Page 81 of Edge of Wonder

“I’m sorry.” The words tumbled out of me before I even realized what I was saying. But they felt good. A pressure release I’d had bottled up for ages. “I shouldn’t have left the way I did. It was cruel and selfish. I never even came back to visit. I just kept running.”

My father smiled. “I had to drag your mother home so many times after she went after you. It’s hard to convince an oracle that they don’t always know best. We didn’t like that you were gone, and we missed you, but you had to find your way.”

“You aren’t angry?”

“You’re our son, and we made mistakes too. We shouldn’t have pushed you so hard. It wasn’t fair to put the future on your shoulders like that.” My father’s eyes narrowed with mischief. “But if we hadn’t done that, your mother wouldn’t have her shrine shelf.”

“Shrine shelf?” My brow creased.

“Argus, don’t make it sound weird. You pull from it all the time reading those dime novels of his. Whenever there’s a new one, you’re the first to buy it.”

“You read about me?”

“Of course! So I can tell everyone that the famous ghost hunter who resolved the Lancaster haunting is my son. My ghost hunting days weren’t nearly as exciting.”

The knot in my throat loosened. “Honestly, I was afraid to come home because I thought you’d turn me away, but Alice said you’d forgive me. That all I had to do was knock on the door and ask to come in.”

“Alice is a smart girl.”

“She’s a lot more than that.” My eyes were getting heavy. The pull of sleep, stealing the last of my energy. My parents slipped from the room, murmuring instructions for me to rest. I let the darkness come. Knowing that when I woke, I was going back for my girl.

***

“The next time I open a portal, it better be for either a coronation or a wedding. Either way, I’m getting dressed up.” Tessa channeled her magic, creating a swirling vortex in the air.

Peter clapped me lightly on the shoulder, eager to get home. I guess we were friends now. When I’d thanked him for saving my life, he’d sheepishly waved it away, but I could tell he was pleased. Since then, he’d become my shadow, borrowing from my parents’ collection of ghost hunting books. There was a very remote possibility I might take on an assistant. If he could pick up the basics.

My parents stood in the courtyard, my childhood home as the backdrop. While leaving Alice the way I did hadn’t been my intention, I was glad I’d ended up here. It felt like a fresh start. There were a lot of years to make up for, but I looked forward to the challenge.

“After you,” Peter gestured toward the portal.

“You know, it’s nice to cross through one of these things without being attacked by a madman wielding a knife. But just to be on the safe side, you go first.”

“Fair enough.” Peter laughed. He scooped up his bag and walked through. The light shimmered around him, and then he was gone. I looked back at my family. My mother wiped a tear from her eye, her head resting against my father’s shoulder. They waved, giving me their blessing to go where my heart led.

The portal wavered as I walked through; the ground falling beneath my feet as I plummeted through a dark tunnel. A bright light appeared, and I landed on the forest floor.

“How far are we from the Duchess’ cottage?” Peter asked, dusting leaves from his clothes. He bent to search for his bag that had landed in the thick underbrush when I spotted the tripwire.

“Wait! Don’t touch—” But it was too late. The wire snapped, and a net swept Peter up into the air. He swung wildly from a tree branch, spinning like a top until I grabbed the net.

“I think we’re close,” I said. “Hold on. I’ll get you down.”

It was a short walk through the forest, avoiding traps along the way. Duchess’ tree house came into view, and Peter waved at the guards manning their posts. A whoop rang through the men when they spotted me, the cheers only dying away when they relayed the past few days.

Alice had waited as long as she could, but Tristan wouldn’t be delayed any longer. My blood ran cold when I learned they’d left yesterday, heading toward the Bloodless Forest and the last challenge. No one had returned.

“She left you a copy of the map, just in case.” A guard handed me a hastily drawn diagram. I studied the map. If I left now, I’d make it to the gate in a few hours. I’d need as much time as possible to find Alice before dark.

“You’re late!” A high-pitched voice shouted from a tree branch. Shire folded her arms over her chest and cocked her head.

“Getting stabbed will do that to you.”

Shire floated down from the tree. “Stabbed again and you’re still alive? You’re hard to kill, Sebastian.”

“Let’s hope it stays that way. How was Alice before she left?”

“My very best friend in the whole world entered a deadly challenge wondering if the man she cared for ditched her in the middle of the night, or if the man beside her was setting a trap. How do you think she was?”

---