The Vortex: Rectification

Epilogue.

Chapter Sixty-Two.

Ten Months Later.

Rather pessimistically I never thought that our town houses would become a flourish of noise and activity again, I always knew to a certain extent that time would pass, and we would all begin to heal. Sure, bodies heal with time and copious amounts of healing balm but for a while I didn't think we would ever manage to get outside without expecting the worst.

Most days are good, being surrounded by sunlight and people who also went through the same things as you always helps, there's a different sense of community now and far less burying of suspicious behaviours. Everyone's tolerance for people's behaviour has lowered, they don't just roll their eyes at the ignorance and move on, they change it and where necessary... they eradicate the thinking.

It sounds bad but they aren't murdering anyone, it's all very methodical and a lot of controlled teaching and only for the most extreme and unwavering thinking have they begun to wipe out the sentiment completely. Now, do I think the whole thing is entirely ethical? No, but when we have the ability to stop the cycle with the advantages, we have over other people then in some cases it has to be used.

Stacks of boxes line the hallways; the living room is chaos full of open boxes and bags of clothes that no one has moved just yet. It's a bittersweet feeling to be leaving the place that kept so many of us safe for so long but as much as we tried it will always be a reminder of what we lost and the pain that follows those memories.

Life moves on through and bigger and better things come with changes even when you think they can't, it's been a hard adjustment for all of us but there's been multiple rays of light at the end of that tunnel.

"Don't you dare pick that up Aleera Winters!" Jai's voice echoes from inside of the kitchen, despite her being chastised again a bright smile still pulls at my cheeks at the sound of noise.

Ralen has an ice-pop clutched in his tiny fist, the red dye smeared all over his mouth and his other sticky hand is curled around the collar of Jai's once white shirt. In the other arm he holds the mixer that Liylah has used at least three times a week since Aleera got pregnant. To say that she has been obsessed with sweets and treats these last eight months would be an understatement.

"Oh, nonsense Jai" Aleera scoffs, trying to pull it back despite the large bump that impedes her ability to hold it properly. "I'm perfectly capable of porting over there"

Just like she said it would, Aleera's magic came back with time but never to the capacity that it had been at before, not that she ever minded the change. Magic saved her life in a lot of ways, but it was also the very thing that brought her pain, and so when her magic depleted after getting pregnant, she stopped using it as much.

War and loss effects everyone differently, although I never expected anyone to separate themselves from magic, that final wave that we created changed the scope of things. Saved us.

"You are not allowed to port, nor do you want too" I grin, running my finger over Ralen's chubby cheek and levitating the mixer out of Jai's straining hand.

Golden eyes narrow in my direction, "Don't tell me what to do Aurora"

"I'll go and get your husband if you keep lifting stuff you aren't supposed to be" I fire back, sliding the precious mixer into one of the padded boxes and sealing it closed. "No one is going to break it, so you don't have to be a wall of safety for it"

"You wouldn't dare get Harry to come here when they finally get to do a tour of the grounds, and then delay the moving which we are already behind on"

"Don't underestimate me" I grin, "Liylah and Elizabeth have moving the boxes under control, Alexander and Willa are already at the house making sure everything is delivered in the right place while setting up for tonight. Jamie and I are going to meet Ness and H in about twenty minutes, and I know, that if I tell him that your lifting mixers and threatening to port, he'll be here and gluing you to the couch before I finish the sentence"