Rubble and fire rained down around us, giving me déjà vu from when Aidan had absorbed Meridia’s magic and nearly killed us all. Aidan’s flinch didn’t go unnoticed either, indicating the same thing was on his mind as well.

  With all of us magical aliens out of the facility, the entrance was sealed shut—melted metal that was Rosalie’s doing. She seemed more vengeful than usual. Maverick was also kind enough to summon all our clothes (that somehow survived the fire, wherever it was kept), allowing us to ditch the eerie white robes.

  In the distance, a white and lilac cloak fluttered in the breeze. The master’s long braid swayed along with it, the end of it still reminding me of a tail. There was so much I wanted to ask her, but would she answer?

  As if she read my mind, the master turned to me and reached her hand out, beckoning me over to her. I was mesmerized and couldn’t help but oblige.

  “I see your magic has awakened. Partially,” she spoke once I was within ear range.

  I lifted my hand out in front of me—a beautiful snowflake formed in my palm. The only difference was… I wasn’t scared. Not in the slightest. Somehow, in the master’s presence, I found a sense of confidence in myself. I clutched my palm around the snowflake, and it disappeared. Unlike my previous magical mishaps, the snowflake didn’t freeze my hand—it simply ceased to exist. Was this how magic was supposed to feel? I had already forgotten.

  “If you want answers, you can always use your Ether Recollection,” the master suggested.

  Ether what now— Right… I could see into people’s pasts. But how do I do that again? It had happened by complete accident with Zephyr. And wouldn’t it require ether from the world itself? Right. It wouldn’t be this easy. There’s no way the master would willingly give up her secrets just like that.

  “Oh? Is it not working? What a shame.” She crossed her arms casually—her body language indicating that she wasn’t surprised. “I suppose we’ll have to do this the old-fashioned way, and you’ll have to ask your questions directly.”

  “What’s your name?” I asked.

  “Wouldn’t you like to know.” She smiled. Great. We were off to a good start.

  “Why did it take so long for you to rescue us?”

  “Because you lot weren’t the only ones I was rescuing.” So, she had rescued her missing member after all… “For all the research they’d done, they couldn’t detect the subtle anomalies of ether related to mind magic. Once that became known, it was child’s play dismantling them.”

  “But you didn’t use mind magic…” I mumbled, thinking back to her purple lightning.

  “Hm? What was that?”

  Maybe the purple lightning targeted people’s minds. No, that would be too weird. But if it was so easy, why hadn’t Sylvis come?

  That left one other question. “What exactly are you, if not an Ethereal?”

  The master’s lips twirled up into a knowing smile. “I suppose you could say that I’m the original Ethereal. I’m one of the last remaining royals in Etheria.”

  “Last remaining…” I trailed off and blinked. I couldn’t recall anything familiar about what she was saying. Had anyone used that term with me before? Weren’t the noble houses in charge of Meridia now?

  “I’m one of the twelve children of Alina. Does that clear up my answer?” she asked.

  I jolted, but there was no electricity nor ice that accompanied me like usual. I really was in control of my magic now… “I thought they were all dead.”

  “Most are. It’s just me and my sister that remain now.”

  “What do you mean the… original Ethereal?” I asked. Maverick and Rosalie had seemed to imply she wasn’t like us.

  “Where do you think Ethereal magic comes from, Elaina?” She crossed her arms slowly and relaxed.

  “Meridia? Alina?” I scrunched my nose, trying to think of why this would be any different from other magic in Meridia.

  “Alina. Unlike typical magic that flows freely in Etheria, Ethereal magic comes specifically from Alina and her direct descendants. Furthermore, only one power can exist at once. Your Ether Recollection? Only you have that. Zuri’s body shifting? Exclusive to her.”

  “Then how are you here if only Maverick has cross-world teleportation?” I asked.

  “Might I remind you of what just transpired today? We’re not alone in traveling to other worlds—and it’s no longer something that requires magic to achieve.”

  That still didn’t answer my question.

  “Being one of the sole survivors of Alina’s direct bloodline, I assure you I seek nothing but to continue my beloved mother’s legacy. Perhaps now you’re a little more at ease, hm?”

  At ease? Hardly. That would make her more powerful than Sylvis. Is that why Sylvis had not come?

  “What are you planning to do now? Destroy Earth? Destroy Sylvis?” I asked.

  “Earth is of no more concern to me now. As for Sylvis… Perhaps in time.” She smirked. It was difficult to read her expression when her hair covered one eye and her mask the other. “It was nice meeting you, Elaina. I look forward to meeting you again.”

  I felt bittersweet as Lumi hugged me goodbye. Her small hands clutched around my waist, and I could hear her soft, airy breaths as if she were holding back tears. “You’ll come see us again, won’t you?” she asked.

