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I wonder if she’s manipulating my emotions again.
He remembered Laethan’s directive that he must learn to trust his soulmate, yet a seed of doubt still niggled in the back of his mind.
She murmured from the corner of her mouth, “I know. I’m tired, too. I really just want to go to bed and get some sleep.”
Sleep. That sounds good. Perhaps I can convince everyone to put off this discussion until morning.
“I want that dangerous portal out of my house.” Karen Franks’ words came out in a crazy up-down pattern, with every other word emphasized in a high hysterical pitch. Then, in her typical fashion, she turned to Markaeus and spoke in a sweet voice, “Don’t worry, dear, I’m not angry with you. I know you didn’t make the portal on purpose.”
Markaeus flinched away when she tried to pat him on the head.
“It’s not dangerous if it really goes to Glaenshire.” Uncle Charles was clearly having a difficult time controlling his temper.
“Glaen-shire, Port-shire, Whatever-shire! It’s not safe for Daegreth if there’s a portal here. What if Vindrake comes traipsing into our home? Huh? What are we supposed to do?”
“Now, Karen, calm down, sweetheart,” Brian began. “I’ve got a shotgun that will handle anyone who so much as sticks a nose through the portal.”
Following through on his statement, Brian unlocked the nearby glass cabinet and selected one of the displayed weapons. Cracking the gun open and closing it again, he mumbled something about shells before marching out of the room, presumably to guard the portal.
“Why doesn’t anyone believe Markaeus?” asked Charles. “We needed a portal to that Craedenza place, and he made one.”
Kaevin grasped Charles’ shoulder, hating to dash his hopes. “I’m afraid that’s not possible. We determined that a new portal can only be formed from one gressor to another. Markaeus couldn’t have made a portal to Raelene because she isn’t a gressor. He only knows two gressors—one is Arista and the other is his grandfather.”
In the quiet following his words, each listener must have contemplated the ramifications of this idea. The portal must lead either to Arista in Laegenshire or to Faestus in Portshire. Only Doc’s muffled curse disturbed the pensive silence.
“You should put me in irons at once,” Daegreth declared. “I’m a danger to all.”
“Wait a minute. Let’s think about this.” Beth danced to the center of the somber circle, her auburn curls bouncing about as she spoke with emphatic gestures. “Unless Vindrake himself steps through that portal, Daegreth is perfectly safe. And you know if Vindrake attacks, he’s not going to risk himself. He’s going to send his warriors. So not only is Daegreth not dangerous, but he’s our best defense. Personally, I feel a lot safer with Daegreth guarding the portal, and that way we’re not gonna blow somebody’s head off when they come through.”
Kaevin considered Beth’s argument, and found himself in agreement, though Daegreth pressed his lips together in an angry white line.
“It’s true, Mom. Daegreth could easily defeat any warrior they send,” Wesley agreed. “And it’d be awfully messy to shoot whoever comes through the portal.”
“You’re right, Wesley.” Karen’s eyes were wide and round. “Blood spatter would make awful stains. I hadn’t considered that.”
“I doubt anyone will come through the portal at all,” said Alora. “They didn’t the last two times. We should probably just go through the portal with Markaeus and see where it goes.”
Squaring his shoulders, Kaevin stepped in front of Alora, calling on his budding clan leader gift to lend authority to his words. “I don’t believe we should make any rash decisions. The portal poses no immediate danger, as it is easily guarded. We’d be wise to travel through the portal with a force of armed warriors, prepared for whatever might be on the other end.”
He was gratified to see some heads nodding. “This will require consulting with the council. And hopefully, my father will return quickly from his duty on the border to add his voice. So let us adjourn until morning and let sleep lend wisdom to our decisions. Meanwhile, Alora can transport a few warriors here to stand guard for the night.”
Heavy footsteps pounded on the wood floor, growing louder as someone stomped down the hallway. Brian wore an irritated scowl and carried a shotgun on his shoulder. “Where is this portal thing? I can’t guard it if I can’t find it.”
“You’ll have to ask Markaeus to show you,” Alora said, twisting her head to look from side to side. “Where did he go?”
“Cripes! Markaeus is gone,” said Beth. “And so is the backpack.”
Kaevin’s groan vibrated in his chest.
No sleep tonight...
**************
Alora was glad Jireo and Arista didn’t act upset by their sudden transport. Fortunately, neither one had been in an embarrassing state of undress at the time. That thought hadn’t occurred to her until Jireo arrived shirtless. Arista was fully clothed, but had taken out her braid, so her blond hair flowed in a mass of long crazy curls, like the tangled tendrils of a jellyfish.
Alora hadn’t stopped to ask Kaevin before transporting the two, and she felt his disapproval and heard it in his thinly veiled jibe.
“How very efficient you are, Alora. As usual, your reaction time exceeds expectations.”
