Just a few short weeks later, freshman year is over. Everything seems to be back to normal. There are end-of-the-year parties and a graduation ceremony for the fifth-year students. It dawns on me that I’ll be heading back home soon.

No, not home.

I’ll be heading back to the human realm for a couple of months. Back to Mom.

“What will you do with yourself when you get there?” Dannika asks as she brushes her long hair. She is completely back to her old self.

“I have no idea,” I say, realizing it’s true. “I don’t really have a ‘home’ to go back to, and I have no idea what Mom has been up to. I’ll just have to wait and see what she has planned.”

“I wish I could go with you,” she says wistfully. “If only to see the look on your face when you go back.”

“What do you mean?” I ask.

She pauses as if gathering her thoughts. “It’s like, I don’t know. It’s hard to explain, but after being here, going into the human realm is like stepping into a fog. That world is darker, murkier, and harder to move through.”

I remember how, when I first arrived, the Fae realm seemed so much brighter and clearer. I barely think about it now, since I’ve become used to it. But now, I’ll be going the other way, back to where the sun doesn’t shine quite as brightly.

“I think I know what you mean.” I sigh and lay back on my bed. My bed.

“You…aren’t looking forward to going back?” she asks.

“Not really,” I say. “These last few weeks since Myra’s death have been hard, but this is my home. My first real home. I have been here for nine months. I can’t remember any place in the human realm I ever lived in for that long. That place isn’t my home. This is. This is where I want to be.”

“Well, we all need a vacation at some point,” Dannika says, hopping up and getting my backpack out of my trunk. “Don’t worry. You’ll be back. Just take some well-deserved R&R. Spend time with your mom. Oh!” She goes over to my nightstand, and then opens the drawer. “Take this and connect with your old friends again.”

She hands me my dead cell phone.

“Jeez,” I say as I feel the cold weight of it in my hand. “I had almost forgotten about this.”

It feels like a relic from another time. I feel something almost akin to fear. Like if I stare at this thing too long, the Fae world around me will melt away, and I’ll realize it has all been a dream. As if it burned me, I toss the phone into my bag and wipe my hand on my pants.

Dannika places a hand on my shoulder. She must have seen the fear on my face. “It will be okay,” she says. “You will come back. We all end up here eventually.”

I force myself to nod, and then I help Dannika pack my bag. For the first time in my life, I have more stuff than I can carry. I hadn’t realized at the time how many possessions—books, clothes, trinkets, cups, scented oils—I had accumulated over the last few months. It was so gradual I hadn’t even noticed I had started to nest.

I finally pick out the bare necessities I will need to survive for three months in the human realm, and head downstairs. I’m supposed to meet Damon so he can escort me back to the faerie door.

When I get to the bottom, though, it isn’t Damon waiting for me. It’s Erick. He actually opens his arms to me for a hug.

“This place won’t be the same without you,” he says once I let him wrap me in an embrace.

He smells so good, and I breathe deeply once before squeezing him and letting go. “You’re staying?” I ask as I step back.

“Yeah,” he says. “I don’t really have anywhere to go. You know, my home life…well, I would just rather stay here.”

“I know the feeling,” I say. “I’d rather stay, but I need to see my mom.”

“Hold on to that,” he says. “Don’t resent that you have a mom you can always run to if you need her.”

“Yeah,” I agree. “So you’ll be here when I get back?”

“Of course,” he says, grinning. “I still have two more years to complete. Besides, who else is brave enough to tutor you?”

“You…you’ll be my tutor again?” I stutter, my face instantly heating. I was planning on asking him to tutor me again, if I could suck up my pride enough. I’m so glad he is offering instead of me having to ask.

“Why not?” he says with a shrug. “It will keep me on my toes.”

“I’d love that,” I say, nearly jumping from foot to foot. He chuckles, and I realize I’m being a bit too eager. I clear my throat and pretend to be chill, but it’s too late to save face. “I mean, yeah. That’s cool. If you’re cool with it.”

“Oh, I’m very cool with it,” he says, looking pleased.

