Page 43 of If the Shoe Fits (Rainbow Tales #2)

“I think you've adjusted enough,” Nevan declared as he burst into the vast suite of rooms that belonged to Xander.

Xander, who'd been lounging on a couch on his veranda, sipping fairy wine and marveling at his new life (while also wondering what people who didn't work did all day), sat up and turned toward Nevan. “For what?”

“It's time to continue your training.”

“Yes, please!” Xander got up. “I was beginning to wonder if you were going to leave me to flounder alone.”

“I would never!” Nevan rolled his eyes. “And it's not as if you don't have people who would help you here. You could have asked your mother for help. Or even your new lover. Zane would be ecstatic to help you train.”

“We are not lovers.”

“Sex or lack thereof does not make you lovers.”

Xander tried not to flush as he wondered if oral sex counted. “Then what does?”

Nevan rolled his eyes. “Love! For fuck's sake, kid, it's right there in the word. To have a love -ver you must be in love with that person.”

“I'm not in love with Zane. It's only been a week. I'm not over Leo yet. ”

“Uh-huh.”

“But I may change that tonight.”

“Oh?” Nevan cocked his head. “Tell me more.”

Xander shrugged. “I think it's time to take things further.”

“Good for you, kid. Now, let's take things further with your education. In the First Realm, we can see what you're really capable of. Have you been practicing?”

“Yes.” Xander picked a flower off a blooming vine beside him. He tossed it at Nevan, and as it sailed through the air, it transformed into a drop of water that smacked Nevan right between the eyes.

Nevan yipped, brushed at the residue, and glowered at Xander while the Prince laughed. “Yes, yes, very amusing. I commend your aim. Now, come with me.”

Unlike when Xander went out with Zane, Nevan summoned a carriage for them.

He had their driver take them out beyond the city walls and into the ancient forest. They left the driver on the road to tend to his horses and headed into the forest on foot.

They didn't go far, just to a clearing within sight of the road.

“Now, I'm going to teach you something necessary, but I don't want you to use it as an excuse to spy on that boy.” Nevan put his hands on his hips.

“What are you talking about? Are you going to show me how to see through water?”

“Scry. It's called scrying, and no. I'm going to teach you how to open a door to the other realm.”

“Fuck. I can't believe I didn't think to ask. I do need to go back to check on Alma and the others. And my property. The horses. I kind of miss the horses.”

“And Leo.”

Xander clenched his jaw before loosening it to say, “No, not Leo. I don't want a man who is so . . .”

“Unreliable?”

“Inconstant.”

“Ah. Yes. Very well then. I feel confident that you will not abuse this talent.”

“Abuse it?”

“Magic can be overused. Even here. Remember that. Take nothing for granted, appreciate all that Source gives you, or the magic will turn on you.”

“How?”

“It could abandon you or target you.”

“Right. Don't abuse magic.”

“Good boy. Now, to open a door, you must first concentrate on what you want there to be on the other side.”

“The human realm.”

“No, be specific. You will create a magical door that will open a real door in that realm. You need to see a real room to go with the real door. And be as detailed as possible.”

“How do shining ones who have never been to the human realm open doors?”

“They have someone who has already been to the human realm take them first. Then, they can get a good look around and find a room to use for their next visit.”

“Oh, I see. ”

“But you already know a safe place to enter. I'd recommend your master bedroom.”

“All right. Yes, that should work.”

“Picture the view from the dressing room. That way, you can enter through that door. Hopefully, no one will see you.”

Xander grimaced. He was more familiar with that view from his days as a servant more than his days as the master of the house. His status as Duke had been brief, to say the least. But he knew the view well from all the times he had to retrieve his stepmother's dirty laundry.

“Yes, and now?” Xander asked.

“Now, you picture the closed door before you. Summon its likeness here.”

“What should I transform into the door?”

“No, you are summoning, not transforming. The door will only be an echo of the one in the human realm. It won't fully exist here. Think of it as stretching taffy. You are pulling a piece of the door toward you.”

Xander thought this was ridiculous, but Nevan's tutelage had never failed him. So, he imagined the taffy door. And there it was—a ghostly image of the door between the dressing room and the master bedroom.

“I knew you'd get it on your first try!” Nevan exclaimed. “No one has manifested a door so quickly since your grandfather was taught as a child. Well done, Xander!”

