Kofi stopped the sleigh by the edge of the forest where they would be safe from any eyes from the castle. Saxa stared at the castle from afar. She was going in there on a mission. It suddenly all seemed too scary. This was real. This was not one of her stories.
"It's okay to be scared," Xavier said.
"I'm fucking terrified," Saxa said. "How do I even get in there?"
"I know a way," Kofi said. "Always trust your old pal Kofi to figure out a way forward."
"I hardly know you," Saxa said. "Are you always this happy?"
"Constantly," Xavier laughed. "He's annoying. I'm still gonna miss him though."
"Oh, he's not coming with us?" Saxa asked.
"This is my home," Kofi said.
Saxa nodded. Kofi looked human and acted as one too, but he belonged in another world. He belonged in this world.
"Are you a shapeshifter too?" Saxa asked.
"No, I'm actually a warlock," Kofi said.
"Don't turn me into a frog," Saxa said.
"I like her," Kofi chuckled. "I kinda wanna keep her."
"Keep your hands to yourself," Xavier said.
Xavier and Kofi looked at each other and laughed. Clearly Xavier had built some sort of life in this world. A life that was normal to him.
"Okay, enough goofing around," Saxa said. "How do I open the portal after I've killed that Roman dude?"
"If you kill him," Kofi said.
"Thank you for the confidence boost," Saxa said sarcastically.
"There's an golden egg in his throne room," Xavier said. "It's beautiful."
"Have you ever seen it?" Saxa asked.
"From what I've been told, it's beautiful," Xavier said. "A golden egg with blue and red diamonds on it. You have to place your fingers on all the four blue diamonds at the same time to open the portal."
"Do I need any spell to read out loud?" Saxa asked.
"No, the egg's magic is powerful enough on its own," Kofi said.
"As long as your fingers are on the diamonds, the portal remains open," Xavier said. "And it opens where you came through. Close to my cottage. We need to get back there if we wanna go home."
Saxa looked towards the castle again and nodded.
"Oh, I'm going home," she said. "No one in this fucked up world will stop me from going home."
"You might die trying," Kofi said.
"What the hell is wrong with you, warlock?" Saxa asked annoyed. "I'm sure not gonna miss you."
Kofi chuckled and blew her a finger kiss.
"Who the hell put a portal in my bedroom anyway?" Saxa asked.
"There wasn't always a house there. There used to be open land so it made sense," Kofi said.
"Thank you, wise guy," Saxa said. "Xavier, take me to the secret way into the castle. I've had enough of your friend."
"He's the only one who can get you inside," Xavier said.
"Of course," Saxa said.
"Let's go around the castle. Less crowded there," Kofi said.
They left the sleigh behind and continued on foot. They walked around the castle from afar before moving down to its wall to a spot where no one was.
"I miss my books. I might have a vivid fantasy but nothing like this," Saxa said.
"You read a lot?" Xavier asked.
"I'm an author," Saxa said. "I write mystery novels."
"That's cool," Xavier said.
"Enough with the chatting. Stand back," Kofi said.
Kofi raised his hands and started chanting. A black hole appeared on the wall. A moment later they could all see the other side.
"Hurry," Kofi said. "Before it closes."
Saxa hurried through the hole. She turned around and looked at Xavier.
"You got this," Xavier said.
"Don't take too long. They'll catch your scent eventually so don't linger too long in one place," Kofi said. "Good luck."
"Wait!" Saxa said. "How do I..."
The hole closed before she could finish that sentence, and she was staring at the wall.
"...get out again?" She finished.
