Eddie checked his wristwatch as he continued pacing around the arrival terminal, waiting for the people he was supposed to pick up. They said that their flights would arrive by roughly 2:40 p.m., and assuming there were no delays, they must have landed an hour ago. Eddie reached into his pocket and checked his phone. He did not receive any missed calls or messages from any of them. What's taking them so long? He typed a quick message and sent it. After a while, he turned his head, narrowed his eyes, and scanned the sea of faces once more.

Eddie spotted a familiar figure—walking about ten meters away from him was a teenaged boy with short and messy brown hair. It took him a while to see his face, for other people were blocking his view, but he eventually caught sight of it. The boy's pimpled face was not that distinct, but his pair of youthful, coffee brown eyes distinguished him from the others. "About time," Eddie muttered. He held up his hand and waved.

"Jon!" he called out. Jon cocked his head and slightly widened his eyes upon noticing his friend. He soon began half-jogging, half-running towards him, halting abruptly before his baggage cart could bump into him. They greeted each other with a high-five-turned-handshake.

"Eddie! Nice to see you... did you dye your hair?"

"Oh, this?" He ran his fingers through his golden blond locks. "This is actually my natural hair color. When I first met you last year, I had my hair dyed. Where's your dad?"

"He's behind me, I think," Jon answered, glancing over his shoulder. José was casually strolling toward them, towing a cabin bag.

"Edmond!"

"José!" Eddie greeted him with a friendly handshake. "Nice to see you again."

"Nice to see you too. Sorry for keeping you waiting, something happened with our luggage."

"Oh, that's fine. Stella's flight landed an hour ago, by the way, so perhaps they will be out any minute now. Do you mind waiting here or would you prefer to wait in the car?"

"We can wait here," Jon said.

"I don't mind," José agreed.

And so they waited. The first thing Eddie asked them was if they enjoyed their flight and how Jon's training was going. Jon revealed that his skills had greatly advanced since the last time they met, but before he could spill more details, José bumped his shoulder and reminded him that they were still in public. Instead, they talked about other things, like if there was any turbulence during the flight and the itinerary for their trip.

Buzz. Eddie dove his hand into his pocket and retrieved his cellphone. He glanced at the screen—it was Stella. He swiped the screen with his thumb and held the phone to his right ear.

"Hello?"

"Oh hi! Eddie, we just got out of the—ehm, I mean—we just got our bags. Where are you?"

"We're waiting just outside Gate Eight. And you?"

"We're outside Gate Five," she replied.

"Okay. Stay put, we'll meet you there. Bye."

"Bye."

She hung up. Eddie reinserted his phone into his pocket and turned his head towards Jon and José. "They're at Gate Five," he informed them. "Let's go."

The three of them began walking towards Gate Five. Eddie scrutinized each face his eyes came across. Finding her was not an easy task, for she was rather short and easily hidden behind other people. Nevertheless, he eventually caught sight of a hazel-eyed girl in her early teens, her mocha brown hair tied in a distinctive ponytail.

"Stella!" he called out her name. She turned her face in his direction and squinted. Not long after, her eyes widened as she recognized him from afar. She waved at him and began strolling towards him, pushing a baggage cart as she did so. She stopped just before her cart could hit him.

"Eddie! Nice to see you again"—she tilted her head—"did you dye your hair?"

"No, this is my natural hair color." He glanced over her shoulder. "Where's Celestine—"

His question was answered before he could finish it. He spotted Celestine approaching them, and walking next to her was a woman who was presumably Stella's mother. They were very obviously sisters—they shared the same hazel eyes, the same facial bone structure, and even their lips and eyebrows were of similar thickness. Yet, despite their near-identical appearances, their auras were vastly different. Perhaps it was the fact that Celestine was bare-faced, while the other wore a light layer of makeup. Maybe it was because the former wore her hair short, while the latter's long hair flowed freely from the top of her head. Or maybe it was because Celestine was dragging along two rolling suitcases, while the other was occupied with only a single handbag. When the distance between them was close, Eddie outstretched his hand to greet Celestine.

"Celestine, nice to see you again!"

"Nice to see you again too," she smiled. They shook hands firmly. Celestine then gestured to the woman next to her. "This is Letizia, my younger sister. She's Stella's mother."

Eddie turned his attention towards Letizia. Though her mouth was smiling, her eyes did not show warmth. He held out his hand. "Nice to meet you, Madame Vincente."

She lifted her right arm and shook his hand slowly. "Please, call me Letizia. Nice to meet you, Ed..."

"...mond. My name is Edmond, but you can call me Eddie."

"Ah, I see."

