《Smoke and Mirrors》


 Part One: Growing Up

    Part One: Growing Up


    The ramp had looked a lot smaller from the ground.  Now that Jonathan was standing at the top, straddling his BMX bike, one foot on a pedal and the other on the ground, looking at a drop that would make Evel Knievel dizzy, he found himself wondering how he had managed to let Zoe talk him into this.  She was good at that ¡ª talking him into doing stupid stuff just because she didn¡¯t want to be the only one getting into trouble when their parents eventually found out what they had been up to.  And somehow they always did.  ¡°I¡¯m not wearing the right helmet!¡± he shouted to the small crowd of kids gathered below to watch.


    ¡°Chicken!¡± yelled Tyler.  He was a year older than Jonathan and Zoe, three inches taller, nearly twice as heavy, almost all muscle, and no brains.  At least in Jonathan¡¯s opinion.  Zoe liked hanging out with him for some reason.  Probably because he liked BMX as much as she did.


    ¡°I just wanna keep my brain inside my skull, where it belongs,¡± he yelled back.  ¡°Is that chicken?¡±


    In response, Tyler began flapping his arms and clucking.


    ¡°You can do it!¡± Zoe hollered up at him.  She was standing beside her own BMX.  It was Johnathan¡¯s old bike, handed down to her when he got a new one last year.  She had been obsessed with the sport ever since.  She even wore her Team USA jersey to school, much to their mother¡¯s dismay.


    ¡°Easy for you to say from down there!¡±


    ¡°Fine!  Then I¡¯m coming up!¡±


    Tyler began laughing, accompanied by his friends, or as Johnathan liked to call them, his cronies.  ¡°Little John needs rescuing!¡±


    Johnathan hated that nickname.  Tyler had dubbed him with it when Zoe suddenly started getting taller than him about a year ago even though they were twins and exactly the same age.  Their father had assured him that his time would come soon, and that girls just grew faster at their age, but so far, even after a whole year, that time had not yet come.


    Zoe glared at Tyler.  ¡°Don¡¯t be like that, Ty,¡± she said, and shoved her way past him, pushing her bike up the ramp that led to the landing Johnathan was currently standing on.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need you to save me,¡± Johnathan said when she reached him.


    She grabbed the full-face helmet off her handlebars ¡ª the only helmet she ever used ¡ª and pulled her long brown hair back before shoving the helmet onto her head.  ¡°I wish Mom would let me cut this short,¡± she grumbled as she fussed with her hair, ignoring him.  ¡°It just gets in the way.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m serious, Zoe,¡± Johnathan said.  ¡°I¡¯ve got this.  I just need a few moments.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not saving you.  This was my idea after all,¡± she said, swinging a leg over the saddle.  ¡°I really should be first.¡±


    ¡°No.  It should be me.  I¡¯m the oldest.¡±


    She rolled her eyes as she fastened the helmet straps under her chin.  ¡°Ten minutes doesn¡¯t count.  I¡¯m better at this and you know it.¡±


    Johnathan looked over the edge and his stomach flip-flopped a few times.  ¡°Fine,¡± he said, backing up.  ¡°But use my bike.  I don¡¯t think that old thing could take a jump like this.¡±  He knew she was hoping to get a new one of her own tonight after their dad got home and they could open their birthday presents.  Johnathan just wanted to get home and have some cake and ice cream.


    ¡°Hey!  You kids aren¡¯t supposed to be here!¡± came a gruff shout from below.  One of the bike park¡¯s security guards was running towards them from the main building.  Tyler and his cronies yelped and scattered like rats fleeing a sinking ship.


    ¡°Time¡¯s up,¡± said Zoe, jumping onto the pedals and tipping her bike over the edge.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Johnathan yelled, but of course, it was too late.  She was already halfway down the steep slope by the time he was done shouting.  All he could do was watch as her bike reached the bottom and began its climb up to the jump.  His heart stopped as she reached the peak and soared into the air, flying over the gap toward the landing ramp.  He had to admit she looked good.  Her form was perfect as she kept the bike perfectly straight ¡ª not trying any tricks, thankfully ¡ª until she guided it into a textbook landing.  He breathed a sigh of relief as her wheels hit the dirt, but it caught in his throat as her bike¡¯s front wheel buckled and she went flying over the handlebars.  She landed on her shoulder as the bike flipped into the air and spun off wildly to one side.  ¡°Zoe!¡± he cried, pushing his own bike over the edge.  His stomach lurched as he sped down the ramp and he slammed on his brakes near the bottom, skidding as he steered left to avoid the jump.  He reached Zoe at about the same time as the security guard.


    ¡°Crazy kids!¡± shouted the guard.  ¡°You trying to get yourselves killed?¡±


    Johnathan ignored the guard and jumped off his bike, letting it fall to the ground in a heap as he knelt beside Zoe.  ¡°Are you ok?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Stupid bike,¡± she groaned as she rolled over, rubbing her shoulder and grinning even though she was clearly sore.  Her face was smeared with dirt.  ¡°Guess you were right.¡±


    ¡°You hurt, girl?¡± asked the guard.


