Ever After (Unfinished Fairy Tales #3)(100)
“Wait…what?” My head is spinning. “There’s another goblin who can help me survive in my world?”
“Actually, he can do a spell for both you and Eddie. Morag has always felt bad for you two, ever since she blocked your memories of Athelia. She’s a romantic at heart, just like her daughter. Females.” Krev shakes his head and makes an exasperated noise. “She’s been searching for a way that can let you bring Eddie to your family, and assure them you are safe and happy. If she weren’t so persistent, we’d never have found Yasuk.”
“Oh my god.” I gape like a fish. I’d love to have Edward meet my family, but never expected that it would be possible.
“Remember, girlie, this is going to be your one and only chance. After Yasuk creates the spell and we get you back to Athelia, Barthelius will have the last passage removed. We can’t afford another disaster like yours. It used to be a source of entertainment, but after the war with Borg, and your separation from Eddie twice, Barthelius decided there can never be any communication between the two worlds. So, are you taking this chance or not?”
“Are you kidding me?” I look at Edward, who gives me a firm nod. “When can we leave?”
48
Kat
Morag has gone out of her way to arrange everything for our trip back to America. As the only portal left is the one in Cornwall, Edward and I will have to go to Professor Bartlett’s house in the beginning, where we’ll take a taxi directly to the local airport, transfer to Heathrow, and catch the next flight to Vancouver. Morag had communicated with Professor Bartlett, who’s thrilled to hear from the goblins again, and promises to do everything he can to assist us.
“Your mother is getting married,” Krev says. “We’ll coordinate your trip so you can attend her wedding. In fact, if it weren’t for your mother, we would have sent you back sooner. Barthelius wants to have the passages destroyed as soon as possible.”
At this point, I’d throw myself under a bus for Morag. Or, in the world of Athelia, a speeding carriage with horses gone berserk.
Since we’ll be gone for three days, I discuss with Edward how to arrange it so we won’t be missed. Furthermore, we’re not sure if the king can spare us. We’re still pretty busy with rebuilding Parliament and preparing for the first voting for the Athelian people. In the end, Edward enlists the help of his mother. Queen Isolde, having learned that the goblins are going to transport us back to my world for three days, is astonished of course, but after a long time explaining, she agrees to help us.
“I can persuade your father you deserve a vacation after that shocking day at Parliament,” she says. “And Kat has been working herself to death. I can take over her role while you both are gone.” At my look of disbelief, she laughs. “Come, Kat, this is going to be my chance to be part of this new system. It’ll be a refreshing change from my usual routine. But are you sure you’ll be back in three days?”
“Positive. We can’t survive in my world without the goblins’ magic. We’ll have to come back before the magic runs out.”
Edward is also beside himself that he’s getting to visit my family. Outwardly he maintains his mask of calmness, but as one of the few close people in his circle, I know he’s nervous.
“Come on, Your Highness,” I say on the night before we’re leaving the palace. I’m lounging on his bed, reading, while he’s pacing in the room. “They’re going to love you, I swear.”
“It is not their opinion of me that worries me.” Edward approaches the bed and sits on the spread. Raising his hand, he caresses my face. “It is you. I worry you will be overcome with emotion and pain, because…this is going to be the last chance.”
“Well, I can’t pretend that I won’t break down, but before Krev appeared, I never thought I’d get to see them again, much less with you.” I lean forward and kiss him. “I’m gonna be sad, but you’ll be there with me. That’s what really matters.”
* * *
Krev finds us at an inn near the mountains up north. Here, near the fairy realm, the magic is strongest. He wastes no time transporting us to the goblin’s dwelling, where we spend a short but memorable time meeting up with Barthelius, Morag, and Pippi. Then the oxygen spell is performed on us so we can breathe in my world’s air. Both of us are sporting bright red marks on our arms when we are brought to the last portal that will connect us to our world.
We stumble through the portal, which is a glowing light in the distance. For a moment, it feels like I have been blinded, but then I get up. As I blink and look around, we are on a large, rolling hill. The weather is perfect, warm and balmy, and the sky above is a refreshing blue, as though it were painted from watercolors.
Edward rises and looks around, his brow furrowed.
“Your world looks… normal. Where are the gasoline carriages you mentioned?”
“That’s because we are on the hills. Wait until we reach civilization. Are you all right? No bruises or anything?”
“Perfectly fine.”
“Right. There’s no time to lose. We’ve got to reach my family as soon as possible.”
We rush down the hill until we run into a group of tourists. All look super surprised, because Edward and I look nothing like hikers or backpackers. Since the clothing in Athelia is way more old-fashioned, and it’s not like we can wear the fancy apparel from the palace, I had done my best to select something that won’t make us stand out in our modern world.