"Yeah. So, euh, let's—I'll take you to a place where we can get picked up. I wanted to take taxis but my parents said it's too expensive, so I'll—we'll just borrow three cars. Follow me."

Eddie led them to a spot somewhere in the arrival terminal, where cars were picking up passengers. He then retrieved his phone and called one of his chauffeurs, instructing him to pick them up at the designated spot. After making the call, he placed his phone back into his pocket and turned to his guests, telling them that they should expect their ride soon. He conversed with them as they waited for the cars to arrive. From time to time, he would glance at the road, checking to see if the vehicles were already near.

While he was looking away, Letizia whispered to Celestine in Italian, "You tell me he's rich? He doesn't even have money to pay for taxis."

Eddie shot her a glare. To his luck, he turned his head away just before she could catch him. Does she not know that I might be able to understand her? He glanced out the corners of his eyes. Celestine gave Letizia a dirty look, whereas Stella's face scrunched in awkwardness. Eddie then focused on the road in front of them, keeping a lookout for the cars. He had hardly been so eager to be picked up in his life.

Three cars loomed in the distance. He squinted. A convoy of two sedans and an SUV drove towards them at uniform speeds. The car at the front was a black Mercedes-Benz S Class, the middle car was a silver Porsche Panamera Turbo S, while the last car was a white BMW X5. A slight smile crept onto his face. The convoy slowed on approach before finally coming to rest just in front of him. Three chauffeurs emerged from the car, all of them dressed in black suits.

"Jon, José, your car is the Porsche. Stella, you and your family will ride the BMW. If there's not enough space in the trunk, you can put the remaining bags in my Mercedes," Eddie told them.

He paid attention to some of their faces. Jon and Stella were wide-eyed and slack-jawed, while the corners of Letizia's lips quirked upwards. He huffed in amusement. Eddie stood by and watched as two of the chauffeurs assisted in loading the luggage into the cars. Though his driver had already opened the door for him, Eddie did not get inside his car—he wanted to make sure that not a single belonging was left behind. After all the baggage had been loaded, they boarded their vehicles.

Eddie fastened his seatbelt and leaned forward, his face nearing the driver's headrest. "À la maison, s'il vous plaît."

"Oui."

They left the airport. Eddie adjusted his headrest. He leaned further back, closed his eyes, and napped.

***

"Nous sommes arrivés."

Eddie rubbed his eyes, yawned, and glanced out the window. They were passing through a quiet and narrow road. From the large amount of greenery surrounding him and the presence of sizeable houses that lined the street, he could tell that they were quite close to home. He leaned forward as he searched for his house. His eyes spotted an enclosure bordered by a rather tall, stone fence, and behind it, extremely tall trees concealed the compound from unwanted eyes. One would have to climb the fence to even sneak a peek at the house. A wide and sturdy metal gate served as the entrance. He was home.

The car slowed as it approached the gate, which opened the moment they were just a few meters away. An immaculate lawn stretched before them as they drove towards the house, which was a three-story building that stood quite a distance from the gate. The car halted in front of the lobby. Eddie got out of the car and looked behind himself; the other two cars had just entered the compound. When the rest had reached the front door, the guests got out of their vehicles. Some of them went to the trunk to fetch their bags.

"No," he told them, "the servants will bring the bags up for you. Just follow me."

They walked towards the front door and pressed the doorbell. It was soon opened by a man wearing a suit and white gloves. Standing near the doorway was a woman who bore resemblance to Eddie: they had the same golden blond hair; the same small, oval-shaped face; and similar sharp, deep blue eyes. She greeted each guest with a warm smile and handshake as they entered the house.

"Welcome to our home!" she said. "My name is Colette, and I'm Edmond's mother. I'm so sorry my husband can't be with us today; he had a last-minute trip to New York last night. But anyway, let's go to the rooms, shall we?"

Colette led them from the foyer and towards the center of the house. Everything about the house screamed luxury—the smooth and shiny floors were made out of fine marble; golden, silvern, and other metallic shades accented the high-end furniture; eye-catching paintings, whose canvases were all the same size, added vibrant color to the plain, pale walls; and lamps with brass stands and cut-glass chandeliers kept the interior well-lit in lieu of natural light. When they had reached the main hallway, they noticed that the ceiling had grown taller—they could see the second and third floors from where they were standing.

"Your house is so big," Jon whispered to Eddie.

"Yeah, it is," he agreed. "It's bigger than our main house in Paris."

"Wait, we're not in Paris?" Stella asked.

"Oh no, we're in Le Vésinet. It's somewhere on the outskirts. We only stay here during the holidays or when we're hosting guests."

