“Divination is widely accepted in Ordinary circles. That was all well and good, but I had to beso carefulnot to conjure by accident. I was constantly worried I’d trip up and start a fire in front of you!” Zani rubbed her hands together, and produced a small blue flame in her palm, which she immediately clapped out.
“Oh, spell yes! You’re going to have to teach me how you do that!” Maida clapped and laughed out loud. “I’m so glad fate put us together in the dorms.”
“Me, too.” Zani’s foot ceased tapping, and she smiled warmly at Maida. It was a genuine smile that Will thought was like the sun coming out from behind the clouds. If she could still smile like that now, perhaps she wouldn’t mind staying in Primrose Court for a while, after all? Once she got used to it. And they could all hang out together at the bookstore, and the cheese shop and…
“Are you okay, Will?” Maida asked, ending his short reverie.
He realized suddenly that both of the women were staring at him and he had that extra appendage feeling again. Their expressions seemed to say something like “Wait? What areyoustill doing here?”
He wasn’t quite ready to leave. Zani had said she still wanted to speak to him about something. He had to tamp down his insecurities.
Quickly, he crossed to the window. He stared out at the street, and the park beyond, watching some shifter kids tossing a football. In the treetops, a couple of pesky squirrels were trying to see who was moving into the Mudpuddle apartment. He yanked the window shade down.
He had nowhere else that he needed to be, save fetching the van back from the airport. That could wait. Eventually, he was going to have to sort out what had happened during that last port. He was dying to try to make it happen again. But first he’d need to make sure he could still port from place to place like he normally did.
Will pivoted to face the two women. “Do you think it was fate that brought the two of you together in college, or was it the Society? Seems to me that Director Berman had a lot to do with your initial meeting.”
“You’re right, Will. And she’s intervened again, assigning Zani to the Archives.” Maida nodded. “Perhaps she wants us to spend more time together again?”
“Perhaps she just wants to trap me at a desk job here. For myown good.” Zani made air quotation marks around the last two words.
“I doubt that was the director’s intention,” Will argued. “Most folk think it’s an honor to be tapped by the Society.”
“I guess I’m not ‘most folk.’” Zani scowled. Her fists were balled up, clenching the same pillow that she’d pummeled earlier.
“So don’t do it. Just leave,” Maida said. “They can’t force you to stay here. The doors aren’t locked.”
“Oh, no.” Zani shook her head. “I can easily defy and ignore my aunt, but one does NOT ignore the Society. I’m not foolish enough to think that would end well.”
“You’re forgetting something else,” Will piped in now. “You’re not really trapped here. Society edict or no—you now have a porter at your disposal. Your wish is my command.” Will bent at the waist and bowed with an elaborate, comical display. He felt immensely relieved when he saw Zani roll her eyes, unable to hold back the sunny smile that cracked through the clouds again. “Tell me wherever you want to go, and I’ll have you back by supper.”
“Or sooner,” Maida mumbled. A worried frown creased her forehead.
“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about, Will. Can wepleasetalk more about the ‘time slip?’” Zani asked, turning her attention back to Will now. “I’m assuming that sort of thing doesn’t happen to you all the time?”
“That sort of thing hasneverhappened to me, Zanfira.” Will caught his own reflection in the mirror on the wall. He was surprised to see himself looking so serious.
“Why, or should I say,howdo you think it happened?” Zani probed. “Why us? Why now?”
“I’ve been asking myself that same question all afternoon,” Will admitted. “And I don’t have the answers … yet.”
“Okay, let’s put a pin in that for now. Assuming we understand that, the thing I wanted to ask you...” Zani took a deep breath. “Would you be willing to try time travel with me again?”
Will knew he ought to be more concerned than happy at the idea of it happening again. There were a million things that could, and often did, go wrong when porting. And this was the case even when you were “merely” working within the dimension of space alone. But the thought of time traveling with Zani made the blood rush more quickly in his veins. It was an exquisite feeling, akin to flying through the air on a witch’s stolen K-Bike. He’d “borrowed” a ride once or twice while at school, but he’d always put the K-bikes back where he’d found them. There was something about what Zani was suggesting to him now that elicited that same feeling of throwing caution to the wind and doing something dangerous.
“We’ll see,” Will said noncommittally. He begged his heart to slow down and beat sensibly. Recklessness was not a trait that was encouraged in Porting Academy. It was the main reason Burnside Porter, who had been Will’s favorite instructor, had been fired. He’d been a bad influence, according to some, encouraging the students to explore navigating with all their senses, rather than sticking to the ley lines alone.
He was going to have to pay his old professor a visit as soon as possible. Possibly before he even went back to the airport to fetch the van. Possibly,now. He felt replenished and ready.
No time like the present.
“I’m not entirely sure why it happened now,” Will admitted. “But there’s someone from my past who might be able to help me figure it out.” He spoke tentatively, still formulating a plan. “I’d like to try something.”
“Okay.” Zani jumped to her feet. Will could see the slightest hint of color that flushed her cheeks and the excitement in her eyes. He thought it was a mirror of his own thirst for adventure. Sadly, he was going to have to let her down.
“I’m sorry, I have to do this alone,” Will said. It was impossible to ignore Zani’s dejected, disappointed look. She sank back down onto the couch.
“I just thought if we could port back to the train before the stone vanished, we might–”
