Page 47 of Their World

“Are you sure you want us to leave?”

He nodded. “I want you to be safe and you are safest in your world.” Reaching over, he grabbed a communication stone. “I’m not sure if this will work in your world, but I will try to contact you with it if something happens. And you can use it to check in with me, since we aren’t sure about the time differences.”

I put it in my pocket and hugged him. “Please keep my family and yourself safe.”

He hugged me back and said, “I will do my best. And I’ll let your mom know you’re safe.”

I stepped back and smiled at him. “Thank you.”

“To keep with our plan, you’ll need to flee from the castle and I’ll have to run after you like I’m hunting you,” he said. His brows furrowed a moment. “Let’s hope a portal appears for you to escape through.”

It was possible he wouldn’t create a portal, but I had a feeling he would. The less outsiders here, the more likely Jol would follow through on his plan.

“Oh, I almost forgot,” Jol said and pulled a folded piece of paper from his pocket. “Your mom thought you might find a way here, or one of your friends, so she wrote something for you. I didn’t read it, so not sure what it contains.”

“Thanks,” I said and put it in my pocket. Turning to Mason, I tapped my shoulder. “Time to go.”

He sighed, shifted, and landed on my shoulder, nipping my hair in his beak.

We headed out of Jol’s room and out the front door. I grabbed the necklace, put it on, and started running, imagining Jol after me and wanting to kill me.

Jol roared in the castle, the sound startled me and made me gasp. I increased my speed as true terror filled me for a moment.

“I will find you, Little Queen!” he bellowed.

Gripping the necklace, I whispered, “Please give me a portal. Please. I can’t let him catch me!” The terror in my voice was only slightly faked since I could imagine what he would do, had we truly been enemies.

As I ran, I saw the Grand Advisor and a few other demons heading towards the palace. His eyes widened at the sight of me.

“I just want to go home!” I screamed and altered my trajectory so I wouldn’t go near him.

Mason turned on my shoulder to face behind me.

A few seconds later, a portal opened in front of me, opening directly in front of my house.

I ran through and turned, watching as it started to close.

The Grand Advisor lowered his hand and gave me a bone-chilling smile and a little wave of his fingers before the portal closed. An awful feeling slithered down my spine, almost like a premonition in and of itself. Something awful was going to happen. He was going to do something truly despicable, but there was nothing I could do.

Taking the necklace off, I wrapped it in the towel again and put it back in the spot outside that I’d stored it last time.

Mason shifted, but stayed silent as we headed into the house.

Riddick, Branson, Triston, Grandpa Nico, Trey, and Kayden spun from their seats in the living room to look at us as we entered.

“I’ve confirmed the Grand Advisor is creating the portals,” I said and headed towards the stairs. “Mason can fill you in more. I need a shower.”

“Did you see your parents?” Grandpa Nico asked.

“Yes, they’re working with Jol. Jol told me to come home to avoid getting entangled in the plan and any potential fight with the Grand Advisor.”

“He didn’t want you to leave at first,” Mason mumbled.

I waved my hand. “Fill them in, please.”

“Lily,” Grandpa Nico called.

Turning, I said, “I’m not ready to talk to you yet.” Looking at each of my fathers and Trey, I said, “Any of you.”

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