They continued walking until they reached the back of the house. Two flights of spiral stairs, with brass railings and velvet carpeting, led to the upper and lower floors. A single elevator was squeezed between them, and behind it was a set of sliding glass doors that led to the backyard. Colette pressed the elevator button. The elevator opened in an instant, and all of them entered it. Though there were seven of them inside, there was still enough space to fit a few more people. They got off on the second floor.

"So ladies, your room is this way," Colette beamed, gesturing to one side. She led Stella and her family down the left corridor.

"Your room's this way," Eddie said, gesturing to the right.

Jon and José followed him down the right corridor. They passed by two doors, took a left turn, and halted in front of the next door they came across. A brass plaque, which read "Chambre d'Amis," was nailed to its center. Eddie opened the door and waved his hand. "Make yourself at home."

The guest room seemed quite snug. A pair of tidy single beds, separated by a nightstand and reading lamp, occupied half of the room. Opposite the beds were a desk and chair, a flat-screen television, two cabinets, and a large closet. At the corner between the entrance and the closet was another door, which led to a private shower room and toilet. Opposite the room's entrance, thick satin curtains were bunched up and tied at the sides of a wide window. Just a few moments after Jon and José had entered the room, a pair of servants arrived to drop off their luggage.

"So we'll leave you fifteen minutes to settle in before we begin the house tour," Eddie told them. "Will that be enough time for you to rest?"

"Yes," José said.

And so he left them to settle in. He entered the elevator with his mother and rode it to the third floor.

"Edmond?"

"Yes, mom?"

"Can I talk to you about your itinerary? I took a second look at it, and there's something about what you planned for tomorrow."

The elevator stopped. They exited it and halted somewhere in the corridor. "What about tomorrow?"

"I noticed that out of all the tourist spots in Paris, you're planning to take them to Bibliothèque Mazarine," she said. "Are you sure you want to take the guests there?"

"Yeah," he answered her, "two of them actually requested that I take them there. They love visiting libraries and other quiet places."

"Okay then, but, you planned to take them there for four hours? That's a lot of time. Maybe you could spend an hour there, go to Musée d'Orsay, and then arrive home earlier so they have more time to relax?"

"I think four hours isn't too long. I'm pretty sure they won't mind."

"You're sure they won't get bored or anything?"

"I'm sure, mom. Trust me, I know my guests," he reassured her.

She paused for a moment. "Fine then. If you think it's alright, I'll let you handle it."

"Thank you."

The two parted ways as they walked towards their bedrooms, resting before they would start the house tour.

***

They began the house tour in the basement. Though it mostly functioned as a storage area and laundry room, it also held a warm and cozy lounge area, making it a comfortable place to unwind in peace. Snug sofas, which held plush pillows and soft throw blankets, gathered around a low coffee table. HiFi speakers and music players occupied the corners of the lounge, making sure that pleasant sound would reach every part of the room. Warm lighting from amber lamps gave the lounge a relaxed, almost sleepy, vibe.

Eddie and Colette then took them to the first floor, where most of the facilities were located. The dining hall, kitchen, library, and living room were located on the left side; the playroom, swimming pool, and gym were located on the right side. Connecting those rooms and the foyer was a long and broad hallway, whose ends held doors that led to the outdoors. Judging from their faces, Eddie guessed that his guests found the playroom to be the most impressive area, and he could understand why—it showcased a full playground, complete with swings, slides, and even an indoor zipline.

The hosts then led their guests to the backyard through the living room's sliding glass doors. A well-groomed, symmetrical garden spanned the backyard from corner to corner, blooming with fragrant flowers and festooned with fruit trees. A rather large gazebo, enough to fit ten people comfortably, sat squarely in the middle of the garden, its painted wood carved with elegant patterns. They did not linger there for long since there was not much to see.

They ended their tour on the second floor, which held the two guest rooms, two bedrooms, and the music room. The music room held a vast array of instruments, from six-piece drum kits and acoustic guitars to wooden violins and electronic keyboards. Luckily for the guests, they did not need to worry about loud music-making in the middle of the night—the entire chamber had been soundproofed. Eddie and Colette did not take their guests to the third floor, since it held only bedrooms.

The guests showered their hosts with compliments as they walked around the house, commenting on things such as the spaciousness of the chambers and the tasteful furniture. Letizia, however, was less vocal of her astonishment. She instead preferred to ask about the costs of the furnishings and other things in the house. Though Colette was jovial throughout the tour, Eddie could tell that she was not amused by Letizia's comments and queries.

