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the means to break it?
    The phone rang startling Abigail almost as much as Tom. She picked
up, silencing the bell in mid ring. "Detective Harte? It's Dr.
Johnson. Caden has been asking for you."
    "I'll be right there," said Abigail as she hung up. "Tom.
It's okay. He's okay." Tom just stared as he followed her out
the door.

    *

    "God,
Abigail! Am I glad to see you!" Caden held out his arms and she
ran to hug him. "What happened? Everything's so fuzzy with all
the meds they keep pumping into me." Abigail felt him shift as
he glanced around her.
    "Do I know you?" he asked, furrowing his brow and staring
at Tom.
    "We met some time ago. In Faerie."
    Caden pushed Abigail away from him. "Abigail! I thought I could
trust you! Why did you bring one of them here?"
    "He's human. He isn't one of them. But they're the only ones who
can break the spell. You have to go back, Caden."
    "NO! No, Abigail! I can't!"
    "You can, Caden. You can." Abigail squeezed his hand.
    "I can't. I won't be able to resist her this time and then I'll
lose you. I won't risk it."
    "You're strong, Caden. Stronger than any of them. And I'll be
with you the whole time. You didn't think I was going to let you go
alone?"
    "You're an angel, Abigail," said Caden as he kissed her
hand.
    "They won't be able to fight both of us," insisted Abigail.
    Tom shook his head, muttering, "Fools, fools," but neither
of them seemed to hear him.

    *

    "Are
you sure this is one of the Faery portals?" asked Caden, giving
his head a scratch. They were in the basement facing a broom closet.
Caden and Abigail had been down this hall so many times and they
never knew that their office was so close to a portal to another
world.
    "The rear wall is the portal. Just press the wall and you will
gain entry to Faery."
    "But how do we get back?" asked Abigail.
    "You don't," laughed Tom and pushed them both into the
closet. As they watched, the air shimmered with a strange golden
light, Tom changed, became taller and became Celeste. In such a small
space as the closet, Celeste was brighter than any sun, any star. She
was dazzling and Abigail could well understand the attraction. Her
skin was so flawless it was as if it was carved from the finest
alabaster and the blue orbs of her eyes reflected a summer sky.
    "My love," whispered Celeste and traced a fine hand from
Caden's jaw to his eyes. He shuddered but whether from desire or
disgust, Abigail couldn't tell.
    Caden grabbed Abigail's hand and squeezed. Hard. She bit back a cry
of pain. Had Celeste's magic worked so quickly, then? That he was
prepared to hurt her?
    Celeste ushered the two of them towards the rear of the closet. Her
long arms reached around them and pressed a splodge of paint on the
wall. The wall dissolved and Abigail once again saw the strange
forest they'd encountered before. But this time, Linden was already
waiting for them.
    He beamed a smile in their direction, as though welcoming back old
friends.
    "Welcome, welcome," he said as he held out a hand to
Abigail. She refused it, remembering how his touch had made her feel
last time. Almost as mad with lust as Caden. "We knew you would
return. Celeste, please show our guests to their lodgings. They will
lodge together while they are here."
    "No! You promised! You promised me he would be mine!"
Celeste sounded like a five-year old who'd been denied their
favourite toy and was throwing a tantrum.
    "Celeste, manners please. You know that is not why they are
here."
    Celeste pouted, but she let go of Caden and Abigail wasn't sure
whether they should be relieved or not. Why exactly were they
here? She also guessed that even if they asked Linden, no answers
would be forthcoming.
    "This way, please," said Linden and turned to make sure
they were following him. They didn't have much choice and followed
him back to the edge of Forever, the Faery city.
    He stopped by a large oak tree and motioned for them to go inside. It
was a strange room for a prison. For a start there was no door, just
a