“I know. I can help, but not all the way. I’m not that strong yet.”
Jack offered, “I can take you to the hospital anytime. Her parents let me go in and I can get you in. The minute you’re ready.”
“Sure, I would be happy to. I would really like to meet her. One thing I wanted to assure all of you about, especially her, is that I don’t think you need to worry about her health long term. Once you are summoned again, the summoning spell will fully heal her.”
“We were talking about that earlier,” admitted Ryan. “Are you positive? There isn’t a limit on that? It even fixes paralysis?”
“Yes. As long as you’re still alive, it will completely heal you. The spells in the Quest Ring are powerful. I put the healing ones in there myself.”
Looking visibly relieved, Eric said, “Thank you. This is beyond great to know. We’ve all been so worried. What questions do you have for us that we haven’t answered?”
Eriana looked away for a few moments and then admitted, “I’m not sure you can answer some, but together we might figure out a few things, either now or as this continues.” She pursed her lips again. “I assume you know by now that your substitution appears to be consistent, possibly permanent. Ours was until a uniquely powerful spell and situation ended the cycle. I don’t know how you can get out of it. We didn’t know for a long time, and it wasn’t for lack of trying. Soliander was very determined and is the smartest, most resourceful person I’ve ever known, and even he couldn’t figure it out until the end. I’m sorry.”
“The worst part,” Ryan started, “is that based on what you’ve told us, we would need a spell to stop magic from working on Earth again, to once again break the cycle. I don’t suppose it’s in Soliander’s spell books?”
Matt shook his head. “Saw nothing like that, and it was Merlin’s spell, anyway. I don’t have Soliander’s spell books either. That raises a question for you, Eriana.”
“Sure.”
“We can never bring anything back with us, so I have been trying to memorize spells, then write them down here. We also never keep the items we’re wearing or using. Is that supposed to happen?”
She shook her head. “No. We could bring things back whether the Quest Ring’s spell sent us home or if Soliander personally brought us back. I don’t know why that is happening, but it might be related to the other, more pressing issue, the one that resulted in Anna’s hospitalization. You don’t have Home Rings, I’m assuming.”
“Home Rings?” Eric looked surprised, but Matt’s face registered sudden awareness.
Seeing his expression, Eriana offered, “Each of us had one at our home. The Quest Ring sent us back to our individual Home Ring every time. Since the four of you don’t have them, it appears to be returning you to where you were before being summoned.”
Groans of realization came from all but Matt, who said, “We need to figure out how to create these immediately. Otherwise, this is a consistent, huge problem. It almost got Anna killed and certainly isn’t great for the rest of us. We were just realizing we can never go anywhere in a car for fear of this happening.”
“Or a plane,” Ryan interjected.
Jack asked, “Was that spell in Soliander’s books? How to create a Home Ring?”
Matt sighed. “Don’t think so, but I feel like I understand parts of it. We need soclarin ore to make them.”
“Yes,” Eriana acknowledged. “You said Lorian took some on Honyn on your behalf. You should contact him when able and see if he can come here.”
“Still don’t know the spell really,” observed a nodding Eric.
Riana said, “Listen, I have a private investigator I trust, and he is the one who was able to find out you might be staying here. Ryan, when your attorney got you out of jail, we got his name and used it to look for credit card purchases, which led to this hotel. I’m sorry for snooping, but I had to find you guys, and you have been missing, whether you’ve been hiding from the police or press.”
Ryan waved her off. “It’s fine. But if you found us, someone else could.”
“Yes,” she admitted, “that’s what I’m getting at. Now, my guy did some illegal things to achieve this and the police wouldn’t be able to without a good reason, but you guys cannot stay here indefinitely. Check out sooner, even tonight. I could get a room for all of you within walking distance. It would not be traceable to any of you.”
She saw encouraged expressions and Eric said, “That’s an excellent idea.”
“I can repay you,” Ryan began, but she waved him off.
“Don’t worry about it. I purposely married a wealthy banker who lets me do what I want, more or less.”
“You’re married?” Jack asked in disappointment. He hadn’t meant to react that way, and her broad smile made him blush. “I just assumed… well, I don’t know what. I guess you’ve been here long enough with little hope of your old life returning that you moved on? Settled down.”
She conceded he was right. “No one wants to be alone forever.”
Eric asked, “I assume your husband doesn’t know the truth about you?”
“No. Not yet. Will cross that bridge when I come to it, probably relatively soon.”
“Before you got here,” Ryan began, “we were talking about setting up a long-term base where we can train, and not be bothered. Is this something you can help with? I mean, we don’t know about buying estates and we were thinking my attorney can help. My family has the money, but I can’t really arrange it if I’m disappearing all the time.”
She nodded. “Absolutely. It’s another thing that can be done in my name. If you like, you can always be a kind of silent partner where you name is not recorded on the deed or a mortgage, and
