Page 71 of The Princess of Portals

Portia ignored them all. “Continue, Zenik.”

“Wait,” Vela said.

But Portia didn’t wait. She went right on questioning the mercenary like she was the one in charge here. And no one tried to stop her. She sure knew how to put on a show.

“Why would Fenris want Savannah Winters to have this legendary spellbook?” Portia asked Zenik.

“Fenris was sure that anyone who could read the book could perform all the spells within. And he needed her to use the teleportation-between-realms spell to bring herself to him. So he had me attack her and put her friends in danger. And when she was performing a teleportation spell to save her friend, I used a special bracelet to hijack and rewrite her spell.”

“Teleportation magic?” Vela asked.

“Right.”

“So using this special bracelet, anyone who can teleport at all, even short distances, can teleport between realms?” Vela asked.

“No. It doesn’t work that way. You need enough magic, and the spell has to be something you can already do. Savannah Winters was having trouble channeling enough magic. She came to Mistress Meeta for help. I instructed Mistress Meeta to nudge her in the direction of a particular spell in the Paragons’ book: the spell that allows someone to combine magic with other people. Savannah combined magic with the other two Polymages.”

“The two Polymages standing next to her now.” Vela pointed at Conner, then at Kato.

“Right. And then⁠—”

Fenris laughed. “People can’t combine magic. It’s impossible.”

Kato gave the vampire prince a cool look. “Just because you can’t combine magic, that doesn’t mean it’s impossible.”

But Vela was with Fenris on this one. “Actually, combining magic is impossible,” she said. “It’s written into the laws of magic.”

“It seems like it’s time for a rewrite. Polymages aren’t supposed to exist either. And yet here we are.”

Vela frowned, but his words seemed to sink in. She looked like she was contemplating the idea, even as she flicked her hand at Zenik. “Continue.”

“Once Savannah Winters had pooled her magic with the other two Polymages’ magic, she had enough power to perform the inter-realm teleportation spell. So I just had to use the bracelet to change the teleportation target, and then she ended up in Fenris’s realm.”

That’s where he lost Vela. She folded her arms over her chest.

“And we’re just supposed to take your word for it that this bracelet exists?”

“Don’t worry. We have proof.” Portia smiled. “For those who lack faith.” She snapped her fingers, and a familiar woven bracelet appeared on the table before her.

“Lord Daykan, if you will.” Vela glanced at the famous Alchemist.

Daykan rose from his chair and walked over to the table. He picked up the bracelet, turning it over in his hands a few times. He examined it for several minutes—under several different lenses—until finally he declared, “The bracelet does as he says.”

“Thank you, Lord Daykan,” Vela said.

Daykan bowed his head, then he returned to his seat.

Vela looked at the mercenary. “You claim Prince Fenris set a trap for Savannah Winters?”

Zenik nodded. “Yes, and she fell right into it. Savannah Winters is very powerful, but she’s also very naive.”

I frowned, my shoulders tensing up. I didn’t like his assessment of my character, mostly because it was probably true. I felt two supportive hands on my back. Kato and Conner. My shoulders relaxed—slightly. They had my back. Always. Knowing that helped a lot. I didn’t think I could face this inquisition alone.

“Why Savannah Winters?” Vela asked Zenik. “Why would Prince Fenris lure her to him?”

“Prince Fenris wanted her because she’s a Polymage. Furthermore, she’s an Apprentice. She lacks experience—specifically, combat experience. That makes her far more vulnerable than a Knight. Easier to catch and easier to keep.”

“And what did he plan to do with her once he had her?”