Read Portia for Free Online

running.”
    “Didn’t even take us a few hours,” says Pops.
    While everyone huddles around the newly live monitor, I watch their activity from across the room. It’s official. I’ve returned to my usual role in a crisis. Watch from afar. Make sure Mom eats something. Grab some extra research if there’s magic involved. This is wrong. I’ve spent too long studying the Void to stand aside now. But I’m not leadership material, am I?
    A puff of smoke pours out of the fireplace and takes the shape of Maxon. Like the rest of us, he’s in his demon-fighting outfit. The group that’s huddled around the computers stops talking.
    “How’s everything with the Elementals?” asks Dad.
    “Fine,” says Maxon. “They don’t experience the after-realms like mortals do. They hardly noticed a thing.” He shrugs. “I’m still trying to wrap my brain around how to rule them. Humans dump trash in a lake and they want me to kill every last mortal. The after-realms go unstable and they could care less.”
    Mom’s features brighten. “How’s Lianna?”
    “Getting the earth elementals under control. My girl’s a badass.” He gestures around the room. “You all fine here?”
    “Everything’s under control,” says Dad. “You can take off.”
    “In that case, I’ll…” Maxon pauses, listening. A light scraping sound echoes from the roof.
    Maxon frowns. “No way.”
    “Is someone else landing?” I ask.
    “Oh, yeah,” says Maxon.
    “Who is it?” asks Mom.
    My brother beams with joy. “My buddy T is here.”
    At this point, my Mom does something I’ve never seen her do before. Primp. She turns toward the wall mirror, fluffs out her hair, and pinches her cheeks. Even Grandma Cam makes sure her suit is smooth and all the buttons are done up. She’s definitely in Presidential mode now. A sneaking suspicion crawls up my spine.
    Someone’s landed on the roof. It can’t be the Mystery Man, can it?
    I dismiss the idea out of hand. I’ve been obsessing about this guy on and off for the last two days. Plenty of people fly around and land on rooftops. Just because someone’s here doesn’t make it the Mystery Man.
    Only I sure hope it’s him.
    My body freezes with anticipation as heavy footfalls sound from the upper stairs. Bit by bit, our new visitor steps down the spiral stairs. At first, I see his biker boots and worn jeans. After that, I can make out a solid chest, black Henley, and crazy-wide shoulders. Finally, there’s his angular bone structure, five o’clock shadow, and tousled black hair.
    Every nerve cell in my body goes on alert. It’s him. My guy. Not sure when I decided ownership, but there it is. Mine.
    Maxon wraps my guy in a big hug. “T? What’re you doing here? I haven’t seen you since…”
    My guy’s mouth quirks with a grin. “Since your wedding.”
    Maxon rubs his neck and winces. “Yeah, well. Lianna and me have been real busy running the Elementals.”
    “I understand,” my guy says. “I can visit you too, you know.”
    Maxon lets out one of his rumbling chuckles. “Yeah, what’s up with that?”
    “I’ve had things on my mind.” My guy’s gaze locks on me from across the room. A hot blush crawls up my neck.
    For a few seconds, Maxon only looks between his friend and me. At length, my brother’s eyes narrow with suspicion. I wince. Are my feelings for the Mystery Man that obvious?
    “What brings you here, T?” Maxon’s voice drops an octave. “Or should I say, who?”
    My blush deepens. I guess my feelings are pretty obvious, after all.
    The Mystery Man waves his hand. He’s the picture of smooth, and I can’t help liking him for that. Correction, like him more for that.
    “There are sinkholes popping up all over Furonium,” says my guy. “Does your family have any news to share, by chance?”
    Of course, he came here. If there’s a major crisis in the after-realms, my family is involved. I don’t know how it happens, only that it does. Always.
    Maxon chuckles.