His words sting as if he’s slapped me across the face.
Is that how everyone sees me—stuck in the past?
“You sealed it to keep her out?”
“No, Gilbert.” Grampy sighs. “They’ve sealed it to keepyouout.”
“I don’t understand.”
It’s Auntie Cat who steps forward once more. “Though there are dangers the faeries pose, all willing mortals are welcome in Eclipsica. The human is not the issue.”
The human.I bristle but try not to let the callous nature of Auntie Cat’s words sting.
“This isn’t some story of forbidden love. It’s a warning not to make a spectacle of yourself,” she continues.
“I won’t, I promise!”
“But youhave.” Walleye sighs, holding up a crystal-rigged phone with a blurry photo, a shaky green figure, stalking through the campgrounds at night.
Oh, by the Goddesses, this is bad.
It’s from just a few days ago, my arms are full of Marina’s things, I look like some sort of scaled bandit. I was sure no one was around…
“Oh, Gil,” Grampy says with a sigh. “You know better than this.”
I do.
I should have been more careful.
“And if she tries to find her way back, then what?”
“I presume you made her a charm?” Grampy asks, his calm hand on my shoulder reminding me to stay steady.
I nod.
“Then she won’t die,” Walleye says, as gruff as ever. “But she won’t make it back here either.”
Tension builds at the idea of Marina jumping into the water, only to fruitlessly swim around. She’d search and search and—
No.
“I’ll find another way!” I say, my eyes darting around the cove.
“Not without a disguise, you won’t! Have you learned anything from this stunt?” Walleye shouts.
“Now, now,” Grampy says, putting one arm around Walleye and the other around me. “I think there’s something to be said for holding onto sentiment, but smarts? That’s something Gil here has plenty of. Gil will take on some shifts guarding the portals to atone for this mishap, won’t you, son?”
Beneath the cold as ice tone, there’s a pleading in his eyes that makes guilt flood through me. It’s their job to keep the portals a safe gateway. If they hadn’t closed the portal, that blurry photocould have cryptid enthusiasts and monster hunters crawling all over the springs.
Goddesses help us if they got scuba gear and found their way to Eclipsica. Guarding the portalis the least I can do for the stress that snapshot has caused.
Still, the idea that Marina might try to get back and fail fills me with dread.
“I won’t draw any more unnecessary attention to us,” I agree, “and I’ll take up guarding the portal for as long as you think is fair.”
“The rest of the summer,” Auntie Cat says, and I straighten before pressing my mouth closed.
“Alright,” I say. “The rest of the summer.”By then I’ll at least have my glamour, and then there will be nothing stopping me from finding her in the mortal realm.
