“What do you mean you had practice?” Jenna asked.
Cole explained about the potion that had given him a look at the possible future. He also explained why he mostly kept that information to himself before fighting Ramarro, since the torivor might have read it in other minds.
“So from your perspective, you fought Ramarro twice,” Twitch said. “Brave.”
“The first time was a mess,” Cole said. “The second time went better. At least I wasn’t lost in some forgotten wilderness. We were so worried about you.”
“I may never know exactly where I was,” Twitch said. “Forested hills, with mountains in the distance. A wet region—lots of ponds and streams. I didn’t see another person the entire time. Lots of animals, though. Foraging wasn’t too bad—berries and mushrooms especially. I also caught plenty of fish. I was actually roasting a couple of trout over a fire when I was transported to the battleground with Ramarro.”
“Sorry,” Cole said. “I know it was dangerous to pull you into that fight.”
“Don’t be sorry!” Twitch said. “It was startling, but it worked beautifully. Here I am.”
“I bet your fish burned, though,” Jace said.
Twitch laughed. “I might have spent the rest of my days roaming a solitary wilderness.”
“I wish I could offer a feast,” Liam said. “You all deserve a feast. But the stores were looted by the soldiers who flushed us out of here.”
“My mother will provide a feast,” Mira said. “All we need is a wayport to the First Castle. I’m sure she went home after Ramarro fell. She’ll be trying to set the kingdom in order.”
Cole stared at his friends. Worlds were colliding before him—his older brother, friends from back home, and friends made as he adventured in the Outskirts. Because of his preparations to fight Ramarro, Cole hadn’t been able to really appreciate having everybody together until this moment.
Cole connected to Violet and energized her ability. “Let’s get out of here,” he said.
A wayport opened.
“I’ve got him,” Hunter said, nodding toward Cole.
The others started filing into the wayport.
Liam moved off to one side. “I won’t join you. I need to get back to Declan, and Junction is the wrong direction. Eat something delicious for me, will you?”
“Violet could send you home by wayport from Junction,” Cole said.
Liam paused. “I couldn’t have her send me directly to our new hideout. But she could send me kind of close, and it would save time overall.” He smiled. “Looks like I’m going to get a better dinner than I had planned.”
Hunter helped Cole out of bed. His knees felt sore, and his legs were wobbly. Hunter kept an arm around Cole’s shoulders.
“You proved me wrong,” Hunter said. “I was really worried. But you saved everybody, and you found a way home.”
“Now we just have to track down the other kids,” Cole said.
“I bet Queen Harmony will help,” Hunter said. “Hopefully Violet will too.”
Cole walked unsteadily to the wayport. “How long do you think it will take before we get to walk the Pilgrim Path?”
“We’ll know before long,” Hunter said.
CHAPTER
35
DEPARTURE
It took three weeks before Cole and Hunter stood in Creon staring at the gaping tunnel of the Pilgrim Path. They were not alone. Under edict from the High Queen, the slaver Ansel had handed over the locations of all the slaves. It might have taken months to collect them under ordinary circumstances, but with Cole empowering Violet, they retrieved every last child within fifteen days. All of the missing kids from Cole’s neighborhood stood gathered near the Pilgrim Path, along with Dalton, Jenna, and Joe, whose leg had mostly healed. Little Brady, who had once created his own nightmare playland inside Sambria, stayed beside Joe. Blake, Sarah, and Jill lingered near Jenna.
The High Queen was present as well. When Harmony went to retrieve her husband, she learned he had died the same hour Elegance got her power back. Honor had seemed openly glad about the news. The other princesses had acted torn between sadness and relief. Watching their reactions had reminded Cole that though Stafford had forced them into exile and made their lives difficult, he had been their father. Destiny had wept openly, occasionally muttering “good riddance.”
