“It didn’t take long for my two to corrupt you.”
He grinned. “I’m pretty good at getting into trouble without help,” he admitted.
“I’m sure. I take it your parents aren’t aware of your current—status?”
Zohar grimaced and shook his head. “No, sir. I’ll probably be grounded for life this time.”
Juno practically vibrated beside them. “Dad! Did you see? We found her! Nessie’s real! And she’s so nice. She’s just like Mom said she would be! And we got to meet Zohar. He’s from Va-Vadier. He’s a dragon shifter like DJ and Stone, only his dragon talks back to him! And I met some humans! There’s this girl named Tiffany. She was bored, so she helped me. And?—”
Orion held up a hand, laughing. “Slow down and take a breath.”
“We have to get home,” Dolph added. “Before?—”
“—your mother finds out,” Orion finished grimly. “Yes, let’s go—quickly.”
Dolph glanced at Zohar. “Dad, Zohar needs help finding his friends.”
“Yeah, I told him if anyone could find them, you could,” Juno added.
Orion turned to study Zohar’s tense expression. “I’ll do what I can. We’d better leave before the fog dissipates. I think we’ve given the humans enough excitement for the day.”
Zohar nodded. “Thank you. My friends… we were separated.”
“I’ll help you find them,” Orion said, no hesitation in his voice.
With a hum of power and a rush of water, the group emerged back through the portal—this time into the shallow, glowing waters of the reflection pool. The portal shimmered briefly and then vanished, leaving behind silence and moonlight.
The bubble around Zohar popped with a soft whoosh.
He blinked, his eyes adjusting to the soft glow emanating from the chamber walls, illuminating the intricately carved columns and the chaotic scattering of maps, chests, and leather-bound tomes, the aftermath of Dolph’s frantic search. With a resigned shake of his head, he stepped from the pool, the dripping water highlighting his disgust as he surveyed his wet attire. The only difference this time was he had lost his boots and socks.
He looked at Orion.
“Well,” he said, pulling his shirt away from his body and shaking the water clinging to it. “I’m back where I started.”
Juno burst out laughing. “You look like a wet mop again.”
As Zohar laughed, Juno waved his hand and gently dried his clothes.
He gave Juno a quick smile. “Thanks.”
Then he looked at Orion, more serious now.
“I apologize for my unannounced visit. Things didn’t turn out quite like we were hoping. I’m Zohar Reykill. My father is Zoran Reykill, King of the Valdier,” he said softly. “My friends and I were…”
His voiced faded, and he looked down at his hands. The lump in his throat came back when he thought of the others. He couldn’t help but wonder where they were and if they were alright.
“Zohar is on a quest,” Juno explained. “It’s what future kings—and princes and knights like me—are supposed to do, so we can learn to be better rulers. Just like King Author did when Archimedes turned him into a fish and a squ-squ—that bushy-tailed creature—so he could climb trees.”
“It’s King Arthur, not Author,” Dolph muttered.
“That’s what I said, Author,” Juno retorted with a glare before his eyes widened. “Hey, where’s Nessie?”
Orion sighed and shook his head at his youngest son. “I sent the sea creature to Nali through a different portal.”
“Whew, I thought we were going to have to go on another quest. I’m tired and hungry,” Juno muttered.
Zohar laughed. “You sound just like Jabir. He’s always hungry.”
