Wrapping Up...Part 1

The arrival back at the Professor’s home was a joyous celebration like few I’ve ever seen before. Cerrydwen had made some calls on her cell phone shortly after we had gotten back to the car, so everyone had had plenty of time to gather back there to join in the party.

Even Jim had managed to find a way back to greet us, although his truck wasn’t parked in its normal spot, indicating that Ravyn had probably helped expedite his journey back.

The reunion of Naomi with her...our...daughter Alexa was most heartwarming to witness. I would have been balling like a baby myself, had I been capable of it. Instead, I merely stood by watching as she hugged the child close. She was choking with sobs and shedding abundant tears of joy.

After carefully disengaging with Naomi, Ravyn ran to the Frau and then to Cerrydwen crushing each of them in a bear hug or her own.

Jim hung back, watching the reunions from his normally discrete but comfortable distance.

Moira and Herne came up to me, Herne asking for details about how everything happened, while Moira’s first questions were about the blade that was now wrapped and slung over over my back.

In no time at all, the gathering swept into the house and dissolved into half a dozen smaller conversations until everyone was settled back into the living room where Cerrydwen had laid out her bold plan. On some unseen and unheard cue, everyone grew quiet and still, all eyes eventually settling on a rather startled Cerrydwen.

“I see.” She said. “So I get the honor of starting things off, eh?”

When we all nodded silently, she began speaking in a low, hushed voice. She told the tale of our journey north in short, efficient sentences that provided the necessary details but left out everything that wasn’t absolutely essential. She explained how she felt that Drake had some way of tracking me and how she fully expected him to show up when we reached our destination.

She then grew even quieter as she described the Island and the events that took place there, all of the way up until Drake was defeated. She fell silent and looked to me at that point, with all of the others turning to me as well. It was my turn to describe what happened...

(Continued tomorrow...)