their first date and he was sixteen years old.

“It... it could be gone? I feel the hint of something but it’s not the same amount of power.” Hallow frowned. “I’d need to go to the alleyway to check for sure.”

Ash pressed his hand over Hallow’s and brought it to his lips, kissing each of his fingers in turn. “If it’s gone, it’s because of you.”

Hallow’s expression softened. He moved closer to Ash. “It’s possible. It could have collapsed as part of your power’s attack, it could have healed when I brought you back, or it could have been a part of what you paid in your act of sacrifice. Or what you were offered in return.” Hallow’s cheeks got pinker with each kiss Ash placed on his hand.

Ash kissed his wrist and let their clasped hands drop to the bedspread. “I wouldn’t have done anything like that if it wasn’t for you.”

“So I should take all the credit for it?” Hallow teased. “Because I will. Even if you were the one who rescued me from the monster, I’ll tell it in a way that makes me the hero.”

Hallow’s smile drew Ash in like a moth to a porchlight. “Do it, you deserve to be the hero.”

He pressed his lips to Hallow’s softly, sweetly, trying to pour all his gratitude, love and awe into it. Hallow melted, winding both arms around him and returning the kiss with the same passionate energy.

Ash wanted nothing but this. To exist in a world which was only himself and Hallow. To be in a universe of pink hair and gently fluttering wings. Of transcendent beauty. To love and be loved. His stomach rumbled. Ash realised the soup Willow had brought him would be getting cold.

“I should eat,” Ash murmured against Hallow’s lips.

Hallow chuckled, stroking his cheek. “Unfortunately, yes.”

Chapter thirteen

The next morning, Ash woke up feeling better than he could remember ever feeling: well rested, his mind clear, a sense of purpose and the energy to go with it.

Plus, he was wrapped around Hallow, his wings folded flat between them. Hallow was curled up, his knees almost to his chin, a curl of gorgeousness like a cat or a comma.

Ash buried his nose in the soft, downy hair at the back of his neck and inhaled his scent. He knew, without a doubt, he wanted to wake up like this forever. Every day of his life, from now onwards, would be beside this magical man. The life he had because of Hallow. His second chance.

How could he keep this?

Could he go with Hallow after they vanquished The Quetch? Move to the Grefenlands and become a farmer, or whatever it was Hallow did... Could it be enough? Would it sustain him?

Was he allowed to even want such a life?

He remembered his father, charging him with learning magic, with training Charli, looking out for her. He couldn’t leave her. He’d only just got back to Aotearoa. Reconnected with his family. He couldn’t go away again so soon, leaving Willow and Charli behind. Not now.

He’d only just come back to life as well. Ash squeezed Hallow tighter, reflexively.

Hallow made a soft sound and gripped his arm, not waking, entirely, but responding.

Ash couldn’t leave his family, but he couldn’t let Hallow go either. He had to have both.

Something dark, deep inside, understood The Quetch’s need to possess Hallow. To hold him and keep him.

He shook off the comparison. He wasn’t The Quetch. He wasn’t a monster. The Quetch didn’t love, Ash did.

How could he find a way to exist in multiple worlds?

Ash had always wandered, searching for something just out of reach. He always needed more than whatever he had right in front of him. Was that need still there if his void was gone?

How could he plan any sort of future? He’d barely ever had plans. Instead he lived on whims, impulses, taking the cheapest flight no matter the destination. Taking the sponsorship offer and doing what they wanted. Saying yes without thinking anything through, leaving responsibility behind.

But now, more than ever before, Ash had things he needed. Things he had to protect, to safeguard. He’d never before connected to the term kaitiaki, the Te Reo word for guardian. Now he felt like it was etched onto his spine. He had to guard Charli. He had to protect his relationships with Hallow, Willow and his father. He had to step up and be the kaitiaki.

Hallow stirred in his arms. Ash loosened his grip as Hallow rolled over to face him. “I can hear you thinking.”

Ice-cold fear crept up Ash’s fingers. “You can?” A side-effect of the love bond Hallow had described? The resurrection magic? What had he heard? That he wanted to live with Hallow for the rest of his life? He wanted to possess him in some way close to what The Quetch wanted?

“Not literally, stop freaking out.” Hallow rubbed his nose against Ash’s. “You’re sighing and tensing a lot. What’s bothering you?”

“I’m... trying to work out what to do with... all of this.”

Hallow smiled the bright, heart-shattering smile which made Ash love him all over again. “You don’t have to have it all worked out, you know.”

“Sounds fake.”

Hallow giggled.

Ash’s angst melted away. “You’re cute.”

“You’re cuter. Want to talk about what you’re thinking?” Hallow pressed his hand against Ash’s chest again, grounding him.

Ash took a breath. “We’re going to go to The Magic Shop and—I don’t know. Arm up? Charli, we need to get her using her magic. I could feel it yesterday. I don’t know if Dad can help? Probably not, he can’t get around so well. But I guess it won’t hurt to ask him. I’m sure Wills has his number. We need to fortify ourselves before we can take on The Quetch.” Hallow nodded. “I have all my abilities back. I can do more to help. Maybe I can train Charli and you in a couple of things?”

“I hope so.”

Hallow pulled out of his arms and sat up. As he stretched his arms over his head, his wings unfolded, stretching as well. Their iridescence caught the morning light. Ash saw a thousand colours, an oil-slick of shifting light.

“Beautiful. You’re so beautiful.”

Hallow laughed, looking over his shoulder at Ash.

Ash wanted more. More giggles, snuggles, love. But they had to earn it. They had to do the hard yards, risk it all, and then be rewarded.

They joined Willow and Charli at the kitchen table.

“Weekend breakfast!” Willow placed a low, handleless wicker basket on the table, its contents covered with a tea-towel. It was the exact same basket their mother had always used for pikelets. Nostalgia hit Ash like a punch to the gut. A yearning for how things had been when he was younger. His mother covered pikelets in a tea towel to keep them warm. His dad whipped cream to have on them with a dollop of raspberry jam.

Home.

By some miracle, Ash beat Charli, pulling the tea-towel aside to reveal steaming golden brown pikelets. “Oh my god, Will.”

Ash piled four on his plate, and then passed the basket to Charli, reaching for the jam.

“When was the last time you had good old kiwi pikelets?”

Ash shook his head. Pikelets weren’t a thing in any other country, well. Maybe Australia, his first overseas destination, and thus, a long time ago. “You know when.”

“What are... pikelets?” Hallow picked one up between his forefinger and thumb.

“They’re pretty much pancakes, but like, slightly different?” Ash said. “Sweeter? Smaller?”

“Easier to make.” Willow added.

Hallow opened his mouth to reply. Before he could make a sound, something hit the wall outside the kitchen window.

“What was that?” Charli moved like she was going to stand.

