For the second time that day, Aurora stepped through the portal after Mistral, and again she found herself in a strange room. It was a perfect cube, immacute and sterile. That was probably one of the many reasons Anygmah hated visitors—though surely, there had to be far better ones.

  The room was square in every dimension, all six boundaries of the space equidistant. It was eerily symmetrical. The walls were featureless and stark white. The source of the room’s illumination was indiscernible, yet the light was uniform and unyielding. There was nothing and no one except for the hooded figure in robes at the very center. Its body was entirely concealed beneath yers of flowing fabric.

  “Mistral,” it whispered, its voice hushed like rustling parchment, “you have brought a new hero, have you not? Aurora, Leo Walker, Leona Ramses… you carry many secrets.”

  “Anygmah.” Mistral gestured grandly toward Aurora. “I proudly introduce you to Aurora, my companion in fighting against injustice.” Aurora turned three shades of red at that. I AM HER ALLY! KYAAAAA! “And I formally request your protection so that she might remain vigint against threats to others rather than herself.” She bowed with deep reverence.

  “I have heard many requests, and so often, you heroes so readily expose the secrets I have taken such great care with. I am bound by my oath and will shield Aurora’s identity from those who pry into the realms mystic… but I should wish to offer her yet another boon.”

  Anygmah raised an arm, and for a fleeting moment, Aurora glimpsed something beneath the robes. A skeletal hand, its flesh shriveled and mummified, stretched forth. “You jealously guard the secret of your gender; from peers your age, from those both empowered and mundane. I shall keep this secret as well, if you have one of equal worth to trade me,” it whispered.

  “What sort of secret?” Aurora asked, unable to tear her eyes from the sight of its desiccated hand. She hadn’t expected anything like this in… well, ever. Shaking off her awe, she focused on its hooded and veiled face who seemed to beckon her to begin sharing.

  “Well, let’s see. I don’t think I have any really big secrets. My father was a bad man… and my mother was a good woman whose death made him worse. I don’t hide that from anyone who truly wants to know, as much as I try to distance myself from my past. Not that people ever ask. Sarah, my friend, knows, and Mistral does too.” Aurora smiled softly. “What sort of secret do I have that you would want to know, Anygmah?”

  “I am willing to wait,” Anygmah spoke. “Heroes often stumble upon lost and esoteric knowledge. Swear that you shall share such knowledge with me and me alone, and I shall guard your secret as fiercely as I guard the identities of other heroes.”

  “That seems unfair, Anygmah,” Mistral interjected, pcing a protective hand on Aurora’s shoulder. “You cim we carelessly expose secrets, yet now you wish to barter for them yourself? What if she never discovers such knowledge?”

  “Mistral,” it responded as if her words were of little consequence, “your secret bubbles within you—you wish to share it. Do not seek to rush Aurora from my realm because of your own weakness.” It lifted its withered hand and pointed directly at Aurora. “Aurora, do you accept my terms? There is no cause for arm if you do not. Once you leave here my protection will be in pce, it will simply not extend to the aspect we are discussing.”

  Aurora looked from Anygmah to Mistral. A secret she wanted to tell her?

  She gazed at her hero with trusting eyes, then turned back to Anygmah. “As long as withholding said information does not harm the world, my loved ones, other lives, or the heroes you protect, then I could agree. But if it means otherwise, I’ll simply have to risk the derision and ck of understanding that might come.”

  “I accept your terms,” Anygmah said immediately.

  Mistral sighed and nodded. “Thank you for your time, Anygmah.” She offered Aurora her hand and spoke again. “Come on, let’s not trouble him any longer.” She gently pulled her mentee away.

  Aurora was so happy to be holding Mistral’s hand that she glowed—quite literally. Mistral led her to a wall, what might have been the third wall, though that depended on one's perspective. Aurora gaped as Mistral touched what must have been some kind of invisible switch, and the room spun. Stumbling backward, she found herself once again in Mistral’s Sacred Sanctum. She turned to see Mistral standing behind the fire in the center of her lodge.

