Louis, Dad, and I had begun our trip to the golden tower at the edge of the Rift in a telebus, a city bus without the need for any gas. The driver was telekinetic, making the bus move with his mind, and I marveled at all the buildings through the window on the way.

I had asked Louis what every building was, Louis smiling at my curiosity before answering all my questions.

There was a main street with tons of shops and stores, all kinds of colors. The bakery was a sea-foam green with white wooden paneling and little tables outside for people to enjoy their treats. The bubblegum pink candy store next door was overwhelmed with children, my eyes widening as I saw some of the candy treats move: a chocolate ballerina doing twirls in a little girl's hand and gummy worms crawling around on plates.

There were several clothes shops along the main street, a bridal shop on the corner. I watched in amazement as the tailor's measuring tape slipped around the waist of the bride on its own, pins moving carefully from a cushion to tuck in the powder blue wedding dress she wore.

A grocery store was down the main street a bit, farmers loading crates of fresh produce inside. I was startled to see the employees of the grocery store making produce grow from leafy seedlings, the store manager shaking hands with his business partner.

Construction workers with an earth talent were making more buildings along a side street, easily crafting strong buildings with metal. Teenage teleboarders soared high in the sky, wild and free. I saw an older woman with white hair and wrinkles tending to her gardening store, watering her plants with her water talent, crafting little rainclouds above their pots.

"Louis look!" I kept pointing things out to Louis in amazement, even though he had probably seen them a hundred times before. He only smiled and told me more about whatever I has shown him, allowing me to indulge in my exploring.

I felt like a kid on vacation in Disneyworld as the bus came to our stop in front of the golden tower, all three of us getting up from our seats and getting off the telebus. Louis had tipped the driver in some kind of blue currency, Louis explaining to me they were Luxien dollars.

Louis had had to take my hand and almost drag me inside the tower, I was far too interested in looking around the magical place.

"Come on, you'll have plenty of time to look around afterwards."

We took the steps up to the beautiful building, the heavy doors being opened by Louis. He waited for me to walk inside, but I suddenly found my feet were frozen, unable to move. Dad gave Louis a look, Louis nodding and walking inside the golden tower, closing the door to give us some privacy.

"What is it, baby girl?" Dad asked softly, looking over my anxious expression. I was a mess, my fingernails digging into the palms of my hands and leaving crescent shape imprints. I opened my mouth to say something, but no words came out. I didn't know what to say, but I still tried my best.

"This...she's..." I started before I was taken into a hug, Dad's strong arms wrapping around me tight. I graciously accepted his comfort, finding strength in him being there for me.

"She's the first family member I'll ever meet, it's always been just us two." I whispered from where I was tucked safely inside Dad's hug.

"And you're the only granddaughter she'll ever have. I think she'll be just as anxious." Dad assured me, kissing the top of my head. "Mira, you have nothing to be worried about."

"You think so?" I asked, Dad nodding and releasing me.

"Absolutely."

Dad opened the doors for me, Louis patiently waiting for us as I stepped inside.

"Alright?" He asked, receiving my tiny nod and taking my hand as I was led the way, Dad following us.

The golden tower was grand in every way: golden arches along the white marble walls stretched up to the ceiling with intricate carved details only visible if one got close enough. The floor was tiled in shades of champagne and blush, arranged in geometric designs all around. Magnificent paintings hung on the walls in golden frames, portraying what must have been Luxien myths and legends. The ceiling was the most beautiful part: a painting of the bright sky above the Rift with extreme detail. It wasn't until I saw the clouds in the painting moving that I realized the ceiling wasn't a huge mural at all. It was reflecting the actual sky above the Rift in real time, sun rays shining and clouds dancing across the cerulean sky just like they were outside.

"What is this place?" I mumbled in awe, my eyes still trained on the ceiling as I let Louis guide me.

"The Sanctuary of Spirits. Each portal has one, it's a place for important leaders and celebrations, and it's usually the most beautiful building in a portal." He explained, leading us down a hallway to the right. I was happy to see the beautiful ceiling was present all over the Sanctuary, the sun still shining down on us.

I was startled out of my admiration when I heard a stern voice down the hall. Louis smiled at me before we walked towards the voice, my heart suddenly feeling like it was caught in my throat.

