Chapter 15 Wen
— · —
Wen
Stepping through the portal back to Lytopia felt like coming up for air after being underwater. The throne room materialized around us, familiar stone walls and high ceilings and the comforting sense of home.
Guards were waiting, positioned around the room as always. And there, leaning against one of the pillars with his characteristic casual grace, was Aurion.
“Welcome back,” he called out, pushing off from the pillar and walking toward us. His eyes went from us to Tyreen and back again. “You found her.”
“We found her,” I confirmed.
Aurion reported quickly. “Everything was fine while you were gone. No attacks, no incidents. The alliance held steady. Petran has been very quiet since the council meeting.” He smirked at that last part.
Tyreen was taking in the throne room, turning slowly to absorb it all. The banners of the allied kingdoms hanging from the rafters. The throne itself, carved from a single massive piece of wood.
“I haven’t seen Ravenor in centuries,” she murmured. “It’s changed. But still beautiful.”
Aurion turned his attention to her. “Welcome to Lytopia. I am Aurion, Mal’s brother,” he said, bowing slightly with just the right amount of courtly grace and casual charm.
Tyreen studied him with those sharp eyes. “Ah. The brother. I can see the resemblance.”
“We are both devastatingly handsome,” Aurion agreed cheerfully.
“And modest,” I added dryly.
“That too,” Aurion said without missing a beat.
Mal stepped forward, his hand finding the small of my back. “We will be going to retrieve Killian and Sorcha from Earth now.”
Aurion’s expression brightened. “Good. We have been getting small portal notes from Kill. His power is remarkable, opening portals so easily at his age to send messages.” He shook his head. “I’ve never seen anything like it. Oh, and bring my wife with you, please. I fucking miss her.”
“Fine. And yes, he’s been practicing,” I said, trying to sound casual about my four-year-old son’s outstanding magical abilities.
We walked together to the hidden hallway where the permanent portal shimmered. Tyreen studied it with professional interest, murmuring something about the stability of the spell work.
She stayed behind, though, as we stepped through.
The dizzy, disorienting sensation of dimensional travel hit as always, even if it was nothing compared to the first times I traveled through it. I still hated it. Would always hate it. But it was worth it to get to Killian.
We landed in the storage chest in the back room of the bookstore, me with my usual lack of grace. I stumbled slightly, Mal steadied me, and together we climbed out and made our way upstairs to the apartment.
It was nighttime on Earth, the windows dark. I could hear laughter from inside before I even opened the door, Killian’s high voice rising above the others. Damn. I’d really missed him.
I pushed the door open.
The apartment looked like a toy store had exploded.
Killian had chocolate smeared on both cheeks and possibly in his hair.
Krystin was on the floor with him, surrounded by what looked like every toy he owned plus some new ones.
Bella was at the dining table with a book, occasionally glancing up with an amused expression.
Daphne was playing a board game with the guards, all of them looking deeply suspicious of every movement she made.
The guards all looked like they’d seen battle. Which, in a way, they had. Several days of protecting a hyperactive four-year-old with portal magic in a foreign realm. One guard had what appeared to be glitter in his beard.
Then Killian saw me through the doorway.
“MAMA!!!” he screamed at a volume that probably woke the neighbors.
He tore across the apartment at full speed and launched himself at me. I caught him easily, spinning him around as he wrapped his arms and legs around me like a koala.
“Hi baby! I missed you!” I said into his hair, breathing in the scent of him.
“I missed you MORE!” he declared, pulling back to look at my face.
Mal stepped up beside us, his arms open. “What about Papa?”
Killian transferred to Mal, jumping from my arms to his father’s. “PAPA! Look! I learned SO MUCH!”
Mal caught him easily, holding him close. “Tell me everything.”
Words tumbled out in an unstoppable torrent.
“Auntie Krystin let me help make breakfast! And Auntie Bella showed me Earth books with PICTURES! And Auntie Daphne played games with me! And I learned about car races and TikTok and so many things and I portaled cookies and nobody got hurt so it was fine and I can make my portals even SPARKLIER now and...”
He barely paused for breath.
Krystin walked over, grinning. “He was an angel.”
“Who the h-e-c-k taught him about freaking TikTok?” I scowled.
The girls stared at each other, Bella coughed, then proceeded to ignore my question. “He portaled treats constantly! We found chocolate in places chocolate should never be.”
“That too,” Krystin admitted, smiling innocently.
