Read Catalyst (A Grace Murphy Novella) for Free Online

probably the best right answer you could give me. I'd like to say that I can handle myself but she obliterated me and she wasn't even breathing hard." I felt small and scared.
    "Let's get out of here." He took my arm and guided me toward the exit.
    I heard a slithering of scales across the stone floor, whipped my head around, and caught the end of a serpentine tail flicking as it slid behind a set. She had been listening to our conversation.  I glanced at Heph and raised an eyebrow in question.  He shook his head and pushed me harder toward an emergency exit.
    That meant that he'd sensed her as well but was going to pretend to ignore her for now. I guess I could go along with that. No need for extra bloodshed – but that was seriously the last time I was going on this ride. For that matter, we were nixing The Paddle Boat too. Any ride that had water was off the list.
    "Tell Zeus that I want details. She didn't kill me and I want to know why we aren't nuking her from orbit. But right now – right now I want a churro."
    He nodded solemnly and guided me toward my son who rushed toward us when he saw me.
    "You're all right?"
    I folded him into a hug. "Of course. I promised that I would be. You on the other hand – you are brilliant. Nice move with the explanation."
    I pulled back and high fived him.  After a groan and an eye roll he slapped his palm against mine. "Mom that's not cool anymore."
    "Who said I was cool?" I asked, poking him in the ribs. "Churro?"
    He nodded. "Yeah. I could go for a churro."

Chapter 5
    Sometimes you just need short chapters to set it all up. Or maybe the author is just lazy….
     
     
     
     
    After the Medusa incident, things had gone smoothly. We'd picked up a few churros and made our way through the rest of The Quarter, peeking into nooks and crannies and shopping for gizmos and gadgets.  Aside from the ride, it was my favorite land.
    I'd scheduled an entire week but we could probably have done the entire place in a couple of days. Even though there were two separate parks, it really had never been an enormous venue. They were talking of expanding now that there was room to build, but it would be years before anything would get started. 
    The last two years hadn't exactly increased the world's population and despite the increase in prices, sales were down.  Soapbox Preachers were gathering crowds on every major street corner, working the people up into monumental 'End of the World' frenzies.  It was bad for business.
    Was it the end nigh? Maybe.  That was as good of a reason as any to get out there and enjoy life.
    The honest truth was that I wanted a few days with my kid where we were part of the hum drum of humanity.  So far, my plans had gone awry. Looking back, I suppose that this is where I should have realized that the shit was on the verge of hitting the fan.  They do say hindsight is 20/20.
    ***
    "You're staying here."
    "Why is that a problem?"
    "Why aren't you staying in your own room?" I crossed the room and looked out the door as if my angry death stare would open up a free room for him to stay in.
    "I told you, they don't have any empty rooms. You have a suite. I can sleep on the couch."
    I closed my eyes and ran through the possibilities in my head.  One – he would snore obscenely loud and I'd murder him in his sleep. Two – I'd sneak out in the middle of the night and jump his bones in a fit of unrequited lust.  Mmm, I should probably have moved that up to one. Let's face it, he was looking like a gorgeous pile of mashed potatoes and gravy and I'd been on a carb free diet for a long, long time.  Three – we'd get along famously and nothing would happen, making this the most normal vacation I'd ever taken.
    I snorted out loud at the last point.  Hah – what were the chances of that happening?
    He threw me a confused look that I ignored. "Fine. Take the couch. We're getting up early for the Princess Power Hour."
    "I'm sorry?"
    "Don't judge. I like the Princesses,"