    Zoe sat up and wiped her face, which only smeared the dirt worse.  ¡°No, I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± he said, relief washing over his face.  Then he scowled and pointed back to the main building.  ¡°Now grab your bikes and get inside.  We¡¯re calling your parents.¡±


    It was a very, very quiet ride home.  Jonathan¡¯s mother kept glaring at them in the rear-view mirror and Johnathan became very familiar with the contents of the minivan¡¯s floor.  Dried-up old french fries, some LEGOs, one of his Dungeons and Dragons figures he had been looking for, and an ancient and badly scratched Lynyrd Skynyrd CD ¨C the old Chrysler was built before Bluetooth was even invented.  The only sound was their bikes rattling around in the back with every bump the van drove over.  Fortunately, it was a short ride through the suburbs.  They drove past row after row of the same drab tan and yellow two-story houses with tiny yards before they reached their own and pulled into the driveway, stopping in front of the closed garage door.  They never parked inside, there was too much stuff jammed in there to fit a minivan.  Their mother put the van in park and sighed.  ¡°So.  Is this going to be a regular thing with you two now?  Bailing you out of jail?¡±


    Zoe rolled her eyes.  ¡°It was the bike park¡¯s security office, Mom.  Not Alcatraz.¡±


    Mom spun around and shot daggers at Zoe with her eyes.  Johnathan sank down into his seat and pretended he didn¡¯t exist.  ¡°Don¡¯t give me that attitude, young lady.  This whole stunt was your idea, I¡¯m sure.  If it wasn¡¯t yours then it was Tyler¡¯s and that¡¯s just as bad.  That boy¡¯s bad news.  I don¡¯t like you seeing him.¡±


    ¡°Eww,¡± Zoe said, sticking out her tongue.  ¡°We¡¯re not dating!  We just ride bikes together.  John spends as much time with him as I do.  Why don¡¯t you get on his case?¡±


    Don¡¯t drag me into this, Johnathan thought.  He picked up the Dungeons and Dragons figure and studied it intently.  It was a smoke elemental, only half-painted, and not very well, which was why he had stopped working on it.  Those characters were very hard to get looking right since they were made out of pure smoke.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t about your brother,¡± Mom said.  ¡°It¡¯s about you making good choices.  Girls your age need to be careful.¡±


    ¡°And boys don¡¯t?¡± Zoe asked, her voice turning icy.  Johnathan studied the figure harder.  Maybe if he added a bit more gray then the smoke would look more natural.  No.  Not gray.  Charcoal.  That was what it needed.


    ¡°No,¡± their mom said, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath.  ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.  I just mean¡­ you''re growing up, and¡­ things are changing.  You can¡¯t play the same way you used to.¡±


    ¡°Mom!¡± Zoe shouted.  ¡°Gross.  John¡¯s right here!¡±


    He would fade the gray to white near the edges, then speckle some darker bits here and there.  That should add a bit of realism to it.  The eyes would be red, he decided.


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± said Mom, glancing his way.  ¡°I¡¯m sorry, honey.  I just worry about you, that¡¯s all.  You could have ended up in the hospital with that stunt.  Now your bike¡¯s broken and you know we can¡¯t afford to fix it.¡±


    ¡°It was a piece of junk anyway,¡± grumbled Zoe.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just get inside,¡± said Mom, grabbing her purse with a sigh.  ¡°Your birthday presents are in the garage.  Dad said you can go ahead and see them now since he¡¯ll be home late again.¡±  She pushed the button on the remote garage door opener that was clipped to the van¡¯s sun visor and then opened the door and stepped out.  Zoe huffed and glared at Johnathan.


    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°What did I do?¡± he asked, taken aback by her sudden fury.


    ¡°You could have backed me up, you know.¡±


    ¡°What?  Just now?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, just now.  Mom¡¯s all over me and she just ignores you, like you did nothing wrong.¡±


    ¡°It was your idea,¡± he reminded her.


    ¡°Whatever,¡± she huffed, and slid the door open harder than was probably good for it.  Jonathan grabbed his backpack and Zoe¡¯s ¨C she had jumped out and left it behind, as usual ¨C and followed her out of the van.  He slid the door shut more gently than she had opened it and walked into the cluttered garage.  Zoe was stopped midway into the room and staring at two pieces of furniture that Johnathan didn¡¯t recognize.  One of them looked like a chest of small drawers with a lid on top, almost like a mechanic¡¯s toolbox, but made of wood and very old-fashioned looking.  The other looked like a strange sort of dresser, designed almost like a short writing desk, with a large mirror and a little padded stool for sitting on.