Ash intercepted her. “Let me check.” Whatever was out there, it was his job to protect them. His determination to protect his loved ones overrode his sudden fear. He leaned over the bench and looked out the window.

In the bright morning sunshine, nothing in the yard seemed amiss.

But something uncanny was definitely happening. What was it? Ash’s magical senses told him something was awry. “I can’t see anything.”

“Maybe it was a bird?” Willow had also stopped what she was doing to watch. The kitchen seemed to hold its breath.

“Check the shadows.” Hallow crossed the room, one hand going onto Ash’s waist as he went up on his toes to look over Ash’s shoulder.

The shadows? As Ash scanned the garden, the hedge caught his eye. The shadow of the hedge was too dark. Denser, and slightly too long for the time of day. As he watched, a tendril unfurled itself from the darkness and curled towards the house.

Ash placed his palm on the pane of glass, hoping to keep the shadow outside somehow. His mind blanked on the words of power from his father’s book.

Hallow’s grip on his shoulder tightened and he felt warm pink magic flow into him. “Use Knight and Protector,” Hallow whispered.

Ash repeated the words, infusing them with magic from himself and Hallow.

The window pane thrummed. Outside the shadow tendril faltered and curled back into itself.

Ash felt the power of the shadow pushing back on him, resisting, trying to overcome.

A small hand, Charli's, touched his other arm where he braced himself against the bench. Ash’s magic bubbled up, boiling over, Charli’s magic was familiar, almost like his own, and it urged his power on.

He gritted his teeth and repeated the spell. “Knight and Protector.”

“Is that all the spell is?” Charli asked.

“It’s a state of mind as well.” Hallow said, voice soft. “You have to dearly wish to protect, to take on the role of Knight and hero.”

Ash wanted it. He wanted to strap on armour, swing a sword, and fight off all the monsters which might have threatened Hallow, Charli and Willow.

The shadow retreated back into the hedge. The ominous shadow faded a little, but the presence wasn’t entirely gone. Ash knew it was only a matter of time before it tried something else, or redoubled its efforts. And it was definitely, definitely, related to the Quetch. He knew it even without knowing how he knew it.

“We should go.” Ash dropped his hand and turned back to the kitchen. “We don’t have any time.”

Moments later, they piled into the car. Willow took the driver’s seat, taking off in a squeal of wheels as soon as all their doors were closed. Ash rode shotgun and Willow and Hallow were in the back, dividing up the pikelets and squabbling over how much jam each one should have.

Perhaps Ash should have hurried them more, rather than giving them the time to bundle the jam and knife into the basket, but they needed to eat, after all.

Hallow handed him a stack of pikelets.

Ash looked back at the house as they exited the driveway. The windows were uncharacteristically dark, as if painted over. Shadows seeped from them to the windowsills.

He faced ahead, mechanically eating his breakfast.

Bad. This was bad. He had to fix this as fast as possible. They would NOT lose the family house. The place he’d grown up with Willow. She probably expected to leave it to Charli someday.

“Where are we going?” Willow asked.

“K Road. We need The Magic Shop.”

Willow nodded. No one said anything more until they’d parked and were heading inside.

Ash opened the door. “This is The Magic Shop.” He immediately felt foolish for pointing out the obvious.

Hallow had hidden his wings and pointed ears, he looked strange. Ash tugged him in by the hand and planted a kiss on his nose, reassuring himself that it was still his Hallow.

Charli was bouncing, clutching Willow’s arm like she needed an anchor. “I can’t believe I’m in an actual magic shop!”

Willow looked around in disbelief. “How does this all fit in?”

The Magic Shop had changed somewhat. The shelves were in the same place but different books were on display.

The Owner strode down an aisle towards them, holding a deck of tarot cards in his hand. “Hello again. I believe this is for you.” He fanned the cards out in his hands. One popped out, standing higher than the others.

Ash took it and flipped it over, knowing better at this point than to question what was going on. The card showed a naked woman encircled by a wreath of leaves. At the top was the Roman numeral for twenty-two. The bottom of the card read The World. “Please, if you wouldn’t mind telling me, what does it mean?”

The Owner smiled, shuffling the remaining cards one-handed. “Like all the cards, it can mean a lot of things depending on the time of day, the place in a reading or the querent's state of mind. Usually, the world has something to do with the end of a journey, possibilities, or maybe the world opening up to you.”

Ash considered this. He no longer believed in coincidences. He’d travelled the world and came back home. He’d discovered new worlds. He’d died— the end of a journey no matter how you looked at it. Now they were trying to traverse between worlds, defeat a monster and get his fairy boyfriend home.

What the fuck? How did this card know all of that?

It wasn’t a coincidence, but it was too uncanny to just accept.

The Owner smiled gently at him. “Take a look around, you’ll find what you need.”

Ash offered him the card back.

The Owner shook his head. “Perhaps it will bring you luck?”

Ash nodded, slipping it into the breast pocket of his shirt. “Thank you.” He looked around the shop, not sure where to start.

The others seemed to have no such trouble. Hallow was across the room, filling a velvet bag with crystals. Nearby, Willow and Charli stood close together, murmuring and looking wide-eyed at the array of items on a cluttered shelf.

Ash closed his eyes, tuning into his intuition. The World card burned in his mind’s eyes. A talisman, perhaps, a guiding light and a comfort.

The Owner had said he’d find what he needed. He followed his gut and let the tarot card lead him. He opened his eyes after he felt the correct direction and walked towards a shelf labelled ‘Community and Covens.’ He picked up the book with the oldest looking leather cover. The World card stopped tugging at him. The inscription on the first page caught his eye.

“The power of community cannot be under-estimated,” he read, under his breath. “We are many, and we are strong.”

Community. Himself, Hallow, Willow and Charli. Maybe his dad if they had time to get out to his retirement home, which seemed unlikely. They didn’t have any extra time. But he did have a community. Ash slid the book under his arm and scanned the titles on the shelf. A slim paperback poked partially out from the hardcovers. He withdrew it.

“Diagrams for Group Casting. Useful.”

Charli had picked up a silver dagger inscribed with runes.

Willow’s finger pointed at the cabinet. “Put it back, it’s far too dangerous.”

“But mum, it’s so pretty, and I don’t know, it feels right in my hand.”

Ash joined them. He decided to test a theory. “Why’d you pick the knife up, Charli?”

“I dunno, felt drawn to it I guess? I like it. Please mum, can I have it?” Charli bounced on the balls of her feet, unable to contain her excitement.

Ash nudged Willow. “I think it chose her.”

Willow sighed heavily.

Hallow appeared beside them. “I can teach her how to handle it safely. I have one of those back home. Probably should have brought it with me, in hindsight. In fact...” Hallow took the knife gently from Charli and examined it. “Yes, by the maker’s mark this was made in the Grefenlands.”

