The Journey of Two Sisters: Book 4 of the Kinstone series

I feel a great deal of drowsiness and fatigue as I slowly am roused from my sleep. I really didn’t want to wake up, having spent most of the night implementing the coordinates from Miriam’s into the fairy road. Believe or not, it takes two parts. The first is somewhat simple, just know where you’re going and open the portal. Like what the fae queen told me, if I’ve been to the place before, its easy. But the second part isn’t as such.

I stayed up to at least 1:00 in the morning working on it. I sat down in front of the circle Titania gave me, which contains fae writing. Now, I can “read” fae, it’s just sometimes harder to translate into English. Japanese or even ragonic I can do on the fly. Fae…not so much.

I had to spin the circle, lining up the various smaller ones within it, until they matched the coordinates perfectly. It took me three tries until I had it right. Thankfully nothing happened with each failure, just had to start all over again. I heavily relied on my notes that I took when Titania taught me how to create the roads.

So in the end, once the coordinates are set, you can open the portal at any time. It’s kinda like setting your GPS. You don’t have to go on the trip immediately, just when you’re ready.

I groan a bit, feeling something else swelling within me.

“Marron,” I call out.

I feel her pulling me into her chest, “Good morning, sweetie.”

I open my eyes, smiling to her.

Her face went stern, “You stayed up way too late last night. I know you were anxious to get the coordinates set for our trip but you didn’t have to spend so much time doing it. You need rest.”

I shrug, “Meh, nothing new.”

She shakes her head, but smiles. “Still can’t believe how much a kid you’ve really become. But then again, you’ve always been like this.”

I giggle, but wince.

She chuckles softly, stroking my face, “Go ahead, sweetie.”

I sit up from the bed, still feeling tired. I peer out through the curtains of our room. “If we ever have to go camping again, we should find a way to install functioning bathrooms in the tent.”

Marron chuckles again, “Just get going, Aria. You need to eat and get ready to travel.”

I nod and hop off the bed and towards the entrance of the tent, lacing up my boots. I quietly tiptoe over Fenris as he slept by the foot of the bed. I smile to him, gently streaking my fingers along his fur before leaving the room.

As I exit, I find Orga and Kateryna both huddled by a small fire. The sun had already risen over the horizon as I peer out through the trees. The air feels cool yet crisp, smelling fresh dew as it hovers in the air. I don’t even care that I’m wearing shorts; this just feels good to me.

This past week had probably been the best I’ve experienced since fleeing the Ranch. I actually was enjoying camping out with everyone. I had quietly grown to pretend that the world beyond our camp didn’t exist, much like how I felt while at home.

I sigh, knowing that we couldn’t stay here forever. Once we had breakfast, I would open the fairy road to Miriam’s house in Seattle. Marron was right in saying that the earlier we left the better.

I giggle to myself as two thoughts entered my mind. The first being that when we arrived at her house, we stood a good chance that the sun might not have risen yet. The second being I would be traveling to grandma’s house.

A bright grin rose on my face, feeling a childish excitement growing within me. I guess I really have become a child again. Not saying that it’s a bad thing, but in reality, I am a kid.

“Good morning, Your Highness,” I hear Orga greet.

“Did you receive enough sleep, Your Highness?” asks Kateryna.

I look to them both, “Morning, and maybe. I think I stayed up a bit too late last night working on the fairy road, but I’ll manage somehow.”

I peer down at the fire. Orga was grilling fish by the fire. I listen as the skin crackles and sizzles near the flames. Beside the fire are containers of yogurt and a few packages of muffins we had purchased during our trip north. I think I bought too many of each, but thankful that once something went into one of Mom’s cubes, it remained in the exact same state it was at the beginning.

We made it a practice to bag up our trash and quietly slip out towards the station and toss it into the garbage cans. Things like bones or anything leftovers we couldn’t eat we buried.

“Would you like something to eat, Your Highness?” asks Orga.

“I will in a bit,” I reply. My face turns a soft pink, “I’ll be right back.”

“Don’t tarry too long, Your Highness,” says Kateryna.

I smile to her, “I won’t. Oh, when Marron gets out, let’s go ahead and start breaking camp. I left my bag with her.”

Both knights bow their heads as I then slip past them. When I make it past the camp, I hear the flaps of the tent open. I turn back to see Marron and Fenris exiting the tent. Both are greeted by my knights.