After the war

“You cannot attempt the passage again,” the King said.  “We have reason to fear it could kill you.  You must stay in the Exterior.”

“But-”

“You are needed here.  This is where you belong."  

There was a long pause in which Kitty struggled violently with herself.  Not until the King insisted, “Kitty, please,” did she whisper, “All right.”

“Thank you.  It is for the best.”

Kitty wasn’t so sure about that.  But just as she meant to tell him all of the things she’d been holding back for years now, another blurry form appeared in the room.  “Leo!” Kitty exclaimed.   “I'm so glad to see you!”

“And you, Miss Katharine," the King's guard answered.  "I am grateful you are well.”

“You weren’t hurt in the battle, were you?”

“No, indeed not," he assured her, and took a step closer.  "I hope you will not think me too forward, Miss Katharine, but there is something I wish to say to you.”

Kitty waited expectantly.

“Come back with us.”

“I’m sorry?”

“Come back with us,” Leo repeated.  “You belong in our world as much as you belong here.”

Kitty looked over at the King, but he remained silent.  Leo could not know what the King had just told Kitty.

“There is no need for you to stay in this world,” Leo continued.  “You would miss nothing.  Your mother is beyond your reach, and your brother is resilient.  They would tolerate your loss much better than we here who know you would.”

Kitty thought of how her mother had sobbed after her father and brother died, and of how frightened Jack had been when Kitty disappeared a year ago.   “I don’t know if that’s true,” she said carefully.   “But even if it is, I think I should stay here.”

“In our world you would be adored.”

With a faint smile Kitty replied, "I don’t really have the right temperament to be adored.  But thank you very much for the offer.”

*From my upcoming YA novel, A Window to the World