“No coincidences. Come on, Will. I’ll pay for it and Hallow will show her how to use it safely. It might come in handy.” Ash gave his sister his most serious look.

Willow rolled her eyes. “Fine. But I don’t like it, and we’re getting it a safe box for storage at home.”

“You’re the best.” Charlie kissed her mother on the cheek.

“I have this book of diagrams. I think we can use them right away.” Ash showed the book to Hallow who grinned.

“Perfect.”

On the way to the counter to pay, Ash noticed a barrel full of walking sticks and staffs. One of them caught his eye, a green painted wooden staff with hinges in it. He picked it up, the label said it was foldable for ease of travel. “Made for me.”

Ash paid for everything and they piled back into the car.

“Where now?” Willow tapped her fingers on the steering wheel. “I hate this, I just want it to be over.”

“We need a portal,” Ash said. “The one by the house is still there, right?”

“It’s too dangerous. The Quetch can find us with its shadows. Might even be waiting on the other side of that door.” Hallow shuddered.

“Make a new one then?” Ash suggested.

“Yeah, somewhere with power.” Hallow turned to Willow. “Is there a place with historical significance? Maybe a place people gather, or used to gather? Even better if it’s high up—those places make for the best portals.”

Willow hummed then put the car into gear. “One Tree Hill. Maungakiekie as it’s actually called. There are always tour groups, field trips, plus the locals use it all the time to walk their dogs.”

“Oh, and it has historical significance too. It’s an English settler’s land he gifted back to the people, but he stole it off the local tribe before... The tree was cut down by a protester in the nineties.” Ash warmed to his subject but was cut off when Willow shook her head.

“Mum’s ashes are scattered there,” Willow added, her voice low.

Ash bit his lip. He’d expected that there would be a grave. There might still be a stone somewhere. But Willow had taken their mother’s ashes and scattered them in the park. He felt a twist of guilt peppered with shame and nodded. There were no coincidences. “It will work, right?”

“Yes.” Hallow nodded. “Of course, making a new portal is going to be the easy part, compared to what happens after.”

Chapter fourteen

Using Hallow’s method, they built another portal under a stand of old trees at the base of the very peak of Maungakiekie. It was an old volcano, and the slopes were more like rolling hills than a steep drop off up until the peak, which was sheer.

The park was lush and green with various imported and native trees in stands here and there, while flocks of sheep and cows grazed the grass. Ash even saw a pheasant.

While Hallow set up the portal, Ash studied the diagrams and instructions for group castings, trying to commit as much to memory as he could before they went through. Once The Quetch was in front of him he wasn’t going to have time to flip through the pages of the book.

Hallow cleared his throat. “Are we ready?”

“As much as we can be.” Ash longed for a few weeks to study and prepare for this, but it simply wasn’t possible. He sighed, and stood, glancing around.

They were scant metres from the paved road people jogged on, but thankfully no one seemed to be paying attention to them. He hoped it’d stay that way.

Willow and Charli lit the candles, then they all sat together inside the circle the candles made. Knee to knee, touching so they’d all be able to use the portal.

Hallow spoke the words of the spell together with Ash. The portal appeared, shimmering and strange in the sunshine. The door that formed this time was plain bleached timber, with a shiny new doorknob.

It had a resonance Ash didn’t remember from the last one. When he touched the door handle, a reaction, a feeling of ownership, vibrated through his nerves. This portal was more his than the other one had been. “It feels different, like it’s mine? Is that because of your magic and mine combining, Hal?”

“You’ve changed.” Hallow pressed a soft kiss to the corner of Ash’s mouth. “My magic has been inside you since I brought you back, and now we’ve used it together. You have energy you didn’t have before.”

Ash took hold of Hallow’s hand, steadying himself. Coming back from the dead, and having some spark of Hallow inside him, it was like being told he had a medical condition. Nothing about who he was had changed, he thought the same way, he walked the same way, but his body had changed, fundamentally. He had to adjust to this new truth, and fast.

Ash rolled his shoulders, uncomfortably aware of his physical form. From the tips of his fingers to the crown of his head, he was conscious of how much space he took up.

Hallow watched him, his eyebrows crinkling together. “Are you all right?”

“Yeah.” As took a deep breath, pushed his toes down into the grass and let the breath out again. The air smelled of damp leaves, cut grass, and fresh air.

Home.

He was okay. He was fine.

“Adjusting still. It’s been a big few days.” Understatement of the year. Ash briefly considered what it would be like to write up his week and this whole confusing ‘magic is real’ experience for his blog. How would his followers respond? They’d assume it was a bit, a joke, and they’d indulge him for a while. He shook his head. They were about to go into battle against a monster in another world and he was thinking about social media?

He was distracted. He couldn’t afford to be distracted. There was a job to do. He’d process it all later. “Okay, let’s do it.”

Hallow stepped through the portal first and beckoned for them to follow. Ash went next, turning back to offer his hand to Charli. She took it immediately, fearless, although her cheeks were paler than usual. Willow came close behind her. Once they were all through, Ash tied a bandanna around the handle.

They were in a part of the alleyway Ash hadn’t seen before. The graffiti was thicker, the doors in disrepair. A few of them were boarded up.

“Ash, your chest...” Willow’s voice was shaky.

Ash swallowed and looked down. Compared to the way the void had looked previously, it was nowhere near as bad. He still had his shoulders, his clavicles, his stomach. But the gap in his chest was still uncanny to look at. “Ah, we hoped it had gone altogether.”

Charli reached a tentative hand towards him, like she wanted to prod her finger into the nothingness. “How does it work?”

“It... I don’t know. Please don’t touch it.”

“Where do your organs go?”

“Magic.” Hallow said. “It’s something inside him expressing itself visually.”

Ash felt worse than vulnerable with the void on display for everyone to discuss. It was humiliating, like they were seeing the innermost, secret part of him. Maybe they were?

What did it mean for a grown man to have a void in him? He’d thought Hallow had got rid of it, he’d certainly shrunk it. But some part of him still felt this way. It was embarrassing.

He had to distract them. “Anyway...this is the alleyway, each of these doors leads to a new world.”

Willow tore her eyes away from his chest, taking the hint, and made an impressed noise.

“This is so wild.” Charli rolled her shoulders, warming up as she looked up and down the alleyway.

Ash’s eye was drawn to a door standing open, hanging by one rusted hinge. Beyond the door he could see only forest, dense and wild, the trees grey and white, strange and shrouded in mist. Powdery white lichen covered the trees, vines hung from the branches, eerily bleached. The vines and lichen had spread over the rotten wooden doorframe, creeping onto the cobbles of the alleyway itself.

“Don’t touch the plants.” Hallow put a hand on Ash’s chest, stopping him.

Ash swallowed. He hadn’t even realised he was walking towards the broken door. “Yeah. I wasn’t planning on it.”

“But it’s so weird and cool,” Charli protested.

