Page 153 of Vameer

Rune’s father waves off my comment. “Looking it is the best part. Besides I imagine you’re something better.”

I lift a brow. “And what is that?”

“A fighter.” He glances at Rune, then back to me. “I don’t know how this mating thing works, but I know a fighter will be more useful to my daughter than a set of jewels.”

“Yes, exactly.” Her mother agrees. “Riches bring you ease, but not happiness.”

“This is true. I know how to fight,” I tell them with a grin. “But I have plenty of riches too.”

Turns out my brother tucked my half of the wealth away when I disappeared. And that wealth has increased significantly during the century I was gone.

I pull Rune into my side, knowing we’ve run out of time. “If you need anything, call Rune. I do not have a phone yet, but we will visit again soon.”

“You have to go?” Rune’s mother twists her hands in front of her.

“Sí.”

I feel the faint shift in the air, and a cloud of gravito bursts around us as the crackle of magic indicates the portal forming behind us.

The cloud was supposed to be gray. But my obnoxious gravito turned itself red, apparently taking the compliment to heart.

Rune’s parents make sounds of surprise as Rune snickers.

“Bye! I love you!” she calls through the dense cloud.

Her parents call out their own goodbyes as I turn her to the portal.

It wasn’t entirely necessary to hide the portal from them, but the less humans see, the fewer questions they can ask.

Rune steps through.

I follow.

And as soon as we’re back in the parking lot, the portal behind me disappears, and Dread flicks a new one into existence.

“Pick her up.” Dread glances over his shoulder, eyes glowing gold. Then he walks through.

Scooping Rune into my arms, I take the two strides to the portal.

And as I step through, I release my gravito. Pushing it down. Creating that balance between Earth’s gravity and my own. So when we pass through, we hover.

Rune tightens her hold around my neck when she sees we’re in the sky, two thousand feet up.

Surrounded by nothing but bright blue.

I glance down.

Below us, Dread falls.

Without gravito, the wind flaps his robe wildly around him.

Rune gasps. But I just watch.

This druid would not have portaled into the sky without a plan.

He rotates, aiming himself straight down, headfirst.

A portal blinks open below him. Circular and small looking.