Mal walked outside to call all the guards in, and we all stepped through together. The portal shimmered and held steady as we crossed back to Lytopia. Back to planning and figuring out how to contact an enemy prince and dethrone a mad king. Just the usual.
But this time, we had a real chance.
15
— • —
Wen
Stepping through the portal back to Lytopia felt like coming up for air after being underwater. The throne room materialized around us, familiar stone walls and high ceilings and the comforting sense of home.
Guards were waiting, positioned around the room as always. And there, leaning against one of the pillars with his characteristic casual grace, was Aurion.
“Welcome back,” he called out, pushing off from the pillar and walking toward us. His eyes went from us to Tyreen and back again. “You found her.”
“We found her,” I confirmed.
Aurion reported quickly. “Everything was fine while you were gone. No attacks, no incidents. The alliance held steady. Petranhas been very quiet since the council meeting.” He smirked at that last part.
Tyreen was taking in the throne room, turning slowly to absorb it all. The banners of the allied kingdoms hanging from the rafters. The throne itself, carved from a single massive piece of wood.
“I haven’t seen Ravenor in centuries,” she murmured. “It’s changed. But still beautiful.”
Aurion turned his attention to her. “Welcome to Lytopia. I am Aurion, Mal’s brother,” he said, bowing slightly with just the right amount of courtly grace and casual charm.
Tyreen studied him with those sharp eyes. “Ah. The brother. I can see the resemblance.”
“We are both devastatingly handsome,” Aurion agreed cheerfully.
“And modest,” I added dryly.
“That too,” Aurion said without missing a beat.
Mal stepped forward, his hand finding the small of my back. “We will be going to retrieve Killian and Sorcha from Earth now.”
Aurion’s expression brightened. “Good. We have been getting small portal notes from Kill. His power is remarkable, opening portals so easily at his age to send messages.” He shook his head. “I’ve never seen anything like it. Oh, and bring my wife with you, please. I fucking miss her.”
“Fine. And yes, he’s been practicing,” I said, trying to sound casual about my four-year-old son’s outstanding magical abilities.
We walked together to the hidden hallway where the permanent portal shimmered. Tyreen studied it with professional interest, murmuring something about the stability of the spell work.
She stayed behind, though, as we stepped through.
The dizzy, disorienting sensation of dimensional travel hit as always, even if it was nothing compared to the first times I traveled through it. I still hated it. Would always hate it. But it was worth it to get to Killian.
We landed in the storage chest in the back room of the bookstore, me with my usual lack of grace. I stumbled slightly, Mal steadied me, and together we climbed out and made our way upstairs to the apartment.
It was nighttime on Earth, the windows dark. I could hear laughter from inside before I even opened the door, Killian’s high voice rising above the others. Damn. I’d really missed him.
I pushed the door open.
The apartment looked like a toy store had exploded. Killian had chocolate smeared on both cheeks and possibly in his hair. Krystin was on the floor with him, surrounded by what looked like every toy he owned plus some new ones. Bella was at the dining table with a book, occasionally glancing up with an amused expression. Daphne was playing a board game with the guards, all of them looking deeply suspicious of every movement she made.
The guards all looked like they’d seen battle. Which, in a way, they had. Several days of protecting a hyperactive four-year-old with portal magic in a foreign realm. One guard had what appeared to be glitter in his beard.
Then Killian saw me through the doorway.
“MAMA!!!” he screamed at a volume that probably woke the neighbors.
