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I meet his gaze, expecting an accusation there but only finding relief and pride.

“It seems the head injury only temporarily impaired your ability to use your power.”

I’m more relieved about that than disappointed that my plan to return to Earth failed.And that makes me a selfish jerk because what I should be doing is thinking about my parents.I mean, I am.I’m worried sick about them.Of course I still want to see them.I haven’t lost sight of that goal.The thought sobers me, putting a damper on my excitement, and as if reading my mood, Aruan turns broody.

We finish our meal in silence with me feeding bits and pieces of my food to Pip, who gobbles everything up before licking his paws and cleaning his whiskers like a cat.I dare to stroke his head and get away with petting him with all my fingers intact.

Once I’ve satisfied my hunger and thirst, I assure Aruan that I can’t take another bite, and then we walk to the quarters in the west wing of the palace.

Aruan stops at the end of a long hallway.The stones sealing an archway vanish to reveal a room that resembles Aruan’s, only bigger.Instead of one big sunken bed, several daybeds are lined up against the wall.Stone benches with padded cushions run along the other walls.An arched window with pink glass panes looks out over fields.The haphazard roofs of a village are visible on top of a hill in the distance.

Sandy and the rest of the women sit huddled together on the benches.They jump to their feet when Aruan and I enter the room.

Shooting an apprehensive glance at Aruan, Sandy rushes to me.“We were worried about you.Is everything all right?”

“I’m good.How’s everyone doing here?”I frown.“Where’s Karl?”

“Next door.He has his own room.”Her gaze darts to Aruan, who’s observing us with his arms crossed over his broad chest.“Can he understand us?”

“He doesn’t speak English.I’ll translate for him.”

“You speak their language?”she asks, looking stung.“But how?You didn’t mention it.”

“It wasn’t relevant at the time.Let’s focus on the issue at hand, which is to make sure you’re all okay.”

The tense set of Sandy’s shoulders relaxes a little.“You said his mother can get us out of here.”

Having heard Aruan and his father arguing about that, I feel my stomach tighten with concern.What if the queen refuses to open a portal to Earth because the scrolls forbid it?

We’ll have to talk to her about it, but for now, I want to make sure everyone is fine.

“One thing at a time,” I say.“Have your needs been taken care of?Have you eaten?”

“They fed us well, don’t worry.A guy looking a lot like your companion here came to check our injuries.”She glances at Eucabeth, who stares into the distance with a dreamy look and glowing cheeks.“He cured Eucabeth.”She continues in a disbelieving tone.“She can hear again.”Lowering her voice, she stresses, “Her deafness is simply gone.”

I smile.“That would’ve been Vitai.”

“How is that even possible?”Sandy exclaims.“Irina’s scars have disappeared, and for once, Maeva is calm.”

“Vitai has healing powers.”

“He was very kind to us.I like him.I can’t say the same about the guy who brought the food.Nowthatone was scary.I swear he saw right into my mind.I had this weird notion he knew exactly what I was thinking, which was that he was a frightening son of a bitch, because he looked me straight in the eye and gave me a diabolical smile.”

“That sounds like Kian.”

“What is she saying?”Aruan asks.

I turn to him.“Sandy says Vitai healed them.Eucabeth was deaf, but now she can hear.Isn’t that amazing?”I’m all but jumping up and down from the elation.“Apparently, Kian was here as well.He brought them food.”

“Ask them if they need anything else,” Aruan instructs.

After I’ve done so and told him that they’re grateful for everything but eager to go home, Aruan tells me to explain to them that they have to be confined for safety reasons, and that we’ll be back when we’ve spoken to the queen.

When I’ve conveyed the message, I ask Aruan in his language, “Is confining them really necessary?”Because that’s just a nice way of saying he’s locking them up.“The Phaelix kept them in prison cells.Don’t you think they’ve been under lock and key for long enough?”

He addresses me in a stern tone.“You know why it’s necessary.”Turning on his heel, he orders, “Come.You can visit them again later.”

Not wanting to evoke his ire by arguing, I say to Sandy, “I’ll be back as soon as I can.You don’t have to worry.I won’t let anything happen to you.”