Ame swallowed his cereal. “Today, I would like to stay with you. Maybe later I can stay home.”
Zoe understood. Claiming one another as family was still new. She felt it too. She didn’t want to leave him here but wanted to always give him a choice. “Then it looks like we have a plan for the day. Yuki gets to watch yourchichiuedoing drills, and Ame stays with me while I check the spell centers.”
“I’ll be acting as her anchor, so I get to hang out with Ame all day,” Kincaid crowed.
Paris and Brogan threw their napkins at him.
Gage laughed. “Everyone eat up so we can start our day.”
The boys dug into their cereal, and she started on her eggs. For the first time since being a child, she was looking forward to what the day held for her.
*****
Ame held her hand as they walked toward the palace. She wanted to check the other spell centers, but they needed Kendrick to show them how to make Kincaid her anchor.
“Thank you for choosing me,” Kincaid said, as they approached the palace.
“Of course, you were an obvious choice.”
“Carson would have been better,” he admitted. “My magic never goes right.”
She just stared at him until he laughed. “Fair enough. But seriously, Carson has more control.”
She looped her free arm through his. “And you have earth magic that may provide the security we both need. No one sets roots deeper than an earth witch.”
He stopped, and she pulled him a bit to get him walking again. “I never thought of it like that.”
“Just remember, Kendrick thought you were a good choice, too,” she reminded him.
Smiling, he nodded, and they walked through the doors to the palace. Kincaid came to a halt, and she was about to nudge him again when she turned to see what he was staring at.
In front of them in mad dashes, palace servants were carrying small houses and potted plants. “What’s going on?”
Kincaid frowned. “I’m not sure, but it doesn’t look good. Let’s look for Portia.”
She looked down and made sure Ame was holding her hand tight. Seconds later, Kincaid did the same to her. Grinning, they wove their way through the palace staff’s frantic efforts.
In the center, directing everything, they found Portia. “Portia, what’s going on?” Kincaid asked.
Portia, looking as harried as Zoe had seen her yet, indicated to the large courtyard. “We’re having to evacuate the sprites to the courtyard.”
She frowned. “Why?”
Portia dashed at the corner of one eye, wiping a stray tear before straightening. “It’s becoming too cold,” she explained, her voice cracking.
Zoe let go of Kincaid’s hand to place hers on Portia’s shoulder. “What can we do?”
Portia seemed to realize who she was speaking to. “Maybe, just maybe, your magic is different enough to help. Come with me,” she ordered.
Zoe noticed no matter how distracted, the palace staff parted subconsciously to let Portia pass.
Zoe thought she was out of shape as she struggled to keep up with the queen’s assistant, but she caught a glimpse of Kincaid huffing and puffing and didn’t feel so bad. She looked down at Ame, who was keeping pace just fine.
Portia knocked on the door of the queen’s chambers, then swung the door open. “Your Majesty, Zoe, and Kincaid are here.”
The queen looking pale and distraught, looked up. “I’m afraid I don’t have an update for you, Zoe,” she admitted, looking defeated.
“We’re not here for that. How can we help?” she asked, pointing to herself and Kincaid.