FARRELL PAUSED outside the door before knocking. For years this door had been off limits to him and the other students. Once he was permitted to visit, he found any reason to avoid coming here—even when summoned.

Now it created a conflict of emotions. Rather than struggle with the two warring sides, he knocked on the stone door. Like most doors in Haven, this one had been infused with magic to make sure his presence was heard inside. Given the size of the suite and the age of the occupant, Farrell waited patiently for the door to open.

Kel smiled when he saw his guest, something Farrell noted Kel did often when he showed up.

“Grandson.” He stepped back to let Farrell come inside. “I expected your visit, just not this soon. From what I hear of your reputation, early mornings are not your preferred time.”

That part of him also seemed a lifetime ago. “Considering you are the reason I cannot long sleep late, you of all people ought not be surprised.”

“Bah.” He waved Farrell into the suite. “You know I was merely the messenger. Honorus made you the children’s parents, not I. Though I must say, I think He made an excellent choice. You and Miceral are very good with them.”

“They’re sweet—well, Geena is. Bren can be a handful at times.”

Kel laughed from deep inside. “Oh yes. That boy is a rambunctious sort, even at barely two. He will keep you both hopping as he grows.”

Farrell wanted to point out that he might not live long enough to raise Bren and his sister but knew Kel would admonish him for negative thinking. “That’s being generous. I’ve already had to use magic to keep him in line.”

“Oh? How so?” Kel lowered himself into a large overstuffed leather chair.

The sight caused Farrell to miss a step. Pushing through the moment, he took the seat opposite and remembered other such times he’d been in this room, in this chair. Then the owner was Grand Master Heminaltose, and Farrell had been his student.

“He has—had—this habit of flinging his bowl off his tray once he’d eaten his fill. The first time he did it, Lisle screamed so loud she startled both children into tears. Then she fussed at me—me—as if I had a hand in Bren’s behavior. Five minutes of how he was taking after his messy parent drove me to find a solution—fast.”

Kel laced his fingers into a steeple and leaned forward. The playful grin told Farrell his ancestor was enjoying this moment far too much. “And what did you come up with?”

“When he shoved the bowl, it stopped a few inches off the table. Lisle was able to bring it back and tell him not to do that again.”

“And that worked? I’d imagine he’d be so amused, he would do it again and again.”

“And you’d be correct.” Farrell chuckled at the memory. “I put a second spell on the bowl. When he tried to do it again, it shocked him. Lisle told him that his bowl would only hurt him if he tried to throw it. She had to put his hand onto the bowl a couple of times to convince him, but now he doesn’t toss the crockery around anymore.”

“Ingenious. How did you come up with that idea?”

“I didn’t. My mother used it on me when I was Bren’s age.” Maybe Bren was a lot like him. “According to her, I did the same thing. Since it worked on me, I assumed it would be effective.”

Kel laughed and sat back. “Or perhaps he’ll prove more stubborn than you.”

“Perhaps.” Farrell scanned Heminaltose’s old rooms. “You’ve not changed anything.”

“There’s no need. Heminaltose was a practical man. His quarters reflect that trait.”

“That’s one way to put it. The few times I came inside when he was alive, I used to think they reflected his tendency to control everything.” He shrugged. “Are you ready to go, or should I come back?”

“Now is good.” Kel grasped his white staff and used it to lift himself out of his seat. “I have nothing pressing to do, so I’m ready for my tour of Haven.”

“I’m not sure I’d consider our walk to Trellham a tour, but if you’d like to call it that, I won’t argue.”

“You are wise beyond meager years, Grandson.”

As happened every time Kel made a public appearance, crowds gathered wherever they went. A new feeling of hope had permeated Haven once word spread Kel had returned. Even Farrell felt more confident, enough that he brushed aside the implication of what the reaction said about Haven’s faith in him. They made a quick stop to pick up food and then set out for ancient Trellham.

“An interesting use of Doors,” Kel remarked after they’d left the boundaries of Haven. “I never thought to hide the lines inside the rock.”

“Heminaltose did it more to protect people from accidentally hurting themselves.”

“Still, quite clever.”

Farrell closed the portal and motioned them toward their destination. “Can you show me how you were able to hide Trellham from everyone except me?”

“Ah, I’m not surprised you want to know about that curious bit of magic.” Kel moved in the direction Farrell indicated. “Unfortunately I cannot show you how it works, but I can tell you the theory behind it.”

