TOA Book 1: Rose Gold's Adventure

Please Don't Go

I was walking around Trollmarket with Amber when Toby called me saying to come over to his place.

Just as I hung up, Amber said, "Take me with you."

"What?"

"I wanna see you and the Trollhunter in action. You got a problem with that?"

I took a second to think about it. Toby isn't the Trollhunter, but he still sticks around. I guess there's nothing wrong with Amber tagging along.

"Yeah, why not? But, be discreet. No one can see you."

"I wanna see the surface, so can we not teleport?"

I nodded as we walked to the steps.

"So, what's the surface like?"

"It's bright and noisy. People stare at everything, but it's nothing I haven't gone through before."

"Rose, you're a wizard. Why don't you just smite them?"

"Cause I don't want to be hunted down and experimented on." 

"At least you'll make the headlines."

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I brought Amber up to speed with what was going on on our way. Claire's brother has been replaced by a changeling and Jim was trying to get him back from the Darklands. 

We climbed to Toby's windowsill and banged on the glass.

Jim came over and opened the window.

"Rose Gold? Why didn't you just teleport?" Jim asked, helping me in.

"Amber wanted to see the surface." I said as I climbed inside. "Is it OK if she tags along?"

"I don't see why not." Blinky said.

I turned and helped Amber inside.

She looked around and grinned to herself, "Huh. Gotta say, this is an upgrade from the caves."

She looked Jim up and down, "This is the first time I'm seeing you up close. I can see why Ro-"

I clamped her mouth shut, "Amber, don't you have something to say to Blinky and Aaarrrggghhh!!!?"

She slowly nodded as I let go of her. If she ever told Jim about my feelings for him, I'd fry myself. 

"Thanks for letting me stick around." She said. Blinky and Aaarrrggghhh!!! nodded in response. 

"What good is this amulet if it can't help me with this?" Jim said by a portal. "Claire's brother is trapped somewhere in the Darklands, and there's nothing I can do about it."

As much as I hated Claire, I agreed with Jim when he said we need to save her baby brother.

"Your amulet isn't working?" I asked.

"Nothing."

"Unfortunately, there is nothing any of us can do." Blinky said while Aaarrrggghhh!!! was playing video games.

"What about the furgulator machine? If I can shrink down, maybe--"

"I mean, sure, we can go in all fun-size, but when it wears off and we become full-size, we'll be stuck in there, too." Toby pointed out.

"And the Darklands is a black labyrinth, Master Jim." Said Blinky. "Simply finding baby Enrique would be a nigh impossible task on its own."

"Gunmar." Aaarrrggghhh!!! said.

"Aaarrrggghhh!!! is right. If any of us were foolish enough to cross over, under no circumstances could you be saved, at risk of freeing Gunmar."

"But, what if--" Jim said.