Page 246 of Keldori By Daybreak

“Don’t annoy Ciarán too much.”

I grinned as I pulled away. “I refuse to make that promise.”

Orla and I pushed through the door together, carrying my things. I was a light packer, with nothing more than two duffle bags, a backpack, and a bedding set. I didn’t own much to begin with, and I’d traveled much farther with much less before.

Mom waited with Fana on the sidewalk with fresh coffees. Her tight smile did a poor job hiding her true emotions, and the muscles in her cheeks fought against the twitching of her lips, but she refused to frown.

“Did you pack your phone charger?” she asked. “Laptop? Toiletries? Emergency Skal?”

“Yes, Mom.” I dropped a duffle bag to take the coffee and pulled Mom into a hug.

“And you’ll text me when you get there?” she said, tucked beneath my chin.

“Of course.”

“Keep your Grimguard close. He’ll keep you safe.”

“There’s no more Grimguards, Mom,” I reminded her through a watery laugh.

“Be that as it may, I’m not sure anyone told him that.” She pulled away to glance down the street. “And here comes the shining knight now.”

Riley’s gray truck rattled up to the shop, and Ciarán smirked from where he sat behind the driver’s seat. He’d definitely heard Mom’s “shining knight” comment through our tether.

As he parked the car and stepped out to help grab my things, however, he looked much more like a college student than a shining knight. His eyes were amber and white, and his hair was pulled into a neat bun atop his head. His new Von Leer hoodie was identical to his previous one, though I’d made sure he kept the hoodie we’d worn across Skalterra, despite its holes and tatters.

“Last chance to stay with me,” Orla joked.

I wrapped my arms around her in reply, holding her tight.

“Come visit soon, okay? You can take the train,” I said. “I’m going to miss you.”

“It’s not so bad saying goodbye when I know I’m going to see you again this time,” Orla said.

“I’m excited for you to leave,” Fana asserted. “It means I’ll be Jonquil’s favorite.”

“Rude,” Orla said, “but fair. I accept my place as Jonquil’s second favorite.”

“Lady Fireld, don’t let Jonquil torture Una, alright?” Ciarán grabbed my bags to throw into the bed of the truck with his.

Fana giggled, hesitated, and then flung herself at Ciarán with wide arms to hug him farewell.

“Be nice to Just-Wren,” she whispered.

Ciarán screwed up his face.

“If Just-Wren is nice to me, I’ll be nice to her,” he promised.

“Careful how you speak to the Saergrim,” his aunt Odharnait warned as she approached us along the sidewalk, walking with Ciarán’s uncle to say their goodbyes.

“The Saergrim likes it, I think.” Ciarán smirked at me over his aunt’s shoulder as she pulled him into a farewell hug.

Keel Watch Harbor was gathering on the sidewalks, coming out of their shops to see us off. Even Sorcha and Aoife had come down from the library to watch.

Mom flattened non-existent wrinkles on my hoodie, and tried to smile again.

“I’ll be back,” I promised her. “And I’ve been farther.”

“That you have. Try not to slip into any parallel worlds while you’re at school, alright?” She allowed a sad laugh, but then her chin quivered.