Cole could understand the mixed feelings. Stafford had once been likable. Cole believed the High King initially had good intentions. His relationship with Owandell probably had begun innocently. But the relationship had gotten all twisted, and his choices took darker and darker turns, until Stafford eventually ruined himself and his family. There was plenty of reason to grieve.
All five sisters were in attendance today. Elegance had an arm around Brogan. Desmond attended Honor. Mira stood near Cole. Constance and Destiny held hands. Jace was there as well, and Twitch and Violet.
Lorenzo Debray approached Cole. “All is ready,” he said. “Let me remind you that there is no way back from this path if you walk it. Though almost anyone on Earth could be brought to the Outskirts, there is no known way to retrieve any of you who take this path. You will become permanently out of sync with this realm. You will completely lose your powers, and I suspect your memories of the Outskirts will eventually fade.”
“You think we’ll totally forget?” Cole asked. The prospect seemed ludicrous. How could he ever forget nearly dying? Visiting the afterlife? Saving lives and being saved?
“Consider your own investigation,” Lorenzo said. “The greatest Wayminder of all time, who lived more years in the Outskirts than any other person, lost all sense that it really happened. You have been here for months, not years. You have confronted some very adult problems, but you are young and still growing. I believe the day will come when you will not realize any of this happened.”
Cole looked at Mira, Jace, Twitch, and Violet. How could he forget them? They had survived so much together! They were his closest friends. If anything seemed far away, it was his home in Mesa. The Outskirts were present and tangible. He resolved not to forget.
“You don’t have to go,” Mira said. “You could stay with us. We’re all going to miss you, and not just for your unique powers.”
“I have to go home,” Cole said.
Mira nodded. “I understand. It has been your goal all along.” She raised her voice. “None of you need depart if you would rather stay. Your abilities could be of great use here. I will personally ensure that you will have comfortable housing and a job. With my mother’s decree to end slavery, we are becoming a much more civilized place to live.”
Nobody accepted her offer.
Cole smiled. When Harmony had asked how she could reward him, he had only asked for an end to slavery, followed by help retrieving his friends. She admitted her own conscience had wanted an end to the practice for years and promised to dedicate herself to making it happen.
Jace shook Cole’s hand. “You might forget me, but I won’t forget you.”
Cole hugged his friend. “Keep an eye on Mira.”
Jace winked. “Count on it.”
Jace moved on to talk to Dalton. Twitch came forward and hugged Cole.
“Have fun in your mud baths,” Cole said.
“I don’t think I’ll be in there so much anymore,” Twitch said. “It was a place to hide.”
“Take care of the Halfknight,” Cole said.
“Thanks for everything,” Twitch said.
Violet shook Cole’s hand. “Good job, Cole.”
“Same to you,” Cole said. “Thanks for taking us everywhere.”
“Thanks for making it possible,” Violet said.
Mira hugged Cole swiftly. After the hug, he stared at her. Was he really leaving her? “Take care of the kingdoms.”
“Especially Sambria,” Mira said. “I plan to go train with Declan soon.”
“Say hi to Liam,” Cole said.
“I can never thank you enough,” Mira said. “You know tha
t. Without you we would have been lost. You didn’t just save me. You saved my sisters, my mother, my whole world. For a long time it didn’t seem possible.”
“We all worked together,” Cole said. “Keep an eye on Jace.”
Mira winked. “Have a wonderful life.”
The High Queen stood before the entrance to the Pilgrim Path and raised her voice. “On behalf of the people of Junction and the citizens of the five kingdoms, I apologize that you were taken from your homes. And I thank you for helping to save our world. We will forever owe Cole, Dalton, Brady, Joe, Blake, Hunter, Jenna, and all of you our deepest gratitude. May you travel home safely.”
She stepped aside.
It was time to go.
“Me first,” Blake called, charging down the tunnel. The rest of the kids chased after him, most of them running. Before long only Cole, Hunter, and Dalton remained.
“Ready, little brother?” Hunter asked.
“I guess so,” Cole said. He looked back at Mira, Twitch, Jace, and Violet.
