“Can I commandeer you to bring me to the barrier today?” I asked.
“Of course,” Gabriel replied. “But why do you want to go there?”
I quickly filled everyone in on Roman’s appearance in my life and about the new information he provided about the barrier. Once I was done eating, I went to the room Finn was staying in to check if he was awake yet. I knocked on his door and called for him, hearing some shuffling but no answer.
When I knocked a second time, he opened the door a smidge and stuck his head out.
“What’s up?” he asked, his hair all mussed.
“Hmm, it’s not like you to sleep so late,” I commented. “Got a girl in there or something?”
I only meant to tease him, but when I saw the look in his eyes, I realised I’d inadvertently hit the nail on the head. A little rush of curiosity went through me as a grin split my lips. “Is it Alora?” I whispered as quietly as I could. I knew I sensed some chemistry between them.
Finn coughed and straightened, and I’d never seen him look so embarrassed. “I’ll be down shortly.”
Then he closed the door, and I turned away, feeling giddy. Alora was beautiful and sweet, and Finn was one of the best people I knew. He deserved someone like her in his life.
A little while later, he made an appearance downstairs, grabbing a quick bite to eat. I told him about wanting to go to the barrier, and he offered to drive. Gabriel, Alvie, and I sat in the back while Finn slipped into the driver’s seat, and I noticed that Alora wasn’t with him.
I slid forward and peeked around the driver’s seat. “Sooo, spill the beans, lover boy. Who were you with last night?”
“You’re very nosy this morning,” he replied, still evading giving me any details.
“Oh, come on, don’t be like that,” I said, folding my arms in annoyance.
“Yeah,” Alvie joined in. “Who were you with last night?”
“God, you’re like a pair of gossipy old ladies. Give it a rest,” Finn grumped.
“Oh, oh, oh! Let me guess, have you and Lucas finally decided to declare your undying love for one another?” Alvie asked jokingly.
Finn chuckled. “Yeah, that’s it. Not only have I turned into a vamp lover, I’ve also turned gay. Well done, Sherlock.”
“Come on you two, leave Finn alone,” Gabriel chided, the voice of reason. There was a moment of silence before he continued with a big smile and a wink. “Besides, it’s quite obvious he was with Alora.”
“Ha! I knew it!” I exclaimed, clapping my hands together in glee.
“You lot are incredibly irritating sometimes,” Finn muttered, but there was a smile tugging at his lips, and something squeezed in my stomach to see him happy.
When we reached the barrier, Finn took us to a less populated spot, saying we should try avoiding the crowds of crazies camped out awaiting the arrival of aliens, and I wholeheartedly agreed.
There were some woods along the barrier that were pretty much empty. We parked the van nearby and trekked through the trees until we arrived at the shimmering purple bubble that blocked out the rest of the world. I wondered if Emilia made it purple to make everyone believe Theodore was its architect and deflect attention from her.
I ran my hand over the barrier, and it fizzled at my touch. I felt that hum of recognition that told me I had a connection to the magic within. Yep, this had definitely been Emilia’s doing. Hesitantly, I stepped forward and waved my hand through it. My hand moved past the barrier as though it were thin air, and I gasped.
With a deep breath for courage, I walked through it and came out the other side. I looked back at my friends and saw them calling to me, but I couldn’t hear a sound. Wind whistled past my ears, and I suddenly felt terribly alone. Finn, Alvie, and Gabriel were all tinted purple, and the longer I stared at them, the blurrier they became.
Right, on to the task at hand. I pulled my phone out and dialled the number E.J. Edwards gave me to contact him. It rang, but no one answered. Frustrated, I hit ‘call’ a second time. After three rings, he finally picked up, “Hello, is that you, Tegan dear? I’m so sorry. I was putting a pie in the oven a moment ago.”
I smiled because the image of Edwards putting a pie in the oven was kind of adorable. “That’s alright. How’s my dad doing?”
Edwards sucked in a breath before letting it out. “He’s making progress, but it’s slow. It will probably be several more weeks before he’s back to his old self.”
I held the phone tighter to my ear and tried to keep the disappointment from my voice. A selfish part of me wanted him to be better already. “Well, at least he’s progressing, even if it is slow.”