Once we turned the hallway corner, there she was, her back turned to us as she spoke to what looked like an assistant of hers. The assistant was young, she couldn't have been much older than Louis, and she was furiously scribbling down things my grandmother said with her telekinetic pen and pad of paper. The assistant's eyes trailed over Minerva's shoulder, locking on Louis and I.

"What are you looking a-" Minerva spoke as she turned around, her expression changing in record time from annoyance to what looked like astonishment. She was an older woman, with wrinkles on her face around her eyes and cheeks and darker grey hair that was cut short, stopping at her chin. Her eyes were striking, the blue closer to Louis' lighter shade than my darker one. She wore a loose black top and dark slacks, a grey blazer jacket with a shining golden pin on it revealing her importance to the Rift. Her gaze had turned to my father first.

"Mark? Is that really you?" She asked, the assistant taking her cue to leave as Minerva stepped closer to us.

"It is." Dad said, staying where he was as Minerva came closer. She seemed to be in disbelief as she looked Dad over, her palm pressed to her chest as if she couldn't believe it in her heart that he was actually here. Her gaze soon found me, her disbelief continuing as she stepped closer. I held onto Louis' hand tight, Minerva staring in utter amazement at me.

"No...Mira?" She asked, my voice caught in my throat. I nodded, Minerva pressing a hand to her mouth as she seemed to be on the verge of tears.

"Oh spirits, the last time I saw you...you were still a tiny baby. Now look at you, you're all grown up." Minerva's eyes were watering, but tears wouldn't fall. "You look just like..."

As if she suddenly remembered, Minerva began looking around us.

"Where's Amelie?" She asked, still looking for the last member of our little family. No one said anything, no one wanted to break the news. My gaze fell to the floor as my grandmother turned to Dad. There was a long silence, Minerva's previously amazed expression turning into a bad kind of astonishment.

"Mark, where's my daughter?" She repeated, Dad sighing and closing his eyes and Minerva's voice raised. "Where's Amelie?!"

"She was killed by Nox after we escaped the Caverns, she was trying to protect Mira." Dad whispered painfully, Minerva's tears now falling, but for entirely the wrong reasons. She was silent for moment before her rage took over, her small hands shoving at Dad's chest.

"You promised me! You promised her father and I that you would keep her safe! You promised us!" She shrieked, her sobs loud and uncontrollable before she took a deep breath and tried calming down. My poor grandmother was still upset, breaking apart inside. Dad didn't say anything, only waited for his mother-in-law to let it all out.

"You promised us when you asked for her hand..." Minerva whispered, taking more deep breaths and struggling to keep her sobs inside. "My poor baby..."

Her eyes closed painfully as she wiped away her tears, opening them again to face Louis.

"Tell everyone afternoon lessons are canceled for the day. I'm in no mood to teach." She ordered, Louis wordlessly nodding. I figured he had planned for this meeting to go so much better.

"And tell everyone I am to be left alone in my study for the rest of the day. Show Mira and..." She glared at my father. "her father to their rooms."

With that last command, Minerva turned on her heels and began walking away from us down the hall. She vanished from sight when she turned the hallway corner, a sigh escaping Dad as he stuffed his hands in his pockets and walked away the opposite direction, leaving Louis and I alone in the hallway.

"Well...do you want to walk around town for a while?" Louis asked me, but I wasn't in the mood to. I didn't want to remember this as being my first meeting with my grandmother.

I had Louis lead me to Minerva's study just then, following him through corridors and halls. He had stopped in front of a huge wooden door, my knuckles reaching to knock on it. Louis seemed a bit anxious as the raps on the door echoed around, an angry call being heard from within the study.

"Louis William Tomlinson, I swear if you are behind that door-" I heard Minerva yell, Louis' face paling as he ducked behind me like I were a shield. I mean, I guess I kind of was one...

The door was opened, but Minerva's angry expression melted away when she saw me.

"Mira? And I still see you Louis." She rolled her eyes at Louis still cowering behind me.

I had to defend Dad, it wasn't his fault Mom was gone.

"I need to talk to you. I've waited nineteen years to meet you again, and I don't want to wait one more day." I sternly told my grandmother, who seemed a bit taken aback at my tone before she smiled faintly.