  I clenched the back of her jacket tighter. For all that had happened today, the Magus of Historia were still our enemies, weren’t they? I mean, they wanted to kill Sylvis. Or at least their master did. “Yeah,” I lied through tears. “See you soon.”

  I felt someone hug me from behind, and from the auburn hair that draped in front of me, I could tell it was Zuri. “Thank you for looking out for Lumi,” she whispered in my ear.

  “No problem.” I smiled even though she couldn’t see.

  The two girls said their goodbyes (mostly to me) and vanished back to Meridia with their master. I couldn’t help but notice the sulking look on Rosalie’s face. Had something happened?

  “I’m contacting Sylvis to go home now,” Rosalie said. “If she’s even there…” I could’ve sworn I heard her mumble that last part. Had she also realized how strange it was that Sylvis hadn’t intervened?

  “You go on ahead. I believe there’s somewhere Ella needs to go first.” Finn smiled at me. He looked much better than he had in the facility, but I could tell he was still struggling to stay on his feet. I wonder who had healed him.

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  “And where might that be?” Maverick asked, intrigued.

  “T-to see her family!” Aidan added.

  I froze. I still couldn’t get over how amazing it felt not to feel my hands iced over. “You’re… you’re actually letting me go see them?”

  “Who knows when you might get this chance otherwise?” Zephyr smiled at me.

  “Actually… I think I can control my magic now.” I held out my hand in front of me, and an ember appeared in my palm. Everyone’s jaws dropped—their eyes threatening to bulge out of their sockets.

  “How?” Maverick asked.

  “I think it was in the facility right before the master rescued us. I think… somehow the fear and the pain triggered my magic?” It felt like I was trying to convince myself more than I was trying to convince them. It had happened so suddenly... I still hadn’t had time to process it.

  “I’ll inform Sylvis immediately. I don’t see her having any qualms with you returning home.” Rosalie crossed her arms and smiled at me, though there was still something bothering her. Without waiting for a response, she simply disappeared.

  “W-wait… So this is it…?” Aidan frantically looked between me and everyone else before resting his gaze back on me.

  I paused, the shock of everything hitting me. “I don’t know.” I blinked, not sure what to make of this. It felt almost… too easy. But at the same time, there wasn’t any reason not to return home. This was what I had wanted, right?

  I glanced between the four boys, trying to make out what they were feeling. Aidan looked on the verge of tears while the other three hid their expressions well.

  “Y-you’ll come visit us again, won’t you?” Aidan’s voice cracked.

  “I don’t see how when she’s not the one with cross-world teleportation.” Maverick shoved his hands into his pockets, shifting the weight between his feet uncomfortably. He wasn’t being sarcastic for once.

  “W-we’ll never see her again, then?!” Aidan’s eyes filled with tears, his skinny arms trembling as he looked anywhere but at me.

  It was hitting me now. I was going home—the place I had worked so hard and for so long to return to. But… I’d be giving up my friends as well. The same people who had helped me to return in the first place…

  I didn’t want to leave them.

  “You don’t have to decide so suddenly.” Finn’s voice was hoarse. It was difficult to read his expression, but if I had to guess, he looked… sad.

  Zephyr nodded. “Perhaps you should give it some time? There’s no rush now that your magic has returned.”

  Was that really true, though?

  I pulled my phone out of my pocket. Surprisingly, it hadn’t been taken while we were in the facility. I’m guessing there wouldn’t have been much use for it, or they thought it was of little concern when we had magic. I pulled up the latest news stories and wasn’t surprised when I saw the theater we had performed at front and center among local stories. Just as I had feared, my picture was there. I couldn’t not tell my family that I was safe.

  Inhaling a deep breath, I pulled up my dad’s contact information I had added so long ago.

  Ella: Hey Dad, it’s me, Elaina. I’m okay, I’m safe, you don’t have to worry about me. I’m coming home really soon and I’ll explain it all then.

  I sent the text and quickly blocked the number, not wanting to deal with being repeatedly called. For good measure, I put my phone in airplane mode in case he got someone else to call my number.

  “I need to go home now,” I explained. The four of them had been more or less looking over my shoulders the whole time and seemed to understand the situation.

  “I’ll send the rest of you home and then—” Maverick was cut off.

  “No,” Finn stated sternly. “We’re all going. Together.” He glanced at me as if asking for permission despite already deciding. I nodded my head in approval.

  “I can’t teleport the five of us across a continent.” Maverick sighed, crossing his arms.

  “Then we’ll just have to fly there,” I said confidently.

