Chapter 39 Phin
Phin
“Portals that bypass the crossroads completely. Only accessible during an eclipse.” Tap shook his head irritably as we made our way across the grassy expanse, looking for any signs of life.
“We underestimated the depth of their betrayal as well as their abilities.” He frowned.
“I’ve failed at keeping all the doorways secured. For years.”
“You can’t blame yourself for not guarding something you didn’t know existed,” I tried to reassure him.
“But it was still my job. My responsibility.” His jaw clenched as he worked through the unhappiness this whole situation had wrought.
The landscape reminded me of the countryside. If there had been more trees and much colder, it would almost have felt like the region where my childhood home had been in Vincara.
“I wonder where we are, exactly,” Tap mused as he reached for my hand. Once our fingers were laced together, he started walking.
“Purgatory,” I said confidently.
“That can’t be right.” He paused, squinting as he looked around.
“That’s what the door is marked.”
His head tilted. “You can see that?”
I shrugged. “I can now.”
“Mm. Then I trust you, Feather. It seems logical, actually. There’s no color here, no brightness.
There’s existence, but not life. The air is still, like it can’t even be bothered to make a breeze.
It’s as though time itself doesn’t matter here, and that’s intentional. Does it feel that way to you?”
I shivered. Now that he’d mentioned it, I couldn’t avoid how strongly I felt the desire to leave such a place. “Yes. It feels wrong.”
The landscape here was deceptive in every way. The beige dead grass was soft under our feet instead of crunchy, the flat earth somehow rising into invisible hills and valleys.
“That’s it exactly. I don’t see any sign of them, or anything yet.”
“Ramsey, do you?”
No, mistress. My beautiful hound had not gone far from my side since they’d arrived. But I feel my bond with your mother much more strongly in this place than I do elsewhere.
That gave me such a surge of hope my eyes welled up. “I don’t want to go too far from the portal,” I said, irrationally afraid that we wouldn’t be able to find our way back, particularly with my new talent.
“We won’t.”
I will go ahead, mistress. I’ll use my connection to her as a guide. Follow me.
My skin crawled as I lost sight of her, the sense of urgency to leave reminding me of Ophelia’s wards.
After another few minutes walking for what seemed like no gain in distance and no change on the horizon, I heard her bark.
“Ramsey?” I called, unsure what direction I’d heard her from.
Come, over this way. She walked ahead of us, still in a hurry.
Wary but trusting her, we followed the hound as she trotted at full speed a different direction than we’d been headed.
Tap stopped walking. “Look.”
I followed his gaze and saw what had drawn his attention. Smoke.
The closer we got to the column of smoke, the harder my heart pounded. Crude rooflines appeared, then walls. Doors. Nothing was fancy, everything clearly made from whatever could be found nearby, but all completely serviceable little cabins.
Ramsey barked several times and dashed away, leaving me and Tap staring at one another and my heart in my throat.
As we crested a hill we hadn’t seen and started down the other side, a whole settlement became visible. There were several homes, a well, lines for hanging laundry, and a rack over a big fire cooking some kind of meat.
Ramsey went from one little house to the next, barking and making as much noise as she possibly could.
Tap squeezed my hand, reminding me to breathe as one after another, people emerged from the little dwellings.
I looked from one of them to the next, stunned at how many of them there were.
Four women, and three men, arranged in couples aside from one of the women.
The first couple was an auburn-haired woman and a large, sharp-featured man with long dark hair.
The second, a petite woman with black hair, the man clutching her shoulders tall and willowy.
The woman standing alone reminded me of Greta, if a bit older. They all looked cautious, confused.
All except one.
The tan woman with long dark hair exclaimed excitedly, gesturing for the others to greet the hellhound that was prancing around from one to the next, making enough noise to raise the dead. Next to her was a tall angel, one with long silver-blond hair and violet eyes, like mine.
“Saints, it’s all of them,” Tap breathed the words. “They’re really all here.”
I hiccupped a breath as the woman looked up, spotting us. And for the first time in years, I locked eyes with my parents.
I breathed in the soft scent of my mother’s hair, eyes closed as my tears dried. My father had his arms wrapped around us both, my body crushed between them.
It was everything I’d craved out of a hug for years.
My legs had moved of their own accord once the reality of my parents, standing within a short distance of me, had sunk in. Ramsey had joined our little reunion, the rest of the people around us smiling as they watched.
