We walk on in the new world we jumped to with Mathilde as our guide. As the day progresses and daylight gives in to the night, I suddenly know we are getting close to the next portal. The next guide and mate will meet us on this side of the next portal, and I can smell the person already. We will be a big group when we finally reach Celeste.
“Do you sense that?” I ask Mathilde, who looks at me confused. “This person smells like the first spring leaves and glacier water,” I reply to her, and she chuckles. It’s the first real laughter I’ve heard from her since we left the last world behind. It warms my heart to hear her, and I cannot decide if I want to run to our new mate or stay to listen to more chuckles from the woman beside me. As a middle ground, I start to drag Mathilde by her hand s