“Hey, Imogen!” Caleb calls. He runs over, grabbing me in a bear hug and swinging me off my feet. “You weren’t leaving without saying goodbye, were you?”

“Of course not,” I say when he sets me down, laughing. “I was waiting for you.”

He takes my hand, placing a soft kiss on the back of it. From over his shoulder, I see Erick roll his eyes and walk away. He doesn’t look back, and I try to ignore the sinking feeling in my stomach.

“So, I was thinking,” Caleb says, “that maybe I could come visit you in the human realm over the summer.”

“Really?” I ask, tearing my attention away from Erick’s retreating form. “You can do that?”

“Of course,” he Caleb. “Do you want me to?”

“I’d love it,” I say. “You can meet my mom.”

“Whoa, hold your horses, girl,” he says, holding his hands up. “Not quite ready to meet the parents just yet. But we could catch a movie or something mundane.”

“I’d like that,” I say.

“But,” he continues. “I would like for you to come to the winter court next year. Maybe not for the Winter Solstice Ball yet, but, you know, just for a casual visit.”

“Taking it slow?” I ask.

“Something like that,” he says with a nod.

“Sure. I’d actually really like to see the winter court.”

“Miss Flareburn?”

I turn at Headmistress Shadowburn’s voice. She is accompanied by Sarah Shadowburn, the woman from the wedding photos on her desk.

Caleb gives the women a short bow, squeezes my hand, and walks away.

“Imogen,” Lady Shadowburn says, “I want to congratulate you on the successful completion of your first year. Many of us doubted you would be able to do it, but you not only succeeded, you excelled. You should be very proud.”

“Thanks,” I say. “That means a lot coming from you.”

“I know this has been a difficult time for you,” she continues. “It has been for all of us. The death of not only two of our students, but the suicide of Myra—it has shaken us all.”

“Yeah, about that,” I start. “I’ve tried talking to people about it, but everyone just shuts down.”

“You know we are immortal, correct?” she asks. I nod. “And you know you are as well?” I nod again. “But since you were raised as a human, have you given much thought to what this means for you?”

“Not really. I have a long time to figure it out, though.”

“Well, many of us have already lived a very long time and have yet to figure it out,” she says with surprising levity. “Which is why I wanted to introduce you to my wife, Sarah.”

“Your…wife?” I ask, stuttering over the word.

Sarah reaches out and takes my hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Imogen.” Her hand is warm and soft, and there is a genuine kindness to her eyes. “I’ve heard so much about you.”

“All bad, I guess,” I say, wrinkling my nose.

“Not at all, dear,” she says.

“Sarah is human,” the headmistress says.

I start. “Human? Full human? How is that possible?”

“My school, my rules,” Headmistress Shadowburn says, her voice almost singsong. “Well, it’s actually far more complicated than that. But as someone who was also raised in the human realm and now knows the Fae world quite intimately, I thought she might be a good resource for you should you need help.”

“That actually would be amazing,” I say. “My supposed mentor has been less than eager to teach me the ways of the Fae.”

“I am aware.” The headmistress’s voice gets steely. “I will speak to him about that.”

“Speak of the devil,” Sarah says as Damon walks up to us.

“My ladies,” he says with a small bow. “Ready to go?” he asks me.

“Ready as I’ll ever be,” I say.

“Good luck, Imogen,” Headmistress Shadowburn says.

“We look forward to your return.” Sarah smiles.

I shake their hands again before following Damon out of Callador.

We head toward the forest, but we take a different path than the one I arrived down.

“Don’t we need to go back to where I came in?” I ask.

“No,” he says. “Your mom is waiting at another door. I didn’t want to risk going through dark Fae territory again.”

“Would have been nice if she’d considered that the first time,” I mutter.

“Hey, don’t talk about your mother like that,” he scolds, but then he quickly adds, “That was the only door nearby at the time. It took us this entire year to create a new one that would be near her without going through dark Fae territory.”

Just the mention of dark Fae territory makes me nervous. I never did find out who sent those bugs after me. I step a little closer to Damon, just in case.

“I suppose I should say thank you then,” I say, trying not to sound begrudging. “For going through such trouble.”