“Thank you,” Xander said absently, keeping his focus on the door.

“All right, now return your focus to the view you shall see when you open the door. Hold it in your mind. ”

“Yes.”

“Open the door, kid.”

Xander gripped the transparent handle. It was solid.

He flinched, but then turned the knob. The door seemed to pull back, drawing him with it even as he pushed it open.

As he stumbled after it, it became opaque.

It was a smooth transition if you didn't count that stumble, and Xander went through the doorway into his bedroom in two steps.

His bedroom. Where he had made love to Leo.

Damn, why hadn't Xander remembered that before he agreed to use this room?

The sight of the bed, neat and tidy, punched him in the gut.

Had he really believed he could move on from Leo in a week?

Did he think he could wish away his feelings?

If he had, he'd been the fool that Zane said he wasn't. As he stood before the bed, all of his love for Leo came surging back.

He'd pushed it down, somewhere he could ignore the ache, but that wasn't moving on.

Xander turned toward the door.

There, in the doorway, stood Nevan, looking at him sympathetically. No dressing room. Just a view of the forest and Xander's fairy mentor. Nevan motioned him back the way he'd come. Xander held up a hand to motion him to wait. He wasn't going to waste the chance to see Alma and check on things.

Xander raced out of the room, closing the door behind him. “Alma?” He went down the hallway. “Alma?”

“Duke Xander?” Alma came out of the kitchen, rubbing her hands on a towel. “Oh, you're back!”

“Just for a minute,” Xander grabbed her wrist and held up her hand. “Is this flour? Alma, you're supposed to be supervising. I want you to have an easier life now. You are my family. You shouldn't be working at all. In fact, I think I'll see if I can—”

“Oh, shush! I can't laze about all day. And I'm doing my chatelaine duties, but I have to show the new cook how to do things properly. I can't just toss her the reins and expect her to make everything properly.” She put her hands on her hips.

Xander chuckled and shook his head. “But everything is all right? The King is supposed to look after all of you in my stead.”

“Sure, sure. He's sent men to check on us. He even told us where you went.” She shook her head. “Can hardly believe it.”

“I'm still accepting it myself. But I had to come back and make sure that you were all right.”

“We're fine, my sweet boy. Without anyone to serve, we just clean, cook, and eat. To be honest, we've been using the sitting rooms and eating at the main table.”

“Good.” He kissed her cheek. “You are in charge while I'm in the First Realm.”

“What is that?”

“That's what the Shining Ones call their realm.”

“So it's true that you're part Fey?”

“Yes. My mother is a shining one. She's alive, Alma. She came here when I was injured and took me there to save my life.”

“Oh, I heard. Everyone knows about the way you saved the King and took what would have been a mortal blow in the process.” She shook her head.

“That was brave but also stupid, Xander.

You should have let the King's knights protect him.

Heroes get all the glory, but they also tend to die young.

Don't be a hero, my boy. Live and laugh at the dumb heroes. ”

Xander chuckled. “I've missed you.”

“Oh, I've missed you too! You only just became the Duke and then you were whisked away by that woman. You never got to enjoy your good fortune, and you so deserve this, Xander.”

“I have a lot to enjoy where I am.” Then he frowned. “Did you just call my mother, 'that woman?'”

She grimaced. “How could she leave you? A mother only leaves her child if death takes her.”

“Her father summoned her, and she couldn't refuse him. And she came back, Alma. She saved my life. That's what matters.”

“I suppose,” Alma muttered. “I am grateful that she saved you.”

Smiling and shaking his head again, Xander asked, “How's everyone else?”

“As I said, we're fine. I hired a new cook. That's who I was training. Just elevated one of the maids. But she's doing well. She's always had a desire to cook. Used to help me when I was in a rush. It's the perfect time to train her, now that the only people we're feeding are the servants.”

“Good. I'm glad. And you have a stipend for supplies and other necessities, right? The King should be handling my funds and distributing them properly.”

“Yes, his exchecking man. He comes and gives me money for the running of the property.”

“Exchequer,” Xander murmured, thinking of Zane.

“Yes, that's what he's called.”

“Good. I'll be back more often now that I know how to get here.”

“How did you get here?” Alma looked around him toward the window. “I didn't hear a carriage.”

“Magic, Alma. I can do magic.”

“Pish posh!”

He nodded.

“Really? Do something for me. Show me magic, my boy!”

