Page 79 of Changeling
Sebastian glances up at me. “A bit of caution. The portal makes me a bit dizzy, and thus far, I’ve never managed to land on my feet.”
“Thanks for the warning.” No one is saying anything about what happens if it doesn’t work, if my legs turn to stone and the ground to sludge, and I’m unable to go through at all. I hope that doesn’t happen, for Sebastian’s sake more than mine. He looked so happy as he exclaimed“I did it.”
“Here we go.” Remigius holds up both hands, palms forward, toward the space where the portal will form. Laurence steps in behind him and lays a hand on his nape. I’m not sure what part he’s playing. I’m aware Remigius can do this by himself, but why do it alone when they can help each other?
Sebastian grabs my hands again, and I’m grateful for it. His skin is warm in mine. We wait together for whatever mind-to-mind communication is happening between the witch standing before us and the coven hundreds of miles away in Bran Vigny.
Awe isn’t a feeling I experience often, but I do now—a deep sense of reverence for what I’m witnessing as energy goes from invisible to visible at Remigius’s command. From his outstretched hands, light emerges. At first golden, but as it stretches in front of him and forms an oval, it turns purple as an amethyst, sparkling in the moonlight.
I can actually hear the portal. A soft crackling that spikes my anxiety as going near it seems counterintuitive, but I’ve already said I would.
Remy’s gaze shifts from the portal to us. “All is ready.”
I take a deep breath. I’d follow Sebastian through flood or fire if I had to. The least I can do is join him through this portal. He tugs at my hand, and I come. My legs are not stone. The ground isn’t sludge.
Step by step, we approach the fizzling purple circle. On the other end, women stand with their palms raised just as Remigius’s are.
It’s now or never.
We step through together. Energy zings up my spine, ruffling the hairs on my neck and arms, but it’s not unpleasant.
Sebastian promptly plops on his ass, and I help him up to his feet.
“Of course you’d walk straight through like it was merely a hallway,” he gripes.
He expected this to work. He’s not surprised.
I, however, am entirely overcome with emotion. Surprise, gratitude, awe, joy, love, all well up from my stomach and rise to my throat.
I’ve never set foot out of Hungary, yet here I am…in a castle? A throne room with no thrones? I don’t know. The floor is marble, and huge matching marble pillars hold up a ceiling so tall one would have to learn to fly to clean it.
“Dominus, we made it,” says Sebastian. “Are you all right?”
I let out my breath in a great big gush. “You did it!”
He grins. The women assisting with the portal are also smiling. But we must turn around and go back now. Each second is a second longer they must strain to hold the portal. But wow. I’m in Bran Vigny.
“Thank you,” I say to them. As if two words are enough for the miracle they’re performing, but it’s all I have, so they will have to do.
The woman in the center nods and speaks for all of them. “You’re most welcome.”
“Shall we return?” says Sebastian, as aware as I am of the hurry.
“Yes, let’s.” I wrap my arm around his waist, and we walk back through together, only this time, I’m expecting his loss of balance. I hold him up as we land on the riverbank.
“Thanks.” His grin becomes a full-fledged smile. I love seeing him so happy. I’m smiling too. Ear to ear. I must look ridiculous, but I can’t help it. We’ve just experienced the impossible. Twice.
“All is well?” asks Remigius.
“All is perfect. Thank you,” I say to him as Laurence gives a little wave good-bye and steps through.
Remy approaches next. “Good-bye Dominus. Good-bye, Sebastian. Until next time.” The vampire-witch drops his hands, dashes through the purple ring, and the vortex snaps closed behind him.
I stare.
The river continues to flow, the trees bend and wave with the breeze, the bank looks as serene as always. As if none of it had even happened. But it did.
“I left Hungary.”
