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  Suddenly a big body was looming over them, and all three turned their heads upward from where they were crouched.

  “Would you all like to just send the dark elves a text to let them know exactly where we are?” Cush ground out through clenched teeth.

  Elora stood slowly and Lisa and Cassie followed her up. When she reached her full five foot seven inches, she met Cush’s icy gaze and smiled as she spoke, “I was thinking engraved invitations.” Elora ignored her mother’s dropped jaw and her best friend's snickers as she stepped around Cush, being extra careful not to touch him.

  Trik stepped around the corner and motioned for them to follow. “Coast is clear; let’s get a move on people.”

  Cassie hurried up to Trik’s side and he took her hand. He brought it to his lips and kissed her knuckles gently.

  “You doing alright?” he asked her as he moved so quickly and quietly that it was eerie.

  “Yeah, I’m good. A little unnerved as to why this is going so―”

  Cassie’s words were caught in her throat as a loud boom rattled through her ears and down her chest sending her body flying backwards through the air. She was only briefly alone as Trik’s arms were instantly around her cushioning their landing with his body.

  Stone and dirt swam in the air and rained down on the group as they all crashed to the tunnel floor. A few shrieks from the girls and groans from the guys and then all were silent.

  Cush blinked a few times, attempting to gather his faculties. His ears were ringing from the blast and he found it hard to get air into his lungs from all the dust settling in the thick, damp air. As soon as his mind was clear, his thoughts jumped to Elora. Where had she been when the explosion happened? She had walked past him and around Sidhion and Tamsin and then he hadn’t been able to see her. He jumped to his feet nimbly pushing rocks from his legs and began to survey the damage. Already nearly all of the elves were on their feet. Tamsin was pulling Lisa up, and there several feet in front of them, he saw dark hair with red streaks spread across the rubble. He was moving before he thought, maneuvering across the fallen stone with ease, and then he was kneeling beside her.

  Her eyes were closed and blood trickled down from a cut on her forehead. He leaned forward, laying his ear just inches above her mouth and felt warm breath against it. He squeezed his eyes closed tight against the emotion welling in his chest. Alive, he told himself, she was alive.

  “Is she alright?” He heard Lisa’s voice behind him.

  “She’s breathing but not conscious,” he told her gruffly. He didn’t move aside. Maybe he should have, Lisa was Elora’s mother after all. But she was his―his mind froze on that thought. His what? What did he think she was? His heart knew, but his mind wasn’t ready to accept it, would never be ready to accept it.

  His hand cupped her cheek as he leaned close to her ear. “Wake up, Little Raven.” He looked down at her and waited, willing her eyes to open. Another blast rocked the tunnels and Cush covered Elora’s body with his own. The ground trembled beneath them and the ceiling above them rumbled under the stress of the eruption. He waited until the dust settled before raising himself back up. He glanced over her to make sure no rocks or stones had landed on her and then looked back at her face. He stilled as his eyes collided with hers.

  “Most guys ask me on a date before trying for third base,” she told him with a smirk.

  Cush sighed inwardly, relieved that she was conscious.

  “Can you move?” he asked ignoring her comment.

  “I believe I could if you would get off of me.”

  He stared at her, confused by her surly tone. He had just protected her from possible death and she was practically growling at him. He didn’t realize his hand was once again on the side of her face, cradling it gently, not until her voice filled his mind.

  “The one time a guy lies on top of me and he isn’t even interested.” He heard the words in his head and felt his eyes widen. Realization rushed in—his touch, her thoughts, his mind. Cush nearly shoved her away from him in his hurry to stand. He stepped aside and let Lisa move to Elora’s side. He saw the flash of hurt in Elora's eyes but he pushed it away as he turned to check on the others.

  “Everyone alright?” Trik’s voice carried through the sooty air.

  “We’re all up,” Lisa called out as she helped Elora to her feet. Elora looked up to find Cassie and saw that she was on her feet next to Trik and in one piece. They gave each other reassuring nods and small smiles.

