She did raise a good point. What was I going to do? I was going to need money to survive, and the only way to make money on the mortal plane was to…work. Ugh, even the word disgusted me. What was I good at that didn’t take much effort? I took a few moments to think, and then it came to me.
Take me to Arion. I willed the portal to open, and the bark began to peel away, revealing a small, glowing gateway. Taking one last hasty glance around me to make sure I wasn’t being watched, I stepped through. I re-entered the Grieving Gardens. Only now, they were deathly quiet. The children were gone. A soft nicker interrupted the stillness, and I turned to see Arion approach me. He set his muzzle against my hand, and I was glad for the kind greeting.
