Queen of the Underworld | Book 3

• six •

I took a huge bite of the snickers bar in my hand and sighed deeply.

I still hadn't been able to find the strength to leave the confines of my couch. I was perfectly content staying within it's comfortable cushions, a blanket draped over my shoulders drowning in pints of coconut ice cream that just appeared in front of me.

I didn't question it. I wanted ice cream and it appeared. It was a never ending stock of coconut ice cream that replenished itself at every end of a Doctor Who episode somehow.

"Oh, Doctor," I said to the television. "You're the last of your kind too, how do you not just implode from sadness?"

I received my answer in the next frame. "Ugh," I groaned. "Of course, you have a companion." I threw my half eaten snickers bar at the TV.

It hit it square in the middle of the screen, leaving a dark chocolate and caramel mark.

A sharp knock on my apartment door made me sink into the cushions of the couch. Maybe if I didn't make a noise, they'd go away.

"Emmy!" My mothers familiar voice called from the other side of the door. "I know you're in there!"

I groaned.

"I have food! Take out from your favorite Chinese place!"

I spectered to the door and opened it slightly.

Her green eyes met mine as I slowly opened the door. I peeked at the paper bag in her hands and opened the door widely.

As soon as she stepped inside, she stopped. "Emylin, when was the last time you cleaned your apartment?"

Mehnit spectered next to the Chinese food on the kitchen counter as my mother set them down. My mother  jumped, startled and let out a stream curses. "I forget about this cat!"

I locked the door behind me and shrugged. "She needs to check you out."

Mehnit sniffed at the paper bag then stuck her little head inside.

My mother sighed in frustration. "Does she have to do that too?"

I smiled. "She probably smells the shrimp you get."

My mother shook her head, picking up the small feline and setting her on the floor. She took off immediately to living room. "Go on with you! A kitchen is no place for a cat!"

I shook my head as I began to go through the cabinets, fishing out two plates, cups and forks.  "She's not a regular cat, Mom."

I heard the empty sound of someone picking up cardboard and setting it down. "How much ice cream have you had?"

I scratched my head as I set the plates down. "They just keep appearing. I don't know how many."

My mother frowned and stepped towards me. She sniffed my hair. "Emylin, go take a shower."

I groaned. I could only imagine what Asmo would say. A temper tantrum is unbecoming of a queen.

My mother's eyes looked at me intently. They almost burned through me.

I turned towards the bathroom. Despite everything that happened, she was still my mother. "Fine. I'll go."

I took a very long, scalding shower and washed my hair. It had been almost a week since I'd been in the Underworld and, other than spectering, it had been almost a week since I used my magic too. The hot water helped to settle my magic that was crying out begging to be used.

The longer I stayed under the running water, the quieter it became. Eventually, I left, dressing into comfortable pants and a t-shirt. When I joined my mother again in the living room, I realized she had cleaned up all of the empty ice cream cartons in the apartment. She set out our dinners on the coffee table in front of the TV.