Silver: The Lost Royal

31 | Red Blazing Eyes

"But portals run on their kind of magic. They won't just collapse because the surrounding magic is low," Zack countered.

"Could it be possible that someone did it? Can someone be strong enough to do that?"

But Jamie was quick to shut down Karyn's point. "That sounds far-fetched."

"Actually, it doesn't," Zack opposed. "All they have to do is damage one portal and let the dominos of destruction do the rest."

"Now that you mentioned it, I also find it weird that those portals have been there forever and suddenly, when Karyn—Lin Silverein—wants to get back to Wlerden, they collapse. What are the odds?" Salome said.

"You're saying someone didn't want Karyn coming back?"

"It's one possibility," Zack said.

Salome's lips puckered into a frowning pout. "But who would want that?"

"More so, why?" Jamie added.

"Someone from Emerfield." They all shot questioning glances her way as they walked on while she remembered a conversation. "Back at Emerfield High, there was a day I heard two people talking, and they had said something about using the Silverein to help Wyrione reclaim what was theirs. They could be the ones who didn't want me going back. Plus, I'm pretty sure they had something to do with my parents' deaths, so I wouldn't put this past them."

"That's a pretty theory and all, except we all know what it's like between Emerfield and Louriville," Jamie said.

"No one from Emerfield is welcome in Louriville," Karyn and Salome uttered in unison.

"Exactly. There's no way they could have gotten into Louriville, much less destroy portals in it. Yes, the forests of both towns merge, but there's an invisible barrier preventing Emerfield residents from entering Louriville."

A racking cough followed Jamie's statements, and she had to press her lips together to stop herself from voicing her concerns, recalling how he had reacted to them earlier.

"But how did we enter so easily? Especially me?" Karyn asked.

"You were with us," Jamie said, but as if realizing that may not be enough information, he added, "The barrier was open to us ever since we left Louriville and stepped into Emerfield. It wasn't easy, but we got in. And it's ten times harder to cross from Emerfield and into Louriville. If the person isn't strong enough, magically and physically, the barrier can tear them apart or suck them dry."

"Ok, but someone from Wyrione could also not want me getting to Wlerden and, for all we know, they could be in Louriville, too."

Silence followed her words, but before anyone could break it, Jamie stumbled to a halt and dropped to his knees. Alarm flashed across Karyn and Salome's faces as they rushed to his side, while Zack remained standing with his gaze trained on Jamie.

"What's wrong?" she asked, urgency ringing out from her words.

"I... I believe they're trying to communicate with me."

With a tone as neutral as his expression, Zack asked, "That's a good thing right?"

"Yeah but, I might go asleep for a while..." Jamie's eyes fluttered. "You... need to take care of my body. Can you do that?"

Despite the slur in his words, Karyn could pick up the apprehension in them. His eyes revealed a clear lack of trust, yet she observed a subtle shift in his expression as if he contemplated putting his trust in them just this once.

"Don't worry Jamie, as annoying as you are and as pleasing as the thought sounds, we won't do anything to you while you're asleep," Karyn said with a small smile, relieved that he would finally get through to the rest of the group.