Novel Jumper

Chapter Twenty Four

 "We're here," someone called from the front of the army, and Lilia's blood ran cold, her heart skipping a beat.

"By 'here,' do you mean the Wizard's...residence?" Connor called. The message was passed along and soon, a reply returned.

"Yes."

Forgetting their protective layers, Connor and Lilia pushed through the ex-Slaves and stopped cold at the sight ahead of them.

There was an elaborate stone archway with carvings of faces in torment - not exactly comforting - etched into its sides and a word that Lilia couldn't understand written on the arcing portion. There was no building behind the doorway, but instead of there being a view of the forest through the opening, there was a square of blackness. Rather than be a still screen of darkness, however, it rippled as if it was alive.

Connor bent, picking up a twig, and threw it into the portal. It disappeared, causing slight waves to ripple out from its entry.

"How do we know that it's safe in there?" Matt asked, joining them.

"We don't," Connor said darkly. "It could lead anywhere."

The group was silent, staring at the portal until finally, Lilia took a deep breath and announced, "You know what, we're this close, this is where the Wizard has been seen emerging from, and I really just want to get home." The last part was a lie - she was still struggling internally with whether or not she would truly return to Earth when the time came - but she wasn't about to just turn around at a little fear. The past few days had been practically nothing but fear - how could she be deterred now?

She took a step forward, fully prepared to jump through the portal, but Connor grabbed her forearm. "Are you crazy?" he hissed angrily.

"What?" Lilia asked defensively.

"You can't - I don't want you getting hurt!"

"Stop acting like I'm some helpless damsel in distress," Lilia snapped, suddenly angry at the way he was treating her. She had been the one to cut Connor down from Winfrith's trap. She had been the one to kill the hellhound. She had been the one to save him from the Improbable Slaves. She yanked her arm from his grip and glared defiantly at him. She wasn't about to let him treat her like a weakling when she had proven herself over and over.

Connor deflated. "You're right. I'm sorry." He sighed, glancing at the knife on her hip. "Please be careful."

Lilia nodded, nervousness rendering her wordless. Now that she was about to do it, jumping through the portal was the last thing she wanted. She faced the portal and summoned all of her courage.

Then, she threw herself into the darkness before her own thoughts could paralyze her.

It was a strange feeling, but not entirely unpleasant. The portal engulfed her, and she felt as though the strange, almost liquid substance was adhering to her like a second skin. Then, she was through the portal, and on her feet.

No - on her side. Or was the world on its side?

As a wave of dizziness struck Lilia, she toppled to the ground - or the wall, she wasn't quite sure yet. She squeezed her eyes shut and waited for the vertigo and nausea to pass.

When it finally did after what was doubtless only a few seconds but felt like much longer, she climbed shakily to her feet, cursing herself for not checking for enemies sooner, vertigo or no. She was safe, however - and very much alone in the room she had been spat out into.

It was a plain cobblestone room about as big as her bedroom back home, with a large wooden door that was firmly closed. At Lilia's feet, the husks of a couple of bugs she didn't recognize, some twigs, and a few pebbles lay. Wanting to inform Connor that she was safe, she picked up a pebble and lobbed it back through the portal, hoping that she wouldn't accidentally clock someone in the head.