If Cole was going to leave, it was time. He had done all he could for the Outskirts. Over the past three weeks, he had burned away the darkness from the powers of more than five hundred shapecrafters. Having their shapecrafted powers healed was the price the High Queen set for amnesty for those who had sided with Owandell. Many took her up on the offer.
Hunter led the way, then Dalton. Cole stepped into the tunnel last.
“Die bravely,” Jace called. “But not too soon.”
Tears stung Cole’s eyes as he walked down the tunnel. A huge part of him didn’t want to go yet. And then he was standing on his street, in front of his house, an uncomfortably hot sun not far above the horizon.
The tunnel was gone.
His own house. There it was. Same as ever.
Cole looked at Hunter.
And remembered him.
They used to shoot penalty kicks at each other in the backyard on the bristly lawn. They had home run derbies with Wiffle balls. They rode their bikes around the neighborhood and sometimes on trails in the desert. They had shared a bedroom when Cole was smaller—Hunter on the bottom bunk, Cole on top. They had played with action figures together and shot baskets on the little hoop clipped to the top of their door.
“I remember you,” Cole said.
“About time,” Hunter replied with a smile.
“I knew you were my brother,” Cole said. “It’s just . . . more real now.”
The other kids were dispersing. Dalton lingered. Joe patted Cole on the back. Brady stood beside him. “That your house?”
“Am I staring at it?” Cole asked.
“You are,” Joe said. “And you should. I’m going to find Brady’s home and then make my way to California.”
“We can feed you,” Hunter offered.
“I’m all right,” Joe said. “Lorenzo gave me a lot of money. I’m glad he took an interest in collecting US currency. You guys go see your folks.”
Joe strolled off, holding Brady’s hand.
“I remember the Outskirts just fine,” Dalton observed.
“Me too,” Hunter said.
“Let’s remind each other,” Cole said. “Write it down. Talk about it. Kendo didn’t have other people. I bet we can keep from forgetting by talking about it.”
“Maybe,” Hunter said.
“I should go,” Dalton said. “See you guys later.”
“See you,” Cole said.
“Think it’s summer?” Hunter asked as Dalton walked away.
“Feels like summer,” Cole said. “I hope the AC is cranked up. Think we missed the school year?”
“Probably,” Hunter said. “I wonder what grades you get when your teachers forget all about you?”
“Straight As, I hope,” Cole said. “Let’s go.”
They walked up to the porch and opened the door.
“Cole, Hunter?” their mom called.
“Yeah,” Cole replied.
She came to the entry hall, looking just as Cole remembered her. “Where have you boys been?”
“Um,” Cole said.
“Dinner was ready an hour ago,” she said.
“Sorry,” Hunter said.
“Are you crying, Cole?” his mom asked.
“I think I have some dirt in my eye,” Cole said. He stepped forward and hugged his mom tightly.
“What’s that for?” his mom asked, looking over him at Hunter.
“He’s been emotional today,” Hunter said. “Little weirdo.”
“Mind if I go to my room for a minute?” Cole asked.
“Go ahead,” his mom said. “I’ll warm you a plate.”
“Is Dad around?” Hunter asked. “Chelsea?”
“They’re watching TV,” she said.
Cole walked away from the conversation and went down the hall to his room. The door was closed.
Behind the door, he found all as he had left it. Exactly. Same junk on his desk. Same clothes on the floor. A film of dust covered everything. He had been gone for some time.
Cole knew he had to go see his dad and his sister. He knew he had to go eat dinner. He had to fall back into the rhythms of life as if he had not been away for months in a strange and dangerous world.
For a moment he stared at his familiar room.
His old life felt much more real now that he was here.
The Outskirts seemed a little more distant.
But he could not imagine that he would ever forget.
EPILOGUE
Cole sat down on a bench by a sidewalk on the ASU campus, not far from the Hayden Library. He was in an awkward time between classes. In half an hour he would head over to the Memorial Union to meet Dalton for lunch. For the moment he figured he would enjoy the relatively mild day and catch up on some reading.
