Godnapped!, page 5
Vejuna addressed them all. Frrrty, BrrrGrrr and Grrrky sat at the very front of the assembly. The king seemed content with the agreement they had reached after a bit of negotiation; the bodyguard was at a loss, as his entire purpose in life had been annulled; as for the guide, he waited like the others for the news, a cookie in hand.
“Galdoshians, we have gathered you here today to bring you the great news. As you all know, your king tried his best to give you a decent existence, but it all went dreadfully wrong. However, since there has been no concrete damage done, or at least, nothing that can’t be repaired with a bit of love, we have decided to give you a chance at a proper life. We wish to welcome you on our planet.”
The hubbub that ensued this announcement was soon quieted down by Bolonius, who had made it his duty to keep everything nice and orderly. They still had a lot to do back in Ze World, and the less time they spent in this awful dimension, the better it was for his mood and sanity.
“Of course,” resumed Vejuna, “there will be rules and guidelines to follow to the letter. You will receive what we call education, and I know you’ll learn fast, once you get the hang of it. See, you’re already learning to behave, and you’ll need that, because in Ze World, fighting is utterly frowned upon!” This announcement brought frowns of disappointment on a lot of tiny faces.
“But I’m sure you will find everything you need there. So many things are awaiting you, you might even realize you have other talents beside fighting. We aim to give you purpose, and we will be there to support you in your discovery of all things new. In exchange, we ask that you respect our world and what it has to offer, the same way we respect you. I know, it’s a lot to process, but in the end, you will have life, and meaning, and you’ll be able to decide for yourself. Then you’ll understand that every decision, like every action, has consequences, and you’d better be ready to take your responsibilities, or else you’ll pay the right price for your insurgence.”
Her last words were precisely targeting the king, and so was her implacable stare. She would make personally sure he would do no more harm, especially not on her turf.
“One more thing before we go… You have no king anymore. You are free, insofar as it is possible to be free in a world where you will depend on others to survive. But you will be able to make your own choices, and moreover, you will have a whole array of those to make. Sounds exciting, doesn’t it?”
The Galdoshians weren’t too sure anymore. It all sounded too complicated for their pea-sized brain. As one, about six hundred heads turned to their king with fear in their minuscule eyes, but he merely shrugged. He had forfeited his responsibilities as the king of the Galdosh dimension in exchange of all this, and he felt relieved. He had been king for too long and had never managed to bring his people anything worth his kingship. Now he had, and he could finally retire, happy and serene, albeit a bit lost like everyone else. Grrrky was the first to stand up.
“Let’s do this!” He turned to face his kind. “Brothers, this is the adventure we have always yearned for. Everyone will know about us now; we won’t be ignored ever again. And think about it: the sun! The colors!” He brandished his hand. “The cookies!”
This last word prompted the Galdoshians to cheer. Vejuna smiled; she had heard the one word she needed: think. It had started. They would soon be able to think, not just act. They would evolve and adapt; she was sure of it now.
“Oh yes, you’ll have plenty of cookies to feast on. And so many other delicacies to discover, I promise! Off we go then! Follow me please!”
With Grrrky in front, the Galdoshians walked towards the portal and crossed it into Ze World, leaving their bleak dimension behind for life and the promise of happiness.
Chapter 13
“That’s not what I had in mind when you said I would help. Are you sure this is such a good idea?”
Bolonius’s worried frown made his amber eyes twitch quirkily. Vejuna grinned. That man was amazing, and it was about time he realized it.
“You are the best for the job, my dear. After all, you are the one who got us through the nihil without harm, so they’re in the finest hands!”
In the few hours that had passed since their return from the Galdosh dimension, the wizzer and the herbologist had secured the imps into the hands of the elves of Ollvyanyul, who had sworn to teach them all they needed to know about their new environment and find them suitable homes.
Grrrky had agreed to accompany Vejuna to help with Woodruff, who bore the brunt of the near apocalypse they had faced. She had seen great potential in him from the moment she had picked him up, and she wasn’t disappointed: his fighting abilities, combined with his agility and his determination had already proven very useful against the pests that had reinvaded the treehouse’s foliage to escape the scourge. She had also made a note to teach him her favorite cookie recipes, as she had a feeling he would make a great baker.
In Mabon’s lair, Samhain was looking after his beloved and enjoying playing house. However, his job still needed to be done, and Vejuna had assured him Bolonius was the perfect person to take over from him for a few days—they all agreed that being intrinsically human, it wouldn’t be too good for him to spend more time than necessary in the Nether, anyway. But his experience with the nihil had made him resistant enough to the damage such crossing could imply, and Vejuna believed in his abilities, especially after their escape from the wretched unspace.
“About that…” Bolonius said. “I didn’t do it. It wasn’t me. I couldn’t do it without using my wand, or the incantations, or heck, without focusing, and I did none of those. I was stunned, scared senseless… I don’t deserve your praise, or even your trust. I did nothing.”