"And that's it," Colette said, clasping her hands together. "Before I wrap up the house tour, there are some house rules to keep in mind: if you want to leave the house, please ask the butler or myself first; please maintain respect, even to the household staff; and lastly, do not go to the third floor. Now you are free to roam around the house and do whatever you want. If you need any help, don't hesitate to ask Jonathan or me. Dinner will be at seven."

"And please don't take pictures or videos here too," Eddie added. "We'd like to keep our home private. Any questions?" Nobody raised their hands. "If not, you can all go now."

The guests thanked their hosts and then dispersed. Eddie briskly walked to Jon and Stella and tapped on their shoulders.

"Jon, Stella," he called for their attention, "follow me."

"What is it?" Stella asked.

"I'll take you to my room," Eddie replied. "I wanna show you something."

The three of them entered the elevator. Eddie pressed the button that marked the third floor.

"Wait," Stella said, "I thought we can't go to the third floor?"

"Only if you're going there alone. It's fine because you're coming along with me."

They rode the elevator to the third floor. After they exited it, Eddie took a right turn and led them halfway down the corridor. They halted in front of a set of ornate, oak doors. He placed both hands on the brass handles and swung them open.

The first thing they noticed was the baby grand piano, which was placed right in front of the door. Behind the piano was a wide glass door, which gave entrance to a balcony with ample space for four people. Suspended above the center of the room was a small, cut-glass chandelier, dangling from an off-white ceiling. Vivid paintings in shiny brass frames hung on plain, cream walls. A queen-sized bed, layered with the softest and silkiest linens, rested against the wall on the left side, facing the windows. On its sides were a pair of oak bedside tables and small table lamps, and at its foot was a soft bench. A pair of bookcases, a standing lamp, and a matching armchair and ottoman sat at the left side of the room. At the right side of the room, a set of tufted armchairs, a complementing sofa, and a glass coffee table rested atop a soft rug.

"This is your room? More like a suite! It's so nice," Stella breathed.

"Your room is bigger than my house," Jon said.

"Really?" Eddie asked. "I haven't even shown you my bathroom."

"You have your own bathroom?" the two asked him at once. He smiled.

"It's not that big," he replied, "I'll show you."

He ambled towards the left side of his room, stopped in front of a more modern-looking door, and opened it. The bathroom was indeed not that big—compared to the rest of the suite. In addition to having the essentials, like the sink, shower, and toilet, it also boasted its own jacuzzi. Heated towel racks and shelves holding body-care supplies occupied the space on the left side, where the toilet and bidet compartment were also located. Even the toilet was impressive—it had buttons attached to it, used to control things like the built-in bidet and temperature of the toilet seat.

"Is that a bathtub?" Jon asked.

"A jacuzzi, to be specific," Eddie said. "There used to be a normal bathtub there, but when they renovated this house I asked if I could replace it with a jacuzzi. I rarely use bathtubs."

"You say your bathroom's not that big? It's as big as my room," Stella said. "Why didn't you tell us you were this rich?"

"You never asked, so I didn't tell," he replied casually. "Anyway, now that all of us are here, I can finally introduce you to Louis."

"Louis?" Stella asked. "The book that can teleport?"

"Yes, that book. It's somewhere on the bookshelf."

Eddie strode towards one of the bookcases. He retrieved a thin and red book whose pages were barely bigger than his hand. The book sprang out of his hand and levitated towards Jon and Stella.

"Ah, Jon and Stella!" it said. "Ed's told me so much about you two. Now all the new Realm Seekers are here."

"Yeah, we—wait a minute—Eddie, I thought we're not calling ourselves the Realm Seekers?" Stella asked.

"Well, the Gatekeepers had other plans." Eddie shrugged. "We have to go to Nitea now. My mentor's expecting us soon."

"Now?" Jon asked. "I thought we're doing that tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow's our first lesson. We still have other things to do before that. I texted you two about it, remember?"

"Do we have enough time, though?" Stella asked.

"I think so. Dinner's at seven, and now it's"—Eddie checked his wristwatch—"five fifteen. We'll only spend thirty minutes there at most."

"But we still have to go to the portal," she said. "Is it far from here?"

"Oh, that won't matter. Louis, take us to the portal."

Before any of them could say another word, the book spread its pages wide and engulfed them in bright light.

✧ ✧ ✧

Surprise! Turns out Eddie's a (really) rich kid. Though he was able to hide that fact from Stella and Jon for a whole year, were you able to suspect it while reading Book One?

I hope you liked this chapter! If you did, please vote by pressing the star-shaped button on this chapter! I'd also love it if you leave any comments ❤️