  “I guess it’s safe to say that Lorsan knows about our little excursion,” Tamsin said as he dusted off his clothes.

  “This end is blocked, Tamsin. What about that direction?” Trik asked.

  “It’s blocked as well,” Sid answered.

  “We’re going to have to head back the direction we came and see if there is another way out from there,” Cush spoke up. “Liege,” he turned to Tamsin, “there were small windows in the cell. We could attempt to make them larger.”

  Tamsin nodded. “It may be our only option.”

  Trik stared up at the small windows at the top of the cell. Small was being generous. Trik doubted even Cassie could fit through them. He reached up and rubbed his face in frustration. Think, Trik, think, he muttered inwardly. He hadn’t made it all this way only to be captured in the freaking castle he knew like the back of his hand. Before an idea could begin to form in his mind, he was interrupted.

  “Am I the only one seeing the she-elf who is staring creepily at us from the doorway?” Elora asked.

  Cassie gasped. “Flora?” She started to walk towards the woman who had taken care of her while she had been trapped by Lorsan, but Trik stepped in front of her with a scowl plastered on his too handsome face.

  “Why are you here?” Trik demanded.

  Flora was unfazed. She looked around him so that she could see Cassie. “I want to help,” she said earnestly. “I should have helped you before. I knew what he was doing was wrong. If you follow me I can get you out of here.”

  “Why should we trust you?” Cush asked as he stepped next to Trik, effectively blocking her view from the others.

  “You probably shouldn’t. But I give you my word; I mean you no harm.” She looked from Cush to Trik. “Besides, who would be stupid enough to attack our king?”

  “You know who I am?” Trik asked.

  Flora nodded and her lips tightened grimly. “Your return is not going unnoticed, My Lord. Many will be happy you are back. Others will only try harder to kill you. But we don’t really have time to discuss that right now.”

  Elora and Cassie both pushed around Trik and Cush with Lisa right behind them. “Lead the way, Flora. I trust you.” Cassie told her.

  Without another word, Flora turned and hurried from the door. Cassie and Elora took off after her, ignoring the male voices objecting behind them.

  “Um, Flo,” Elora spoke up as they followed her towards the direction of the blast, “we were just here and we were lucky to get away with all our bits intact.”

  Flora lifted a hand and waved for them to follow without responding. They stumbled over the crumbling stone and coughed as their feet stirred up fresh dust, creating a cloudy haze around them.

  “Cassie,” Trik’s voice carried up from behind them.

  “It’s fine, Trik. She’s not going to hurt us,” she called back to him.

  “In here.” Flora turned to look back at them, and Cassie and Elora both gaped at the opening that seemed to appear out of nowhere in the floor. Cassie stepped up to the hole and looked down. It was pitch black.

  “Is it safe?” she asked Flora.

  “We’re in a tunnel that was just blown up by freaky elf magic and you’re worried about whether the possible escape route from said blown up tunnel is safe?” Elora asked dryly.

  “Good point,” Cassie shrugged.

  “I’ll go first,” Tamsin said as he reached them.

  Trik held out his hand to stop the light-elf king. “You should let me.”
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br />   Tamsin shook his head. “You are too important…”

  “It shouldn’t be either of you,” Cush spoke up. “You are both important.”

  “Oh, for crying out loud,” Elora groaned, “what does it matter? We’re all going to die of asbestos poisoning if we stay here any longer, geeze.” She looked back at the group and rolled her eyes just as she took a step.

  “ELORA!” Cush, Lisa, and Cassie yelled at the same time but they were too late. She stepped off into the nothingness of the hole and disappeared.

  “ELORA!” Lisa yelled as she looked down into the black void. “Where is she? Is she alright?”

  “She’s probably fine,” Flora assured her.

  “What do you mean probably?” Lisa growled as only a mama bear could. “You don’t know where she is?”

  Flora shook her head. “The portal took her wherever she wanted to go.”

  “Portal?” This time all of the elves spoke up at the same time.

