“Yes.”
He pulled me back against him, wrapping his arms around me from behind. “One more minute.”
I melted against him. “Just one.”
We stood there, wrapped in each other, both grinning like complete idiots. Ah, how I’ve missed this.
10
— • —
Wen
“Today we will focus on the theoretical foundations of portal magic,” Casimya announced, settling into what looked like it was going to be a very long lecture.
Oh no.
“The dimensional barriers between realms are fundamentally composed of-”
I was going to die of boredom.
“-layered membranes of concentrated magical energy that respond to - are you listening?”
“Absolutely not,” I admitted.
Casimya’s lips twitched. “Honesty. Refreshing.”
“Can we skip to the actual magic part?”
“Theory IS magic.”
“Theory is kind of boring.”
“This is why you keep opening portals to random places.”
“That was ONE time.”
“Three times. In the last hour.”
She had a point.
Beside me, Killian was sitting cross-legged on the floor, playing with a small portal he’d opened that showed a view of the garden. He was making flower petals float through it, completely focused and not struggling at all.
I was being humiliated by my prodigy son. I couldn’t be more proud.
“Okay,” I said, standing and shaking out my hands. “I’m going to open a portal to the garden. The actual garden. Where Killian’s portal is going.”
I concentrated hard, feeling for that pull I’d learned to recognize. The magic felt like electricity under my skin, warm in my chest, tugging me toward other dimensions. I focused on the garden, visualizing the roses, the fountain, the stone bench where Killian liked to sit.
The portal opened…To a field. With a very confused farmer staring directly at us.
“Vat in de-” the farmer started.
“Sorry!” I yelled, scrambling to close it.
The portal snapped shut.
Casimya raised one eyebrow. “The garden. Very close.”
