Jireo’s head was already shaking before Kaevin finished his sentence. “I can’t do it. Once you enter the portal with Arista, it will close behind you, and I won’t be able to reach you. My head hurts si
mply from considering the possibility.”
Kaevin tried to keep his voice steady. “I suppose this means we’re going to be killed.”
“No, I believe it only means your life is in danger. All defender partners feel the pull during battle, but it doesn’t mean one or the other will be killed.”
Kaevin paced. “Let me think. Let me think. There must be a solution. What if… what if we all enter the portal together? You could wait inside with Charles and Wesley while we go through and seal the opening.”
“Yes! Yes, we wouldn’t lose the portal. I could still reach you if need be. The ache in my head lessens as we speak.” Jireo’s mouth stretched in a relieved smile. “I’m certain Wesley will be willing, and Charles will surely agree.”
“Surely,” Kaevin repeated, pouring skepticism into the word. “I believe you should be the one to explain it to him.”
*****
Alora climbed inside the portal to explore. “I can’t see anything in here.” She probed in the darkness a few steps at a time with her hands extended like antennas.
“That’s because you expected it to be dark,” Arista answered. “There’s plenty of light.”
“There is?” No sooner had the words left her mouth than the portal interior lit with a warm glow, revealing a tunnel with smooth polished walls, large enough for their Suburban to drive through.
“How far to the other end?” Alora took a few steps away from the entrance
“I expect it’s just around the corner, as should you, unless you prefer a long journey.”
“Oh, right. I gotcha. Just around the corner, it is, then. Can I also expect the walls to be made of chocolate?” Alora walked over to examine the shiny silver wall. “Awww man… it didn’t work.”
“Ha! Nice try,” said Wesley, joining her next to the very-not-chocolate wall. “Evidently there are limitations to getting what you expect in a portal.”
With a loud ker-thunk, a pack-full of supplies heaved through the opening and dropped to the floor. Wesley hurried back to heft it aside, making room for the next pack, and the next, and the next, until all of the packs were inside. Jireo climbed in, followed by Kaevin and Uncle Charles.
“You’re certain we won’t get stuck in here, Arista?” Charles looked like his middle name was Dubious.
“One can always exit a portal. This is the reason we must close the portal in Portshire from the outside.”
“It is warmer inside,” Charles admitted. “I’m still a little nervous about being in here, since Alora’s mother was so badly injured just from traveling through this thing. Vindrake must have it booby-trapped somehow.”
“You know it wasn’t the portal that killed my mother, right?” asked Alora.
“I know; Graely and Nordamen explained about the killing wards Vindrake had on her. But I don’t know how those things work. I thought it might be like setting a land mine somewhere.” Uncle Charles looked at his feet, as if suddenly afraid to take a step.
Wesley piled the cross country skis in a neat stack. “It’s clean and dry in here. And as long as we store our gear inside, no one will stumble onto our illegal campground and report us to the park rangers.”
Hefting a heavy pack on his shoulder, Uncle Charles hardened his expression to one of resolution. “Let’s get this thing done and over with. Hopefully we’ll all be heading back home in a few minutes.”
“Jireo, don’t forget you’ll have to step outside to communicate with Darielle; she’ll let you know when we transport to Laegenshire.” Kaevin combed his hair with his fingers, tying it back with a leather cord.
“How far to the other end?” asked Wesley.
“Just around the corner,” Alora replied, earning a smile from Arista.
“Then we might as well go with you that far,” Wesley suggested. “We’ll leave our gear at this end.
“Let’s go over everything one more time for good measure.” Charles pulled a ballpoint pen and a three-by-five-inch spiral notebook from his pocket.
“Uncle Charles, you’re so old fashioned.”
“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. The battery never goes dead on this notepad. Okay. First… weapons. I still kind of wish you were taking a gun with you, but I know your dad doesn’t want Vindrake to have any chance of getting his hands on something like that. You’ve got your knives with you?”