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“Me?” I ask.

“Mhmm,” he says. “Only a high witch can open or close a portal like this at will without another from your coven. Your mother was able to use the portal because she was pregnant with you.”

“Ah,” I say simply.

“You’ll be great,” he says with an encouraging smile. “Come on.” I follow him through the house, and we stop outside a door to wait on Volis. “There is an updated library with newer books right next to this, so you are free to use it or anything else in the house.”

“I appreciate this, Dad,” I say.

He smiles brightly and hugs me. “You don’t know how long I’ve been waiting to hear that,” he says softly.

“You’re going to make me cry again,” I sniff. He chuckles and kisses my forehead.

“Let’s do this,” he says as he takes the necklace from Volis when he approaches.

Dad opens the door to the room, and we all walk in. The room is made up of solid brick. He gestures for me to stand in front of a wall that has runes carved into the brick. Together they form an oval on the wall.

“That’s Mom’s?” I ask.

“It is,” he says as he steps behind me to put the necklace on me. “It’s yours now.”

“You don’t want to keep it? I’m sure it brought you good memories of her,” I say.

“Lilith, I have you now,” he says. “I don’t need the necklace to remind me of her when I see her every time I look at you.”

“There is one in the chest in there,” I say. “I am positive that you are meant to keep it after this portal is opened.”

“I’ll leave it up to you,” he says with a smile. “Alright. Are you ready?”

“Yea!” I say happily.

“Okay. Trace each rune starting from the top and moving clockwise. Leave the center for last. Thinkonlyof the library. This is very important because you will end up somewhere else if you aren’t thinking of the library,” he says. “When you trace the rune in the center, sayAdvectus.”

“Okay. Clockwise and leave the center for last. Think of the library and don’t fuck up,” I say.

“Yeah,” he chuckles. “You’ve got this, Lilith.”

Dad steps back to give me space. I close my eyes and take a deep breath so I can focus. When I open my eyes, I take a step forward and start tracing the runes. I start at the top and work my way clockwise like he told me to do. I keep the library in the forefront of my mind, and I trace the last rune I say the word, “Advectus.”

The brick inside the runes swirls until it distorts into something that resembles frosted glass with ripples moving through its surface. “Woah! I did it!” I say happily as I sprint around to look at Dad.

“Good job,” he says proudly.

“Can I?” I ask.

“Yeah. Go ahead,” he says.

I walk up to the frosted glass and test it first by reaching out to touch its surface. My hand easily slips through the portal, so I take a step in. Suddenly I am in the back of the library. This space was once a blank wall but now has a giant frosted glass oval on the wall.

Everyone steps through the portal, and Dad instantly becomes emotional. It doesn’t even register that he hasn’t been here since Mom was alive. “Are you okay?” I ask him.

“Yeah,” he says softly. “Yeah, I’m okay.”

“The chest is over here,” I say. I turn and walk to the table where we left it. When I open it, I take the letter out and hand it to Dad.

MAZVYN FLASHBACK

23 Years Ago