“Tecum malfiest alora negum!”

One second the troll and ogre were standing there, the next they weren’t.

Giulia shut her book with a resounding snap and stretched her long white arms high above her head, yawning as she did so. “There we are. Come on, let’s go back to bed.”

“Um, Giulia? Where did they go?”

“Who’s they?”

“You know, the troll and ogre. They were just here!”

“Oh, them. I sent them to the twelfth dimension. They’ll be a little disoriented at first, but they’ll get used to it. I hear they make great pies there.”

I shook my head and laughed ruefully. One thing was for sure. There was never a dull moment when you were with Giulia.

“Thanks, Giulia.”

“Don’t mention it, Lailah.”

~

When we got back to the tent, we found Bowen sitting on the ground nursing a broken head.

“That damn ogre sure packs a punch,” he groaned.

“I’ve got just the spell for that!” Giulia trilled.

“Well, I’ve got some leftover herbs. Let me handle it.”

She raised an eyebrow but went into the tent without another word.