    ¡°What¡¯re those?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Your presents,¡± said Mom, looking pleased with herself.  She seemed to have forgotten her anger already.  ¡°Happy birthday.  The cabinet¡¯s yours, Johnny, and the dressing table¡¯s for you, Zoe.¡±


    ¡°The what now?¡± Zoe asked, looking stunned.  Her heart had been set on a new bike, Johnathan knew.


    ¡°Dressing table.  I found these at a second-hand store.  They¡¯re fantastic pieces ¨C the store clearly didn¡¯t know what they had because they were way under-priced ¨C and I immediately thought of you two.¡±


    ¡°Why do I need a table for getting dressed?¡± Zoe asked, crossing her arms.  Johnathan could hear the disappointment in her voice, but he actually kind of liked his cabinet.  It would be perfect for holding his figurines and painting supplies, and the antique design was amazing.


    ¡°Ladies used them in Victorian times when doing their hair and makeup.  You can keep all your supplies handy and the mirror is big enough that you can see everything easily.  I just thought that ¨C now that you¡¯re getting older and beginning to develop¡­¡±


    ¡°Mom!¡± Zoe yelled, her face turning bright red.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± said Mom, looking at the dressing table with a smile that made Johnathan wonder if she was the one who actually wanted it.  She was always buying things just because they were cute.  ¡°You¡¯re at that age where girls start thinking about makeup and clothes and things like that.  There¡¯s a starter kit in one of the drawers.¡±


    Zoe stared at their mom like she had lost her mind and Johnathan inched closer to his new cabinet and began examining it.  He noticed that it was covered in intricate little carvings of bamboo, cranes, and fish, and each drawer had a different Asian symbol carved into it.  Johnathan couldn¡¯t tell if they were Chinese, Japanese, or what.  Maybe his friend Ray would know, he was big-time into anime and such.  After a few moments Johnathan realized that the argument he had expected to hear between Zoe and Mom still had not started, so he looked up and saw Zoe just standing there, looking back and forth between their mom and the dressing table.  Her eyes were wet with tears.  She noticed him watching her and angrily wiped the tears away with the dirty sleeve of her Team USA jersey, leaving a muddy smear on her face, then, without a word, turned and stormed out of the garage and down the street.


    This was not the first time Zoe had taken off in a rage, but it was the longest she had stayed gone.  The sun had been down for nearly half an hour and Mom was starting to get worried.  Dad had called and said that he would be even later than he had thought.  He was a delivery driver and one of the other drivers had wound up going home before finishing his route, so he and a few other drivers had to pick up the slack.  They needed the overtime pay, but it was disappointing that he wouldn¡¯t be home for their birthday dinner.  Though, at this rate, it was starting to look like Zoe would also miss it.


    After a while, Mom decided to serve dinner, and she and Johnathan sat in silence as they ate his and Zoe¡¯s favorite meal ¡ª taco salad with crumbled Doritos on top and lots of salsa.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Johnny,¡± said Mom afterward as she began clearing the table.  ¡°Guess it¡¯s not much of a birthday celebration, huh?¡±


    ¡°You know she wanted a new bike, Mom,¡± said Johnathan, handing her his plate.


    Mom sighed heavily as she took the plate from him.  ¡°We can¡¯t afford a new bike, honey.  They cut your Dad¡¯s pay last year, remember?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but she¡¯s never even mentioned makeup and wants to cut her hair short.  Why didn¡¯t you get some new wheels or something like that instead?  I could have told you she wouldn¡¯t like that dresser.¡±


    Mom frowned.  ¡°Still, that¡¯s no excuse for this behavior.  Why don¡¯t you go see if she¡¯s at Tyler¡¯s house?  He doesn¡¯t live that far away, right?¡±


    Johnathan sighed and stood up.  ¡°This wouldn¡¯t be a problem if we had our own phones,¡± he grumbled.


    ¡°We can¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Afford them,¡± he finished for her.  ¡°I know, I know.¡±  He grabbed his hoodie and pulled it on before heading out through the garage.  He glared at the offending dressing table as he passed by.  Its mirror reflected the streetlights outside, and they flashed briefly as a blurry shadow obscured them.  He turned and looked outside but didn¡¯t see anything on the street.  He shrugged.  It was probably just a dog.  He opened the back of the minivan and pulled his bike out, leaving the helmet there.  He was feeling a bit rebellious.


    He rode the two blocks to Tyler¡¯s house and knocked on his front door.  ¡°Yeah?¡± Tyler asked when he answered the door and saw who it was.


    ¡°Is Zoe here?¡± Johnathan asked with as much courtesy as Tyler had given him.


    ¡°No.  Why?¡±


    ¡°None of your business.  Just let us know if you see her.¡±


    ¡°Fine.  Whatever,¡± said Tyler.  ¡°Anything else?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± said Johnathan and he turned to leave.