“Can’t or won’t?” Farrell hadn’t meant to sound so suspicious.

Kel’s expression turned serious, and he stopped moving. “Farrell, I have remained alive all these extra years for no other reason than to share my knowledge with you. There is nothing I would willingly withhold from you. I can’t show you because I am no longer the Champion of the Six.”

“I’m sorry, Grandfather. Every interaction before I found you taught me to question what you were withholding.”

“A fair point, but now you must feel comfortable that I will be forthright with you. If the Six won’t allow me to answer, I will tell you that as well.”

The good mood he’d had walking and talking with Kel having vanished, Farrell nodded his agreement. They completed the short walk to Trellham’s gates in silence. When they arrived Kel stopped and took a moment to stare up and down.

“Three thousand years ago, these beautiful doors were the last image I had of a once bustling city. I wasn’t sure I’d get a chance to see Trellham reborn.”

“So you didn’t use the gates to give the priest the book you left for me?”

“No.” Kel ran a hand gently over the carved stone door. “Honorus directed me to use the Door between Fracturn and Trellham instead of breaking the seal on the city. Startled the daylights from the poor priest in residence.”

Farrell pulled on a handle, and the door opened smoothly. He paused before entering. “Let me notify Father Aswick that we are here. He is old even for a dwarf, so I don’t want to startle him if he is here.”

A small puff of smoke flew from his palm and into the city. Farrell followed his spell and lit the torches in the entryway. Before the pair had made it to the city, the tiny cloud returned and stopped by Farrell’s ear. The smoke hovered for a moment, then dissipated.

“He is not in, so we may proceed as we like.”

Once clear of the tunnel, Farrell lit the city’s main crystal.

“Just as I remembered it,” Kel said as his eyes scanned the city. “Though not much could have changed unless you allowed it.”

A smile stretched Farrell’s face as he observed his grandfather soak in the details of the place where his fame began. He wished he could have seen a young Kel march from behind the ranks of so called greater wizards and accept Seritia’s challenge. To have seen the faces of the ‘great’ fall as Kel did what none of them could. If only….

“I asked you to accompany me to Trellham because I have an idea on how to free the dwarves but am unsure it will work,” Farrell began.

“Tell me what you’re thinking, and I’ll chime in when I have something to add.”

Farrell leaned against the stone column. “As it has been explained to me, somewhere in the city you opened a one-way Door for the dwarves. Given the infinite nature of the void, I have no idea how to find them, wherever they are.”

“As I told you, neither do I.”

“I know, but….” He took a deep breath and he held it for a heartbeat. “I believe that I can look back through time.”

The silence that followed made him feel foolish. If such a thing were possible, Kel surely would have figured it out centuries ago.

“An interesting idea.” Kel nodded. “Can you expound on it some?”

“Let’s go sit and eat and I’ll explain.” Kel’s tentative approval perked up Farrell’s spirits. He searched their surroundings and then looked into the city. Pointing toward an open space, he said, “How about down there?”

“That looks acceptable.” Without waiting for Farrell, Kel flew off the steps and down into the main part of the city.

The open space Farrell mentioned appeared to have been a marketplace. They found a wide stone bench and used it as a makeshift table. Farrell laid out the food he’d ordered the night before and hoped his grandfather found something to his liking. He piled cold chicken, cheese, and bread onto his plate and was pleased to see Kel fill his plate with several items the cooks had provided.

“To begin,” Farrell said after taking a bite, “I make the assumption that time is constant. Once a moment has come and gone, it is over and there is no ability to go backward and change or correct it.”

“In that I would concur.” Kel nodded before picking up a slice of salted pork and putting it between some bread. “There is no credible evidence that it is possible to travel backward in time.”

Farrell quickly swallowed his food. “But even though the moment is gone, it should have left some mark on its surrounding that we should be able to trace backward. The trick is finding the right spell to make that happen.”

“Do you believe you’ve found that spell?” Kel’s eyes had a twinkle Farrell had not seen before.

“I do, but it requires the aid of another powerful wizard.” He paused to let Kel ask a question, and when he didn’t, Farrell took it as a sign he should continue. “I believe I can follow time backward, but to do so requires an anchor I can use to pull myself back to my time.”

“Hmm.” Kel munched on his cheese. “Talk me through the particulars of your spell.”

“Did you want me to show it to you?” Farrell didn’t bother to control his enthusiasm.

