Clash of the Otherworlds: Book 3, Portal Guardians Read Free

the tears coursing down his cheeks.
    "Yeah!   Da pixie is hungry!" screeched Willy, glaring at me.
    "He looks pissed," said Spike staring down at him.
    "Pissed!" yelled Willy.
    I rolled my eyes.   "Don't give him any more ammo like that.   We'll all end up getting our mouths washed out with ladybug pee."
    Spike laughed and then stopped when he realized I wasn't laughing with him.   "Are you serious?"
    "Apparently it's the pixie version of soap."
    "Daaamn.   That pixie lady is serious."
    "You're telling me."   I turned my attention back to the unhappy baby in my hand.   "Okay, Willy. Tell me what you like to eat, and I'll try to find some."
    "Fruit!" he said, brightening up immediately.
    I held my hand up higher so he could see around us.   "Do you see any fruit here?"
    Willy looked around, falling down twice in his efforts before finally facing me again.   "No," he said, ready to start crying again.
    "Me neither.   But if I see any, I'll get it for you, okay?"
    He nodded, absently sticking his finger up his nose.
    "Listen, little dude ... you can't pick your nose when you're with me."
    "How come?" he asked, his finger not moving.
    "Because it's gross."
    "Why?"
    "Because it is."
    "Why?"
    I sighed heavily, looking over at Spike.   "This is going to be a long friggin trip."
    He smiled.   "Yeah.   I got that."
    I nudged his arm.   "Come on.   And keep your eyes out for fruit."
    "Fruit?" he asked, sounding like he wasn't sure he'd heard right.
    "Yeah, fruit.   The kid is hungry, and that's what he eats."
    "Okaaaay, then," said Spike.
    I knew exactly what he was thinking.   Where in the hell are we going to find fruit in the Overworld?

CHAPTER TWO

    THE TREES BEGAN TO THIN, and eventually we reached a spot where we could see sky again between some of their branches.   It was still full of gorgeous colors and not the normal blue like at home, but there weren't any of the angels flying around in the clouds that I could see.
    "Why are we stopping?" I asked.
    Spike stood in place, surveying the area around us.   "I don't know.   I'm just not sure where to go at this point, and I don't know how much farther we should go without some sort of plan."
    "Did you bring any food or water with you?" I asked, kicking myself in the butt mentally for not even considering my most basic needs.   How could I have been so stupid?   I really needed to start thinking a little bit more before acting.   Aidan had probably put that stuff in his bag, but his brilliance was doing nothing for me right now.  
    "Yeah, I've got water and a few snacks, but they're not going to last long," he said, unzipping his bag and pulling out a canteen.
    "Hey!   Like a real camping canteen," I said, for some reason delighted over the fact that we looked like pioneers or something.
    "Yeah," he said smiling like a little kid.   "My brownie kicks butt."
    I took a small sip and offered a few drops to Willy out of the cap.   Spike took a drink too and then put it back in his bag.
    I looked around the area where we were and the place ahead of us that looked a lot lighter - as if the trees were spaced farther apart.   I urged Spike forward with a lift of my chin.   "Let's go over there and see what that is."
    Spike nodded, taking my hand and moving in that direction.   I held baby bee up in front of me so he could watch where we were going.   My hand stayed in a fist, and he sat in the hole in the very top of it, using my curled forefinger and thumb to support most of his body with his tiny hands.
    "Wow, this place is pretty-pretty-pretty.   Where are we going?   Where's Momma and Papa?"
    "This is the Overworld, Willy, and we're going to find a dragon or some fae who can bring you home where Momma and Papa are probably waiting for you with an army of rescue fae called in to find your tiny butt."
    He turned to look at me, frowning.   "Am I gonna be in trouble?"
    "Uh, yeah.   Probably."
    "Momma's gonna probably let Papa spank me, huh?"
    "I hope