    ¡°Hey,¡± said Tyler suddenly, and Johnathan stopped.  ¡°Is she ok?  I heard she wiped out on the jump.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s fine.  You¡¯d know that if you hadn¡¯t bailed on us as soon as the guard showed up.¡±


    Tyler shrugged.  ¡°In those situations, it''s every man for himself.  You know that.¡±


    Jonathan glared at him.  ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t.  Teammates are supposed to stick together, aren¡¯t they?¡±


    Tyler laughed.  ¡°Join the real world, Little John.  This ain''t one of your stupid fantasy games.¡±


    ¡°Whatever,¡± said Johnathan, turning to leave again.  ¡°Just let us know if you see her, ok?¡±


    ¡°I said I would, didn¡¯t I?¡± Tyler said and shut the door.


    Dad got home around ten and there was still no sign of Zoe.  Mom was in a frenzy by then and she met Dad out front and jumped into the car before he could even put it into park.  ¡°Stay here in case she comes back,¡± Dad said, and they drove off to go search the neighborhood.  Johnathan stood at the edge of the garage and watched them drive off, not sure if he should be worried about Zoe or annoyed with her for causing all this fuss.  He sighed and walked back into the garage as the taillights of his dad¡¯s car disappeared around the corner and wondered what to do next.  His eyes settled on his new cabinet and he decided he might as well take it upstairs to his room.  It really would be a nice place to store his painting supplies.  He bent down and tried lifting the cabinet and instantly realized that it wasn¡¯t going to be happening.  That thing was heavy.  How did Mom even get it into the garage in the first place?  She had to have had the pieces delivered, he decided.  Either way, there was no way he was going to be moving it without help.


    He pulled the little stool that came with the dressing table over and sat down looking at the cabinet.  He opened one of the drawers and saw that it was lined with green felt inside and slid far more smoothly than he had expected.  Mom was right about the quality.  It was top-notch.  He checked the rest of the drawers and found them all to be just as nice.  Some were a little larger than the first one while others were smaller, so he would have lots of options for how he organized things, and the lid on top would be good for holding his current projects until he was finished with them.  He was eager to get it upstairs and start working on things.


    He sighed and turned his attention to Zoe¡¯s present.  It was also made of wood, but the coloring was lighter, almost blonde, and there were no designs carved into the surface.  The edges were all soft and rounded and none of the drawers had pull handles on them, but instead had little notches hidden in the bottom edge where his fingers could grasp.  The drawers were not lined inside but slid just as easily as the ones on his cabinet.  The mirror was rectangular and held up by two round posts with lots of wavy nobs carved into them.  It was fastened near the middle so it could pivot to just the right angle.  He could easily tell that this was also a high-quality piece.  It was just too bad that it was probably the last thing Zoe would have ever picked for herself.


    A shadow blocked the light coming in from the street and Johnathan looked up and saw Zoe¡¯s reflection in the mirror.  She was standing near the entrance to the garage, relief clear on her face which was still smeared with dried dirt.  Her jersey was even more rumpled and disheveled than it had been that afternoon.  She was normally confident and assertive in her movements, but now she looked strangely timid and uncertain.  ¡°Zoe!¡± he said, standing up and turning around.  ¡°Mom and Dad are going to kill you¡­¡± he trailed off as he caught sight of her.  Her reflection had looked clear and solid, but the Zoe he saw standing at the edge of the garage was oddly fuzzy and unfocused, but even more concerning was the fact that he could see right through her to the street outside.  His heart began to pound.  ¡°Zoe¡­¡± he said, carefully taking half a step forward.  ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Zoe slowly walked into the garage and stopped when she got close to him.  She tried to say something but no sound came from her mouth.  Jonathan¡¯s heart beat harder and his legs wobbled.  Zoe¡¯s face changed from timid relief to frustration.  She began shouting, but he still couldn¡¯t hear her.  Despite his fear he reached for her and ¨C much as he was afraid it would but had hoped it wouldn¡¯t ¨C his hand passed right through her shoulders.  His legs failed him and he sat down hard on the little stool.  Zoe became frantic and started pounding on the air in front of her as if she was hitting an invisible wall or a window.  The mirror behind him rattled and shook.  He spun around and saw Zoe there, looking solid again, and clearly pounding against the inside surface of the mirror, her actions reflected by the insubstantial copy that was now behind him.  Suddenly Zoe stopped pounding and turned to look at something he couldn¡¯t see.  Her face paled and her eyes widened in fear.  She turned back to him for a moment, then with a look of deep regret, whirled around and ran out of the garage.