  Flora jumped at the collective deep voices. She nodded.

  “There’s no reflective surface,” Trik pointed out.

  “Not all portals need a reflection, King,” Flora addressed him. “There was a time long ago when the Forest Lords gave three portals that did not require reflections,” she paused and waited. “Do you remember?”

  Trik closed his eyes and tried to focus, tried to remember a time before light and dark elves, a time before war and destruction. Yes, he remembered.

  “Master portals,” he said breathlessly.

  Flora nodded and smiled like a proud teacher.

  “I’m sure this is supposed to be important,” Cassie interrupted, “but my best friend just took off into this master portal and I’d like to know where it took her.”

  “It will have taken her to wherever her heart longed most to be,” Flora explained.

  “Is that the only place it will take you?” Cassie asked.

  Flora shook her head. “No, it will act based on intent as well. But for your friend, since she most likely wasn’t aware she needed to be giving herself a location, it took her where she longs to be.”

  Cassie looked over to Lisa. Do you know where that is?”

  “Might be with Oakley, or it might be at the store,” Lisa told her.

  Cassie nodded her agreement.

  “Either place is safe, Cassie,” Lisa assured her. “You need to go with Trik. I can take care of Elora.”

  “You will be a target,” Cassie argued. “You can’t just go off by yourselves.”

  “I’ll get her and then come back to the light-elf castle, piece of cake,” Lisa assured her. Cassie didn’t look convinced.

  “I will accompany them,” Cush said, “if that is alright with the King.” He turned to look at Trik, waiting for his response.

  Trik nodded and then motioned towards the light elf on his left, “Rincavornon, you will go with Nedhudir and keep Lisa and Elora safe.”

  Lisa stepped up to the edge of the hole and looked down into the darkness. She decided the best place to start would be with Oakley.

  “Be careful.” Cassie grabbed her in a quick hug.

  Lisa patted her back. “We’ll be fine.”

  “We really should be on our way now,” Flora interrupted.

  Cush stepped up beside Lisa and motioned for Rin to do the same on her other side. They both placed large hands on each of her elbows. “We step together and you think of where we need to go.”

  She nodded at him and without a glance back, Lisa stepped off into the void with the two light elves beside her.

  “Your turn,” Flora told Cassie with a small smile.

  Trik grabbed her hand to keep her from stepping closer to the edge of the hole. He gave Flora a look that had her taking a step back and then turned to the rest of the group. “We go to Tamsin's castle, the throne room.” Then he stepped off into the portal pulling Cassie with him.

  Melda, the she elf Cassie knew as Flora, watched as the last of the light elves crossed through the portal. She counted to twenty just as Lorsan had told her, to ensure everyone was all the way through and then held her hand out over the portal. At her whispered words she watched as the hole shrunk in on itself until it was completely gone. Melda smiled to herself as she dusted her hands off. “Get silly human girl to trust you. Check.” She made the motion of checking off a list in the air. “Convince silly humans and elves to go through a portal. Check. Close off all portals so that there is no way to return to human realm or for elves to return to the elfin realm.” She paused and grinned. “Check, check.”

  Elora blinked several times as her eyes attempted to adjust to the bright light around her. She had expected to fall a few feet, hit the hard ground, and have her teeth jarred out of her head. But instead, it was as if she had just walked through an open door. One minute she was in the crumbling tunnel of Lorsan’s castle and the next she was, well… Where am I exactly, she thought to herself.

  She brushed her messy black mane of hair away from her face and took a look around. The air was cold and crisp as it burned her lungs. She judged that it must be winter wherever she was because all of the well-manicured lawns lining the streets contained dry dead grass. She was standing on a sidewalk with the street on one side of her and an apartment complex on the other. She glanced down the sidewalk to see if there was a street sign but only saw a stop sign. Just as she turned back towards the apartments, the door directly across from where she stood opened and out walked a tall, gangly guy in loose skater style jeans, a black t-shirt, and Vans. Elora’s eyes widened and a grin spread across her face.