“Not safe.” Willow took hold of Charli’s arm. “Maybe we should find another place?”

“Right. Yes, should we walk?” He looked to Hallow.

“We need a good, defensible spot. The Quetch will find me, now I’m here, on this side of the door.”

His certainty chilled Ash’s bones. “Good to defend?”

“Like higher ground?” Charli asked.

“Maybe we can use one of the places behind the doors?” Ash chose a direction and started walking, leaving the creepy encroaching forest behind. “We don’t want to bring trouble to some innocent, besides The Quetch can’t cross into other worlds. As far as I know, it’s trapped in the alleyway or it would have followed me into your world.” Hallow slipped his hand from Ash’s to link their arms together instead.

“Good point.”

Once they were out of sight of the open door and the forest, they slowed their pace. The alleyway turned subtly, and instead of an endless stream of doors, there was something like a crossroads. Ash paused, weighing the spot. It was still only two possible directions, but it felt right somehow.

“I can feel it.” Hallow pulled Willow and Charli to the very spot Ash had been considering. “We need to prepare.”

Ash wasted no time. He pulled out the book of diagrams and referred to it as he sketched a defensive spell in the air with his finger. A trace of light trailed behind his finger, hanging in the air.

It should, if it worked, act like a magical shield for each of them. Not rooted to the location, but to the four of them.

Ash felt a magic pull. He turned to watch as Hallow’s hands glowed pink, light manifesting into a long, glowing sword.

“Get out, he has a lightsabre?” Willow said. “I’m way outclassed. What am I supposed to be doing here again?”

Ash flipped to a basic coven strength spell and shoved the book of community spells into her hand. “Read those words out.” Maybe it would do nothing but if it gave Willow a sense of purpose, that was a win, right? “There’s every chance Dad was wrong and you do have some magic in you.”

“Yeah. Charli’s my kid after all.” Willow gamely took the book and scanned the page, saying the words softly.

Charli stood ready in a fighting stance, feet part, knees bent, knife held in her two hands. Ash felt almost unbearably proud of her.

“When this thing arrives, be ready,” Ash patted her shoulder, feeling the frisson of his magic responding to hers. He immediately felt foolish. There was no way to get ready for seeing an otherworldly monster for the first time. “Try not to scream and no matter how much you want to, don’t run. It’ll follow. Staying together as a group is our best chance.”

“No splitting up like in one of those dumb horror movies.” Charli nodded.

Hallow shivered. “It’s getting closer.”

Ash could hear it now, a distant rumbling and the thudding of feet. The Quetch was approaching, growling, on the hunt. The hairs on his neck prickled.

The Quetch was coming.

It was specifically coming for them.

Hurriedly, Ash pulled out the foldable staff he’d got at The Magic Shop and focused on his magic. As if in response, the noise of The Quetch approaching ceased.

Somehow, the silence was worse.

Ash didn’t think for a moment it had gone, or given up. No, it was simply done with heralding its whereabouts to them.

His stomach roiled, and he strained to hear something, anything, of the monster.

“Why isn't it making any sounds?” Charli asked in a stage whisper.

“To scare us,” Hallow said.

“It’s working.” Willow pressed closer to Ash. She began to repeat the spell words from the book.

“Can you feel your magic, Charli? Now’s the time to tune into it and prepare.” Ash gave her a rueful smile. “I know we’re throwing you in the deep end big time, here.”

“Yeah.” Charli shrugged. “The knife likes it, I can feel it working with my power, kind of combining and enhancing.”

Such a straightforward answer. Ash was impressed and maybe envious of how simple she made it seem.

Compared to her confidence Ash felt unsure, outclassed. Sure, he’d cast a shield spell, but he had no idea if it would work.

He unfurled his travel staff with a flick of his wrist. It felt right in his hand. Was this feeling the same as what Charli had described with her knife? It felt correct. The feeling, and the simple act of holding a tool, gave him confidence. Maybe it was the same thing, when it really came down to it?

The silence pressed on Ash like he was fathoms underwater. Free diving, or SCUBA on the ocean floor. Briefly he remembered diving off the Fijian islands, the Great Barrier Reef, and free diving with a group of wild backpackers in Santorini.

Ash swallowed. He could die at any moment.

The Quetch had killed him before. It had that same power, still.

No. This time was different. This time he wasn’t blundering in without thinking. This time he had people beside him, a coven, a community. They had magic spells, tools. Most importantly, he had Hallow at his side.

The pink glow of Hallow’s sword reflecting in Ash’s void. Their shared magic passed between them, sending an echo across space and time. Was this a quantum entanglement situation? If Ash’s void changed, would some part of Hallow’s glow change in response?

Focus! He couldn’t risk getting lost in thought—

Charli’s sharp inhale was the first sign something was happening in the world outside of his head.

Ash’s eyes snapped to the corner. A shadow cast by the wall was deepening, stretching itself unnaturally, taking on an almost green hue.

“This is it.” Ash struck the staff against the cobbles. It made a satisfying thwack as he infused it with his power.

Perhaps hearing them talk, or alerted by the striking sound of Ash’s staff, The Quetch stopped creeping. It charged around the corner like an enraged bull.

Ash took a step back, a natural response to seeing a huge, snarling monster run towards him. He stepped on someone’s foot.

“Oh fuck,” Willow hissed.

“Sorry.”

The Quetch was heading directly for Hallow. He bent his front knee and lunged forward, sword held ready to spear it. Ash watched in horror. The sword wouldn’t stop The Quetch. It was too large, too angry. The possible outcome played out in Ash’s mind. Hallow spearing the thing as it opened its jaws and tore him apart. Mutual destruction.

Destruction of the person Ash loved best in all the worlds.

Ash decided what to do without considering.

He flung himself in front of Hallow, just as The Quetch opened its jaws.

Chapter fifteen

Nothingness.

Not the nothingness of being unconscious. This time Ash was aware of himself, of his body. He even had his staff still. He was in a nothingness place. It was grey, a misty miserable bog grey. He saw his hands, his feet, but not what he was standing on.

“What the fuck?” Ash's voice came out dampened, like he was in a heavily soundproofed room.

He spun in place, but he couldn’t make out any landmarks, any horizon. He was trapped... But where?

Another world from off the alleyway? He didn’t think so. He hadn’t had time to run to a door. The Quetch had opened its jaws. He’d been trying to save Hallow. Then he’d been here. There was something else strange as well.

He touched his chest. It was whole.

Creeping fear made its way up his spine and to his brain at a snail’s pace, as the horrifying realisation of what had happened, where he was, occurred to him.

His void.

Somehow The Quetch had swallowed him into his own void.

The void had reacted when he’d gone to rescue Hallow. Was it a thing The Quetch reacted to as well? Must be—hadn’t it hooked him in the void once? The void and The Quetch were somehow connected.

The void in his chest. The yearning. What had caused it in the first place?

