Chapter Sixty-One
The subbasement was quiet but alive with magic — the air faintly humming, the portal’s surface rippling like liquid glass in its stone frame. Staff moved with practiced precision, guiding the last of the luggage toward the glowing threshold. Each trunk and case vanished the instant it touched the light, swallowed whole by the shimmer.
Near the portal’s edge, the Resort Director stood waiting — immaculate in his tailored suit, his expression warm but professional. Lucien and Riven stepped forward together, their presence commanding even in this hidden, utilitarian space.
Lucien inclined his head in a gesture of respect.
“Director, on behalf of all of us, I want to commend your staff’s swift action and flawless discretion. Your attention to detail ensured our safety without disrupting the sanctity of our time here.”
Riven’s voice followed, low and steady, carrying the weight of sincerity.
“You’ve done more than protect us — you’ve given our mate, Avery, a sense of peace and belonging she’ll never forget. She’s already declared this the finest resort she’s ever known… and the only place she wishes to return to for our family vacations, year after year.”
The Director’s eye’s softened, and her bowed slightly, “It will be our honor to welcome you back, whenever you wish.”
Avery stood a few paces away, watching as the last of their real luggage was pushed through the portal, each piece winking out of existence in a blink. The illusions of their decoy selves were still being maintained above, scattering in every direction, but here — here was the truth of their departure.
Lucien gave her a small smile before stepping through the portal himself, his form dissolving into light.
That left only her and Riven.
He turned to her, the faint shimmer of the portal casting silver across his features. For a moment, the world narrowed to just the two of them. He extended his hand — palm open, steady, waiting.
Avery’s heart gave a quiet, certain beat. She placed her hand in his, their fingers locking together.
“Ready?” he asked.
She smiled. “Always.”
And together, they stepped forward, the light swallowing them whole.
The portal’s light faded, and Avery blinked against the sudden shift in atmosphere. She’d expected the familiar quiet of the arrival hall — the same polished stone, the same echoing stillness she’d seen when they’d left.
Instead, she stepped into chaos.
The Council chambers beneath the school were alive with motion. Monitors lined the walls, each displaying the same thing: the audio of that threatening phone call, the voice sharp and ugly, paired with scrolling transcripts. Several stations were manned by Council aides, each speaking urgently into phones or headsets, their voices overlapping in a low, constant hum.
Across the room, she spotted them — both of her fathers, biological and adoptive, standing shoulder to shoulder with the Head Council Member. Their expressions were grim, their conversation clipped and intense.
Lucien was already leaning over a desk, his eyes scanning something on a monitor, one hand braced against the surface as he spoke to a Council officer. In the far corner, Kael and Molly were deep in discussion with another Council member, Kael’s hands moving as he gestured, Molly’s brow furrowed in concentration.
Avery turned slowly in place, trying to take it all in. The air was thick with urgency, the scent of parchment and ozone from the portal still clinging to her. But something was wrong.
Her gaze swept the chamber again. No luggage. Not a single trunk, not even one of the decoy bags.
Her brow knit. This was the same portal. The same destination. So where—?
Riven’s voice cut through her thoughts, low and close. “You’re looking for the bags.”
She turned toward him, startled. “They’re not here.”
He shook his head, his eyes scanning the room even as his tone stayed calm. “They’ll have been redirected. Security protocol. They won’t bring them into the chamber until they’ve been cleared.”
Avery exhaled, but her eyes still darted around, restless. “I just… I thought they’d be here.”
Riven’s gaze softened, the faintest curve of a smile tugging at his mouth. “I noticed you turning in circles like a lost kitten.”
That earned him a quiet huff of laughter from her, the tension in her shoulders easing just a little.
“Come on,” he said, tilting his head toward the others. “Let’s find out what’s going on.”
The momentary shock of the luggage not being right there as they stepped out, faded fast, and Avery walked with Riven towards her dads, Mark and Auron. They turned at the sound of her footsteps.
Mark’s face broke into a smile, the kind that reached his eyes. He crossed the space in three strides and pulled her into a fierce hug, his hand cradling the back of her head. “I missed you,” he murmured against her hair.
When he released her, Auron was there, his embrace just as strong, his scent familiar and steadying. Mark, meanwhile, extended his hand to Riven, the shake firm and respectful — a silent acknowledgment between two men who both cared for the same woman’s safety.
Lucien, Kael, and Molly drifted over from their corners, each greeted warmly in turn, the tension in the room softening just slightly with the reunion.
The Head Council Member cleared his throat, gesturing toward a semicircle of chairs. “Please, be seated.”
Once they had settled, his voice took on the measured cadence of someone delivering both reassurance and urgency.
“We’ve broken the call down into its component layers. The back trace has begun, and we’ve uncovered hidden audio embedded beneath the primary track. Our analysts are working to isolate it — it may give us a clearer path to identifying the caller.”
Avery listened, her fingers laced with Riven’s, the hum of activity around them a constant backdrop.
When the Council Member finished, the heavy door at the far end of the chamber opened, and Dean Errol strode in, his smile bright and unguarded.
“Welcome back,” he said warmly, his gaze sweeping over all of them. “I trust your journey was smooth?” Without waiting for an answer, he continued, “Your luggage has already been delivered to your new quarters in the dormitory. You’ll find your class schedules and updated training programs waiting for you there. And,” his smile widened, “you still have a few weeks before the term begins again. Time enough to settle in.”