The Autumn Prince

55. The Isle of Glass

We hadn't come for closure, but it's what I unexpectedly found. I couldn't have said when I'd officially given up on returning to my apartment, or when I began thinking of Meridian as my true home—our home—but by the time I woke and showered on Thursday morning we were all ready to leave the old place and never return.

Rachel and Becca packed the Jeep after breakfast, including the handful of items that Gloria had left behind, while Katherine and I gave the room a final once-over, making the space presentable before I called to break my lease. When we were ready, I sent Finn a text asking for the all-clear, and she replied immediately, then evaded a straight answer for nearly twenty minutes until Becca went behind her back and called Amy. The hob sounded thrilled, anxious to see our reaction to the new construction. On the ride back we kept our enthusiasm in check, certain the reality would break whatever expectation we tried to set.

One of Finn's white vans, followed by two semi-trailers, passed us as we neared the river. I wondered if Cuthbert, Finn's redcap foreman, was behind the wheel, and if he was ever pulled over for a traffic violation. He might marginally pass for human, but he couldn't hide the stains on his mouth and teeth which were sure to give any officer pause. He was at least partly responsible for the wellbeing of everything and everyone I cared about, and he still creeped me out.

The rough descent to our scrubby patch of shoreline heightened our anticipation and we finished the final leg of our trip in silence—punctuated by a loud gasp of disbelief.

"Where the fuck did it go?" Rachel shouted. We rolled to a stop, all eyes on the river where an island had once interrupted its flow.

Without attempting to answer, I stepped out and stared at the shore, my attention drawn to a stray leaf riding the current where our home should have been. It was impossible. I looked down at my hand, at the ring Finn had given me, just to reassure myself that the last few weeks hadn't been an insane dream.

"Thomas?" Katherine said. She'd moved quietly to my side and took my arm, unable to finish.

"I don't know," I admitted, shaking my head. Before I could say anything else, however, a pulsing light the size of a person's head stuttered into existence, hovering over the shore.

"Is that the wisp?" Katherine asked quietly. It flickered motionless, as if waiting for something. Or someone.

"At least I'm not crazy," Rachel said when she and Becca joined us, echoing my thoughts. "The magic shit is still here, but where's the island?"

"Maybe it's invisible," Becca suggested hopefully.

"Not quite," a high, familiar voice replied just before Finn stepped casually out of thin air.

"Fuck, woman!" Rachel protested, "you trying to give me a stroke?"

Finn chuckled, "Believe it or not, the surprise wasn't intentional. I planned to meet you when you got here, but there were some last minute issues with your new generator."

I braced my hands on my knees, relief surging through me. "What the hell is going on?" I asked a little rudely. I was annoyed and didn't care how it sounded.

"The fruit of an opportunity," she replied with a wink. "Follow me, there's a lot I need to show you before I go. Amy can fill you in on the details." With that, she turned around and stepped out of sight.

"Shit." Rachel muttered, then took a deep breath and walked forward. Just before she reached the spot where Finn had stood she cursed again and shook her hand violently.

"What's wrong?"

"My ring shocked me!"

I groaned and closed my eyes, fairly certain I knew what was coming. "Step back, Rach," I said. "I'll go first." The jolt from her ring must have hurt quite a bit, because she uncharacteristically obeyed, watching me instead with concern. I approached the wisp and took several deep breaths, my last encounter with it still vivid in my memory, then before I could change my mind, I thrust the hand bearing my ring into its unearthly glow.