The Shadress (MCD x Reader)

Ch. 30- Borderless World

Hyria pulls me aside as Jace is working through the portal spell. His application could use some work, but I'm beginning to think my teasing may have provoked him enough to work on his magic more. Thin lines of light follow his hands as he draws the casting circle in the air, the intricate patterns taking more time, but starting to lock into place as he works.

However, Hyria's words pull me swiftly away from thoughts of JJ's spellwork. "You really brought her?!" Her voice is a hushed whisper, but the excitement seeps from her words regardless. There's a twinkle in her eyes that hasn't been there for roughly 1,000 years.

I smile, the feeling becoming contagious. "I told you I would. She doesn't... doesn't remember anything."

"That's no matter. Having her back is more than enough." Hyria's smile brings me a brief moment of respite. It reminds me heavily of my adoptive mother.

"I just thought she would be having more of an inkling of our former relationship. Irene was always so close to me. I thought that our connection would have been enough to trigger at least some memories." I drop my gaze from hers, rubbing my arm to draw my senses away from the conversation a few feet over. I'm starting to dislike my strong hearing when it comes to their conversations.

Hyria chuckles, a warm sound that also reminds me of my mother. "There must have been worse side effects than we originally thought. I wonder-"

"Sister!" Jace yells, effectively cutting off anything more Hyria would say. She doesn't even look surprised at the intrusion into our conversation. "Portal's ready."

I gave Hyria a shaky smile, then turned around and joined the others. "You are more than aware that you don't have to yell." I glare. "I hate you."

"I love you, too." He gives me a cheeky grin.

And just like that, the portal drags itself open, as though an invisible pair of scissors cut the space in front of us. The others look impressed, though I don't know why. Surely they've seen spell work before. Lucinda definitely has, but holds the same shock as everyone else.

It might have to do with the effect of the portal opening. It is certainly not something one sees every day.

Jace swiftly moves through first, with Garroth following a few moments after. Aphmau and Laurance head through next. Lucinda slips her hand into mine to squeeze it once before she steps through. It's probably more of a reassurance for her than me.

One final time, I turned to Hyria. She gives me a reassuring nod and a wave as I step through.

Immediately, I notice the energy shift. The air is almost full of a constant moving current of mana. It makes me shiver.

Once I blink my eyes into focus, I watch with mild amusement as the others look around with wonder and amazement, except for Jace, who is distracted by the pedestal in the center of our platform.

"We're in the center?" I muse. Looking around the space like everyone else. I think it's been at least a few centuries since we've landed in the center. At least I remember the last time we were in the center, the Divine Warriors were still protecting the realm, and I had my hands full with Irene's personal guard.

Garroth cuts into my thoughts, "The center of what? What is this place?" Everyone – except my brother – is looking at me.

"It's simply referred to as the Library," I reply. "It's a hub of information spanning back to the beginning of time. It records everything." I wait a beat. "And I mean everything." That thought makes me frown as well. It can feel like an invasion of privacy when just flipping through one of the books, let alone properly reading it.