"Got Amelie's spirit in you, huh? Come in." She invited me inside, though she closed the door with her mind behind me when Louis tried to walk in.

"Go tell your fellow students there is no training today." Minerva ordered, an annoyed groan being heard from the other side of the door as Louis went to do as he was told.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" Minerva asked me softly, wiping at her face to stop her tears. Her mind was moving books, notes, and a pot of tea with a matching teacup to her desk with her strong telekinesis talent. My eyes were wide as I watched it all happen, Minerva not noticing my amazement until she had sat down at her desk.

I was snapped back to reality when I felt a push on my back, my head turning to see nothing there. I was pushed towards a chair in front of my grandmother, my body sitting down comfortably before a teacup and saucer were levitated over to my hands.

"I don't know about you, but a nice cup of chamomile tea after a bunch of stress is heavenly." She commentated, pouring herself a cup with her mind as her hands filed through piles of papers and set them to a corner of her desk.

I was never really a big fan of tea, but I didn't want to be rude, so I drank a bit of whatever kind of tea Minerva said it was. I winced when the hot liquid burned my tongue a bit.

"Much better." Minerva had sighed in content after taking a sip of her tea, her bright eyes now trained on me. "Now then, you were saying?"

I had to pause a moment to think. What was I going to talk about again? Oh right, defending Dad.

"It's not Dad's fault that Mom died." I was blunt, my eyes watching as my grandmother sighed and set her teacup down on the desk. "She was only trying to protect me."

Minerva was silent for a moment, lips set into a hard line that made her wrinkles harsher in the light. They were like worry lines, etched into her skin from years of stress and needing to take care of the Rift.

"You don't believe me." I said quietly, holding my hands out to her. I had to prove to her it wasn't Dad's fault. "Let me show you."

Minerva was hesitant to take my hands, but when she did her bright eyes became glassy as I showed her the memory of Dad rushing me out of the cabin Nox was chasing and into the woods, promising Mom that he would keep me safe. Minerva blinked her eyes rapidly as she came back to reality, looking no more relieved or relaxed than before.

"You're a memory keeper too?" She changed the topic, making me a bit annoyed. I decided it best to just keep my mouth shut, I could talk to her about it later.

"Yes, and a telekinetic, and I can turn invisible too." I told her, Minerva seeming amazed. "It said all that on my birth certificate."

"Talents listed on a birth certificate don't necessarily mean the baby will have all those talents. Can you heal like your father?" Minerva asked, making me stop and think. Had I ever been able to heal someone? I'm pretty sure I would've healed Louis if I could, but I couldn't.

I shook my head, Minerva smiling sadly. "There's usually at least one talent listed that never appears."

"Louis can heal." I mumbled, Minerva finishing off her cup of tea before moving the teapot to pour herself another cup.

"Louis is a special case. I'm not surprised he learned healing already." My grandmother murmured as she took another sip of chamomile. I couldn't help but think back to what Louis' mother had said in the memory.

"I saw one of his memories. His mother said he was the greatest sorcerer to ever be born." I said softly, figuring if I was going to get any answers, this was who to ask. "Does that mean anything?"

I was faced with an uncomfortable silence for a few moments as Minerva internally debated what to say.

"A sorcerer...it's an extremely old Luxien term." She carefully started, but froze in her seat right after. Her posture stiffened, eyes unfocused, until she suddenly relaxed. I heard a knock at the door right after.

"Seems like Louis' here to take you to your new home. We can talk later, I have important work to do." I was dismissed as Minerva telepathically opened her study door, Louis waiting for me behind it. I took a look back at my grandmother, wondering what she had to say about the sorcerer thing, but I saw her hand gesture towards the door. I sighed before standing up and taking my leave, seeing my grandmother wave me goodbye before the door was closed.

"Did you have a good talk?" Louis asked as we had walked out of the Sanctuary of Spirits, my head a fuzzy mess of thoughts. I couldn't shake the feeling that the sorcerer term was important, and it was nagging me. I would find out what it meant, without a doubt.

But for now, I turned to look at my boyfriend, nodding and forcing a smile as we waited for the telebus.

A/N: Dedication goes to @seventeendrops for their many comments on the last chapter!

Vote and comment! -Maddie