  Maverick managed to teleport us close to the airport but far enough away for others to not see. Once there, it was just a matter of magicking their passports and spending Sylvis’ money on plane tickets for the quickest flight to LA. Of course, once we were in LA, we’d have to take a very long cab to my house.

  Flying with the boys was also tricky. Maverick had apparently never been on a plane before, or at least boarded one from the US. He practically got into a fight with security over his shoes. Aidan, on the other hand, kept insisting his water should be allowed because he had bought it from the airport and therefore it could in no way be dangerous. Finn got someone else in trouble by ratting out that their ID was fake. I tried my best to keep my distance from them, but they weren’t making it easy.

  Once on the plane, you would think it was Aidan with the claustrophobia. He started out by the window, but quickly had to be moved to the aisle when he started hyperventilating.

  “Why didn’t you buy first class?” Maverick pinched the bridge of his nose, both annoyed and stressed by how much Aidan was panicking.

  “Oh… I’m just used to buying the cheapest option…” I replied.

  “Boring.”

  I crossed my arms and huffed. Clearly he had been spoiled by his magic for far too long.

  The plane took off, and I could’ve sworn Maverick used his magic to seal Aidan’s mouth shut. His eyes looked ready to bulge out as his mouth moved around awkwardly, never opening. Frantic, muffled noises could be heard, and the sleeve of Maverick’s jacket looked singed. This was going to be a long flight.

  I looked out the window at the setting sun. I had only ever been on a plane a couple of times, and never at sunset. Something about white clouds contrasting with the yellow and red hue of the sun gave me a bittersweet feeling. I glanced to my left to see Aidan peacefully sleeping—his head resting on an annoyed Maverick’s shoulder as the latter scrolled through his phone. Would this be the last time I’d ever see the two of them like this?

  I felt restless. Since the facility, something within me was pulsing—begging me to move and run and release whatever was within me. I found myself periodically opening my hand and watching a tiny amount of air swirl around my palm. Focus too hard, and a puff of air would blast me in the face. Would I really be able to fit into a magicless world now? It seemed almost unfair. In order to return to a place without magic, I needed to first understand magic. What was the point of having something you couldn’t use?

  But I missed my family. My dad, Rose, Carol, Matt… Even my mom and my little stepbrother. I wanted to see them again.

  Time was running out. But I had already made the decision when I sent the text. It would be far too cruel to let them know I was so close, just to disappear again. This time, indefinitely.

  I was going home. That much was certain.

  But I was also losing my home.

  We exited the airport in silence, the tension between us palpable. It reminded me of when we first arrived in New York; how far we had come since then. Maverick tried to track down a cab that would be willing to take us all the way to Riverside.

  I shifted my weight between my toes and heels, taking a good look at my friends. Aidan was yawning, having only just woken up from his nap. It was the middle of the night, and I imagined we were all tired. Zephyr looked calm as usual, but there was something off about Finn I couldn’t place.

  “How are you two feeling?” I glanced between Aidan and Finn. They had both been injured at the facility. Maybe a six-hour flight was too much for them…

  “Tired,” Aidan answered, seemingly missing the point.

  “I’ll be okay.” Finn forced a smile at me.

  “Does it hurt?” I asked.

  “I’ve been through worse.” He shoved his hands into his pockets and bounced on his heels. What could be worse than constant pain over several hours?

  “Come on.” Maverick beckoned us over to a gray SUV. It reminded me of the one my dad had. Thoughts of home shot pain and longing into my stomach.

  “You’re almost there,” Finn whispered into my ear as he placed a hand on my shoulder.

  “Yeah…” I mumbled. There was no way he didn’t know about my mixed feelings.

  The ride to my house was mostly silent, save for the nosy cab driver. He was far too interested in where we had traveled, why we were going to Riverside, if any of us were interested in country music… He played said country music despite Maverick’s protests. At least Aidan seemed to be enjoying it.

  “Your father won’t be spooked by you showing up this late at night?” Finn posed a question I hadn’t thought about.

  “Oh… I guess you’re right. Um… I guess we could stop somewhere for the night?” I suggested.

  I could’ve sworn I saw him smile.

  We spent the night at a small hotel. We rented out a three-bedroom suite, and I couldn’t help but be reminded of our apartment back in New York. I wondered whatever happened to it? I shook my head. I couldn’t get sentimental right now.

  I tossed and turned in bed, thinking of ways I’d explain where I was. I was kidnapped, but did I want everyone else to know that? Kidnapping usually implied your time was miserable, but mine hadn’t been. Except for when Maverick had tormented me. How would I explain how I’d come back? Who were the people in the picture with me? Why was I in New York? What had really happened at the theater?

  I supposed there was always the truth. But who would believe that? Besides, Sylvis would probably kill me for revealing magic to other people—especially on Earth.

  This would be a long night…