For some reason she never quite understood, Hayley took a strange sense of delight and proud in making Solomon laugh. She supposed it was a result of their first meeting and how little he seemed amused in a general capacity, but it was difficult to tell whether that was true or the bias of limited observation. Whatever the case, making him smile often made her smile in turn.

"My hero," she teased, responding to his underlying honesty with an unspoken gratitude just before he moved through the portal. Then she had no choice but to follow and so she did, with relative ease all things considered, striding through and emerging on the other side to stand beside him not unlike they were a moment before. Only, this time, their surroundings were far more intriguing - and intimidating - than the ruins of the town.