Morgan gestures for me to join her. I squeeze Tom’s hand, then climb up onto the platform. She moves the sceptre to one side and I find myself looking directly into the glass tower. My mother stands inside a cage. She’s alive – and so close, I could almost reach out and touch her.

Morgan lets out a shaky breath and wipes away a tear, as if she’s sharing my emotion. She smiles at me and I see a world of love in her eyes that goes beyond time itself. She nods, then dives head first into the portal. I lean forward and watch in wonder as her magnificent wings open wide. She soars above the treetops for a moment and then disappears from sight.

Several of the others climb up, each of them hugging me before they go through, and then Glitonea clasps me to her, followed by Mazoe. Thiten climbs up last. She kisses me on the cheek and jumps before I can say a word. I watch her fly, thankful that she’s my sister. Once they’ve all gone through, Tom comes over.

Standing on the platform, I find that I’m higher than him for once. I rest my arm on his head and smile. ‘You know, I quite like being taller than you.’

‘Don’t get any ideas, Shorty.’ He steps close and holds me around my waist. ‘I guess you have to go.’

I nod and he smiles shyly. ‘I feel like this is the part where I should kiss you. I didn’t imagine you’d be taller than me when it happened, or have wings, but …’

I lower my head and kiss him gently on the mouth, liking it more than he can know.

He grins at me. ‘Anything to shut me up, eh? And for the record, I want to be with you all the time too. Wait – you are coming back, aren’t you?’

I thump him on the arm. ‘Of course, you idiot.’ I don’t know what the future holds, but I can’t imagine it not including him.

He flicks his hair and grins. ‘OK. I’ll save you some cake.’

‘Please don’t.’

He laughs and starts to say something else, but I plant another kiss on his mouth. I don’t want our conversation to end. I don’t want this to be goodbye.

‘Tell me when I return, OK?’ I whisper.

He glances nervously at the portal then nods, his eyes full of hope.

‘I’ll be back soon, I promise.’

With that, I hold my breath and jump. The wind rushes through my hair and a smile spreads across my face as I open my wings and fly.

THE END

Acknowledgements