    ¡°Wait!  Zoe!¡± Johnathan cried, standing up and running to the garage opening.  He looked in the direction she had run, but there was nothing there.  He turned to go back to the mirror and froze once again.  A creature that looked like it was made of pure black smoke was hovering between him and the mirror, looking at him with glowing red eyes.  The creature had no form that could be described as a body, and no clear head except for the eyes.  Smoke billowed and roiled about it as if it were a raging storm cloud.  Tendrils of smoke snaked from it in several places and one of them reached out towards him.  Johnathan wanted to run, to flee, to chase after Zoe, but he was frozen in place, unable to move his feet or make his legs do anything but tremble.  The tendril touched his face and he flinched back.  He didn¡¯t feel anything, however.  The smoke passed through him just as his own hand had passed through Zoe¡¯s shoulders a few moments before.  The creature shook and its eyes flashed.  No sound came from it, but Johnathan had the distinct feeling that it was screaming in rage.  It suddenly lurched forward, moving far faster than he had expected it could, and it passed right through him before disappearing around the corner of the garage in the same direction Zoe had just run.


    Johnathan fell to his knees, staring in the direction the creature had gone, trying to process what had just happened when a noise behind him made him jump and nearly pee his pants.  Tyler was standing there with wide eyes.  ¡°What in the world was that?¡±  he asked.


    <h2 style="text-align: center">End of Part One</h2>

 Part Two: Growing Danger

    Part Two: Growing Danger


    ¡°Mirrors can¡¯t eat people,¡± said Tyler after Johnathan finished explaining what had happened.  ¡°That¡¯s just nuts.¡±


    ¡°You saw that thing too,¡± said Johnathan, walking back towards the dressing table and its mirror.  His legs were still shaking, but the shock was wearing off and he was worried about Zoe.  Had she gotten away from that thing?  It was clearly chasing her for some reason.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what I saw, man,¡± said Tyler.  ¡°But what you¡¯re talking about only happens in those stupid games you and your geek friends play.¡±


    Jonathan whirled on him.  ¡°Why are you even here?¡±  He didn¡¯t have time to mess with Tyler right now.  Zoe was in trouble and he had to figure out how to help.


    To his surprise, Tyler looked at the floor almost as if he was embarrassed.  ¡°After you left I started thinking about it.  If Zoe¡¯s missing, I want to help find her.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± asked Johnathan, crossing his arms.  ¡°I thought you said it was every man for himself.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ well¡­ This is different,¡± said Tyler, almost mumbling and still looking at the floor.  ¡°She could be in trouble.¡±


    ¡°And what do you care?  She¡¯s not your sister.¡±


    Tyler looked up at that, anger flashing across his face.  ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?  She¡¯s my friend, and ¨C¡± he stopped short, the anger leaving his face.  ¡°And anyway.  I just wanna help.  Ok?¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± said Johnathan, turning back to the dressing table.  ¡°Help me figure this mirror out.  She¡¯s in there.  I know it.¡±  Tyler walked into the garage and stood beside Johnathan.  As far as Johnathan could tell it was a perfectly normal mirror once again.  There was nothing odd about their reflections and there was no sign of the strange smoke creature.  Tentatively Johnathan reached out and touched the glass.  Part of him had expected it to melt around his hand or bend and twist like in the movies, but his fingers just hit cold, solid glass.  Tyler scoffed and shook his head.


    ¡°Very scientific, Little John.  You¡¯re crazy, you know.  It¡¯s just a mirror, my mom has one just like it.¡±


    ¡°You got any bright ideas?¡± Johnathan said, glaring at him as hot anger boiled up inside.  ¡°Or are you just going to keep insulting me all night?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I got an idea,¡± said Tyler, glaring back and standing tall, which reminded Johnathan of just how much bigger than him the older boy was.  ¡°Why don¡¯t you get your head out of whatever stupid fantasy world it¡¯s living in, we get on our bikes and start looking for Zoe?  We¡¯re wasting our time here.¡±


    ¡°Because she¡¯s not out there!¡± Johnathan said, almost shouting as he pointed out the garage door.  ¡°She¡¯s in there!¡± he pointed back at the mirror.  ¡°I saw her.  She was trying to say something, and when she hit the mirror, it shook.  I didn¡¯t imagine that.¡±


    ¡°If she hit the mirror, why didn¡¯t it tip over or break, huh?¡± Tyler said, grabbing the mirror and shaking it back and forth to demonstrate.  ¡°It¡¯s not that sturdy, dude.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± said Johnathan.  He hated to admit it, but Tyler had a good point.  Was he imagining things?  No.  He couldn¡¯t be.  ¡°Maybe the rules are different in there.  I know what I saw.  She¡¯s in there, and she¡¯s in trouble.¡±


    ¡°You know what?¡± said Tyler, turning red.  ¡°Fine.  I¡¯m going to make myself useful.  If you want to stay here and play with your ratty old mirror, be my guest.  It¡¯s dark outside anyway.  I wouldn¡¯t want you to get scared.¡±  He spun on his heel and strode towards the garage door then froze in his steps as a hazy, smoky figure came around the corner and fixed them with its glowing red eyes.  ¡°What the..?¡± Tyler said and began slowly backing up towards Johnathan, not taking his eyes off the smoke creature.