“I’m so happy to see you.” I exhaled into her shoulder, and she kissed my cheek soundly before pulling away.
“Come. Say hello. Friends, this is our daughter, Phin.” Everyone responded with a kind greeting, some a little wave. “And …” she looked to Tap.
“I’m Tap,” he said, dipping into a little bow.
“I’m the demon of the crossroads. And I believe I know who you all are, but I’d love to meet you properly.
I feel it’s important you all know straightaway that your children are safe.
All of them. They’re grown, and thriving.
” A collective murmur of relief went through them, hands squeezed and emotions already bubbling over in the form of tears.
I glanced around at everyone, finding familiar features in most of them.
As Tap slowly went to them one by one and shook their hands, I walked beside him and nodded in greeting.
As they introduced themselves, my heart clenched tighter and tighter.
All of these people were parents Armaros and his co-conspirators had stashed away here, people separated from their families by their unforgivable madness.
“I’m Rowan,” She said. “Rowan Aurichal.” The woman standing by herself said, eagerly putting out her arm.
“I thought so. I’d recognize those features anywhere.
” Tap smiled at her. “Magnus has been desperate to find you.” She choked out a light sob, tears filling her eyes.
“Greta will be so happy to see that you’re alright.
” She pumped Tap’s arm several more times and then quickly wrapped her arms around me, squeezing me tight.
“Thank you both.”
The woman with auburn hair took Tap’s hand. “I’m Selene. This is Kaspar.” She gestured to her husband, whose features were similar to Rowan’s. Stone kin lines ran quite strong, it seemed.
“Pleased to meet you.”
“We’ve been here the longest. I’m not even sure how many years now,” she lamented.
“We left behind a baby, with Selene’s parents.” The man’s eyes were kind, his voice deep and rough. “Sofie.”
“I think she uses the name Calla, now,” Tap said kindly. He turned to the other couple. “Unless, of course, you’re Calla’s parents?”
They shook their heads and the woman said, “No, our daughter’s name is Hailon. I’m Wyn.”
“I’m Oren. Pleased to meet you.”
Tap shook both their hands and shifted back to my parents.
“Terra.” My mother beamed as she enthusiastically patted Tap’s hands between both of hers.
“Radueriel,” said my father, saving Tap from her grasp by reaching to shake.
“How did you get here?” My mother asked.
“It’s complicated,” Tap said. “But Ramsey certainly gets some credit.” The hound received several more pats in gratitude. “And Armaros, but his death is all I’m thankful for at this moment.” His mouth flattened.
“Dead, you say?” my father inquired.
“Yes.”
“What about that slimy stone kin councilman, Brookes? He’s the one who brought us all here,” Rowan asked.
“Him too. My brothers actually took care of him months ago. And several others thought to be involved before that.”
My father’s shoulders relaxed. “I’m disappointed to have missed such festivities, but good riddance.” He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “I’ll need to get to Heaven with expedience, to report what’s happened.”
Tap nodded. “There are several doorways available to you. Someone can escort you back to Vincara, to one more familiar.” My father inclined his head in thanks, glancing between Tap and I.
He gave me a small, private smile that I immediately understood as approval.
I never could keep anything from him for long.
“We can leave?” Hailon’s mother asked, the hope in her face almost painful.
“Yes. And we should, quickly. The portal is only open temporarily.”
There was a general rumbling and some hesitating, which I understood. Some of these people had been here for decades. This was their home.
“Will we ever be able to come back here after that?” Rowan asked.
“I’m anxious to leave, of course, but there are things we’ve made here, things we’ve built.
It wasn’t always easy but it has been our life for a very long time.
To just up and leave it all behind makes me feel … odd.” Her husband comforted her.
“I’m happy to see if I can change the pathways to the portal so that it is accessible more often once we return,” Tap said. “But I can make no guarantees, I’m afraid. Purgatory is not usually under my purview.”
“I understand,” she said.
“Ramsey, would you mind going back through and alerting my brothers at d’Arcan that we will be arriving shortly with several guests? Collect everyone from the glade as well, if you please. And if you could also take the body? My brothers will have a place for it.”
She panted, a smile on her face. It would be my pleasure, Watchman. Shall I also take the head or would you like me to leave that for you?