Roxy floated near the dais, her smile fixed in place, but her mind was spinning.
Nerissa had said it with such finality. Not "if" the tide takes you, but "before." It sounded less like a metaphor for death and more like a travel itinerary.
System, Roxy thought, a cold prickle of unease running down her spine. Does she know? Does she know about the Key? About the Quest?
[TheSassyGoddess: Oh, honey, that squid definitely knows something. Did you see that look? That wasn't a 'proud mother-in-law' look. That was a 'I know your rental lease is expiring' look. She's ancient, Roxy. She's probably seen more dimension-hoppers than you've seen hot dinners.]
Roxy swallowed hard.
Don't panic. If she knew I was planning to bail, she'd have locked me in a dungeon, not given me a cooking show.
"She's just being poetic," Roxy muttered under her breath, dismissing the warning bells. "Old people love cryptic metaphors. It makes them feel mysterious."
