“Mil,” Noah said, trying to bring her back to the present moment, but she held up her hand to silence him. Information was descending from the ethers upon Milicent’s brain and she wanted to pay enough attention to catch it.
She started to pace. “Noah, why did Devlin’s lab find that genome?”
He stood confused. “He was a billionaire and had the funding to dig deep.”
“Yes, or … he knew where to look because he had Magus feeding him information not from this world. From my world, my magical world!” She was angrier than before. “Science didn’t find immortality first. He had supernatural help. I knew it!” She pushed aside the sliding bookcase and stared at the alchemical door.
“Ohh, where are we going?” Noah asked with childlike enthusiasm.
“Not sure yet, but it’s high time I used this thing,” she said.
“You’ve never walked through it?” he asked.
“No, I’m not certain I can. It only works for true alchemists. I never considered myself one of those.”
“With all the magic you’ve done?” he asked.
“True alchemists look to transform their inner being,” she said. “I’ve never been interested in inner transformation.”
“Yet here you are,” he said. “I’d say you are very transformed from the day I met you.”
She shrugged off his comment and opened the door. Blackness awaited. She leaned in and reached her arm across the threshold. “Yeow.” She pulled it back. “Terrible static electricity.” She rubbed her arm to get it off. “I’m going to need a plan and a set of directions for this thing.”
“I’ve been through it,” Suki said quietly from the front of the room.
Milicent turned and looked at her with a gaze that bore right through her skull. “What did you say?”
“I’ve … been through it. More than once.” Suki cringed, expecting Milicent to be angry at such a breach.
“Tsk, tsk,” Noah said.
“Shut up, Noah,” Milicent said, angry with him, not Suki. “Where did you go?” Milicent asked with pure curiosity.
“Well, I went back in time to Silverwood, and returned from there. Then I used the door at the cabin to go with Skylar to the Underworld.”
Milicent walked toward Suki, her eyes wide. “Did you meet my sister?”
Suki’s face turned bright red, which was a feat given her naturally olive complexion. “Yes, she’s quite lovely.”
“Why haven’t you told me this?” Milicent asked.
A whoosh of air came out of Suki’s mouth. “There’s been a lot going on.”
Milicent closed the distance between them and studied Suki’s face. She grabbed her chin, opened her mouth, and peered inside. “I don’t see alchemist in you.” She pulled the skin down under Suki’s eye to expose her inner eyelid. “No.” She shook her head. “No sign.”
“Well, I did go through with Skylar once. I’m sure she’s the alchemist.”
“All the times or just one time?” Milicent asked.
“One time,” Suki said.
“Then no. It’s you. So interesting.”
Noah took the liberty of poking Suki’s cheek with his finger. She swiped at his hand.
“It appears we have a way in,” Milicent said, walking back to the door.
“All due respect, ma’am, why do you want to go?” Suki asked.
A mix of emotions flooded the older woman’s face in a matter of seconds. “I have unfinished business with my sister, that’s all.”
“I understand,” Suki said. “Loss severs the timeline we think we have with those we love. I’m happy to help you get there.”
Milicent paused. “Thank you,” she said curtly and nodded once. She closed the door and covered it back up with the bookcase. “I need to prepare for this. Let’s plan to go in a few days.”
“Well, that’s my news, ma’am,” Suki said. “I have to give my notice. It would seem I’ve been offered a job I can’t turn down.”
A look of betrayal came across Milicent’s face. Before she could open her mouth, Suki blurted, “I’ve been called to the White House. Again.”
“By whom?” Milicent asked, so close to Suki’s face she could feel her cool breath on her skin.
“Mica Noxx.”
A huff of breath poured out of Milicent’s nose. “Is that so?” She shook her head. “I opened my library up to you, my private library! And now you’ll be taking all of this knowledge with you in that photographic memory of yours.” Noah stood behind her, scowling at Suki. “Well, I guess I can’t do anything about this. When are you leaving?”
“I have to be settled there by the solstice,” Suki said.
“Of course you do,” Milicent said. “Well, that speeds up our timeline then. Be ready to do this tomorrow.”
That took Suki aback. “I need a bit of time as a refresher …”
Milicent continued to scowl at her.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“What should I wear, Mil?” Noah asked, breaking the tension.
“You are not going,” Milicent said.
Noah took one step backward, a horrified expression on his face.
“Don’t give me that look. Suki will have enough to handle getting me to the right place. She can’t be burdened with you too.”
This was the closest thing to a compliment Suki had ever received from Milicent.
Noah pursed his lips but said nothing.
“Tomorrow it is,” Suki said optimistically. “I may stay here to get myself reacquainted with the door, if you don’t mind.”
Milicent waved her off, already heading for the exit. She stopped at the simple metal research desk near the door. The Book of Sophia sat upon it. “It’s in worse shape than ever,” she said. “I don’t know how to fix that.” She opened it. The Sanskrit words shone brightly, as if hovering above its pages. “Still can’t read it, either.” She sighed and looked at Suki.
Suki nodded apologetically.
“Of course you can,” Milicent said.
Noah looked over Milicent’s shoulder and she let him. “It’s beautiful,” he said.
Suki suspected he was just trying to be relevant to the conversation.
Milicent shut the book and she and Noah walked out of the library.
“I’m going to walk through that door and see Diana,” Milicent said in disbelief as she and Noah stepped onto the elevator. “I’ve been trying to do this for decades. And it’s really going to happen.”
“I am compelled to remind you that Grandmother made it seem like this was a bad idea,” Noah said.
“She thinks everything is a bad idea,” she said. “I had hoped for her permission, but instead I will ask her forgiveness.”
“Hmm,” Noah said. “Mil, why do you want to do this so badly? I know she died and all, but that was so long ago, and not to be harsh but everyone has death in their lives. Devlin died. Do you want to see him?”
“God no,” she said. “I just … loved her more than anyone else on the whole planet, and she is eternally nineteen in my mind. And I feel like there’s so much left unsaid between us. I’ve had no peace for all these years.”