Glancing up, he noticed a beautiful girl walking toward him. There were plenty of pretty girls on campus, but this one was exceptional—tall and slender, with long brown hair and lovely features. He didn’t know her, so he tried not to stare, but when his eyes met hers, she smiled as if she wanted to let him in on a private joke. Cole wondered if he might be sitting in her usual spot. As she approached Cole’s bench, he stood.
“Hi, Cole,” she said.
“Hi,” Cole said, delighted she was speaking with him, surprised that she knew his name. Her expressive eyes hinted at a playful mood. “Do I know you?”
Her smile warmed. “We were friends when we were younger.”
Cole did not see how that was possible. Could he have forgotten those lively eyes? Maybe she used to wear glasses? Or dyed her hair? He compared her against the neighborhood kids he had grown up with but came up empty.
“How do you like ASU?” she asked.
“Great so far,” Cole said. “First semester.”
“Hunter goes here too,” she said.
“Are you a friend of Hunter’s?” Cole asked. That would make sense. Hunter hung out with some cute girls.
“I like Hunter,” she said. “But I’m here to see you.”
Cole felt a thrill that an attractive stranger was showing him so much attention. She seemed really personable and open. Was she a little familiar, or was it just that she effortlessly treated him like a friend? “Do you go here?”
She shook her head. “I’m from far away. I’m just here briefly.”
“What’s your name?”
“Want to guess?”
“It would take a miracle.”
Her smile broadened. “You don’t remember me at all?”
Cole tried. Maybe a girl in one of his classes? Somebody who moved away? “Not really.”
She looked a little disappointed, just for a moment. “You used to talk about the Outskirts.”
Cole blushed a little. “That was a game I played with my brother and my friend Dalton.”
“A game?”
“You know, sort of a role-playing game. Like Dungeons and Dragons. Except we made it up. Pretty nerdy, I guess.”
“Tell me abo
ut it.”
Her interest mildly surprised him. “We got really into it for a while. We filled up notebooks with stories. I even used to dream about it.”
She looked serious. “Do you think any of it really happened?”
Cole huffed. “I’m not crazy.”
“You used to talk about it like it might have been real.”
“With you?”
“With me.”
Cole gave an uncomfortable laugh. “We acted like it was real. That was the point. In the journals we kept, we wrote about it like it really happened. I can’t believe I told you so much about it. When did I know you? You never told me your name.”
“Mira,” she said. “We’ve met several times, but you don’t remember too well.”
“Are you teasing me?” Cole asked. “One of the characters in our game was named Mira. One of the imaginary ones.”
“That’s funny,” Mira said, pivoting away. “I’m glad to see you’re doing well.”
“Are you going?”
“I should,” Mira said. “I’ll check up on you again. Promise.”
“Want to keep in touch?” Cole asked.
“I’ll be far away and hard to reach,” Mira said. “How are you paying for school?”
Cole was a little surprised by the direct question. “I had saved up, but an anonymous donor is paying for me. The same thing happened to Hunter and my friend Dalton. Some rich relative maybe?”
“Sounds like you have people watching over you,” Mira said. “That must be comforting.”
“Kind of mysterious,” Cole said. “I wish I could thank them.” He paused, considering her. “Are you involved in that?”
Mira flashed a smile. “Maybe a little. Have a good year.” She started backing away.
“I’ll really see you again?”
“I promise. And some of the others, too.”
“Others?”
“You’ll see.”
“I’ll remember you next time.”
“Don’t hold your breath.”
“I doubt I could forget you now.”
Mira stepped forward and took his hand. The contact felt good. “What matters is I will remember you, Cole. It can be hard to know how you impact people. Somewhere, there might be entire kingdoms that will never forget you, where people young and old speak of you with awe and consider your birthday an important holiday.”