Sorcha emerged from one of the bedrooms, looking content but weary. “He did not sleep much,” she said, then smiled warmly. “But we had wonderful adventures. I’m ready for a break, though.”
“That sounds like Killian,” I said.
“We loved having him,” Krystin said, hugging him and squeezing until he laughed. “Come back anytime.”
“We really did,” Bella agreed, ruffling his hair and smiling at Killian’s small protests.
Daphne joined us, already packed and ready. “I’ll come back with you.”
“Oh, yes. Aurion told us to get you. He’d probably kick our asses if you stayed here without him. He was making those puppy eyes.”
Daphne rolled her eyes, a soft smile playing on her lips. “Yes. It’s time I return to him.”
We said our goodbyes quickly. Grateful hugs for the friends who’d kept our son safe. Promises to visit again soon. Then we gathered everyone and stepped back through the portal.
Back in Lytopia, Killian was still going strong, telling us about every detail of his Earth adventures as we walked back to the throne room with everyone in tow. But the moment we arrived, he noticed Tyreen standing slightly apart from our group.
He went quiet, suddenly shy at the sight of a new face. He moved to hide behind me, peeking around my leg at the stranger. The banquet episode had left him with aftereffects I fucking hated.
Tyreen smiled and knelt down to his level, her movements slow and non-threatening. “Hello, young portal caster. My name is Tyreen. I knew your great-grandmother.”
Killian’s eyes went wide. “Really?”
“Really. And I hear you are a very talented portal caster.”
That was all it took. Killian’s shyness evaporated. He stepped out from behind me, puffing up with pride. “I AM! I can make them sparkle! Watch!”
He opened a small portal that shimmered with rainbow colors, showing off with the confidence only a four-year-old could muster.
Tyreen’s delight was genuine. “Beautiful. You have remarkable control for your age.”
Killian beamed. “I practiced every day on Earth. Grandma Sorcha helped me.”
“She taught you well,” Tyreen said, glancing at Sorcha with approval.
Just like that, they were bonded. Killian showing her more tricks, Tyreen praising his technique, both of them already comfortable with each other.
I caught Mal’s eye. He smiled back at me, and we shared a moment. Our found family, getting bigger.
***
That evening, we gathered for family dinner in the private dining room. It was loud and wonderful from the start.
Killian sat between Mal and me, still riding the high of Earth adventures and meeting Tyreen. Words tumbled over each other as he talked.
“And then I helped make food ALL BY MYSELF!” he announced proudly.
“With supervision,” Sorcha corrected from across the table, her tone affectionate.
“It was SO GOOD! Can we make Earth food here?” Killian asked, looking between me and Mal hopefully.
“We can try,” I said, already mentally preparing for the kitchen disaster that would inevitably result.
Killian was already moving on, demonstrating his improved portal skills by portaling his vegetables from his plate to the empty plate beside him. “Look! I can move food even better now!”
“That is very impressive,” Mal said, his voice carefully neutral. “Now eat them.”
Killian looked confused. “But I moved them!”
“Eating comes after moving.”
“But WHY?”
“Because Papa said so,” I interjected before this turned into a full negotiation.
Killian pouted but picked up his fork.
Across the table, Tyreen and Casimya were deep in discussion about magical theory. I caught fragments of their conversation, something about dimensional resonance and energy signatures. Casimya was leaning forward, absorbing everything Tyreen said.
“Your tracking spell was elegant,” Tyreen said.
“Thank you,” Casimya replied, and I’d never heard her sound so pleased. “Your teaching methods are remarkable. I’ve never seen anyone help a student achieve control so quickly.”
“I have had time to refine them.”
“How old are you, if I may ask?”
Tyreen’s smile was mysterious. “Old enough to know better. Young enough to do it anyway.”
At the other end of the table, Aurion and Mal were discussing politics in low voices. I caught the words “border patrols” and “supply lines.”
“So we need to contact an enemy prince?” Aurion was saying, eyebrows raised.
“Essentially,” Mal confirmed.
“Sounds dangerous.”
“Everything is dangerous now.”
Daphne caught my eye from where she sat beside Aurion. “How was the journey?”
“Long, muddy and emotional,” I said.
“Sounds like an adventure.”
“I prefer boring,” I replied honestly. “But the results were great.”
Sorcha was trying to maintain some semblance of order at the table, but it was a losing battle. Killian portaled his water glass three times. A roll mysteriously appeared on Aurion’s plate. Tyreen was gesturing animatedly while explaining something to Casimya, nearly knocking over the wine.