    Johnathan backed up half a step, stopping as his legs hit the edge of the dressing table.  His legs began to feel weak and wobbly again, and he put his hand down on the table to steady himself.  ¡°Still think I¡¯m imagining it?¡± he asked.  Tyler didn¡¯t say anything but slowly shook his head as he took a few more steps backward.  The creature¡¯s eyes flashed just like they had before and it rushed forward at incredible speed, passing right through Tyler as it headed straight towards Johnathan, smoky tendrils stretched out before it.  Before he could even move it had passed through him and he felt something strong and stinging hot wrap itself around his wrist.  He gasped, both in pain and surprise, and whipped his head around.  The creature had stopped.  Most of its body was still outside the mirror but the tendrils were touching the surface of the glass.  In the mirror, the creature¡¯s reflection was more solid-looking than its counterpart, and its tendrils protruded back out of the mirror and wrapped themselves around his wrist.  With a powerful tug, the smoke creature pulled back and Johnathan¡¯s arm was yanked toward the mirror.  He cried out in surprise as his arm passed through the glass as if it wasn¡¯t even there.  With a yelp, Tyler grabbed him around the waist and tried to pull him away from the mirror.  The creature tightened its grip on Johnathan¡¯s wrist and pulled even harder.  The pain was intense as Johnathan found himself caught in a tug-of-war ¡ª and he was the rope.  Johnathan thought his arm was going to get ripped right out of its socket until suddenly, with a flash of intense light, the creature let him go and Johnathan and Tyler fell back, landing on the cement floor in a jumbled heap.  Panting, Johnathan looked at his wrist.  A thin tendril of black smoke was still wrapped around it, but even as he was looking, it dissolved away, leaving only a nasty red welt against his skin where it had been.


    ¡°Stay away from the mirror, you fools,¡± said a stern but girlish voice.  ¡°Especially when you¡¯re angry.  Don¡¯t they teach you humans anything?¡±


    ¡°Ok, now I know I¡¯m dreaming,¡± said Tyler with a groan.


    Johnathan looked up and gaped in amazement.  Something that looked like a young girl was hovering a few feet off the ground in between where they had landed and the dressing table.  She had a cute, rounded face and was small, maybe only three or four feet tall if she had been standing, with a pair of large, butterfly-like wings protruding from her back. They were fluttering too rapidly for him to make out the pattern, but it looked colorful, with lots of reds and blues.  Softly glimmering blue dust was floating all around her, but not falling to the ground.  She wore a green short-sleeved shirt and brown capri pants with large cargo pockets, her feet were bare and dangling freely beneath her.  A leather belt was wrapped around her waist and in her right hand she held a glowing white sword that looked like a fencing foil, only much shorter.  Her braided red hair was long, down to the small of her back, and tucked in between her wings.  Yellow and white flowers were woven into her hair near the top of her head like a crown.  Her ears were long and pointed, like an elf¡¯s.


    ¡°A fairy?¡± Johnathan said, almost in a whisper.


    ¡°Fairy,¡± scoffed the flying girl as she rolled her eyes.  Her voice was not quite as high pitched as Johnathan would have imagined a fairy¡¯s voice to be, but there was still something of a musical quality about it.  ¡°I¡¯m no child.  But yes, I¡¯m one of the Fey.  And you nearly got yourself dragged into my realm.  It¡¯s a good thing I saw that Stormcloud and followed it or you¡¯d be halfway to Acrimony¡¯s keep right now and we¡¯d have a major disaster on our hands.  How did you get this portal, anyway?¡±


    With a start, Johnathan remembered the smoke creature and hurriedly looked around the fairy at the mirror and saw that it was still there, pushing against the inside of the glass and trying to get at them.  The mirror shook and rattled but the fairy did not seem to be concerned about it at all and just kept glaring at them as if they were misbehaving kindergartners.  Tyler pushed Johnathan off to one side and sat up, shaking his head.  ¡°Who are you?  And what are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Kelviana, of the Darkwood clan, and your friend was right, I¡¯m one of the Fey.¡±  She glared at Johnathan.  ¡°I''m not a fairy.  We only call our children that, and I came of age nearly a hundred years ago, thank you very much.  Now, answer my question.  What are you doing with this portal?¡±


    ¡°You mean the old mirror?¡± asked Johnathan as he climbed to his feet.  His head was about level with Kelviana¡¯s now and little bits of glowing blue dust drifted between them.


    The Fey used her sword to point at the dressing table.  ¡°This portal,¡± she said as if explaining that grass was green.  ¡°Is a doorway between our two realms.  One of the most dangerous artifacts from your world and a problem we thought we had taken care of years ago.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about any of that,¡± said Johnathan, shaking his head.  ¡°Mom just bought it for my sister at a second-hand store.¡±  Beside him, Tyler climbed to his feet and began examining Kelviana closely.  The mirror behind them shook disconcertingly as the Stormcloud ¨C as Kelviana called it ¨C kept throwing itself against it.  The Fey ignored it but glared dangerously at Tyler, who thankfully got the hint and backed away a few steps.  ¡°Is it safe to just let it keep doing that?¡± Johnathan asked, looking at the smoky creature in the mirror and its ghostly reflection.


