Andy wasn’t ready to be up yet, so Ann, Sapphire, and Pt’this sat with him. He had called his parents to let them know he was leaving and promised to visit when he could. They were relating what each group had done the night before. Ann was having trouble accepting they had killed her grandfather, but the fact that they were able to bring him back helped her keep calm about it. “Pt’this, can I ask a favor?” Nim asked entering the room. Nim always looked sad to Ann, but this morning he seemed even more so. “What do you need?” Pt’this asked. “Can you give this back to the Council?” He handed him the signet ring of the emissary. Pt’this looked at it in surprise. “You’re not going back?” Nim shook his head. “I can’t bear to be away from Jo, and I can’t ask her to give up what she does for me. She lost her family to work there. I can’t ask her to make that sacrifice meaningless.” Pt’this nodded. “What about when you get sick?” “Tani said he’d help me; that it should only last for a few days.” “Do you want us to bring you your stuff?” Sapphire offered. Nim shook his head. “I’ve got everything. I don’t own much.” “You weren’t planning on coming back where you?” Andy guessed. Nim shook his head. “I finally found someone I feel I belong with. I can’t give that up.” “You two will come and visit, won’t you? The gate’s available now,” Ann said. “John said it’s been there for centuries, it’s not going to close anytime soon.” Nim smiled. “We will. You guys will have to come visit us too.” “We will,” Ann assured him. “Andy’s coming back to finish school.” “I am?” Andy frowned. “You need two more classes to graduate. You didn’t spend all that time and effort to give up now. You have evening classes. I’ll bring you and get you when you’re done for the day.” She turned back to Nim. “And we’ll scry you too some if you teach me that spell.” “It’s in my spell books in my room at the palace. Copy what you want and share them with Ti and Dae. One of those two can use them best I think. “And, can you give this to the Council too?” Nim handed Pt’this a piece of his drawing parchment folded and sealed. “Maybe it will help Ti.” *** Nim watched as they got ready to return to Torthoc. He hadn’t realized how hard it would be to say goodbye. He hadn’t realized how close he’d come to these people. He was glad he thought to block the bond this morning. He didn’t want Jo to realize just how much he was going to miss them. She might not want him to stay. He would miss his friends, but he would die without her. He hugged them each goodbye and promised to visit. He watched as they disappeared through the gate, helping Mishtali as they went. Then, arm in arm with his chosen he turned and walked away and they, with Tani, correction, John, walked through the country club and out into the world where he would start his new life with his soon-to-be mate. *** Mishtali leaned on a young man named Ti as they went through the gate to Torthoc. He’d used the gate before. That was one of the primary ways Nor’than brought him back for healing. Ti was quite conscientious of Mishtali’s limitations as they made their way through the tunnel that was the gate between worlds. Then, they were through. He looked around as he felt the weight caused by the presence of the abundance of copper on Earth lifted from him. He drew in magic just because he could. Suddenly, he felt something he thought he’d never feel again. His knees buckled at the surprise. Hands caught him. He couldn’t see whose. Tears of joy blurred his vision. “Shaw. I can feel her. The bond, it’s still there.” He felt the grief and despair he’d felt from her for so long. And like the other times, he felt them lessen a little upon feeling him again too. Perhaps, they lessened a little more than usual in response to his joy at knowing the bond still hadn’t broken. ‘I’ll find you, my love. Someday soon, I will find you,’ He sent telepathically but there was no reply, so he didn’t know if she’d heard. The End