Ash sat down, laid the staff over his crossed legs and closed his eyes. He needed to think about this. Meditation was the best way to calm his fear and understand what was going on.

He took a deep breath. How could he even breathe inside a void made of his own yearning?

He dismissed the thought and focused on his breathing. In and out.

What did it mean to have a void in your chest?

He let his body be completely at rest, released the tension in his shoulders and neck. It had taken him a long time to learn the technique. All those hours in monasteries with various teachers.

All those places he’d been.

All those lessons he’d learned.

All those years away from home, running from...what?

His breath was speeding up. Ash took a steadying inhale. Maybe all these years he’d thought he’d been looking to expand his outlook, to learn everything he could, but all it really was... was running from?

Not going towards but fleeing.

And he’d been fleeing home. Family. There was no other explanation.

He hadn’t had a bad childhood. His father had been strict, intimidating, but he’d never been abusive. His mother had been loving in her own way, but maybe emotionally distant? He hadn’t felt like he could go to her and tell her about the crushes he’d had on boys. His mother was in some ways, too positive, too sweet. Some form of ‘don’t worry, be happy’ had infected her outlook. If Ash had been upset about something she’d pat his back and tell him it would pass.

Sadness always had an end date.

Was that all it was? He was distancing himself from a mild dose of toxic positivity? Or was there more?

Had he suspected, on some level his mother was getting sick? Had his magic sensed it, and he had been frightened off?

He loved his mother, flaws and all, and the idea of losing her was too painful. Even now. He’d barely talked to Willow about their loss, about how hard it was. He hadn’t even known where her ashes were until an hour ago. Hadn’t even asked Willow.

How did Willow feel about it? Was she conflicted too?

Ash had separated himself physically from his family, and emotionally, from losing his mother. From all the feelings about his father aging, getting sick. He had always been running, always looking for something new so he didn’t have to look back. To acknowledge what he’d abandoned, what he was suppressing in himself. That’s why he had a void.

He couldn’t ignore his feelings forever.

The staff in his lap thrummed. Ash closed his hands around it. It responded with a surge of energy into his body. He smiled, and lay back on the not-ground, holding the staff against his chest.

Now he knew the cause of the void, and why he’d been running his whole life, he had to fix it somehow. Begin to fix it anyway.

He reached deep into himself and asked the question, ‘How do I fix this?’

In his mind’s eye, he saw a glowing shard in front of him. A piece of his chest. Growing moss green and sunshine gold. He took it gently in his hands, cradled it, for it was precious, and guided it into his body.

It wasn’t easy. The shard moved slowly, resisting the glowing pinkness Hallow had placed there.

“It’s all right,” Ash murmured out loud. “It’s okay to be afraid. It’s okay to be sad. You’re still a part of me and I love you. You were trying to teach me something and I ignored you, cast you out. I shouldn’t have done that. I’m sorry, I love you, I’m ready to learn.” The shard slipped into his chest. For a moment it hurt, a sharp pain, which faded into a heaviness in his shoulders. Ash sobbed. His face was damp with tears.

This was correct. The staff warmed him, lifting some of the heaviness from his shoulders. Not removing it but redistributing the weight.

Ash adjusted to the new presence in his body. An obvious something where there had been nothing.

He groaned softly. It hurt, but it was correct. He was…right.

Treating his fear, his sadness with acceptance, and welcoming them in was the way to mend the void. He’d learned it before, read about it, but never truly embraced it for himself. He expected this was a ritual he’d have to do again, perhaps many times over the course of his life, but for now, he had to pivot his thinking.

His own void was somewhat healed, but he was still trapped here by The Quetch.

“How do I get out of here?”

He meditated on the monster. It wanted to keep Hallow from travelling, to dull his beautiful spark, to keep him, hoard him. Why would it want that?

It wanted to pursue; in some ways the opposite of what Ash had spent his life doing. He’d run, and The Quetch had run after.

That was something, an opposite force.

Ash had filled his life with wonder, with colour, but The Quetch was stuck in one place. Its lair was a mess of shadows and trash. Nothing changed.

And perhaps most important of all, The Quetch was pure unbridled emotion. It saw what it wanted, and took it. Pursued it single-mindedly.

When it came to emotions, Ash had been hobbled by inaction. The Quetch was made of action.

Ash rubbed both hands over his face.

But that wasn’t true lately, was it? He had fallen in love with Hallow. He had reconnected with his sister and met his niece.

Willow, helping others, getting through everything with gentle good humour. Holding a cup of tea and telling him the truth, whether he wanted to hear it or not.

Charli, a fighter, a knife in her hand, fearless and inventive and full of love.

Ash trusted them both enough to come with him. He had the power of their support. They were a team.

He’d learned so much. Changed so much, too. In his mind’s eye a slideshow played. Images of all the places he’d been. They were part of his power too. All those experiences and people and things he’d learned, they informed who he was now. From the pyramids at Giza, to the wharves in San Francisco to the funny little Hello Kitty theme park he’d been to in Tokyo. He had a huge wealth of experiences The Quetch would never comprehend. He had so much more knowledge. Knowledge that he could turn into power.

The slideshow changed to images of Hallow. Hallow finding a Care Bear at the department store. Hallow trying on clothes. Hallow appearing in his lap in the car. Hallow’s face when he orgasmed.

Hallow was worth everything.

Ash’s chest warmed, his heart bursting with the strength of his love. Hallow was going to be his forever. He had to survive this, solve the puzzle, get out and defeat The Quetch so he could have that forever.

He had all the pieces. Now he needed to reason out what it meant.

“If The Quetch is my mirror, if it’s a reflection of what I am, then it has as much control over this void as I do. If it can put me in here, then I can take myself out.” Sure of himself, Ash stood up, gripped his staff and stepped out of the void.

The shift from nothingness to the walls and sounds of the alleyway was jarring. Ash gasped at the sudden assault to his senses, to the coolness in the air. The sounds from beings other than himself.

The Quetch stood panting over Hallow. Hallow’s sword was across the alley, his body moving weakly as he tried to escape.

Willow shouted words Ash had never heard before. He felt their innate power. She did have magic after all. He grinned, not at all surprised.

Charli moved to slash at The Quetch’s face. Ash reached out, shouting, wanting to keep Charli safe. She had no idea how much damage the monster could do to her.

He panicked, realising he couldn’t stop her, he had to do something else to stop The Quetch.

Ash loved them all. He loved his family, he loved Hallow. His love was power. He had to meet The Quetch with love and acceptance as well.

The Quetch was acting naturally, doing what it did. It wasn’t hateful or evil, it was only a being, an animal, following its instinct. The same as Ash had when he had left home all those years ago.

Ash accepted that. He had to stop it all the same.

He gathered his power, channelling it into the staff, and let it grow and reverberate with his love and acceptance.

Hallow needed him.

