They were standing on a low table, arms folded in a familiar way. “I am diminished in this world,” they said flatly.
Henrik was already kneeling, so he remained low. “This is a strange world indeed,” he said mournfully.
“Well, this is great,” the key Daniella said brightly. “We’re really glad we found you, Henrik. Gwen especially, I’m sure.”
Gwen didn’t look especially glad, her arms folded in a mirror of Robin’s. She looked shy and uncertain, and flushed at the regard of the other people in the room. She swiftly suggested, “Does anyone else want lunch? It’s been like two years since Henrik last ate, he’s probably hungry.”
Indeed, at the mention of food, Henrik’s stomach gave a grumble to remind him of his neglect. “I would appreciate that,” he said courteously.
“I will show you the kitchen!” Trey volunteered. “It is full of wonders, and the variety of foods is quite boggling.”
There was another large room through a broad arch, divided into two spaces by a low counter surrounded by tall stools. In one half was a large, finely-crafted table, surrounded by chairs. In the other half…
“This is a refrigerator,” Trey said, opening a tall white door to reveal a cabinet filled with chilled food.
“A microwave!” Rez showed him. “Er, do not place metal objects within it and engage it.” There was clearly a story behind this warning.
“In fact, kindly do not use any of the appliances until you have been trained in them,” Ansel said sensibly.
They showed him the water faucet, and instructed him in the changing of its temperature. Astonishingly, it got hot enough to scald, and cold enough to chill.
“You will delight in their drink of coffee,” Trey promised, pointing out a glass carafe in a domed black structure. Everything beeped, or lit up, or blinked incomprehensible letters and numbers at Henrik.
“We’re having pizza for dinner,” Daniella said, edging past Trey to close the door to the refrigerator. “How about sandwiches for lunch?”
Sandwiches proved to be a variation of what Henrik knew as a stackmeal: two pieces of bread around a selection of thin-sliced meat and cheeses, with green lettuce that was unexpectedly fresh for the cold weather apparent outside the amazing windows. There was a decadent choice of sauces to apply to it as well, and Rez and Trey convinced him to try all of them. It made for a very rich and spicy sandwich, if slightly messy.
They ate it around the large formal table, with Robin sitting at a place fashioned for just their small size atop it. Henrik was placed unsubtly next to Gwen, and he could not decide which was more distracting, the very unusual food, or the close proximity of the woman who was meant to be his destiny.
4
Gwen stared at her sandwich and made herself eat it, hungry in completely different ways. She hated the way her eyes wanted to stray to see how Henrik was eating—even his hands were sexy!—and she was keenly aware of the way that everyone was pretending not to stare at the two of them. There was a knowing smile at Daniella’s mouth and Heather’s eyes were entirely too blinky to be innocent.
Rez and Trey were both grinning in joy and relief that was refreshingly uncomplicated, but they too smirked every time that she said anything or accidentally jostled Henrik’s elbow.
If it weren’t for their regard, Gwen wasn’t sure she’d be able to eat anything. She was a tangle of emotions and desires. She wanted to show Henrik everything, tell him everything, sidle over in his lap and see what it was like to kiss him when he wasn’t glass. He was so beautiful, and trying so hard to absorb everything they were showing and explaining.
He was enraptured by the potato chips that were served with the sandwich, and Gwen could not help laughing with the others as he waxed eloquently about their crunch and saltiness.
His pickle seemed to impress him less than the chips, but he still ate it with relish that was almost embarrassing. Gwen was mortified to find that she could not even look at hers without considering body parts that had similar shapes.
“Did you get some of these potato chips?” he asked her politely. His shieldmates vouching for her seemed to have set his fears to rest, at least, so they didn’t also have that awkwardness to traverse.
“I ate mine,” Gwen said, feeling ridiculously shy.
He proceeded to pile more on her plate from the bowl before she could mount a protest. “They are an amazing delicacy.”
“They’re pretty good for generic,” she said, instead of politely thanking him like she immediately thought she should have.
That led to having to explain, with the help of the knights and their keys, the idea that not only did such an amazing food exist, but that there were multiple options and grades for it.
“They have places called supermarkets,” Rez said eagerly. “Bigger and grander and more orderly than any market I have ever seen, all owned by a single powerful merchant, with such wonders.” He sighed.
“There are cheese-powdered chips that look like tiny clubs,” Trey added. “And chips of corn in four colors.”
“The cheese-powdered chips are Fabio’s favorite,” Daniella chuckled. “But you shouldn’t give them too many treats.”
Henrik nodded gravely. “This world is rich beyond measure,” he said admiringly. “I am, however, puzzled by the lack of magic.”
Gwen was trying so hard not to crane her head to stare at Henrik that instead she caught the expression of guilt and grief that crossed Robin’s face. She didn’t think anyone else noticed.
“About that magic,” she said cautiously.
Henrik turned towards her, and since they were actively talking, Gwen didn’t have an excuse to look elsewhere.
He was so golden. His hair was long, thick curls of dark gold streaked with white gold highlights. His skin was pale gold underlaid with roses, and his eyes were brown, flecked with gold. He looked like a lion. Or a gryphon. Or a fae knight gryphon shifter straight out of a fairy tale.
“You said you were my key.” Even his voice was golden.
“Yeah,” Gwen said, only hearing after she said it how besotted it sound. She probably had the stupidest smile in the world on her face.
“I don’t know what that means,” he confessed.
“She is your match in this world,” Robin explained, when Gwen struggled to find words. “The magic here is strange and considerably less than in ours. It has a different frequency, and you are not able to manipulate it directly. As a native of this world, she can be the bridge to your power here.”
“You are a witch,” Henrik said, as if a suspicion had been confirmed.
“Not really,” Gwen protested.
“They don’t use magic here,” Rez said patiently.
“Though much of their technology is wondrous indeed,” Trey added.
Henrik looked around at the table. Trey and Daniella were conspicuously holding hands, and Heather was fussing with Rez’s hair.
“Very well,” he said, and he turned to Gwen and nodded. “I will accept your power.”
Gwen opened her mouth and closed it again before she could answer, “I don’t know how to do that.”
Henrik’s look turned doubtful. “But you are a conduit?”