“What? You were just bragging about your spelling ability. Why are you getting so upset about a bag of magic rings?”
“Because I’m in control of the spelling, Pell. I’m not in control of these rings. Like at all.”
“Well… write a spell to control them.”
I think about this for a moment. “Can I do that?”
“Why couldn’t you do that?”
“Oh, I dunno. Perhaps there’s some rulebook called Pie and Her Magic Rings out there somewhere and if I fuck around and find out, it’s gonna trap me in some magic debt for a bazillion years.”
“Alternatively,” he says, in his I’m-the-calm-one-here voice, “you might just grab that bull by the hornjob and take over the world.”
I crack a smile. “It’s not funny.”
“It was a little bit funny.”
I let out a long breath. “Well, what should we do with the bag?”
“You can take it with you, if you want.”
“Why the hell would I do that? I walk through portal doors to get to work, Pell. This sounds like a bad idea.”
“Yeah,” he admits. “You’re probably right. I could keep them here.”
“What if another portal door opens and they just… fly through?”
He shrugs with his hands. “Problem solved?”
I narrow my eyes at him. Tap my hoof. “You don’t seem very concerned about this.”
“I’ve lived in this tomb for two thousand years, Pie. I’ve never seen a portal open like that before today.”
“So it’s me.” I try to say this calmly, but I don’t entirely succeed. The shock of the portal door and ring attack has worn off now and panic is setting in.
“I’ll just keep them with me. I’m finishing the new bag today, anyway. It’s not a big deal.”
“But… should I put a spell on it? You know, to keep them from doing anything weird?”
“Should you? Couldn’t hurt. But can you?”
I bite my lip and think, tumbling words around in my head. “What would be the goal?”
“Keep them hidden? That’s a good start.”
“And keep people from finding them.”
“Perfect. Give it a whirl.” Then he grins at me.
“What? Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Because I get to watch you do your thing.”
I swell a little with pride. “My spelling skills are gonna impress the fuck out of you.”
“I can’t wait.”
“OK. Let me think. It needs to start with A. Talina told me that. And it needs to have the right syllables. And the rhyme, of course.”