“Let me go and speak to the council,” Caleb replied. “You don’t need me for the spell. I’ll make it back as soon as the portal is opened—just let me know and I’ll get one of the witches to transport me.”
“That would be great,” I said. “Hopefully it won’t take long.”
“It will take as long as it takes,” Nuriya interjected. “Don’t hope for a quick miracle—that portal is ancient, and I’m not sure this is even going to work.”
“I know,” I replied quickly. “But I’m still hopeful. It’s the only chance we have right now…it’s got to work.”
“Let’s get back to the rest of the group,” Corrine asserted. “They’re going to be wondering what the holdup is.”
“Okay,” I said, glancing at my husband. “Will you take Caleb back and then we can all go together?”
Corrine nodded.
“Be careful,” Caleb said, clutching my hands. He knew I could be as reckless as he could, especially when it came to protecting someone I loved.
I nodded and kissed his lips. Then in the next moment, both he and the witch were gone.
I’ll find us a way in, Caleb. I fiercely made the silent promise to my husband. I knew that the whole of GASP was behind us, but when it came down to it, our kids were in that portal, and I wouldn’t rest until Caleb and I were in whatever alternate dimension was hidden behind that black goo—whether the stones worked or not.
A few moments later Corrine reappeared.
Horatio, Aisha and Nuriya all agreed to join us on the trip back to Fair Isle. I was glad that the jinn would be joining us—if the stones had been created by their people, however long ago, then it made sense to me that their magic would be more attuned to them.
Corrine transported us all back to the door of the moldy pub where the others waited. One of the witches, Shayla, rushed out to greet us, shielding us all from the downpours of rain that were currently drenching the small island.
We hurried inside, greeting the small army of witches and vamps who were ready to do whatever it took to get the portal open. It was a reassuring sight.
“Did you get what you need?” Shayla asked.
“We did.”
I decided not to immediately divulge the information on the Shadowed. It was something that could wait until we’d opened up the portal; Dad would now be the one to decide what would happen there—and work it out with Sherus.
“We should get going.” I looked to Corrine and Mona, who both nodded.
“There’s a storm coming,” Mona replied. “I can hold the worst of it off, but not without diverting my energy from the portal, so the sooner we get going, the better.”
“Hold hands, everyone,” Corrine instructed, “and don’t let go once we arrive at the portal. I want our power at its strongest.”
In an instant, we were out in the middle of the ocean—fierce waves spraying us with salt water as we hovered in a circle around the black mass of tar. The wind whipped at my hair, taking it out of its clasp so I could hardly see what was going on around me. Corrine tightened her grip on my hand, as if reminding me not to let go.
Suddenly, the bag of stones shot out into the middle of the circle. One by one, the dull-colored pebbles emerged and started to form a circular shape which hovered just above the mouth of the portal.
While the storm raged on around us, I noticed that we were immune to the worst of it—Mona had obviously decided to use some of her powers to protect us, but I wished she hadn’t. I wanted all her focus on the stones, but I also knew it certainly wasn’t my place to tell the witch what to do.
So I waited.
I glanced over at Claudia, who had the same hopeful and fierce expression on her face that I imagined I had on mine—we were both determined that this would work. No one said a word as the witches and jinn all focused on the small stones floating in front of us.
Please work, I prayed silently.
Even though I knew I couldn’t make any difference of my own, I willed the stones to work their magic—copying the witches’ intense focus, not removing my glare from their smooth surface. I did worry for a moment that we were working with objects that contained malevolent, ancient creatures, but recalling Nuriya’s words reassured me. We weren’t powerful enough to open them – whatever was contained within would stay there while we borrowed their energy…I just hoped it was enough.
Corrine inhaled sharply next to me, and in that moment, one of the stones started to glow. It was only faint at first, a slight luminosity appearing in a green haze around it, but before long the others started to do the same—each stone glowing a slightly different hue till all the stones made up every color of the rainbow.