The Quetch snapped at Charli, who sprang back, lithe as a cheetah.

“Get BACK!” Willow screamed at her daughter.

Ash had to act now, before Charli’s luck ran out. He cleared his throat, feeling his magic powers flow through him more easily than ever before. “The world inside me is speaking now. I have seen multitudes. I have met people you could barely imagine. I have the knowledge of all I have seen, and you Quetch, have nothing but yourself. Face me.”

The Quetch snarled, turning to face Ash as obedient as a puppy.

Hallow scrambled across the ground to his sword.

Ash met The Quetch’s eyes. He was afraid, he acknowledged that. But he didn’t let it drive him away. He had to defeat this beast.

He struck the staff to the cobbles and shouted. “Be no more!”

The Quetch launched itself at him but something didn’t work in its hindquarters. It fell to the ground at Ash’s feet. Twitching, but silent.

Hallow fluttered into the air and plunged his sword into The Quetch’s spine, severing the head. There was no blood. Soot and dust spilled out of its open neck.

Hallow landed lightly beside Ash, panting.

“Is that it?” Charli asked.

“Not quite.” Ash felt the presence of The Quetch fading. He knelt and placed a hand on its flank. “Thank you for what you’ve taught us.”

Hallow sheathed his sword. “It’s over now, Charli.”

“Holy fucking Hell.” Willow and Charli joined Hallow. All of them watched as Ash reverently, carefully, bundled the huge body to the wall, resting it there, head in place, as if it were sleeping. It was still large, but in death it seemed smaller, diminished in some indefinable way. “Hallow, should I burn it?”

Hallow shook his head. “Better to leave it for the alleyway to clean up, that’s the way of it. Thank you though, for your...consideration.”Ash nodded, wiped his hands on his jeans and stood up. He folded the staff back into its pocket-size form and stowed it away.

“You’re incredible.” Hallow stepped forward, reaching for him. “You’re a proper mage.”

“Mage?” Ash tugged Hallow closer. “Not a wizard? What’s the difference?”

Hallow grinned. “I don’t know.”

“Your void is gone.” Willow said. They all looked at Ash’s chest, which looked like an ordinary man’s chest. No holes or voids left.

Ash wrapped his arm around Hallow’s waist and pulled him in for a kiss. A kiss full of what he’d learned, his exhilaration at beating The Quetch and his joy in having Hallow in his arms.

Hallow moaned and wrapped his arms around Ash’s neck. Their magic responding to each other, mingling as part of the kiss. Hallow’s pink, and his own... gold? With a slight touch of green? Forest colours. Sunlight on grass.

“Awwww.” Charli’s voice.

Oh yeah, Charli and Willow were still present. Ash resisted his urge to shove Hallow against the wall and do more than just kiss.

They broke apart with a shy smile.

“Let’s get back home,” Ash suggested. “Unless you want to find your door now, Hal?” Hallow shook his head. “Not now. Let's go back to your home and celebrate.”

Chapter sixteen

Driving through the streets of Auckland felt absolutely surreal, seeing people coming home from work, going to the shops, their lives the same as they had been that morning.

Ash felt like a whole new person.

At Charli’s request they drove through a McDonald’s. Then Willow wanted KFC, and Ash wanted a gigantic soft drink from Wendy’s. They returned home with far too much fast food, everyone laughing and joking.

It was a relief to see the house looking normal, no extra shadows or blacked out windows. In fact, the whole neighbourhood looked bright and new as the sun went down.

Dinner was a feast, trading bites with each other and watching a game show on TV. Once everyone had eaten their fill, they lapsed into a companionable silence.

Until Charli sat up and pointed at her mother. “Mum, you totally have magic. Have you even processed that?”

Willow wiped her hands on a napkin and tossed it into a Mcdonald’s bag. “Nope.”

“We should tell dad.” Ash exchanged a look with his sister. “He’s going to be shocked.”

“Maybe we shouldn’t tell him, let him relax.” Willow chewed her lip. “I feel bad about him being stuck in the retirement village, but I don’t have the energy to look after him, Charli and myself. Besides, the stairs here, he can’t manage them.”

Ash considered. “Maybe there’s another option.”

“Like when you get your own place, you could have him move in with you?” Charli grinned.

Ash looked at Hallow. “I want to stay with Hallow, but I want to stay with you two — three including dad— as well. Is that possible?”

Hallow tilted his head. “There’s no reason why not, now. The Quetch is vanquished and it was the one sealing doors and messing with my travel between worlds. Others can travel to the tavern from wherever with no trouble after all. There would need to be a portal left open here...”

“We could use the cupboard in the hallway!” Charli sat up and clapped her hands. “It’d be a full Narnia situation.”

Willow frowned, considering. “And then we’d what?” Ash took Hallow’s hand. “Split our time between your world and mine?”

Hallow’s smile warmed the whole room. “Yeah, is that okay? You want that?”

Ash moved closer, not quite climbing on his lap but hooking an arm around him and kissing him. “More than anything. I’ve just reconnected with my family, I don’t want to give them up, and I am certainly not giving you up. This way I don’t have to do either.”

Charli clapped her hands. “And then I can go through whenever I want too!” “Wait a second, missy.” Willow rolled her eyes. “No. There will be rules and boundaries on this thing. If it goes in the cupboard, I’m installing a lock. Something Ash and Hallow can open from inside. Teenagers won’t be allowed through unescorted.”

“But maybe we could take your father to my village,” Hallow suggested. “The elders would love to talk to him, and maybe the change of scenery would do him good. There are plenty of dwellings without stairs.”

Ash nodded. “It sounds good, but I’ll run it past him first.”

“We can hash out the details tomorrow,” Willow said. “I’m going to shower and go to bed.” “I gotta journal this whole wild day.” Charli followed her mother upstairs.

Hallow put his feet on Ash’s lap and rested his head on the back of the couch. “I like this plan. I want us to be together, too.”

“I know it hasn’t been very long, but we’ve been through so much together.” Ash stroked his hands over Hallow’s feet, petting them like kittens. “I want to be with you forever, Hallow.”

Hallow squeezed his hand. “If we get married, we can have a big party in my village and bring your family over. It’s very beautiful when we have a party, lots of streamers, flags, and food.”

“Sounds great.” The mention of marriage struck a thrill through Ash. Not one of fear, one which made him want to flee. This was a thrill of excitement and happiness. “When you want to go home, we’ll go to Bunnings first and grab a variety of fungicides and pest control. Then we can test out which works and bring more of them. Your mission will be done!”

Hallow laughed. “It’s strange to think the solution could be so mundane.”

“Well, you did have to travel between worlds to find it.”

Everything was working out perfectly. Ash moved Hallow’s feet off his lap and stood up, offering him his hand instead.

Hallow took it, getting to his feet with inhuman grace. He leaned in to kiss Ash.

