I was sure the only place I would find my answers was the place I did not want to go. Grandmother's house was still being kept up as to her will and that is where my answers would be. Well some of my answers. Some of the questions had to do with Dan and why they told me to take him and run. I was not sure how to get those answers? I decided that I had to head to my safe house close to Grandmother's house so I could go have a look. One mystery at a time. I also decided to go alone.

The next morning I told Lily and Dan that I was going to scout the conditions on the other side and left through the portal. I moved fast so they could not protest. The safe house had not been used for a long time and dust was everywhere. I had set up this place when I thought I may run from the Office. It was not on their radar so I should be relatively safe for a bit. I checked my stash of clothes and money as well as food. I was good to go on all counts. I slipped into my black jeans and pullover while I watched the street to see if I could move soon. I bagged my gear so I could grab and go if needed.

I waited an hour then slipped out the back door into the alley. I skirted grandmother's house several times to make sure it was not being watched. When I decided it was safe I used the back door, I knew where there was a key hidden. I also knew what spell would let me enter without tripping the wards. My casting was good and the wards parted to let me in.

This place held a lot of memories for me. It was a part of the life I left behind when I became Amber. I stood in the kitchen and let my memories rush over me. It was almost too late that I felt I was not alone. I dropped into a fighting stance and scanned the room and pantry. There she was standing in the door of the pantry looking very much like the last time I was here. Many things went through my mind the one that stuck out the most was How could Grandmother be here when she died 8 years ago.

She watched me as I watched her. The strangeness of all this was slowing my reactions. She said "You must be of this house to know about the wards and how to negate them. I don't recognize you though. Who are you?"

I straitened up "I used to be Alec, your grandson. Much has happened in the 8 years since I last seen you. Why are you not dead? I was there when they put you in the ground? I know you are tricky but that is a lot to come back from!"

She looked me up and down "Alec, you have changed a lot yourself. Prove to me you are who you say you are and I will tell you why I faked my death."

I pulled the pendant out of my top and said "Wind Haven" Her eyes went big and she rushed over and gave me a big hug. I liked the hug but was bursting with questions. That is when the outer wards went off. She grabbed my hand and pulled me into the other room. There was a big mirror and she opened a portal and we stepped through. On the other side she sent a shatter spell as she closed the portal. I glanced around we were in a country cabin I had never seen before.

She smiled "I always meant to bring you here one day and now I have. Now to why I had to fake my death. The short answer is to keep them from you. I will make some tea and we will exchange stories." She moved around the kitchen and I was reminded of all the times we sat and had tea when there was something important to talk over.

We sat and sipped our tea at the table like the old days. I asked something that was on my mind. "Do you know a Lily Fairbow? I ran into her and she had the same pendant that brought her to Wind Haven." I seen her eyes get big again. It was plain to see she knew the name.

She sipped "Yes she like you were Chosen but never called. I tried to keep her safe but lost track of her and her Mother. How is she? Well I hope." There was a lot she was not telling me about Lily and myself. "The pendant is a marker that shows one is Chosen. There are only a few per world and not all of them are called to do what must be done. Then there are Watchers like myself who protect the Chosen. I was set to watch over you till the age of choice. Before that time I was needed elsewhere so had to make it seem like I died. I was told another Watcher would see to you." She sipped some more before going on. "Before you ask yes we are related just a little more distantly than you thought. Lily is connected to you in a round about sort of way as well. She is a third cousin I think. Wind Haven was once a place for the Chosen to run to when needed, now that has moved to a place called Sanctuary. That leaves Wind Haven to the Chosen that are not called like you and Lily." She refilled our cups. "Now you tell me how you became the young woman I see before me."

I took a long breath and told my tale from her dieing to this chat at the table. I left nothing out. Once I got started it all came tumbling out. She did not interrupt just sat there and took it all in. I was very tired when I finally came to the end. I looked back on what I told her and could not believe all that had happened in such a short amount of time. She sat thinking for a bit with a look of concern on her face.

Finally she spoke "We need to get to the bottom of this. Who is Dan and why is he important to all this? Something is going on that we need to get ahead of. I will put out a few feelers and then we will go to Wind Haven. Do you need to go back to your safe house for anything?"

I smiled "I can do a in and out. I bagged everything and put it near the mirror for a fast get away." She handed me a ring with a strange crest on it.

She smiled "This will bring you back here. Go fast leave nothing you wont be going back to that safe house. I will make some calls while you are gone. I don't like what's going on and we need to move." I went to the mirror and opened a portal to the safe house. I dashed out grabbed the bags and turned and changed the portal to the cabin. I stepped though. I sent the shatter spell as I closed the portal. I let out the breath I didn't know I was holding. Grandmother was at a table mirror chatting with someone. I dropped the bags at the side of the mirror and sat waiting for her to finish. She ended her call and looked at me "I got good news and bad news. What do you want first?"

I smiled "I need some good news so give me that first." I rested myself ready for anything.

Grandmother smiled "Dan is a thorn in the side of a group of people called the Tangents. Your group was working to stop these people so protecting him made sense. So they sent you to do just that. Here is the bad news. The Tangents got into your group and turned a great number of them so there is a civil war going on inside your group. The fact you are a porter makes you a high target to the Tangents. Right now the protector group is no more. You need to find a place to hide and stay there for awhile. I will gather what data I can and get it to you. You may need to go in to rescue protectors that are still on our side from time to time. Right now you need to get back to Wind Haven so you are safe for awhile."

I sighed "Are you coming with me? There is so much more we need to talk about." She sighed and nodded. I got up heading for the mirror. I picked up the bags after opening the portal to Wind Haven. I grinned as I stepped through this had been quite a day.

Lily was waiting on the other side. Her eyes went big when she seen who was following me through the portal. She squealed and lunged into a huge hug. "Great Aunt Eve you are alive I was told you died 2 1/2 years ago. What are you doing here? What is going on?" The questions rushed out of Lily in a flood. Grandmother held her for a moment then shushed her.

Grandmother smiled "All will be told but lets get Dan in here so we wont need to tell it twice. I dealt with the shutting down of the portal as Lily went to find Dan. soon we were all sitting in the kitchen sipping tea and I told of my adventures today. Then Grandmother told her side of things making what happened make more sense.

After all the tales were told Dan spoke up "I need to tell you all why I got so many death threats. I am a P.I. and I was looking into a group known as the Tangents. They are a group of Earth-side mages that want to control all magic by stopping people using the portals. In my investigation I learned some magic including how to stop some spells. That is why your forget spell did not work on me. My family does not like what I do but I love it. There are some things you can not unlearn. Like when I found out about other worlds and other timelines. That one put me off the case for a bit. Then I met you Amber. I am still not sure where that is going but I am in for the whole ride. That is all I got to say at this point."

I smiled at him and took his hand. Grandmother smiled "I find you two are a good match and wont stand in your way. But know this the Tangents are a very powerful and dangerous group. Do not take them as any thing else. On some worlds they have been overcome on others they won. This Earth has not been decided yet. There are groups out there working to defeat them and there are this worlds Chosen. Just know Wind Haven is a place away from the fighting for now but that may change."