Page 98 of Knox
Just like Knox.
"No," Adrian whispered fiercely, refusing to let despair take hold. Knox had been real—his touch, his presence, everything about him was real.
Adrian pushed away from his desk and left his room.
In the living room, Lyrian was having tea with Leon. Adrian stared at the siren—living proof that Veridia was real.
"We need to open another portal," Adrian declared. "So you can go home."
Lyrian arched an eyebrow, guessing what was really on Adrian’s mind. "So you can go to Knox?"
Adrian’s jaw tightened. He wouldn’t deny it. "Yes."
Lyrian’s eyes softened with understanding. "How do you propose we do that?"
Adrian was fully aware that he was grasping at straws, but he had to try, anyway. "I know you picked up the shards of the broken artifact Caelen used," he said. "Doesn’t it still hold magic?"
Lyrian’s expression turned cautious. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small pouch, the broken pieces of the once glowing orb clinking softly within. "It does," he admitted, "but Adrian, it’s extremely risky to use damaged artifacts. We don’t know what might happen. And it might not even have enough magic left to do what you want. Opening a portal between worlds requires an immense amount of power."
Adrian struggled not to cry, faced with that truth.
He was not going to give up now, damn it.
He couldn’t.
But what was he supposed to do?
Leon, who had been quietly observing the exchange, suddenly spoke up. "We should go to Lancefield."
Adrian turned to his friend, confusion momentarily replacing his disappointment. "You want to go home now?"
"No, I’m talking about the portals there," his friend explained. "They were never fully closed, remember? What if we could use the artifact there to reawaken one? Wouldn’t that take less magic?"
Adrian’s gaze snapped back to Lyrian, searching the siren’s face for any sign of agreement or encouragement.
The siren’s brow furrowed, his lips pressed into a thin line as he considered Leon’s suggestion. Then, after what felt like an eternity, Lyrian let out a long sigh. "It’s still dangerous," he said. "But… it might work. And I suppose you deserve the chance."
Relief flooded through Adrian, so intense it made him dizzy. Without thinking, he lunged forward, wrapping his arms aroundLyrian in a tight hug. The siren laughed and hugged him back briefly. "I can’t guarantee anything," he reminded Adrian.
"That’s okay. I know it’ll work."
As soon as Adrian released Lyrian, he turned to Leon. His friend barely had time to brace himself before Adrian enveloped him in another fierce embrace. Leon hugged him back just as tightly, his voice muffled against Adrian’s shoulder. "Be careful, okay? Veridia is a dangerous place."
Adrian pulled back, meeting his friend’s concerned gaze. "I’ll be fine," he assured him, surprising himself with how steady his voice sounded. "As long as I have Knox, I’ll be okay."
Leon nodded, though worry still lingered in his eyes. Adrian squeezed his shoulder, then turned toward his grandmother’s room. His heart pounded as he approached her door. This could be goodbye, possibly forever. The thought made his chest ache, but the pull toward Knox, toward Veridia, was too strong to ignore.
He knocked softly on Evelyn’s door. "Gran? Can I come in? I need to talk to you about something important."
"Of course, dear, come in."
Evelyn sat in her favorite armchair, a half-finished knitting project in her lap. She looked up at Adrian, her eyes filled with understanding even before he spoke. "You’re going after him, aren’t you?"
Adrian nodded, surprised by her perceptiveness. "There might be a way for me to go to Veridia. I know it sounds crazy, but?—"
"It doesn’t sound crazy at all, dear," Evelyn interrupted, setting her knitting aside. "I might not understand everything that’sgoing on, but I’ve seen enough to know that anything is possible."
She stood up and crossed the room to him, taking his hands in hers. "Adrian, I’ve watched you these past few days. I’ve seen how you’ve come alive, how you’ve found a purpose beyond your books and your blog. If this is what you need to do, then you should do it."