“Wait, we should get the rubbish into the bin, first.” Ash pulled away reluctantly. They picked up the discarded food wrappers and bundled them into the outside bin. Once the chore was done, Ash checked the windows were closed and the doors were locked, and they went upstairs together.

Ash was bone tired, but he didn’t think he’d be able to sleep any time soon.

Ash pulled the curtains shut. In a moment, Hallow’s hands wound around his body, his lips on Ash’s shoulders.

“I love you, Hallow.” Ash murmured.

“I love you, my darling Ash.” Hallow drew him towards the bed. and they pulled each other’s clothes off slowly, reverently. Hallow had some scrapes and bruises from the fight.

Ash pulled his magic up, and placed his hand over each of them, healing them simply by willing them gone.

They sank onto the bed together, a naked tangle of limbs, and made love slowly. Each kiss felt like a promise, the act of penetration, a ritual of commitment.

Afterwards they lay together panting, gazing into each other’s eyes.

“Forever?” Ash asked, tracing his fingertips along the shape of Hallow’s jaw.

“Forever.”

Epilogue

The process of finding the right solution to the blight on the crops in the Lonely Forest took a few weeks. Ash approached it as a scientist, trying different solutions on different crops, and monitoring the results.

Hallow was in his element, working the land. He listened to Ash’s plans and made adjustments as needed and brought some of his own innovations as well. His magic was invaluable to monitoring the crop health hour by hour.

Many of the village folk helped where they could, and watched with interest as solutions were tried and discarded.

Finally, finally they found a combination of commercial grade fungicide and neem that cleared the yellow fungus off within a day. There were several trips back and forth from Bunnings to the Grefenlands, hauling sacks and bottles through the alleyway and laughing about how it must look. But within a week things were looking up for the crops.

Hallow was ecstatic, hugging Ash and kissing his cheeks repeatedly. “You’ve saved us all.”

“We’ve saved us.” Ash corrected. “You’re the one who found me, remember. And you’ve worked just as hard as I did.”

“Maybe.” Hallow kissed him again, jumping up in his arms to wrap his legs around him. “And now, the elders will bless us and we can get married.”

“I can’t think of anything better.”

True to Hallow’s word, when his village put on a party, it was truly beautiful.

Three months after they defeated The Quetch, Ash and Hallow held their wedding in the forest.

Ash had gone to the real world to collect his father while they set up for the event. Willow and Charli came through as well.

A clearing was decked out with bunting and fabric streamers of all colours. A huge wooden table groaned with homemade breads, roast chickens, piles of vegetables, fruit and more cakes than Ash could comprehend.

On a raised platform, several people were warming up instruments. Hallow was overseeing the setting up of a willow bough arch, decked out with flowers and ribbons, for them to get married under.

Looking around at the gathered crowd, Ash was relieved they didn’t look underdressed. Brendan wore his old suit, and had brought his suitcase, ready to move to the Grefenlands after several visits, and multiple doses of Elder Grey’s special tonic. He had a new lease on life, although his energy still faded rather fast. Charli wore an approximation of a Hobbit costume from the Lord of the Rings movies, with short pants and suspenders over a linen shirt. Willow wore a more ordinary looking Earth ensemble of floral dress and sandals.

For his part, Ash had tried to blend Earth’s version of formal with the style of the Grefenlands. He had on black slacks and polished leather boots, a pale blue linen shirt and over the top, a loose kimono jacket, green with embroidered cherry blossoms in pale pink. He’d finally got a haircut and Charli had helped him to style it with the products the stylist had sold him. He thought he looked pretty good—until he saw Hallow.

Hallow approached them, beaming. “Welcome! Come on, up the front. As soon as the musicians are ready we can start.” He’d also decided to combine fashions, wearing a low-cut pink ruched velvet blouse he’d bought on an outing with Charli, with satin pants that hit below the knees, barefoot in the grass. The pink of his blouse was a few shades darker than his hair and looked absolutely stunning. Flower buds were woven into his hair like a crown. If Ash hadn’t already been in love with him, he’d have fallen all over again. Hallow would always outshine him, and Ash was perfectly happy that way.

The ceremony was led by Elder Grey, Hallow’s grandfather.

Ash held Hallow’s hands and smiled, perfectly content. It was short and sweet, and afterwards they kissed so long, Ash almost forgot they weren’t alone.

The first hug he received after breaking away from Hallow was from Hallow’s mother, Sylvan.

“Welcome to the family, Ash.” She hugged him close.

Ash teared up, wishing his own mother could have been there.

Beside him, Hallow was getting the same treatment from Brendan, Willow and Charli. Ash felt the power of their families joining and kissed Sylvan’s cheek. “Thank you.”

She patted his cheek. “I know you’ll be good to him.”

The musicians had played softly throughout the ceremony but now they burst into raucous music with a driving beat. The party began. Wine, beer and sweet elderberry juice was poured into waiting cups and the centre of the glade was soon filled with people dancing. Ash shook a lot of hands and thanked a lot of people for their congratulations.

After an hour, the musicians called a break. Everyone helped themselves to food and drink. Willow handed him a loaded plate and ordered him to sit and eat. He sat in a folding chair and after a moment, Charli directed Hallow to sit down beside him with a similarly full plate.

“Newlyweds have to eat!”

Ash was glad they’d insisted, because once he started eating, he realised how hungry he was. The food was hearty and delicious.

He nudged Hallow, who turned to beam at him. “Hello husband.”

Ash laughed. “I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of you calling me husband.”

All too soon, the musicians started up again and the glade was full of dancers. The Grefenlands folk all had wings, mostly shaped like Hallow’s, but in all kinds of colours and patterns. It was very beautiful to watch them move.

Ash laughed to see his father dancing with Charli, and then with one of the Elder women. She seemed very interested in him indeed, talking and laughing and holding him close as they moved around the glade.

Willow had her pick of the younger folk, who crowded around her, hanging on her every word. Ash wondered if soon, her and her father would also be having weddings in the Lonely Forest?

“Would you like to dance, husband?” Hallow whispered in his ear.

“I’m pretty terrible at dancing, I have two left feet.”

“Ridiculous.” Hallow took his hand. “You need practice. Please?”

“As if I could say no to you.”

Hallow led him into the centre of the dancers. Ash watched him move, trying to keep up. He lost himself in the music and in his own joy, finally relaxing into the music. This was a perfect day.

After a few dances, Hallow pulled him close. “Told you!”

“I’m about danced out, now.” Ash leaned on Hallow, trusting him to hold him up. “Come on, let’s retreat.”

“Retreat?”

“Get the honeymoon started.”

“Oh! Yes, please.” Hallow took his hand and ran through the crowd of dancers. “Good night, everyone!”

