Life on the Neverside

Chapter Eight

Disclaimer: I'm working on getting the rights to Wizards Vs Aliens, honestly. But until that happy day, I have to admit I don't own anything I write about.

The fire was going strong by the time Lexi had washed her face clean of all residue of tears ten minutes later, but Tom was nowhere to be seen.

"Tom?" Lexi enquired to the silence. Crackling from the fire was the only thing that answered her. "Tom?"

Oh God. Where was he? She had only left him for ten minutes or so. What if - what if that monster had got him? That Neverside monster? What if he had left the safety of the magical barrier and the creature had got him? Or some other terrible creature?

Then she'd be alone in a place she didn't understand.

And Tom would be gone.

"Tom!" she shouted, louder now, growing frantic, desperate. "Tom!"

Oh fiery rings of Nekron, he couldn't be dead. Or lost, lost in the depths of the Neverside. Lexi ran to the edge of the magical barrier, feeling the slight pressure it offered before pushing one hand through. She had to go and find him. No matter of the danger.

Lexi took a deep breath before beginning to step through the barrier of magic.

Until a hand grabbed hers and pulled her back sharply, yanking her swiftly backwards. She spun and it was Tom, unharmed, alive.

"Tom!?"

"Lexi?" Tom looked befuddled for a moment as Lexi stared at him, her eyes wide.

"Tom! You're - you're not dead!"

"Er - no. Why would I be?" Tom asked in complete bewilderment.

"You disappeared. You weren't at the fire, I thought you had -" Lexi couldn't complete her sentence. What was wrong with her?

"Didn't know you cared, Lexi," Tom smiled, and Lexi had to smile as well as she remembered him saying the same thing when they were captured by Gaunt.

"Don't be stupid, wizard. Don't flatter yourself."

"Oh really?" Tom asked sceptically.

Lexi shook her head. "No. Not really."

Before Tom could figure this out Lexi decided to change the subject quickly. "So where did you go?"

Tom smiled and took her hand. Lexi was shocked by this sudden contact and was struggling not to flush red. Stupid human emotions. At least no one could tell when she was blushing in her Nekross body. "Come on. I got something to show you."