Page 58 of The Princess of Portals

“Yes,” Conner said. “They’re like beacons, but beacons only we can see. We tracked you through them. Imagine our surprise when we discovered you were on Gaia.”

“Capricorn made a portal to bring us back here.”

“Capricorn?”

I yawned. “I managed to scrape together enough magic to reach out to her.”

“But not reach out to us?”

“I couldn’t find you.”

“When the Templar abducted you, why didn’t you call us, Seven?”

“I tried the necklaces when I was trapped in Fenris’s fortress, but they didn’t glow. Something was blocking their magic. Fenris’s wards, I suppose.”

“You also have a phone.”

“Not anymore,” I said glumly. I pulled the broken remnants of my phone out of my pocket and showed them to him.

Kato’s gaze panned over the pieces. “I’ve seen worse.”

I snorted.

“Kato’s definitely done worse to his phone,” Conner chimed in.

“Look who’s talking, Sir Smash-A-Lot.”

They both laughed.

“Wait, phones work across realms?” I asked.

Kato shrugged. “They do if you put the right kind of magic into them.”

“You have to forgive Kato’s smugness, Red. He thinks he’s the smartest person in all the realms.” Conner winked at me.

Kato rolled his eyes at him. “Like you don’t think you’re the smartest person in all the realms.”

“Of course I do. But in my case, at least it’s true.”

“For someone who tries so hard to be funny, you’re sure failing miserably.”

“Savannah thinks I’m funny.” Conner flashed me a bright smile. “Don’t you, Red?”

I threw my arms around both of them. “I’m just so glad to see you both. I wasn’t sure I’d ever get out of Prince Fenris’s dungeon.”

“Tell us everything that happened,” Kato said.

And so I did. I told them how Prince Fenris had turned the Apprentices into Polymages and how he was building an army to take on the Many Realms Court. I told them that Fenris had faked his death, faked his mother’s death and kidnapped her, and how we’d all gotten out of his creepy fortress. And then, finally, I told them that Seriana had died fighting her son.

“Which reminds me, I shoved Fenris into Oblivion. Do you think one of you can swing by there and pick him up? I promised Seriana I’d bring Fenris in front of the Court to face justice.”

“I’ll take care of it,” Kato promised.

“Thanks.” I gave him a tired smile, then leaned my head against the window and fell fast asleep.

CHAPTER 9

BACK IN CHARGE