Portal Jumpers

Chapter 21

     When we got back everyone was waiting.
     “Did you find her?” I asked them.
     “Yeah, she was hiding in the castle.” Ezra said.
     His sister peeked out from behind him.
     “I’m glad you’re safe.” I told her.
     “Where is Willow?” Hector demanded.
     We all looked at him in surprise.
     “Hecty, I’m fine.” She said walking over to him. “Looks like I found out who your crush is.” She laughed.
      I looked from Willow to Hector and back again.
     He started grumbling something I couldn’t hear.
     “Don’t try to deny it.” She laughed, kissing his cheek, letting him know she liked him too.
      He blushed and looked down at his boots before walking off, quickly, not knowing what to do.
     “Agathon, I have to tell you something.” I look at him now.
     “What is it, princess? Oh sorry.” He laughs. “My queen.”
     I bite my lip. “I love you too.”
     He smiles widely, pulls me to him and kisses me, I stay in his arms, eyes closed, living in this perfect moment, no one died, all, if not most of the Wendigo are gone, and Agathon loves me.
     I pull back, thinking of something. “Where did you send the Wendigo?”
     Agathon lets me go. “Don’t hate me.”
     Somehow I know where he took the Wendigo. “Is James still in Liam’s prison world?”
     “Unless Becca or Takoda or someone else unlucky enough to go there brought him out, then yes.”
     “I can’t believe you.” I exclaim. “Take me there right now.”
     “You could get killed.” He argues.
     “Don’t make me sneak out at night and ask Becca or Takoda.” I threatened.
     Agathon shuts his mouth and thinks. “Well at least let me gather out fighters.”
     “Fine, I’ll be at the portal.” I snap. I was seething with anger, I told him to leave James alone and he went and did something worse than just punching James in the face. I thought he was trying to change, trying to be better than the murderer Liam made him be. I push through all the vines and bushes, finally ending up at the portal. I hadn’t calmed down in the time it took me to walk to the portal. I step through without Agathon and our fighters.
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     Although it had been just last night when I was here last it felt like it was a week ago.
     We didn’t have to go through the portal, but I wanted to leave and go by myself, I don’t want to see Agathon right now, James had been my friend before he tried to kill me and although I don’t trust him anymore, and I probably never will, I don’t want him to die, if I admitted to myself I should have brought James home or put him somewhere better, but I couldn’t bring myself to look at him. I still don’t want to, but I can’t put it off any longer.
     I open my wings, mostly healed, but sore from recent uses, and take to the sky.
     It doesn’t take long for me to get to the Fawns house.
     I knock on the door and Becca’s mom answers. “Come in.”
     “Is Becca here?” I ask, opening the door.
     “She’s outside with Takoda.” Mrs. Fawn watches me, unsure how to react, Becca must have told her I was alive and was here the other day.
     “Thank you.” I walk across the living room and open the glass door leading outside. “Hey, Bec.” I say.
     “Is everything ok?” She stands up and turns around to face me, Takoda does the same.
     “Well, you know how Agathon had you put the Wendigo in another world?” I ask.
     They nod. “Yeah, why?” Becca asks.
     “Agathon put them in Liam’s prison world, with James. I came to ask one of you to take me there to save him.”
     Takoda looked sick and sat down.
     Becca glances at him before saying. “I thought you hated him?”
     “I do, but I can’t let him die, knowing what could be happening if I just left him there.”
     Takoda takes Becca’s hand. “We have to get my brother, whatever he did, he’s still my brother, my only one at that.”
     “Get ready as soon as you can, time is immensely faster there.”
     “I’m going whether I’m ready or not.” Takoda says firmly.
     “Becca?”
     “Let’s go get his brother.” She tells me, taking my offered hand.
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