“We need to go back through the tunnel and try to find Gosia.”
“She might not be there. She might be long gone.”
“Returning to her heightens the risk of leading Rémy right to her.”
“How? We could take precautions—”
“It would take far more than washing up afterward with peppermint soap,” Maritza said, tapping her chin.
“Alabastair, help.” While I recounted my adventure in the cavern, Kostya and Laszlo had been struggling to hammer a piece of canvas over the window. One end kept flapping away. Bas reached to grab it just as the window exploded inward. Glass embedded the canvas. The three men dropped the fabric, stepped back, and examined each other for cuts.
The water mage hovered in the air beyond the two bare, unbroken windows. He was still wearing the ice face mask. Everything else about him, from the garments shredding in the rising force of the wind to the desperate look in his eyes, said this was a man on the verge of exploding.
“It’s time to move,” Alderose said. She started shoving her weapons into the duffel bag. She slipped out the door and disappeared, reappearing a minute later. “I got Mom and Dad’s apartment door opened. That might be the safest place for us while we figure out what’s next.”
14
The foyer of my parents’ apartment was shaped like a half moon with matching tables to either side and a mirror over each. A long hall stretched toward a big room at the front of the building where a single window was positioned, dark as a sightless eye. Beyond it, Rémy’s storm raged.
“My feet are freezing,” I said. “I need shoes. Or boots. I think Mom and I were close to the same size.”
“Do you know where your mother’s room is, Clementine?” At my nod, Alabastair found my elbow and guided me down the hall.
Silk, hemp, linen.
All the scents I associated with my mom. The necromancer slid a door open. I went to my hands and knees. Mom loved her boots and she kept them organized. I recognized her red suede ankle boots and the tan-colored pair with the decorative fringe. The ones I wanted had flatter heels and laced up the front.
“Found them,” I said, pulling the pair toward me.
“Is there anything else you need?”
“No, I’m good.” Though socks would have been nice, I could hear restless voices coming from the hall. Bas led us back to the foyer. I slid down the wall, sat, and wiggled into the footwear.
Filling my mother’s shoes.
Walking in my mother’s footsteps.
Not going to cry.
“Here’s the plan,” Alderose said, once Bas and I had rejoined the group hunkered down in the foyer. “We’re going to find Gosia and bring her here. And because we don’t really know who’s aligned with whom, Tía and Alabastair are going to portal to Uncle Malvyn’s and apprise him of the situation. Malvyn’s designed special restraint collars that work on Magicals. They’ll bring collars back with them.
“Beryl and Kostya are going to stay here. That will allow them to monitor Rémy, and the portal, and anyone else that might show up. Including Dad. Beryl will safeguard the ring.”
Alderose turned to me. “Clementine, you’re going to lead me and Laszlo through the tunnel.”
“Then what?”
“Then we’re going to find Gosia and Jadzia and any other beings like them and ascertain why Rémy is so determined to have her that he’s been willing to wait over seven years for our assistance.”
I wasn’t convinced breaking up was the best approach. The fact that no one else raised an objection calmed me. Somewhat. Not completely.
“Time check?”
“Twenty-three-oh-five,” Laszlo said.
“Everybody ready?”
“Ready,” we answered in unison.
Alderose stepped into the stairwell and gestured for Maritza and Alabastair to follow. “If it’s okay with you, Bas, I’d like to watch you create a temporary portal.”
“It would be my pleasure,” he said. “Though I would ask that you save any technical questions for…for after.”
My sister returned in under five minutes, triumph written across her face. “Alabastair really is a Portal Keeper,” she exclaimed. “Makes me think I want a job like that.”
“Tell us about it later, Rosey. Give the ring to Beryl and let’s go.”
“Clementine’s in a rush. How unusual.” Alderose passed the ring to Beryl. While she practiced waving her hand in front of the wall, I stuck my tongue out at the shortest, bossiest, most well-armed witch in the room.
Beryl squeaked when the door to the cellar opened. I hugged her and Kostya. Laz stayed in the doorway until Alderose and I were on the stairs. As he followed, the door behind him closed and locked. We were cloaked in utter darkness. “Can you do that thing with your fingers?” I asked. “Kostya flicks his nails and makes flames.”
“Not anymore,” he said. “I traded the fire abilities I was born with for ones that my mother felt were…missing within the ranks of her protectors.”
“Oh. Is that why your hair’s white?”
Laszlo drew his thick braid over his shoulder. “I prefer to call it polished silver, and yes, when I made the switch to Ice Demon, a number of things about my physiognomy changed.”
“Anything you miss?” I asked as we negotiated the stairs in the dark.
“Let’s save that discussion for one of our dates, Clementine.”
“Okay,” I said. “But we still need light.”
“I’ll use my phone.” A moment later, the surface of the stone tree loomed out of the darkness draping the far wall. Laz sucked in a breath. “That tree is ancient.” He walked close enough to touch the portal tree’s surface. “No, I’m wrong. It’s definitely old, but it’s been subsumed by calcite.”
My demon impressed me with his science. “Are we ready?” Alderose asked. “Because Alabastair gave me two portal stones, one to get there and one to get us back here.”
I felt for Laszlo’s hand, and my sister’s, and steeled myself for the customary sensation of being squeezed and tossed that came with portal travel.
“We did it,” I whispered, as cool, damp air flowed over my exposed skin. Laz swept his