“You should,” he says. “And yes, I’ve gone through a great deal of trouble for you.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Before he can answer, a door appears in front of us.

“We’re here,” he says.

“Wow, that was fast.”

Damon shrugs. “Sometimes the way out is easier than the way in.”

“So, I guess this is goodbye?”

“For now,” he says. “I’ll be here waiting for you when you get back.”

There is something different in his tone. Almost like a sadness.

“What is it with you?” I ask him. “I thought you were going to be my mentor, but then you try to get me expelled, and now you are sad I’m leaving? Talk about mixed signals.”

“Don’t try to read too much into it,” he says as he opens the door.

I roll my eyes, peeking through the entrance. It looks like a swirling pool of water, but I can see my mom waiting for me on the other side.

“Imogen?” I hear her call as though from far away.

“Mom!” I cry out with far more emotion than I expected. I step through the door.

A bright light nearly blinds me, and I hear screaming. I see blood and someone’s arm on the ground. The arm is wearing a bracelet with a charm on it. Thunder booms, and a strong wind knocks me off my feet. I fall to the ground, dazed.

“Imogen!” My mother runs to my side. “Are you all right? What happened?”

I dart my gaze around, nearly in shock. Am I really back? I look up, seeing Mom crying and laughing at the same time.

“Mom!” I stand and hug her. It seems dark out. “Where are we?”

“We are in sunny Los Angeles,” she says. “I thought you would enjoy a proper summer break.”

“Sunny?” I ask. I blink a few times. Yeah, I guess the sun is out, but it seems a little dim. When I glance back, the door is gone. I see only trees. “No!” My heart jumps in my throat, and I feel a rush of sheer terror. I wave my hands in front of the trees, trying to open the door. “Damon! Damon, open the door!”

“Imogen…” Mom sounds bewildered. “What’s wrong? What are you doing?”

“Here, Mom, wave your hands over this. Open the door. I have to go back.”

“But you only just got here,” she says, hurt evident in her tone.

“I saw…something. Someone is in danger.”

“What do you mean?” she asks, running to my side.

“I had a vision or something,” I say. “When I fell through the door. I saw someone hurt…or dead! Blood on the floor. I have to go back. Warn them!”

“I’m sorry, honey,” Mom says. “I can’t open the door unless someone is waiting for you on the other side. Damon thinks you’ve come home, and won’t be returning for months.”

“So I’m stuck here?” I ask, crestfallen.

“Well…I thought you’d be happier about it,” she says sadly.

I sigh, giving her another hug. “I am happy to see you. I was planning on having a nice vacation. But now I’m worried about my friends. Call Damon, please, and let him know to come back to the door for me, okay?”

Mom just shakes her head. “We should talk about this. Have you ever had a vision before? Is that one of your…Fae powers, or whatever?”

“No,” I say. “I’ve never had one before.”

“Then maybe it was nothing,” she says. “Just the shock of coming back to our world?”

“Maybe,” I relent, but I don’t believe it. It was too real. Too strange. I know it means something. “I’d feel better if I could just talk to Damon first. Please, Mom.”

“You don’t need to go back for that,” she says. “I’ll let him know. As soon as we get home. I promise. Now come on.” She pulls my hand, tugging me toward the car. “I have something for you.”

We get in, and the smell of fresh coffee and muffins from my favorite coffee shop rises right up my nose. I sink into my seat and hold the warm cup in my hand, savoring the scent.

“I knew you would miss this,” Mom says. “I have a few other surprises for you, too. I’m just so glad you’re home.”

Home.

“I’m glad to be here with you, too,” I say. I don’t have the heart to tell her this world isn’t my home anymore.

She starts up the car, and I pull out my phone. I plug it into the car charger, and then take a big bite of a blueberry muffin as I wait. After only a moment, the phone bleeps back to life.

You have 500 missed messages.

I don’t bother reading them. I know who they are from.

Me: Hey. Sorry I’ve been MIA.

Cassie: OMG! I thought you were dead! Where have you been?

Me: You wouldn’t believe me if I told you…