We made it a bit of a party, though Charlotte and Sage did take their leave, returning to the werepalace while Mom, Oliver, Gabriel and I traveled through the Gateway and stepped across into the Stronghold.
Jared, body transformed back into the giant black dog, padded at my side, the squawk and rush of wings reminding me about Henry just as he dodged through the rapidly closing gap to clutch at my hair and hide, once again, in my dark curls like he could never face the world now that he'd done what he'd done.
We'd be having a long heart-to-heart as soon as I was done here.
Greetings, Sydlynn. The Stronghold's voice reached all of us, mental connection almost like having a giant stone fortress sit on you and say hello. Yeah, exactly like that. I exhaled and pushed back just enough I didn't feel smothered so much while Mom said her own hellos.