"Oh. I understand." Glancing toward Sister Miriam, I''m not sure how to feel about being separated from my benefactor.


    She inclines her head. "If at any time you wish to speak to me, just let the Fae know."


    "I was under the impression you would be with us," Vanessa cuts in, suspicion written all over her face in giant, bold letters. "How are we supposed to trust whoever you''re handing us to?"


    "You''re still under her protection," Layla sighs. "She just can''t come into the Fae Ward. For our sakes."


    The gnome''s gaze flicks to Vanessa and Marcus, and she mutters under her breath, "The paperwork for a bunch of pack wolves to get admitted in such circumstances is going to be a nightmare as it is."


    If your teacher is in the Fae Ward, we need to go there, Selene interjects, her tone firm. No matter what. That is why we are here.


    Resting my hand on her head, I turn to Layla. "Will our phones still work in the Fae Ward?"


    "Phones?" The gnome blinks at me, and for the first time I realize that her pupils are bare pinpricks, making her eyes seem even larger. Then those same eyes widen, and I swear for a moment that something sparkles within them. "Ah, telecommunication devices! Yes! They will still function."


    There''s an excitement in her words that almost buzzes from her, and Vanessa steps between us in a casual motion. "To send and receive calls from outside the city?"


    "Of course, of course. We worked that out aeons ago." Layla scoffs, as though our questions are over the top.


    But—aeons?


    Marcus frowns, and I grab his arm with a gentle squeeze, shaking my head slightly. From how Layla speaks about phones, calling them telecommunication devices, I don''t think she''s the one to give us the best information.


    We''ll have to trust Sister Miriam, who nods when I glance in her direction.


    "You''ll be able to contact your family and friends even in the Fae Ward, child."


    "See? Now, come on, come on." Impatient now with our hesitance, Layla produces an archaic bronze key that glows with a subtle shimmer and inserts it into the door, which swings open to reveal a shimmering golden portal.


    Layla clears her throat, standing as tall as her diminutive stature will allow. "They are under the protection of Sister Miriam," she says, her voice surprisingly authoritative for someone so small. "I need to bring the to the Wizard''s Tower. Ava Grey, Blackwood Pack, and her guards."


    The disdain when she declares my pack is mirrored by the looks on their faces. Silver Eyes exchanges a glance with his partner, before giving me a nod. "Very well. Follow me."


    He turns on his heel and strides off, leaving us scrambling to keep up. Vanessa falls into step beside me, her eyes wide as she takes in the sights and sounds of the Fae realm. "This is not what I was expecting," she murmurs, her voice barely above a whisper.


    I nod in agreement, my gaze drawn to a group of Fae children playing some kind of game involving glowing orbs that hover in midair. They''re laughing and shouting, their voices carrying on the breeze, and I can''t help but smile at the pure joy on their faces.


    As we walk, I notice that the Fae we pass are just as varied in appearance as the ones I saw earlier. Some are dressed in modern clothing—jeans, t-shirts, even the occasional leather jacket—while others look like they''ve stepped out of a Renaissance Faire.


    There are Fae with skin in every shade of the rainbow, from pale lavender to deep emerald green, and their hair ranges from natural colors to hues that don''t exist in the human world.


    I could get used to this, Selene says, her voice dreamy as she trots alongside me.


    A pang of envy over her easy acceptance of this strange new world shoots right through my heart. For me, it''s all overwhelming—the sights, the sounds, the sheer impossibility of it all. But there''s a part of me that''s eager to learn more about this place, too.


    The guard leads us to a towering gate made of shimmering silver, its surface etched with intricate designs that seem to move and shift before my eyes. He places his hand on the gate, and it swings open with a soft whoosh, revealing a courtyard filled with even more wonders.


    There are fountains that spout water in every color of the rainbow, their mist creating a shimmering haze that hangs in the air. Flowers the size of dinner plates bloom in beds along the edges of the courtyard, their petals glowing softly in the sunlight.


    And in the center of it all stands a massive tree, its trunk wider than a car and its branches stretching up to the sky, laden with fruit that glitters like precious gems.


    "Welcome to the Wizard''s Tower," the guard says, his voice tinged with a hint of pride. "You can find who you''re looking for within."


    He gestures toward a set of double doors at the far end of the courtyard, their surface inlaid with gold and silver in a pattern that seems to shift and change with every step we take.


    Though the name is Tower, the building is anything but a tower. In fact, compared to the rest of the courtyard, it''s little more than a cottage, despite the fancy doors.


    We''re no more than ten steps in when someone slams those doors open with a roar. "Well? Stop lollygagging and get up here where I can see you, Ava Grey!"