Sorry. I couldn’t resist the reference. I should also mention that I have a meme from that scene (Princess Leia in holograph) and the caption is “Caffeine, you’r my only hope.” *koff* Anyway, It’s Wednesday and I have new–and winning–words to share from last week’s Thursday Threads challenge. Here’s what the judge had to say: On top of using the prompt, Silver’s short read brought me to a place that made me want to consider what’s next almost like a small blurb in he back of a bock. I don’t believe I was prepared to go that direction, but that’s the thing about these challenges. People really do, in fact, think outside of the box. I enjoyed this story. It was extremely fun to read. The prompt is: *“Despite everything, there’s hope.”* This scene comes…somewhere. Just past the middle. Maybe. Definitely not toward the end. Maybe. Oh, hell. What do I know? I’m just the author. The dang characters will tell me where it goes when we get there. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy.

****
Glass shattered against stone, silencing the royal bickering. Two pairs of eyes focused on the very angry human but neither Titania nor Oberon spoke. They simply stared.
“You two are freaking impossible!” Freaking was not the word Sade wanted to use. “Ariel could be dead. The woman he loves could be dead. And what are you two doing? You sit there on your gaw—” She broke off, censoring herself again. “On your royal asses arguing about which of you has the bigger stake in this. What happens in the human realm has no—” She choked off another curse. “I’m done. I can arrange to have you both banned from my realm.”

Titania pouted. Prettily. “No you can’t.”

Sade glared at the Fae king and queen, bottle-green eyes blazing. “You signed the Accords. I have the authority to ban you from humanity. No more Vegas showgirls.” This aimed at Oberon. “No more Cannes. No more New York or Paris fashion weeks.”

Titania gasped as the threat hit its mark.

Someone plucked at the sleeve of Sade’s jacket. She glanced at the young fae who’d crept up beside her. “What?”

Druic gulped, his gaze skittering around the room before coming to rest on the toes of Sade’s boots. He cleared his throat. “Despite everything, there’s hope.”

“Do you know something I don’t?”

The kid nodded. “There is one who can help.”

Sade’s lips stretched into a scary smile as she realized who the kid had in mind. She turned back to the royal couple and understood they’d also figured it out. “Time to make a deal with a devil.”

“You can’t,” Oberon objected.

“Watch me.”
****

Writers, write. Readers, read. Everybody be happy. Why no, I haven’t had my fill of caffeine this morning, why do you ask? I’m on my way for another cup and then back toward the end of the beginning to take up where I left off. If any of this makes sense, bless you. You’ve had your coffee. 😉