Aidan followed her gaze. Up ahead a lighted and covered stop for the city’s rail system stood in the center of the street. At first he didn’t see anything unusual, but then he made out a hair-fine vertical line of glowing orange light that hung in the air. As they moved closer he got a better look at it… and suddenly recognized it. He hurried forward, circling around the shining thread.

Viewed from the side it was a thin line, but from in front it was a swirling oval, apparently made of flame. “A portal,” he whispered. He could almost hope… maybe the demon had lied. Maybe he could go home. He knew there was little chance, but he had to try. He stepped forward, passing through the hanging flames, but there was no sense of motion, no swirling disorientation. His foot came down on the pavement on the other side. The portal faded away behind him and he sank to his knees, collapsing in defeat.

Lucy came up beside him and knelt next to him. “What’s wrong? What was that?”

“It was a portal,” he said softly, tears flowing down his cheeks. “A portal home. But I couldn’t go through. I’m trapped here. I’ll never be able to go home again, never see my family…” he broke off, his voice too thick with emotion to continue.

Lucy rested one hand on Aidan’s shoulder comfortingly. She didn’t know what else to say, what else to do. Eventually Aidan’s tears stopped. He sniffed a bit, pulling out a handkerchief and wiping his eyes.

“You all right?” asked Lucy.

“Yeah. Sorry about that. I just… I miss my family so much.”

“You want to talk about it? The train won’t be here for more than half an hour you know.”

Aidan sighed. “Not really. I’ll be fine.”

“Look, I won’t put any of this in my book, I promise. Nobody would believe it anyhow. Are you really from some other world?”

“The honest truth is I was born and raised here, in Utah.”

“You’re being evasive again, aren’t you?”

“Look, I don’t want to talk, all right? Just leave me alone.”

“Hey, I’m sorry.”

Aidan didn’t answer. He just got up and sat down on a nearby bench. He rearranged his wings, refolding them into a more comfortable position.

“Your wings are for real aren’t they? Can you fly?”

“Do you ever stop asking questions?”

“Sorry… I have more curiosity than is good for me.”

“Yeah, well, you know where curiosity got the cat, right?” Aidan knew he shouldn’t be so short with Lucy. But he wasn’t exactly in a good mood. He wanted nothing more than to be alone with his renewed heartache. He was having to face the possibility of being stuck here on Earth for a very long time, maybe forever.

When at last the train arrived Aidan said, “Look, Lucy, I’m sorry I haven’t been very polite to you. Tonight hasn’t exactly been a good night. But some other time look me up. I’m almost always at The Sanctuary.”

“I might just do that,” she said with a smile.

“Goodbye.”

“Bye.”