That was the note to leave on. So, I turned and took Tavlor’s hand, walking back towards the portal from my mother’s realm back to Ireland.
I tried not to look back.
But I couldn’t help it.
As we reached the entrance to the portal, I glanced back at my sisters, who were still standing where I’d left them. Watching me go.
I raised my free hand and waved to them.
They both waved back, and my stomach quivered with nerves and feelings of unease.
Tavlor squeezed my hand. “You ready for this?”
I nodded, focusing on his face.
I had no idea if I was ready for what was to come, but I didn’t have a choice. This was the right path. I knew it in every fiber of my being.
“Let’s do it.”
With that, we plunged back into the portal, to begin the dangerous trek back to the magic realm so we could finally face off with the Council.
Chapter 17.
As much as I wanted to immerse myself back in the human realm, I didn’t have the time to linger.
The grass was green, the sidewalks clean, and the people smiled and nodded hello to one another. Everyone was friendly. They didn’t know about the magic realm or the Fae realm. They didn’t know of the shifters who roamed the streets. They were able to live in ignorant bliss. As of right now, they weren’t threatened by the any realm, just their fellow man.
I wasn’t sure if this was the life I wanted to have. If I would have preferred to not know about any of this.
I was tempted to knock on Aunt Alison’s door when we passed it by, but I couldn’t. Mostly because I was afraid of what sort of shit storm I’d bring down on her if people learnt I’d been there. I already put my sisters at risk by seeing them. I didn’t want to add anyone else to that list.
As much as Alison had taught me, she wasn’t strong enough, or prepared enough, for a Council level of attack. She was living in the human realm, after all, which meant suppressing her natural magic. Suppressing her magic meant suppressing her powers. She’d be a sitting duck.
“This world is very...” Tavlor stopped, glancing around the quiet village streets and pretty houses.
We walked down an alleyway, heading for the portal to the magical realm. I was suddenly tempted to grab his hand and pretend we were two humans going on a romantic stroll. But I didn’t.
It was too easy to get lost in the façade of what normalcy could be.
I smiled. “Very... what?” I asked, bumping shoulders with him. “Quiet? Pretty? Simple?”
He shrugged. “I’m not sure. But I like it.”
“I do too.” It was a great plan B for my sister Bella. Life in the human village would be better than life inside my mother’s bubble and she would get more social interaction.
Not ideal of course, but it was better than the alternative.
Courtney might enjoy a visit but there was no way she’d be able to tolerate how slow-paced this place was. It didn’t matter that they’d have Aunt Alison, if they didn’t have me. Courtney would leave after a few days, demanding an adventure from her life that she probably believed she was owed.
I struggled to ignore the pulse of unease in my gut. If things turned bad with what Tavlor and I intended to do, I wouldn’t be able to be there for them anymore. I wouldn’t be able to keep them from making terrible decisions.
I shook the thought from my head. I couldn’t let myself think like this. Not when I needed to focus and keep my head on straight.
Despite what I’d been through, I still couldn’t imagine leaving them forever. I didn’t want to.
We walked through the streets until we found the alleyway with the portal.
I inhaled shakily and looked over at Tavlor.