Page 66 of Court of Aether and Shadows

The curve of her smile, the fire in her eyes when she was determined, the gentle touch of her hand on my arm—the way she had looked at me, not with fear or awe but with an understanding and acceptance that had shaken me to my core.

I shook my head, forcing myself back to the present.

There would be time for memories later. For now, I needed to focus on finding her, on keeping her safe.

The Portal Master's chamber was located in the deepest part of the palace, a vast, circular room dominated by a swirling vortex of energy. Runes of power etched into the floor and walls pulsed with an otherworldly light, responding to the surges of magic that flowed through the realm.

The air here was thick with power, making it difficult to breathe for anyone not accustomed to such concentrated magic.

Even Kaelon, powerful as he was, seemed to struggle for a moment before adapting, but I sped right in, ready to be united with my Queen.

The Portal Master himself stood before the vortex, his form constantly shifting and changing. One moment he appeared as an ancient man, bent with the weight of eons. The next, he was a being of pure energy, barely contained within a humanoid shape.

This was a rare powerful trait, normally only passed down or gifted to one destined to be a Portal Master. It was a vital job in our world, one that was also taxing on the individual.

I commended ours for he was loyal; more so to my Queen than to me. I’d come to that conclusion seeing as he enjoys sending me to places that request unnecessary turbulence for what mundanes would label “shits and giggles”.

His eyes, when they settled into a recognizable form, were swirling pools of silver that seemed to contain entire universes.

He bowed low as we entered, his voice like the whisper of wind through forgotten tombs.

"My Lord Aetheron,"he intoned, the words seeming to echo from everywhere and nowhere at once."I sense the disturbance in the fabric of our reality. The lost princess has returned."

"Yes," I said, impatience coloring my tone. Every moment we delayed was a moment she was alone, possibly in danger. "Can you locate her precise position?"

The Portal Master closed his eyes, his form seeming to blur and shift even more than usual as he stretched his senses across the realm. The vortex behind him pulsed and swirled, responding to his silent commands. After what felt like an eternity, but was likely only moments, his eyes snapped open.

"She has emerged near the Lake of Whispers,"he said, his voice resonating with the weight of his discovery."The veil between worlds is thin there, a place of great power and greater danger."

I nodded, familiar with the location.

The Lake of Whispers was one of the most ancient and mystical places in our realm, a nexus of energy that connected the Shadow Court to the other realms in ways even I didn't fully understand.

"I can open a portal for you,"the Portal Master continued,"but I must warn you – her arrival has caused ripples in the very fabric of our world. The boundaries between realms are... unstable. Travel may be more dangerous than usual."

Which is exactly why I need to stop wasting valuable time and be by her side.

I felt a growl build in my throat, my patience wearing thin.

"That is of no consequence. Open the portal.Now."

Rarely did I let my power slip in my tone with the Portal Master, but he surely understood what was at stake right now.

The Portal Master nodded, raising his hands. The vortex in the center of the room pulsed and shifted, coalescing into a shimmering doorway. Through it, I could see the silvery shores of the Lake of Whispers, its waters reflecting a sky filled with impossible constellations.

"My Lord,"the Portal Master said as we prepared to step through, his voice taking on a tone of urgency."You should know – the arrival of the princess will not go unnoticed.The courts will be summoned. The prophecy is in motion."

His warning made me want to laugh in mockery. Anyone foolish enough to challenge me, especially in my Court, deserved to be among the dead and forgotten.

I turned back to him, my eyes blazing with golden fire.

The shadows around us deepened, responding to the surge of power and emotion that coursed through me.

"Let them come," I said, my voice low and dangerous. "I have waited centuries for this moment. Nothing will keep me from my queen."

With my bold declaration, Kaelon and I stepped through the portal.

The sensation of travel was disorienting, even for beings as powerful as ourselves. For a moment, we were everywhere and nowhere, our essence stretched across realities. I felt the pull of other worlds and glimpsed flashes of realms both familiar and utterly alien.

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