I didn’t see Anabel the rest of the time I was in America. We split up that afternoon and the next day I left by horseback to go back to New York City. Within a week I was back aboard Moreau’s ship and setting sail for Bristol. We shared laughter and tales of my adventure. Three weeks later we landed back in the port I originally departed from.

“Goodbye Moreau. Thank you for everything.”

“You as well Monsieur Noble. Say hello to Higgins for me. I wish him well. Perhaps come back to visit sometime.”

A carriage then took me back to Benjamin’s cabin near this world's magic well. By the end of the day, I was explaining everything that had happened to him and Thomas. I told them that I was ready to go back to my world but wasn’t sure how.

“Hmm, really?” Benjamin expressed, “it’s quite simple really. You just need to fish out a stone that looks like the one from your world and repeat the process you did to get here.”

“Are you serious? Is it that easy?! How do you know for sure?”

“Because Thomas and I have done it ourselves. We’ve traveled to your world with your father on occasion. He should’ve explained that in his…”

“...In his notes, that’s right.” I interrupted, “but seriously, you can do that? You can travel from here to there?”

“Why yes,” Thomas added, ”it’s no different from the way Higgins traveled here with your father. As long as the person using the stone is touching their comrades then all parties will be transferred at once.”

“Well, I’ll be damned,” I said under my breath.

The time came for me to return back to my world, and I began to bid Thomas and Benjamin goodbye. I had fished out the stone from the well and noticed it was glowing solid green, an indicator that the Devil of this world had been vanquished. I was just about to use it when I heard the sound of horses and someone shouting.

“Eric! Eric! Eric! Wait!”

It was Anabel! She was riding in hot towards us on a wagon with Moreau driving.

“I am so sorry, Monsieur Noble. She arrived on a ship from Baltimore shortly after you left and insisted I brought her here personally. I figured since she was a member of The Order that it would not be a problem if she learned of this location.”

Anabel leapt off the wagon and raced towards me holding her dress up so she wouldn’t trip.

“Anabel, what are you doing here?”

Exasperated, she answered, “I wanna go with you Eric. Please, take me to your world. I want to…I have no one here. No family. Nor a husband. With my life's goal achieved, there's nothing more for me here. I want to go to your world and I…umm, I want to take care of you there. You couldn’t last a month in this world without me so I want to make sure you can survive in your own.”

I laughed happily, thought about it for a moment and just said, “Sure, why not? You’ll love it there.”

The two of us said our goodbyes to Moreau, Thomas, and Benjamin, then descended the wooden rope ladder. Once we got in the water, we looked at each other and then down at the stone. It glowed an intense green which soon enveloped our bodies. I held her hand tight as we clung to the rope ladder with our other hands. Then as we felt our bodies lighten, I dropped the stone into the depths. The next thing you knew we were back in the well at my Mansion.

I climbed out first, soaking wet, and then helped Anabel out of the well. We both looked at each other and laughed, looking like drowned rats.

“Come on upstairs,” I said, “we’ll go find Higgins.”

When we ascended to the first floor we found Higgins in the kitchen wearing an apron preparing dinner for himself. He welcomed me back home in amazement.

“Master Noble! You made it back! And who is this?”

“Higgins, this is Anabel Townsend. Anabel, this is Reginald Higgins.” “

How do you do sir?” she said as she bowed her head and did a little curtsy.

“Wonderful, pleased to meet you young miss.”

“Higgins, I owe you an apology for how I acted before I left. I’ve got so many things to tell you. But first and foremost, look!” I showed him the glowing green rock and proclaimed, “I defeated the Devil King!”

“You what?!”

“That’s right. Well, technically, I didn’t…but I set off the chain of events that led to his demise. I’ll tell you all about it over dinner.”

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“Right-o Master Noble, I’ll make enough for the three of us while you and Miss Townsend freshen up.”

Over dinner I explained the events of my adventure to Reginald and gave him Moreau’s regards. He informed me that while I was away, he had finished all my immigration paperwork and I was now a fully legal resident. Anabel sat quietly through most of dinner and just let us talk. But you could see the curiosity inside her of the new world around her. I made a mental note to try and be extra attentive to that. Afterall, it wasn’t all that long ago that I found myself in a new world.

“Well Master Noble, that’s all quite exciting. I must warn you however that not every Devil will be as easy for you to defeat. It’s extraordinarily rare for someone to thwart a Devil on their first entry into a world. In fact, this is the first time I’d ever heard of it.”

“Yeah, about that. I was thinking…what would really happen if one of the Devils took over their world? I mean, is it really that much of a threat to our world if they do? Is Washington gonna come up the well and launch an assault with longboats against the modern militaries of our world?”

“I’m afraid you’re not quite understanding, Master Noble,” Higgins corrected, “it’s not the Devils themselves that are the threat to this world. It’s the essence of evil that would fester in the other realms that would eventually find its way here. Look through our history. It is chock full of instances of mass savagery and pure evil. All of which can be traced parallel to times that some of the stones have been at their most vibrant red.”