  “What are you doing here, Baby Sis?” Oakley asked.

  Elora ran straight for him and had to bite the inside of her lip to keep from squealing like a girl. It was so freaking good to see him and to hear his voice, and then she was in his arms as she threw herself at him.

  “Umph!” he grunted as she buried her face in his chest. “Hey, hey,” he said as he patted her back. She refused to cry, hell she didn’t even know why she felt the need to cry, but she wasn’t about to give in to it.

  “What’s going on, Elora?” he asked her as he gently pushed her back so he could look at her face. She knew from the way his forehead wrinkled in concentration that he was trying to see past the front she was so desperately trying to keep in place. But what could she tell him? Hey big brother, long time no see, and since you asked, I was just rescued from the dungeon of a dark elf by a she dark elf who we thought was a bad guy, but maybe isn’t a bad guy and oh, by the way, mom is still there. For some reason she just didn’t feel that would go over too well. So she lied.

  “Nothing, I just decided I needed to see you.” She smiled up at him and tried to appear innocent, which for her was not easy because she usually wasn’t. He glanced down at her appearance and she knew the dust covered, disheveled look wasn’t doing anything to help her farce and she knew her next question was only going to make things worse. “What month is it?”

  “It’s January, the fourth to be exact. How did you get here?” he asked suspiciously as he looked around for her car. He would ask the most obvious question first. It was a valid one, of course, since he lived two hours away from Oklahoma City.

  “I took the bus,” she lied again. January, bloody hell how long had they been in fairy land, she thought to herself, but tried not to let that thought show on her face.

  His concern turned to annoyance as he stood up to his full six foot one height and crossed his arms in front of him. “What the hell is going on, Elora? You show up on my sidewalk in front of my apartment, where you have never been, I might add. You look like you’ve been in a freaking explosion or fire, and your covered in ash and crap.” He took a step towards her and reached for her arm. “And shit, you’re shaking like a junky. Now tell me what is going on.” He gave her arm a little shake—not enough to hurt her but enough to get her attention. “Does this have anything to do with those elves? I’ve told mom before I didn’t like her doing business with them?”


  “I will advise you one time to remove your hand from the female.” A deep voice came from behind Elora. Oakley’s eyes widened as he looked past his sister to see two large guys and, his head tilted to the side, his mom.

  “Mom?” his voice was hoarse.

  “Hi, Baby.” Lisa smiled wide. “Um, you might want to go ahead and let your sister go.” Lisa made a nodding motion towards the tall guy on her left. “Cush seems to think you are hurting her.”

  “Cush?” Oakley asked as he looked from his mom to the guy she had indicated. He still hadn’t let Elora’s arm go, shocked as he was.

  Cush’s eyes narrowed as he watched the male's hand tighten imperceptibly on Elora’s arm. He had tried to be nice, but still the male had not released her, granted he did seem a bit dazed. He walked slowly towards them and said, “Let her go.” The boy finally let go of her arm and Cush felt something inside him ease just a bit.

  “Elora,” her name came out softer than he intended, more like a caress, “are you all right?” She didn’t respond. In fact she hadn’t moved since he, her mother, and Rin had appeared from the portal. He stepped around, effectively pushing the boy away and knelt down so that he could look into her face. Her eyes were squeezed closed and her lips were moving swiftly. He leaned closer to try and hear what she was mumbling and nearly laughed when he finally deciphered it.

  Over and over Elora muttered, “Goth girls don’t cry, goth girls don’t cry.”

  “I thought it was big girls don’t cry?” he whispered close to her ear so that only she could hear him. She froze. Her eyes snapped open and her mumbling ceased instantly. Her eyes met his and he waited for her to say something, all the while fighting the natural desire to wrap his arms around her and pull her close to the shelter of his body. When she finally did speak, it only confirmed what he already knew.

  Elora stared at Cush and realized that she was seeing him in his elfin form in the human realm. “Why aren’t you using your glamour?” she asked. Her heart skipped at the flash of possessiveness she saw in his eyes.