    ¡°It can¡¯t pass through the portal unless one of you is foolish enough to be near it while angry again.  Even then it can only reach through with its tendrils.  Acrimony¡¯s not strong enough yet for them to do any more than that.  Eventually, it¡¯ll give up.  If not, I¡¯ll take care of it when I go back.  They¡¯re fairly harmless to us Fey.  More nuisances than anything else.¡±  She stared hard at each of them in turn.  ¡°When I do go back, you must promise to break this mirror and scatter the pieces as far apart as you can, then forget any of this ever happened.  Got it?  The last human who had this mirror should have already done that.  You lot have done enough damage to our realm without going around keeping portals open.¡±


    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    ¡°Wait,¡± said Johnathan.  ¡°If we do that then how will Zoe get back?¡±


    ¡°Who?¡± asked Kelviana, looking uncertain for the first time since they had met.


    ¡°My sister Zoe.  She¡¯s stuck over there.  You didn¡¯t see her?¡±


    ¡°You mean there¡¯s a human in our realm right now?¡± asked Kelviana, her face hardening.  The blue dust surrounding her began to drift faster and more erratically.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± said Tyler.  ¡°And we think those things are after her.¡±  Johnathan shot Tyler a nasty look.  Now he believed him?


    ¡°Of course they are,¡± said Kelviana with a groan.  ¡°That¡¯s exactly what Acrimony wants.  No wonder that Stormcloud¡¯s all riled up.¡±  She turned in the air and flew back toward the mirror.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± asked Johnathan, reaching out his hand, though he would never have actually dared to touch her.


    ¡°I¡¯m going back there to find that fool girl,¡± said the Fey as she reached the mirror.  She stopped, hovering in the air a few inches from the glass and Johnathan realized that she did not cast a reflection.  ¡°Do not move this mirror until I bring her back.  If you do it¡¯ll lose the connection and who knows if we¡¯ll ever find another active portal again.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m coming with you,¡± said Johnathan, making a sudden decision.  Tyler and Kelviana both looked at him as if he had suddenly sprouted a second head.


    ¡°Are you nuts?¡± asked Tyler.


    ¡°Not happening, boy,¡± said Kelviana.


    ¡°I want to help find Zoe,¡± said Johnathan, feeling stubborn all of a sudden.  ¡°She¡¯s my sister.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear me?  Having a human in our realm is exactly what Acrimony wants.  There¡¯s no way I¡¯d willingly let a second human in.¡±


    ¡°Three, actually,¡± said Tyler, causing the Fey to turn her wrathful glare on him.  Tyler stood his ground and crossed his arms.  ¡°If Little John¡¯s going, so am I.¡±


    ¡°Out of the question,¡± said Kelviana, slapping the pommel of her glowing sword into the palm of her free hand.  Johnathan had almost forgotten about her weapon.  She was much older than him and Tyler and could probably easily do a lot of damage with that sword if they angered her too much.  As if to prove that point the Stormcloud threw itself against the mirror once again and the Fey casually struck out with her sword, which passed through the glass and pierced the creature between the eyes.  There was a flash of white and the Stormcloud dissolved away almost instantly.  She never even looked at it.  ¡°Now stay here, stay away from the mirror, and do not move it.  Am I clear?¡±


    ¡°I have to go with you,¡± said Johnathan.  ¡°I saw her earlier, through the mirror.  She¡¯s scared.¡±  And so am I, for that matter, he thought, but he kept his eyes fixed on Kelviana.


    ¡°It¡¯s not safe,¡± said the Fey, finally placing her sword in its sheath at her side.  The room seemed to dim slightly.


    ¡°I¡¯m not scared,¡± said Tyler, standing tall and puffing out his chest, though Johnathan thought he still looked pretty scared.


    ¡°Not for you, fools,¡± said Kelviana.  ¡°I mean for everyone else.  If Acrimony gets his hands on a human, it¡¯s bad news not just for our world, but yours as well.¡±


    ¡°You keep talking about this Acrimony guy, but you realize we have no idea who that is, right?¡± said Tyler.