Ash tried his best to keep up but couldn’t help tripping on people’s feet and tree roots. Hallow’s grip kept him from falling though.The crowd started whooping and clapping as they ran towards Hallow’s yellow painted house. Ash blushed. Everyone knew what they were about to do, but he didn’t care. It was just the next step in the ceremony.

Hallow’s house—their house now—was a simple layout, living room and kitchen taking up most of the front of the house, with two bedrooms behind, a bathroom and Ash’s favourite room, a library and study. It opened onto the back garden, where Hallow grew all sorts of herbs and strange plants. Hallow’s Care Bear sat pride of place on the comfiest chair in the living room.

Once they were inside the cottage, the noises faded to a comfortable background hum.

Hallow grinned as he closed the door. “They’ll keep going for hours yet. We could even go and rejoin them, after...”

“I don’t think we’re going to have the energy.”

“Oh? Why not, husband?” Hallow pulled him close by the lapels of his kimono jacket.

The word was doing things to Ash. Good and dirty things. Ash groaned as his pants abruptly became too tight. He slid his hand down to palm Hallow through his satin trousers. “You look far too delicious, I need you so badly, husband.”

Hallow gasped at the touch and hurriedly began undoing the buttons on Ash’s shirt.

Ash yanked at the hem of Hallow’s blouse to pull it up over his head.

For a few moments they were clumsy and feverish, yanking clothes off and tossing them aside to touch each other as if it was the first time. It felt like their first time. They were joined properly now, embarking on a new part of their relationship.

Hallow pushed Ash back on the bed. Someone had laid fresh cherry blossom petals over the covers. Ash stretched out, making himself comfortable and waiting with open arms as Hallow climbed on top of him.

Their mouths crashed together in a kiss so intense Ash felt his magic well up. He dismissed it, opting instead to roll them over, pinning Hallow down to kiss his jaw and neck. “I love you,” he said between kisses. “Always, forever.”

“Yes, forever,” Hallow carded his fingers through Ash’s hair and tugged. “Hands and knees?”

“Fuck. Yes. Are you prepped?”

Hallow squirmed and Ash moved to his knees, giving him space to roll over. “Look. I’ve been ready for you for hours.”

Ash forgot to breath, seeing the glittering gold of a bejewelled butt plug peeking out from between Hallow’s perfect asscheeks.

“I’m ... fuck, Hallow. I’m the luckiest guy in the world.” He sank his teeth into Hallow’s left asscheek in delight.

Hallow moaned. “This world? Or yours?”

“In all of them. No one is as lucky as me.” Ash tugged gently on the plug, teasing Hallow with it until he was whimpering.

“Please husband, please!”

Ash drew it out, lubed himself with a handy magic spell he’d found in a book of Hallow’s and pushed inside.

They moaned in unison, needy and elated.

“Rough, be rough with me, pet,” Hallow groaned.

Ash didn’t need to be told twice. He gripped Hallow’s hips and started to fuck him, rocking his hips hard and fast, taking his husband, his Master, his true love, as he’d been ordered to.

“Yes! Love you so much!” Hallow’s wings fluttered, a sure sign he was close and doing his best to hold back.

Ash moaned. He did not need much to tip him over at this point either. Flooded with excitement from the dancing, of love for his husband and ecstatic hope for the future, he was full to bursting.

He used one hand to reach around and stroke Hallow, pumping him as he fucked him, moaning.

Hallow bit his own arm, his muscles straining until finally he cried out. “Now!” He clenched tight around him.

Ash could never get used to this feeling. It was too perfect, too good every time it happened. He thrust hilt-deep and came, filling Hallow and moaning as sweat fell from his face.

He’d learned a spell for cleaning up too. He pulled out slowly and used it, removing all the mess in one gesture. He flopped onto the bed beside Hallow, pressing his hip to his, the only movement he could manage.

“Fuck.” Hallow turned to face him, throwing an arm over his chest and hiking his leg up over Ash’s as well.

They lay there, panting together, awash in the afterglow of their orgasms, and the gentle warmth of their magics reacting to each other. It had only been a handful of months, and there was still so much to learn, so much more to discover about Hallow and about the Grefenlands.

It wouldn’t always be easy, Ash knew. He welcomed everything. Difficulties, hardships, joy, natural disasters—he could cope with all of them as long as he had Hallow by his side.

He planted a kiss on Hallow’s panting mouth. “Love you.”

Ash had purpose and a routine now. He had regular study time and lessons with Willow and Charli. Morning teas with his father in the Lonely Forest. Lessons with the Elders. A regular movie date night on Earth with Hallow.

He had Hallow, his beautiful fey husband. He was complete, and nothing could change that.

The End (of the World)

What Was First?

mybook.to/TheFool

Dec:

I’ve never really had much in the way of direction in my life, until I walk into an eerie shop where a strange man charges me more than I should pay for a tarot reading of one card. Next thing I know, I’m graduating school to be a domestic servant and find myself employed by someone else’s weird uncle in the strangest mansion. Everyone is great even if they’re all a little... off. Except Thoren. He’s a thorn in my side, and I’m not sure how I feel about him dropping his cards all the time just to make me pick them up for him. (My ass is not what he’s looking at because... what?)

Thoren:

I’ve known since I was a child the path I would take in life. I’m a guardian, one of the Trustworthy, and I am excellent at my job. I take my pleasure wherever I can find it, because I’ve earned every second of my leisure with the hours, days, and weeks of work I put in on every mission. Finding pleasure in teasing the new butler is new, but Dec seems to like it just as much as I do, no matter how often he tries to hide in the cleaning closet. (I’m definitely looking at dat ass because... yum.)

Tales from the Tarot

Grab the 22-book series at mybook.to/talesfromthetarot

Where Fools Have Tread by Jennifer Cody

The Magician's Heart by J.P. Jackson

Cleric of Desire by Amanda Meuwissen

The Nephilim's Touch by Morgan Lysand

King of Hollywood by Fae Quin

My Minotaur Daddy by Laura Lascarso

Across Space & Time by Kit Barrie

Chariot of Souls by Morgan Mason

By Rude Strength by K.L. Hiers

Found in Obscurity by A.M. Rose

Twisted Fates by Adam J. Ridley

No Justice for the Damned by Hellie Heat

The Angel's Kiss by Nicholas Bella

Death Song by B. Ripley

Arcanum by Ashlyn Drewek

The Devil's Dilemma by Alex J. Adams

Camelot's Tower by Brooke Matthews

A Highland Gargoyle's Lucky Star by Chloe Archer

Trust in the Moon by Delaney Rain

Raising the Sun by Eryn Hawk

Zero Judgment by Kota Quinn

The End of the World by Drake LaMarque

About the Author

Writer of steamy paranormal MM queer fiction (genderqueer non-binary, he/they) I like pirates, sea monsters, magic and kink. My books are often historical and paranormal, and always queer AF. Come follow me on Facebook: facebook.com/drakelamarqueauthor

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