“Decades. Centuries, I suspect.”
He was being deliberately coy.
“Shall we join Galfrid? Ensure it remains open?”
“If it had not, he’d be here already, with us.”
Terran made no move to get up, so I took my cue from him.
“Galfrid mentioned being a bridge between our clans,” I said. “In answer to another of your questions.”
“Dell has been received much better than I anticipated,” he said. “Though as my queen, if any thought to disrespect you?—”
“I would not win your clan over in such a way.” This would be like whispering to the dead, attempting to convince them of as much.
“You will do so, I’ve no doubt. But that does not preclude?—”
The Gate.
Terran and I jumped up and ran toward it, the sound of voices unmistakable. Mev and Kael had returned, the former already in her father’s arms. Kael embraced his brother as well while I stood back, watching the scene unfold.
They were dressed differently than when they’d left, their clothing more similar to when Mev had first come through the Gate. Though it was jarring to see Kael in such attire, Mev appeared less conspicuous.
“How long has it been?” Terran asked.
Mev looked at her partner. “A week perhaps.”
“Where is she?”
That, from Galfrid.
“We tried to get her to come,” Mev said. “Jon Harrow helped us get back to the States. Clara had just returned and told my mother what had happened, but thankfully, it had only been a few days earlier. Not that Mom wasn’t freaking out. I won’t say she didn’t believe Clara, or me, especially after meeting Kael. But she was definitely freaked out.” Mev looked up at the king, sadness etched in every line of her face. “She just doesn’t remember.”
Terran winced.
Of all the tragedies Balthor caused, this was one of the worst. Stealing someone’s memories was an atrocity.
“Mom begged us not to come back. She traveled as far as York with us, even met Jon. But in the end, she was just too scared. Not that I blame her. Being back made me realize how insane the whole thing is, almost like it was a dream.”
My heart broke for the king. To come so close to being reunited with the woman he loved…
“We told Jon not to allow anyone else through if the Gate stayed open,” Mev said. “Which it seems to be doing. So that’s good news, right? Maybe we can convince her…”
Galfrid wasn’t listening any longer. He walked toward the antechamber, leaving the four of us alone.
“I’m glad you got to see her,” I said to Mev. “And your friends.”
“Thank God Clara didn’t tell anyone besides my mom. The worst was trying to explain why I went MIA to my boss. I told him I got sick in England and lost my phone. I’m pretty sure he thought I’d lost it. But at least I was able to tie up loose ends and not leave him totally hanging.”
Tie up loose ends.
Mev had never talked about what she would do, permanently, if the Gate reopened. Getting back to make sure her mother didn’t worry had been her only concern.
“Does that mean?—”
“We’re staying here,” she said, looking up at Kael, who was clearly pleased. “This is my home. When I went back, I felt like a visitor. Like this is where I was meant to be.”
“If she wanted to stay, we would have,” Kael said. “Maybe if the Gate stabilizes, remains open like it was, we could go between our worlds.”
