"Let's rest a bit, then go," said Danny, sitting down at the fire.
"Let's get some more firewood," said Sam to Tucker, and they went to the grove of dead trees and gathered the branches that had fallen.
Soon the green flames were blazing again, and the five of them sat and gazed into them,
lost in their own thoughts. Sam had taken Ember's hand in an effort to comfort her.
Suddenly Danny looked up at Desiree. "You filled your end of the bargain. You can leave when you want to," he told her.
The Wishing Ghost shook her head and smiled. "I'll be staying with you."
"Oh, you want to know how this ends," said Tucker.
"There is that," Desiree admitted, "But I have another reason."
She looked at Danny. "You rescued me from torture, prevented my recapture, defended me,
and stopped my destruction. And without so much as asking for a single wish." She stood up and stepped over behind where Sam and Ember were sitting. "For such acts, I will take my place as your third harem girl."
Ember and Sam looked up at her. "WE ARE NOT HIS HAREM GIRLS!" They shouted at the same time.
Desiree looked at Tucker. "And you are not his eunuch?" she asked.
"His what-uch?" asked Tucker, confused.
Desiree stepped over and whispered into Tucker's ear. His eyes got big, and he snapped his legs together. "Nope. No way, no how. Not in a billion years!" he said. He looked at Sam and Ember. "Believe me, you DON'T want to know."
Desiree laughed. "I was teasing," she explained.
She stepped back around to Danny, and sat down on the ground in front of him, facing the fire. "But I now take my place at your feet as your first harem girl."
Danny went red as a beet, while the others gaped at them. Danny felt a stirring deep inside,
something he had never felt before, and it confused him even more.
"Oh, man..." said Tucker, "Some guys have all the luck."
Danny jumped up, and backed away from her. "Er, uh..." he stuttered.
Desiree looked at him. "I know. Modern culture does not normally allow this. But it is my wish to do so." She lowered her head modestly, and closed her eyes. "You are the Master.
You do not have to take advantage if you do not wish to."
Danny turned even redder, if possible. He ran around to the other side of the Speeder.
"DANNY!" called Sam, to no avail. She looked at Desiree. "Now you've embarrassed him"
she accused.
"I know. I did not mean to, but I wanted to give him something," she replied.
Sam glared at her, and followed Danny.
A minute later Tucker got up and wandered in that direction.
Ember gazed at Desiree over the campfire. "For what it's worth, I approve," she said softly.
"Those of us who are not evil repay our debts."
Desiree sighed. "He refuses to let me grant his wishes, and the only other thing I have to offer is myself. But they are not ghosts, and don't understand that the desire for power is a great motivator for many of us. So many times, it's the only thing we have."
"I probably would have done something like that myself, but I already belong to Sam," said Ember.
"I knew I sensed a spell on you," said Desiree, "Will you tell me about it?"
While telling Desiree the story, they had glossed over that part. Ember filled her in. "But one thing the paper didn't give was how to undo the spell. Say, you've twice granted me a wish for knowledge. Could you do the same for Sam?"
"Yes, easily and gladly," answered Desiree.
Just then, Danny, Tucker, and Sam came back from the Speeder to the campfire. Danny went over to Desiree.
"Uh, look," he said, "We're going to need all the help we can get, so you're welcome to come with us. But we need to stay focused on helping Ember. Would you mind... not... talking about ... that again?" His face turned red again.
Desiree opened her mouth, then closed it. Her initial response was going to be 'As you command,
Master.' But she realized that would be the wrong thing to say right now. "Very well," she finally answered. Danny looked relieved.
Ember had stepped over to Sam, and was speaking to her in a low voice. Sam brightened. "Good idea," she said. "Desiree, I have a wish."
"State it," said Desiree, smiling at Ember.
"I wish I knew how to undo the spell I cast on Ember," said Sam.
"As you wish it, so shall it be," said Desiree, gesturing. The green fog swirled around Sam,
and was gone.
Sam got a puzzled look. "That's it? Huh," she said. She turned to Ember, and opened her mouth to speak the words.
"Sam, please don't. At least, not yet," said Ember, stopping her. "I want to be sure that I'll be safe, first."
"Okay, we'll wait. But whenever you want me to, let me know," answered Sam.
Desiree turned to Tucker. "What about you? Do you have a wish? Would you like me to restore your ghost powers?"
Tucker held up his hands. "Uh, thanks but no thanks. Once was enough."
Danny walked toward the Spectre Speeder. "Well, let's go. We still have a long way to go,
and danger waiting at the end."
They threw dirt on the fire and smothered it, then climbed aboard the Speeder. Sam took her place as pilot. Powering up the craft, she oriented along the line the Guardian had left, and followed it.
The trip took what seemed like hours. Along the way, the two and a half humans ate some lunch, while Ember had some water. Desiree refused anything offered to her.
The farther along they travelled, the more nervous Ember got. "I've been gone for over two years," she said to nobody in particular, "I hope Dad is better, now. He's had a chance to think about things, and I hope he realized the truth."
"So do we," said Sam.
"But if he hasn't, I want you all to use any way you can to stop that bomb. From what I remember about it, it will work," added Ember.
They flew on in silence, following the Guardian's line. Finally, it came to an end on a rock about the size of a small house. On it stood an ordinary wooden door.
Sam parked the Speeder, and the humans donned their jackets again. The five of them stepped out, and stood beside the door.