Page 35 of With the Potion in the Courtyard

"Ready?" Robbie asked, his blueeyes reflecting determination.

"Ready," Jessie and I answered in unison.

With backpacks shouldered and Robbie's sketch in hand, we stepped out of the abandoned station.

The cool air of Doodle nipped at our faces. The sky was a mash-up of colors.

"Which way?" I asked, squinting at Robbie's hand-drawn map.

"Northwest," Jessie pointed with her wand that no longer needed to conjure light now that we were outside.

"Northwest it is," Robbie said, as he folded the paper carefully and tucked it into his jacket pocket.

"Hope these boots are made for walking," I said, already feeling the first twinge in my calves from the uneven ground that squished oddly beneath my feet.

"Keep an eye out for anything... unusual," Jessie said, but in Doodle, 'unusual' was a relative term.

"Like that?" I pointed at a creature resembling a doodled duck with wheels instead of feet, zooming past us with a honk.

"Exactly like that," Robbie chuckled, shaking his head.

The path twisted and turned, taking us through landscapes that defied logic. Trees with leaves that looked like they belonged in a coloring book rustled in the wind, making soft scratching noises like pencils on paper.

"Watch out," Jessie suddenly shouted as a low-hanging branch shaped like a hand nearly swatted us. We ducked, narrowly avoiding a pat from the playful foliage.

"Thanks," I panted, picking up the pace. "Can't wait to see how many steps I've clocked today."

"Bet it's a new record." Robbie glanced back with a grin.

"Let's hope it's worth it," I said, more to myself than anyone else, my thoughts on the outpost and the secrets it might hold about Jaylyn's whereabouts.

"Stay focused," Jessie reminded me, her tonegentle yet firm.

"Right," I nodded. "Focus."

With each step, we drew closer to the unknown, armed with nothing but a sketch, somesketchysupplies, and hope that felt as fragile as the paper map we carried. But together, we pressed on, ready for whatever this whimsical, crayon-scented world had in store for us.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

We stoodat the edge of a vast landscape that seemed like the aftermath of a temper tantrum with art supplies. The ground was a mess of jagged rocks made of crumpled paper someone had tried to smooth out again, all sharp edges and unpredictable. Mist swirled around us in thick ribbons.

"Looks like we're in for a fun ride," I said.

Robbie sighed, already sounding tired. "We have to keep focused. This outpost might be our only way back home. It might even bring us to Jaylyn. We don’t have any choice here, we have to keep moving, or we could be stuck here forever."

"At least we have real supplies now," I said.

Jessie held out her wand. "And we have powers. You guys have grown so much since becoming a fairy godmother and sugar daddy. We can see this as a test of your abilities."

I smiled. "I’ve never been a big fan of pass or fail tests."

Robbie laughed. "Me neither. But think positively, we’re going to pass this thing!"

After a quiet moment, Jessie said. "At least I don’t see anything living out there."

I shivered. "Nothing with scales or sharp teeth."

Robbie put a comforting arm around me. "You’re with us. You’re safe."