Page 52 of With the Potion in the Courtyard

The potion room was a treasure trove, with shelves lined with bottles that glinted under the flickering light. We stuffed our bags with everything we could grab - glowing vials, ancient scrolls, and odd trinkets that hummed with magic. When there was nowhere left to stuff anything, we turned to Jalyn.

"Ready to leave?" I asked.

She smiled. "I’ve been ready since I got here."

"How do we do this?" Robbie asked.

"I’ll show you," Jaylyn said, offeringher hands to us.

Jessie and I told her hands, and Robbie took ours. All of us looked nervous, especially Jaylyn, which wasn’t exactly comforting.

"Now, he had me practicing this inside that bubble, but he never actually allowed me to jump realms, so I’m not exactly sure how this will go, but I’ll try my best. Jaylyn's hand was warm in mine as we linked up, ready to leave this place behind.

"Ready?" I asked, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze.

"More than ready," she said, her eyes reflecting a mix of hope and exhaustion.

"Let's go home." With those words, I felt the familiar tug at my navel, the disorienting whirl of colors, and then, solid ground beneath our feet. We stood in the courtyard of Godmother Academy, the air filled with the scent of fresh parchment and wax crayons.

"Look," Robbie pointed as Mr. Vanderflit burst out of the main doors, his mismatched attire somehow looking perfect on him.

"Everyone, they're back," he boomed, and within moments, the courtyard swelled with the rest of the school.

There were gasps and cheers, and suddenly we were engulfed in a sea of hugs and pats on the back. Jaylyn, usually so quiet and reserved, was animated, gesturing excitedly as she recounted our adventure. Starting with things we didn’t even know yet, like what had happened when she’d fallen into Doodle. She kept going, with everyone seemingly holding their breaths, until she came to the end.

"Without Cendi and the others, I... I wouldn't have made it," she told everyone who would listen. "They saved me."

I just smiled, feeling a bit embarrassed by all the attention but warmed by their happiness. They didn't need to know about the near misses or the sheer panic that had gripped us. They just needed to know we were all safe, back where we belonged, and that was enough for them. It was enough for me too.

"We've looked everywhere for you," Ms. Ingow said. "The entire school and the surrounding lands have been combed."

"Sorry, we didn't mean to scare anyone," Robbie scratched hishead, looking sheepish.

Jaylyn stepped forward, her voice stronger than I had heard it before. "It was an accident. Realm jumping is dangerous, and we never meant to..."

"Accident or not, you're back and safe, that's what matters," Ms. Ingow cut in, her eyes softening.

Then, the hunters squeezed through the crowd. "Is this the missing student?" the man asked

"It is," Ms. Ingow said. "But Jaylyn, tell them what you told me."

"Right. It was Cendi, Robbie, and Jessie who rescued me," Jaylyn said. "They came when I thought all hope was lost. They fought with magic and courage. They saved my life."

"Jaylyn, you don't need to, " I said, but she was on a roll, and there was no stopping her praise.

"Everyone should know what they did for me," she said.

"Okay, okay." Jessie laughed nervously, clearly uncomfortable with the spotlight.

The hunters exchanged a look, but it was the woman who spoke this time. "Who was responsible for your kidnapping?"

Jaylyn blushed.

"Initially, me. I learned I was a realm jumper when I accidentally jumped realms. But then, a Lizard Wizard kidnapped me in another realm. Except, he’s dead now."

The woman sighed. "So, there’s no one to arrest for this matter."

"No one," Jaylyn told them.