Kel chuckled and waved his hand. “No, my impatient grandson, not yet. My reputation for pushing the boundaries of magic notwithstanding, it would be prudent to talk this out before we rush into spell casting.”

Farrell took a drink to hide his disappointment. Discussing his idea was the right thing to do, but he’d wanted to test his theory for a long time. “Where did you want me to start?”

“The beginning is generally a good place.” Kel gave him a mischievous grin. “But I’ve never been one to do things the usual way. How do you get magic to turn back time?”

“I don’t, really. My spell is designed to help my wizard’s sight look backward.”

“Wizard’s sight? Fascinating. Have you tried this before?”

“Just with very small time increments.” Farrell gestured and realized he never finished the meat he’d picked up. He put it down and wiped his hand. “I started small; just a few seconds. When I tried to do more, I nearly couldn’t get back to my consciousness.”

“Which is why you need another wizard to act as your anchor.” He nodded several times as Farrell’s smile returned. “How does the second wizard allow you to find your way back?”

“I haven’t worked out all the details, but I know how I think it should work.”

Kel put his plate down and leaned back. “It has been a long time since I’ve had the chance to discuss theoretical magic with someone willing to test the boundaries of what we know. Tell me your thoughts, and I’ll give you mine.”

Despite having asked Kel to come with him for this reason, Farrell suddenly felt apprehensive. Heminaltose and Sanduval had chided him for wasting time on foolish ideas. And Kel was beyond either of them. When he looked at his grandfather, he saw the twinkle of genuine interest in the old man’s eyes. Farrell’s hesitation melted away, and he took a drink before starting. “It’s probably best if I start with how I merge with another wizard.”

 

 

FARRELL ENTERED their suite to silence. In the short time the children had been living with him and Miceral, he learned the children were only quiet when they slept. Moving softly, he found Miceral in the general-purpose room attached to their bedroom.

“How long have they been asleep?” He sat next to his life partner and leaned closer for a kiss. “

“Lisle said they’d only just gotten to sleep when I returned home about ten minutes ago.” Miceral pulled off his left boot and set it on the floor quietly. “She looked frazzled so I suggested she go lie down for a bit.”

“Where are….” It embarrassed him that he forgot the names of the two sisters Lisle hired to help her clean and care for the children.

“Urana and Teless?” Miceral arched his brow before removing his other boot. “If I were you, I’d remember their names. They’re Lisle’s third cousins, after all.”

“You forgot their names again too, didn’t you?”

Miceral rolled his eyes and nodded. “I referred to Teless as Telana, and Lisle lectured me for five minutes on how they were caring for our children and cleaning our rooms and that the least I could do was remember their names.”

“Maybe I should put a spell on them so that whenever they come into a room, their names appear above their heads, but only you and I can see it?”

“You can do that?” The hopeful note in Miceral’s voice made Farrell laugh.

“Um, no idea. I’ve never tried.” Farrell had only seen the sisters twice in the ten days they’d been hired. And they were so quiet, he’d barely spoken to either, though that was no excuse. “I think, however, we can manage to remember two names without magic.”

“We’d better because if they quit, we won’t get any work done.” Miceral stood up and stretched. “Geena and Bren ran enough to make a complete circle around the Plains of Gharaha before they finally settled down. And that was just the bit I saw after I returned from weapons practice.”

Farrell glanced down the hall toward their room. “Sorry I missed all the excitement.”

“How was your talk with Kel?”

“It was amazing.” Farrell didn’t try to rein in his excitement. “We talked about magic like I’ve never been able to before. He listened to my ideas and offered useful suggestions instead of asking me if I had a death wish like Heminaltose and Sanduval always used to do.”

“What did you two talk about that has you excited?”

“I told him I wanted to look back through time and see where he opened the Door to let the dwarves into the void.” Farrell paused, but Miceral didn’t comment. “He liked my idea. Said it was ‘brilliant’ and a major advancement in magic.”

“So you tried it already?”

“No.” Farrell shook his head and tried to hide his disappointment. “Kel said the spell appears complete, but he wants to think on it some more before we test it.”

“That sounds reasonable.” He held out his hand. “Time to get up or else our guests will be here before you’re ready.”

Farrell allowed Miceral to hoist him up. “No, they won’t. They need me to open the Door.”

“And if you don’t open it on time, Penelope will be upset.”

“Not that I’d care if she’s annoyed with me again over something petty, but I’ll hurry along.” He kissed Miceral and set off to make himself presentable for a royal visit.