Emilie’s words hung in the air between them. A secret shared from another world. A secret too sweet to keep.
There was a way back. Somehow, somewhere, there was a way. And they would find it together.
Rafe’s heart raced. Jeremy folded the note, then opened it, and read it to himself again.
“It took us fifteen years to go back last time,” Rafe finally said. “So we shouldn’t get—”
“I’m not waiting fifteen years to dance at our wedding.”
They stared at each other, daring each other to deny it. Neither said anything. If they could go back…if the door opened for them one more time…
“Jay, you almost died there.”
“You almost died here.”
It was true. No denying that.
“Don’t you want to eat Golden Apple Christmas Cake?” Jeremy asked.
“Never had it,” Rafe said.
“Me neither. In Shanandoah, it’s only served on Christmas night.”
“It sounds good, though,” Rafe said.
“I’d like to meet Fritz’s girlfriend too.”
They laughed, then fell silent again, mute with joy. Sunny put his chin on Rafe’s shoulder and whinnied softly again as if to say, You know you want to go back…
He did. Rafe did want to eat Golden Apple Christmas Cake. He wanted to eat it with everyone he loved. With Jeremy. With Emilie. With Queen Skya. With his mother, who always loved everyone he loved, which was why she loved Jeremy most of all.
If they could go back…why not take her with them?
“Rafe?”
“You can still find people,” he said. “You still have that gift.”
“Gift. Curse. Why?”
“What if I still have mine?”
“You said it was gone.”
“I didn’t feel anything here, but this door is closed. What if there is another way in?”
He turned a slow circle, as if trying to feel the distant call of magic.
“Anything?”
At first there was nothing, nothing at all but the normal magic of the forest, its beauty and its dangers. But then…when he faced due west, he felt the slightest pull toward something far away. Then it was gone.
“I don’t know. Maybe.”
Freddy began to stamp his foot in impatience.
“Sorry, lads,” Rafe said. “Okay, let’s focus. You stay with the horses. I’ll run over to Mom’s and borrow a horse trailer from her neighbor.”
Jeremy slipped the note from another world into his wallet next to the torn-apart and taped-up sketch Rafe had made of him so long ago.
“Have you ever driven with a horse trailer?”
“No.”
“Well, I have.”
Rafe glared but only out of habit. “Okay. Just tell Mom…I have no idea. Something.”
“I’ll tell her they were an impulse purchase. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
Jeremy kissed him, then patted both horses one more time.
“Back soon,” he promised.
“Don’t get lost,” Rafe said. “That’s an order.”
Jeremy bowed. “Yes, Your Highness.”
Storyteller CornerThe End