Vejuna stood in front of him and her eyes locked with his; her mischievous grin was jauntily spreading on her face by the second. She reached for his cheek and gently invited him to lean closer. His nervous look turned to surprise when she kissed him. It was soft at first and soon became firmer when he answered her kiss and embraced her with all the desire he had accumulated during those few days spent with her.
A thousand thoughts crossed the wizzer’s mind, all pertaining to the fact that it was in fact happening, it wasn’t a dream, she had kissed him first, so she must like him as much as he liked her, and thank the gods, he hadn’t eaten that sandwich with onions before, and golly, what a great kiss that was.
Then something else happened. The kiss stopped, but he felt invigorated, powerful, strong and able to do anything, even the task at hand.
“Wow…”
Vejuna’s smile couldn’t stop expanding. Her freckles shone in the redness of her cheeks, and her wrinkles had smoothed out slightly, enough that she looked spritely and youngish.
“Yup! I wouldn’t have said it better myself! That was—”
“Amazing!”
“Just like you.” She had become serious all of a sudden. “You have the power you need, the strength, the skill. It’s all in you, Bolonius. That’s one thing wizzers have never understood, hiding behind their wands and their incantations. It’s all in you. You don’t need magical paraphernalia to do what needs to be done. You need to trust yourself and believe in your abilities. And, well, let’s not forget what True Magic is.” Her smile was puckish again.
“Love.” He finally understood. His love for her had unlocked his potential.
“There you go. Now, darling, off with you! Those souls need their rest, and fast! So, you better figure out quickly how to open a portal to the Nether without having to cross the nihil, just so you don’t find yourself trapped, or worse. Chop-chop!”
“Will you be there when I come back?” he asked nervously.
“You know where to find me, lover-boy! I’ll be waiting for you!” She winked at him as she crooned those last words. Bolonius blushed, and it made his eyes gleam golden—just the thing to make her feel good, alive, and human.
* * *
THE END
Notes
Prologue
1 Of course, the rest of Ze World enjoyed it too, as during Samhain’s night, since the Passer had a bit of time off, the veil between reality and the Nether remained slightly open. The living couldn’t cross to the Nether, but the souls of those who had passed away could come back to gleefully haunt their relatives, and people awaited that moment with great anticipation.
2 She was an amazing artist, and could draw faster than she could say “I’ve drawn it!”
Chapter 4
1 Or at least, that was the image Bolonius got after Vejuna passed the trunk’s threshold. Thankfully, he had already digested his morning meal, otherwise the vision could have had a nasty effect on his stomach.
2 The apparition of a woman being regurgitated by a tree didn’t quite soothe the man’s innards either.
About the Author
USA TODAY bestselling author born in Switzerland of a Dutch mother and a Romanian father, I found my calling after binge reading all of Terry Pratchett's work.
Fantasy is my realm, with dashes of romance and a bit of horror at times.
My first published piece, the short story The Girl with the Red Hood, is a retelling of The Company of Wolves by Angela Carter. Drawing on Carter's original idea, but adding gruesome details and an even deeper twist, I unleashed my talents and my voice.
My second published piece, the novel The Elf Girl and the Prince, made #68 on the USA Today Bestseller list in October 2020 with the boxed set Once Upon Another World, and will soon be released on its own. It is a dab at romance and fairy tales of another kind, and introduces more characters and places of Ze World.
If you want to follow my adventures, join me on TikTok, consider subscribing to my monthly newsletter and check out my website!
Also by Jude Cocaigne
The Girl with the Red Hood
The Elf Girl and the Prince
Snooze or Lose (A Gods of Ze World series Book 2 – soon to be published)
Acknowledgments
First and foremost, I need to thank my dear friend Alan Dunne, without whom Vejuna wouldn’t be Vejuna. Back in 2009, when the herbologist was merely an idea, we had a discussion about names for the characters that lay dormant in my head—quite a drunken discussion too!—and he came up with Vejuna Fandango, because why not? The moment he called her name, she awoke, and the next day, I doodled her on a piece of paper and that was it: she was alive! She stayed a secondary character all those years until I decided she deserved to be a heroine, and what a badass lady she turned out to be, if I may say so myself! Thanks Al, you’ve inspired me much more than you’ll ever know.
Now, this book wouldn’t exist without the talent and support of my favorite cover designer and lovely friend, the amazing Silvana G. Sánchez. You bring so much joy to my life, woman! Thank you for your comments and corrections, your unwavering encouragements, your wonderful work and your friendship. It means so much to me! Here’s to our future together!
I also want to thank my team of awesome friends/beta readers/impartial editors, namely Jaclyn Roche, Joël Ingargiola, Liz Leemann and Becky Murray. Your comments, edits, awesome support and most beloved friendship have helped me make this story great!
Last but not least, a huge thank you goes to my husband who supports me but also puts up with me and my writing-related frustrations and tantrums. You are my everything, my love! And thank you for our daughter and for looking after her while I write.
Jude Cocaigne, Godnapped!