  “I’m sorry if he was being a creeper. Anygmah loves secrets above all things. It pleases him when others trust him with them. If I were to hazard a guess, I’d say it will now be even more difficult for anyone to find out anything about you. You may not even need to try very hard to hide your true gender in your civilian identity.” Mistral smiled.

  Aurora giggled and sighed with relief. “That’s good news. It’s already really awkward getting ID’d now… not that it happens too often yet.” Her lips twisted humorously. “It’s okay, though. I trust that he wouldn’t hurt me. Now that I think about it, I’ve probably been influenced by him myself at various points. In all the years I’ve been a superfan, I’ve never been a part of or seen any serious effort towards uncovering any hero’s identity. That must mean he’s pretty good at what he does—for a ‘creeper.’” She giggled again. “Anyway, do you need to rest again? And do you think I could ever learn to do magic? Besides what I normally do with my powers, that is.” Aurora asked, staring up at the vast sky visible above.

  Mistral smiled, flushing slightly with pleasure. “You’re asking me to teach you magic? I don’t know if I’d be a good teacher.” She ughed. “Dragonmage’s old mentor, Jade Guardian, would be the best for something like that, but she’s… kind of missing now. It’s a long story,” she said tepidly. “If you want to learn real spells, I’m not sure you’ll have enough hours in the day—at least, not if you want to maintain a semi-normal civilian life.”

  “As for your concern,” Mistral flexed her free arm. “I didn’t use my own power to teleport us here. The gate I created was a two-way, but we were concealed by Anygmah’s realm when we passed through. That’s why there was an extra wall.”

  Aurora blinked at that. Extra wall? She hadn’t seen one.

  Was there another dimension she was missing out on seeing? That did somewhat increase the creep factor of the creeper.

  “Anyway, we’re ready to go to the Society’s northern Headquarters. Assuming you’re still interested.” Mistral smiled and stepped around the fire, taking Aurora’s hand and squeezing it.

  “I sure am!” Aurora bounced and grinned. “But don’t sell yourself short. You’re so much more amazing than I ever imagined. You’re kind, compassionate, sweet—not at all distant when it comes down to it. You would make a wonderful teacher, I’m sure of it! I’d never force that role on you though, even if it meant spending more time with my favorite hero! That’s definitely another one of those selfish desires of mine.” She stuck out her tongue and winked. Now that she was getting used to being around her, she was letting more of herself shine through.

  Mistral moved to the door and opened it, allowing the cold to billow in, stealing away the warmth of the lodge for a moment. It was the northern wilderness, after all.

  Aurora stepped forward and looked outside. They were in a snowy forest.

  She figured they truly were above the frost line somewhere in Canada, just as her mentor had said.

  “This is my own personal fortress of solitude,” Mistral said with a grin. “If we can get you a communicator, I’ll give you my number. Maybe we can hang out sometime—make an official team-up.”

  Aurora’s jaw dropped before an ear-to-ear smile took over her face, her heart overflowing with happiness. “Yes, please!”

  “Let’s go!” Mistral grinned and whooshed up into the sky. Aurora stared momentarily before charging up after her, catching up in an instant. They ughed as they danced around each other through the air.

  “I envy that speed of yours!” said Mistral jovially.

  They moved along for a time, at a pace Aurora soon felt was a bit slow for her taste, but nonetheless, being by Mistral’s side was wonderful. It took forty-five minutes before a city came into sight off in the distance.

  “Up ahead, that’s Ottawa… and we’re headed for a building called ‘Clubhouse Three,’” Mistral expined. “It’s an entry point to the Society’s Headquarters elsewhere. I’ll be bringing you in as my guest,” she added.

  “Right! I can’t believe I’m actually in Canada! Another whole country!” Aurora squealed and barrel-rolled, expressing her joy. “I’ve never been outside the States in my life… and now I get to see the world! I never thought about that perk before! I’m really, really looking forward to this!”

  Mistral smiled fondly at Aurora, who was spinning, practically cartwheeling through the clouds.

  If you want others to love you, be the best kid inside you can. Magic can happen.