“So now what?” Isis asked. “What happens with Drew Collins?”
“From what Silas told me; they’re probably going to shut it down for a bit and make us go to the other schools until theycan figure it out. If that’s the case, I already got my stuff packed at Montclair so it should be easy for me to transfer as a Monroe girl,” she boasted. “I already know his sister and she told me she would make sure I get in.”
“I don’t think they would hold us off for that long,” I said.
“I need to see my sister,” Ayira said as she pushed her hair back from her face. “I want to confront my mother about the lies and warn my father.”
“You really think they’re trying to overthrow him?” Asha asked.
“I feel it,” she exclaimed. “If they harm him, they will harm my sister and for him not to send anyone for me tells me, he’s in danger. I just know it. So I have to go.”
Isis, Asha, and I shared the same look before looking back at Ayira. Before we could say anything, I heard a voice come up from behind us as I turned to see a petite Himora Clarke walk in between our huddled group.
“Evening everyone,” she greeted with a monotone. “Do you know when I will be able to speak with Maggie Grey?”
We all shared the same sneaky smile before the sound of someone screaming caught our attention.
“Tell these lil kids to quit fucking with me before I show them some real fangs!” Seth shouted before plopping down on the patio chair. “I’m not DOGGY! So stop playing with me!”
“Oh hush! Let them be curious!” Raven shouted from the house. “Y'all leave that man alone! Go on now! Go bother Clearance or somebody!”
“I’ve been sitting here quiet this whole time! Don’t come bothering me!” A man shouted.
Himora turned back towards us, waiting for a response that we really couldn’t give.
“I’d say a few days, maybe a week,” I shrugged as Isis readily nodded in agreement.
“Her and the boo are just catching up.”
“Yeaaaah…catching up…long conversations at night and long naps,” Asha added with a smirk, but Himora didn’t smile.
“She is responsible for opening the first barrier that protects the Underground,” she stated. “She tried to warn every one of the dangers of the games being the second barrier but unfortunately, it has been opened at Lake Lanier in Georgia.”
“We know,” I said. “Harvey…”
My voice trailed off when I saw Harmless Harvey dapping hands with Trevor as the two spoke just outside on the back porch of the house. When we locked eyes, he blew me an air kiss and a wink of his right eye while I rolled mine.
“How it was explained to us,” Ayira started. “The barriers are like the doors?”
“Yes. I’m not sure what will happen now that it's public knowledge that they are trying to desegregate magical from the non-magical. I do not know what’s going to happen in the Underground, but I do know all mythics will not be welcomed, including myself. The third will be the last…”
“Just like the three knocks on a moving door,” I said, remembering what Harvey told me.
“Precisely,” Himora nodded with a quick adjustment of her frames. “As of now, we don’t know where the third location will be but–––” Himora stopped talking when she heard her baby crying. Without a word, she turned and walked off just as awkwardly as she came up to us.
“She’s a little strange, right?” Isis whispered in question.
“Naaah, she’s not. Different but not strange.” Asha corrected and to my surprise, I could see her smiling as she watched Himora walk off. “Aight so what are we doing? We don’t know about school anymore. I don’t have much to go back to in New York now that I’ve made my life here.”
“The third door is home,” Ayira whispered to herself at the realization. “They’re going to try and come for my people next…they will be the first to get exposed. The spider said we are the creators of this magic,” she said as she clapped three times. “It was always said, if you clap in the desert and the desert claps back, you will never be lost. Maggie said the school requested my sister to be here under the protection of Dr. Holmes, why? Why would she need protection and from who?”
“Because…” Asha dragged. “She’s probably a fire breathing dragon princess…too?”
“I am going to save my sister. She is probably being forced to marry a terrible abusive man who will take advantage of what she is…I cannot believe I waited this long to realize my priorities. I enjoyed the limited time I’ve had with you all, but I have to return home.”
“Okay so what about us?” Isis asked as she looked at me. “We’re going right?”
I looked at Asha who shrugged.