“I see.” This gave more gravity to the sense of urgency in turning the tide of a threatened world. I guess I hadn’t really thought about the ramifications before since I thought I was being pranked.

“Also,” I added, “I had kinda assumed I couldn’t leave until I finished the job. Sorry, I guess I should have listened better and read my father’s notes. I’m gonna make it a point to do that before going after another Devil. But how come you didn’t go in after me when I went in?”

“Well, after I tried to stop you but realized it was too late, I simple shrugged and said to myself, ‘It’s probably for the best.’”

“What?!”

Higgins paused a moment and then asked cautiously, “After dinner, I’ll get things ready for bed. Might I inquire if you and the young lady are…ahem, an item?”

“No no, Higgins,” Anabel answered swiftly, “you see…I’ve been friendzoned.” She said it almost proudly!

“I see. Then I shall prepare a guest room for you.”

“Ya know,” I added, “in this world, there's a such thing as friends with benefits.

“Friends with benefits?” she asked.

“Yeah. Just because two people of the opposite sex are friends, doesn’t mean one won’t occasionally find themselves sneaking over to the other's room late at night.”

“Absolutely not!” she exclaimed with her arms crossed and her eyes closed, “it just simply wouldn’t be ladylike to have a man who is not her betrothed…engaging in coitus.”

“Thought you might say something like that.”

* * *

After dinner I left Anabel to Higgins' care in learning the basics of how a modern home worked and retreated to my own room. I had only slept here one night before but it definitely felt like home after what I’d been through. That’s when I saw it. My phone, still plugged in at my bedside. It suddenly hit me…

“Oh shit…Stephanie!”

I ran over to the nightstand and grabbed my phone. The first message shown was from Wraith. It read:

Wraith: How’s it goin Richy Rich?

Wraith: You good?

Missed Call From Wraith

Wraith: Man, I don’t know what’s going on but just give me a call when you can.

Those messages were from over a month ago!

I shuddered as I clicked over to look at Stephanie's messages:

Stephanie: hey, did you land ok/?

Stephanie: everything all right??

Missed Call From Stephanie

Missed Call From Stephanie

Missed Call From Stephanie

Voicemail from Stephanie: Hey Eric, I called the local hospital cuz I was worried something had happened. They put me in touch with your Butler and he said you were on holiday. Just get back to me when you’re free. Bye.

Stephanie: Home yet?

Missed Call From Stephanie

Voicemail from Stephanie: Look, I know we’re not together anymore, but I still care about you. I don’t know if it's the money or what, but please don’t just shut me out. Bye.

That voicemail was from three weeks ago! Higgins clearly gave her an alibi for me.

I immediately dialed Stephanie's number. The phone rang four times before she answered, “Hello,” in an annoyed tone.

“Stephanie! I’m so sorry, I can explain everything…”

“Sorry, I think you have the wrong number.”

“Stephanie please, I know this seems bad, but I swear I have a good reason for not getting back to you,” I pleaded.

“Eric! Goddammit, it’s been over two months! I had a roller coaster of emotions waiting to hear back from you after you got on that plane. First, I was happy that something went right for you, then I was anxious when you didn’t call, and then I was afraid something bad happened! Now I just assume money changes people.”

“Stephanie, I promise, it’s not like that. I have a perfectly good explanation.”

“Okay, let's hear it then.”

This must be part of the burden Higgins warned me about. Not just fighting Devils.

“...I can tell you. But I can’t tell you right now.” “Oh really, and why not?” she pressed.

“Listen. You’re going to have to just trust me. There’s some pretty serious stuff going on right now and I don’t really want you mixed up in it. But a time will come where I can tell you, no, show you, myself.”

“How long, Eric? It’s been two months. I know we’re not a couple, but we’ve never hid things from each other.”

“Look, it's complicated. I might even go dark again for a while, but I promise when the time is right, I’ll tell you. Right now, I just need you to trust me.”

“How about I just come visit you now and you explain in person?”

“No! Stephanie, until things calm down, I need you to stay away from this house…”

Now I get it. I know exactly what my father went through with my mother. But for him, he never got himself to a place where he could bring her into the fold. I won’t make that mistake.

I’m going to get these Devils under control.

“Alright…Eric, I’ve never had a reason to doubt you before. Not with something this heavy anyway. Just, touch base when you can, and we’ll go from there.”

“Thank you, Stephanie. No matter what’s between us, friends forever.”

“Friends forever…bye.”

Now that I had the Stephanie situation stabilized, I needed to text Wraith:

Me: hey man. Sorry i went dark for so long ive got some pretty wild stuff to tell you

Wraith: all good man, was worried for a bit but i knew you’d come back around

Me: this is going to be hard for you to believe, but i want you to bare with me…