* * *
I sighed at the first bite of creamy potato leek soup, and felt the warmth take the chill from my body. Anali is the best cook. "Gavin, how are we going to travel around the world? And what exactly am I expected to do?" I asked.
I had thought about it for a while, and I couldn't make sense of how it all fit together.
"We will travel with the Cirque du Magique Fue. Michael, who runs the New York Center for Circus Arts, is starting a touring company. It's an easy way to hide and to get in and out of countries." Gavin dipped a piece of crusty bread into his soup. "You, as the Jewel, and the other Treasures will perform a ritual to open a portal to Akasha, and the magical creatures nearby will go through it, returning home."
That was it? What kind of help is that? What kind of ritual? I watched Gavin for a minute; he focused on eating, his eyes firmly staying down. I turned to Anali. Her brown eyes were warm, but she didn't offer any other information. Okay, going in blind, that's always fun.
"Will we fly everywhere?"
Gavin wiped his mouth with a white cloth napkin before answering. "Not most places. We will buy an RV and drive. That way it'll be easier to stop when we need to."
"You know Kayin and Taliesin. You’ll meet Miu and Sasha once school ends. They will be traveling with the three of us,” Anali told me. "We have been looking at RVs. Some of them are huge. We plan on sleeping in hotels or camping, but we could sleep in the RV if we have to."
"I don't have a passport." As if that fact was the most important thing right now.
Gavin made a sound, somewhere between a growl and a sigh. "We can't get you one until you're legally part of our family. Don't worry, we'll get everything taken care of in time. We won't leave until after you've finished the school year anyway."
I nodded my understanding, my mouth full of food.
"We planned on signing you up for the online school Kayin uses," Anali said. "I have a folder with information and classes offered for you to look at. If you don’t like it let me know and we can try and find something else."
"I was wondering what I would do for school."
Anali smiled. "Do you have any other questions?"
"Where are we going first?"
"We're not exactly sure," Gavin answered. "It depends on when we get full custody of you."
"How long do you think it will take to save all the magical creatures?" I asked.
"It could take years," Gavin said. "There are magical creatures scattered all over the world. We might have to tour the world several times in order to save them all."
"Oh." How would I ever save so many creatures? What would my life be like once I fulfilled my destiny? How would I find them all? What if I left one behind? What if I failed?
Anali placed her warm hand on top of mine. "Don't worry. We'll take it one day at a time. There are a lot of people helping us, and most of the places where these beings live have a Child of Fire watching over them. We are all in this together."
"Does anyone know how I'm supposed to open the way into Akasha?"
Gavin ran a hand through his hair. "Not exactly. We know we need seven Children of Fire to open the portal. We have you, Kayin, Miu, and Sasha. We need to find three other Treasures to complete the ritual. Any Child of Fire can help, but the portal will be stronger if we can find Treasures. They have strong physical traits, like you and Kayin and full access to one type of gift."
"Shamash and Aya know what you need to do. I'm sure they will teach you," Anali reassured me.
"It's a lot to take in." I felt overwhelmed. "What about the Sons of Belial? Won't they be out there too?"
Gavin's jaw clenched. "They will, and we'll have to be careful to not draw attention to ourselves. But we will take precautions. Staying with the circus should help us hide."
"Okay." I went back to eating. I could do that. I don't even like attention.
"Try to look on the bright side," Anali said, sitting back in her chair. "You are going to travel all over the world, getting to see things most people never get a chance to, and having grand adventures. Also we have chocolate cake for dessert."
"Someday you will travel the world, you will meet interesting people, see the most beautiful things created by people and nature, and most of all you will learn more about yourself. Each new place you see, each ancient monument you touch, and each person you meet will change you. You'll grow as a person, expanding your mind and your heart. Even though change can be hard, embrace the journey."
Laughing, I shook my head. Anali reminded me of my mom in that moment. "True, those are all wonderful things, especially the cake."