Michrinor: The Fates of The Heirs

Chapter 46 - Home

Ava crouched in the dim light of her secret place, hidden beneath the worn carpet in her closet. The small, enclosed space had always been her refuge, a sanctuary where the chaos of the outside world couldn't reach her. But now, as she sat on the rough wooden floor, hugging her knees to her chest, the familiar comfort felt different—emptier. The door that had once led her to Michrinor, a world full of magic and adventure, was gone. All that remained was the dull glow of her flashlight reflecting off the bare walls, a reminder of the life she had returned to.

The silence in the small space was almost suffocating. Without the mysterious door, without the pull of a world beyond her own, the nook felt more like a cage than a hideout. She ran her fingers over the floorboards, half-expecting to find some hidden latch, some clue that Michrinor wasn't really gone, but there was nothing. The reality of it all hit her harder than she expected.

She was back in Texas, back in her old life, and Michrinor was just a memory now.

Ava leaned her head against the wall, closing her eyes as she let the memories flood in. She could still see the towering trees of the Beli Forest, the shimmering lakes, and the faces of those she had come to care about. The adventures, the challenges, the sense of purpose she had felt—they were all so vivid in her mind, but that world was far away now, out of reach.

Her thoughts drifted to Ethan. He was just down the hall, probably in his room, lost in whatever kept him distracted these days. They hadn't really talked since she returned. How could she explain where she'd been? Would he even believe her? And if he did, what would he think of her now? The thought of trying to bridge the gap between the life she had in Michrinor and the one she had here seemed impossible.

But there was no going back. Not to Michrinor, and not to the way things used to be.

The sadness that crept over her was tinged with something else—determination. Michrinor might be gone, but the strength she had gained there wasn't. She wasn't the same girl who had once hidden in this very spot to escape her parents' fights. She had faced darkness, fought battles, and made decisions that mattered. She wasn't just hiding anymore. She was planning, thinking, and figuring out what to do next.

She opened her eyes, taking in the familiar but now oddly foreign space. Without the door, her secret place felt smaller, but Ava knew she was bigger than this room now, bigger than the fear that used to keep her trapped here. She was here for a reason, even if she didn't fully understand it yet.

She heard footsteps outside her room, and her breath caught for a moment. Instinctively, she turned off the flashlight and waited. The footsteps passed, and she exhaled, relieved. She wasn't ready to face the world just yet, but she knew she couldn't stay hidden forever.

A soft knock on her closet door startled her, but then she recognized the familiar voice that followed. "Ava? You in there?" Ethan's voice was muffled, but she could hear the concern underneath the casual tone.

"Yeah, I'm here," she called back, her voice steadier than she felt.

She heard the door creak open, but she didn't move. She wasn't ready to leave the safety of her nook just yet.

"Ava?" Ethan's voice was closer now, just outside the closet. "Mom says dinner's ready. You coming?"

Ava hesitated, then responded, "Yeah, I'll be out in a minute."

There was a pause, then Ethan's voice softened. "You okay, Sis?"

Ava let the question hang in the air for a moment. Was she okay? She didn't know. But she did know one thing—she wasn't the same person who had disappeared into this closet all those months ago.