We stepped from that dead world through the portal's spinning rings into the darkness at the edge of camp. The front had come through, and I was thankful for the heavy cloak that blocked the cold wind. Reginar waited for us, a lantern in hand.
"I have business mainly for Kevin, but you can come along if you wish."
"I'm taking these three to my tent for the night," Cornelia said, and led Mircea, Luli, and Elspeth away.
I broke the pink ball under Lucian's nose while Ellie and Nathan did the same for Birdie and Cizar.
"Um," Nathan said as they came alert, "Go make sure my tent's ready for me and wait for me there." His two ducklings went off into the darkness to his tent.
I didn't have anything pressing for Lucian to do, so I waved for him to follow, and we went with my mentor. Boian and Ishen were waiting for us in Reginar's tent.
"Sir Ishen has sworn fealty to me, Lord Kevin," Boian said as a greeting as they both bowed, and I clasped forearms with him. "I've accepted him as master of these lands as you wished. I'm not sure of the wisdom of this, but you brought my request to reality, so I can't complain. You, Lord Nathan, Maid Protector Elexus, Maid Sinense, and Maid Sorina all look healed and in good health, and you must be Sir Lucian."
Boian and Lucian gave each other slight bows.
"I wish I'd been here a day earlier," Boian finished.
I gave my own slight bow while the others did similarly. "That would've been nice, but we did survive."
"By the magic of the Realm...again," he said, shaking his head. "Would it be that it was possible for mere mortals such as us?"
I sighed. "I don't even know how to make it happen."
"Lady Lauretti has good reason," Sinense said, "though both Maid Sorina and Sir Lucian were healed. The same with the others who traveled with us and none of them are Realm. Maybe someday it will be possible, Lord Boian."
Ishen listened to all of this curiously, then jumped into the break. "I have someone I believe you need to meet tonight if you have time, Lord Kevin."
"Okay," I replied. It wasn't like I was tired. "Bring him to me."
"I shall have to retrieve her, Milord," Ishen replied. "It will take several minutes."
"In that case, bring him to my tent."
"Yes, Milord," and he slipped out the tent's flap.
"Your tent has been refreshed, Milord," Boian said. "Everything was changed earlier in the evening for your arrival."
"Thank you." It suddenly dawned on me that I wasn't sure I wanted to go to my tent. I almost died there last night.
"If you don't need me, Lord Kevin," Reginar said, "I'll retire for the night."
"Please do," I replied. "We'll get out of your hair," and stepped back into that frigid wind.
Sinense took my hand and squeezed. "Are you okay?"
I shook my head and squeezed back. "I feel like Orvin, or some other Sobeck is going to charge out of the darkness. I want to get into the tent, though I'm not sure that'll help."
"I'll be there in a couple," Nathan said as we came even with his tent.
"And Sorina and I will retire to my tent," Ellie said. "Tell us about it in the morning."
Sinense squeezed my hand tighter as we got to my tent and slipped past the flap, Boian following in our wake.
From the low lantern light, everything appeared clean and straight and...new?
YOU ARE READING
Wherever I Am
Science FictionCollege-age Kevin Covali and his family have lived on his uncle's estate for the last year instead of in the city. When he and his sister Allie are attacked on the road home from school, he finds out that there is more to his family than he ever sus...