Xander picked a crumb from her apron and held it before him.

Concentrating, he felt the difference immediately.

Magic was much harder to summon here than in the First Realm.

But he'd mostly worked with this more-difficult version of magic, so it came to him easily enough.

The crumb grew, glittered, and then settled into a gold brooch in the shape of an eagle.

Oh, dear God!” Alma clapped her hands in delight. “You are magic!”

Xander grinned as he pinned the brooch to her blouse. “This is my symbol in the First Realm. They call me the Eagle Prince. So, you can tell everyone that this pin means you speak for me. You are in charge.”

“Oh, my sweet boy.” She stroked his cheek. “Don't go back yet. Stay a while. Have a cup of tea and a piece of cake with me.”

“Cake?”

“Yes.” She grinned. “We eat much better now.”

“I'm glad, but I can't stay. It's my first time doing this, and I have someone waiting for me.”

“Very well. But come back soon.” She hugged him.

“I will. I love you, Alma. You know you are my second mother, right? The mother of my heart.”

“Oh, don't you make me cry! I love you, too, Xander.”

He turned to leave.

“Those horses miss you like crazy. Next time, you need to see them.”

“The horses. Oh! I have to fetch my things.” Xander ran outside as Alma giggled.

He raced across the yard to the stable. Hearing the horses whinny in greeting compelled Xander to stop and stroke each one.

He could hardly ignore them. They wouldn't understand.

But then Xander hurried into the storage room and pulled the loose board aside.

There were all his little treasures. And among them was a gleaming crystal shoe.

“Why are you still here?” He glared at the shoe, but it only gleamed back at him.

Xander grabbed a satchel off the wall and shoved everything in it, even the shoe.

If it was still there, he assumed there was a reason for it.

With his bag of belongings, he ran back to the house.

Alma was waiting for him. He kissed her cheek one more time, waved at the other servants who had come to see him off, and ran back to the master bedroom.

At the door, he called to Alma, “Keep this room empty as much as possible! I'm using it as a way back.”

“What does that mean?” Alma called back.

“I'll explain later.” He shut the door, and ran to the open doorway.

Nevan was on the other side, glowering at him. Xander raced through.

“Shut the door behind you,” Nevan said as Xander stepped into the forest. “That's how you break the connection. ”

Xander shut the door and it disappeared.

“I motioned for you to come back! Where did you go?”

“I had to see Alma and grab my things from the stable.”

“Your things? What things?”

“Just some things that were precious to me.” Xander clutched the satchel to his chest. The stable had been worse than the bedroom. That was where most of the memories he made with Leo lived. Among the horses and the hay.

“What's wrong? Weren't they there?” Nevan asked.

“They were there. And so were a lot of memories.”

“Oh, fuck me,” Nevan cursed. “I didn't think about that. Sorry, kid. You know what? That's enough for one day. You got it down anyway. No need to do it again.”

“Yes, I'm tired. I'd like to go back to the castle now.”

Nevan put a hand on Xander's shoulder and led him back to the road where the carriage waited. It was already turned around and ready to head back to the city. They climbed inside, and the carriage rolled away from the forest.

“Is that the only way?” Xander asked.

“Is what the only way for what?” Nevan scowled at him.

“The door. Is making a door the only way to the human realm?”

“No, of course not. There are always multiple ways to achieve a magical goal. For instance, if you weren't so good at magic, I would have gone through and set an anchor for you to follow. Then, you would only have to wish to be taken to the anchor. No door necessary.”

“An anchor? ”

“Yes, a magical object. You could even create matching objects and lay one in the human realm and one in the first realm. They would form a path between them similar to the one you formed by summoning the door.”

“Taffy.”

“Yes, but in that case, the taffy would be both of them. They would stretch to each other.”

Xander shook his head. “I think I really am too tired for this.”

“That's all right, kid. We'll go back and you can have a nice nap before dinner.”

“Thanks, Nevan. You're a good friend.”

“I just want you well-rested for your lover tonight. Or your would-be lover. You haven't changed your mind, have you?”

“Zane,” Xander whispered. “Shit. I forgot about him.”

“Kid, I know it sounds cruel, but you need to trust me on this. Fuck the shining one, and you'll be free of the human.”

“Yes, maybe you're right.” Xander looked out the window, but he didn't see the view. All he could see was an empty horse stall with a blanket left forgotten on the hay.