    Kelviana sighed heavily.  ¡°He¡¯s bad, bad news.  Everything you lot do is reflected in our world.  Usually, things like emotions don¡¯t affect us directly, but somehow he feeds off your anger.  The angrier you people get, the stronger he becomes.  He¡¯s obsessed with humans and is desperate to get over here.  Only the Fey can freely pass through the portals, though, and he¡¯s not Fey.  For centuries he tried to conquer our people and performed all sorts of experiments on us to try and find a way over here but we resisted and destroyed every portal we could find.  We thought we had won when the last known portal was found and supposedly destroyed and for many years he has been mostly dormant.  Stormclouds still roam the lands, but they¡¯re more of an annoyance than anything else.  The one I found today was acting strange, so I followed it.  If he learns that there¡¯s a human on our side he will stop at nothing to get his hands on her.  And honestly, I can¡¯t say that the Fey will react much better.  Your kind is none too popular.  We¡¯ve suffered greatly because of Acrimony¡¯s obsession, and it¡¯s common knowledge that your anger is what feeds him.¡±


    ¡°Well you seem alright with us,¡± Tyler said.


    ¡°I just want to get your sister out of my world, break this mirror, and forget this mess ever happened,¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still going with you,¡± said Johnathan.


    ¡°You¡¯re testing my patience, kid,¡± said Kelviana with a growl, the blue dust surrounding her started swirling even faster.


    ¡°If you go without me I¡¯ll just keep on trying to get in by myself.  Zoe did it without your help, I¡¯m sure I can too.¡±


    ¡°I can come back with a dozen more Fey who will be more than happy to make sure you stay right here until we find the girl and bring her back,¡± said Kelviana, glaring at him.


    A sudden thought struck Johnathan.  ¡°I don¡¯t think you will.  You said this mirror should have already been broken.  I don¡¯t think you want the other Fey knowing about this, do you?¡±


    Johnathan and the Fey glared at each other for a long moment.  She was intimidating, despite her cute appearance. As he stared into her eyes Johnathan realized they were a deep shade of purple, and it was clear that despite looking younger than him and Zoe she was very much an adult.  There was the same look in those eyes that his mother would get sometimes when he was being particularly difficult or stubborn.  He usually backed down when his Mom gave him that look.  He was determined not to do the same with Kelviana.  He just hoped she wouldn¡¯t call his bluff.  He was only guessing about her not wanting the others to know about the mirror, but he had played enough thieves and rogues in his games to know when to go with his gut, and his gut told him she would rather not get the rest of the Fey involved in this.


    Eventually, Kelviana scoffed and turned away.  ¡°Fine,¡± she huffed.  ¡°But you do exactly what I say.  No arguing.  I¡¯m in charge.  Remember that.  I¡¯m only letting you come because you know this girl and it¡¯ll be easier to get her to listen to me if you¡¯re there.¡±


    Jonathan sighed in relief.  He had done it!  He stared down an adult and won!  Had he just discovered some sort of new superpower?


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget about me,¡± said Tyler.  ¡°I¡¯m coming too.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes,¡± said Kelviana with a wave of her hand.  ¡°What¡¯s one more human?  Why don¡¯t we just put a big flashing sign over the portal that says ¡®Fey realm this way, kids and pets stay free, wifi and continental breakfast included¡¯?¡±


    ¡°You guys have wifi?¡± asked Johnathan, surprised.


    ¡°Actually, I have no clue what that is, just that you lot seem to get really upset when it breaks,¡± said Kelviana.  ¡°Now let¡¯s go.  We don¡¯t want the Stormclouds finding your sister first, do we, boy?¡±


    ¡°My name is Johnathan.¡±


    Kelviana turned and looked at him.  ¡°What?¡± she asked.


    ¡°My name, it¡¯s Johnathan, or John if you want.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯m Ty,¡± said Tyler.


    ¡°Fantastic,¡± said Kelviana, turning in midair to face the mirror again.  ¡°Now that we¡¯re all friends, I need you to be quiet.  I¡¯ve never let someone through a portal before, so I hope this works.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, you hope it works?¡± asked Tyler.


    ¡°I said be quiet,¡± hissed Kelviana.  She had closed her eyes and seemed to be concentrating hard.  The swirling blue dust that continuously surrounded her began to slow and congregate in one cluster right in front of her.  The glow brightened to an intense level that hurt to look at, then most of the dust drifted over to Johnathan and Tyler and swirled around them for a few moments before the glow dimmed and the dust settled around Kelviana once again, looking a bit dimmer than it had before.  Tyler sneezed.


    ¡°There,¡± she said, breathing heavily.  ¡°That should get you through, but make it quick.  I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll last long.¡±  Tyler waved his hand through the dust a few times, which swirled around in the wake of his hand¡¯s passing and earned him a hard glare from Kelviana.  ¡°Get moving, or get left behind, kid,¡± she said, then flew through the mirror.


    Johnathan and Tyler stared at each other for a few moments.  ¡°This whole thing was your idea,¡± said Tyler.  ¡°You go first.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± grumbled Johnathan as he stepped towards the mirror.  Tyler was right, he had pushed for this.  He gingerly put out his hand ¨C the one that the Stormcloud had grabbed ¨C and pressed it against the surface of the mirror.  At least he would have if there had been a surface to press against.  The mirror may well have been nothing but an open window for all the resistance his hand met.  That alone was enough to make his heart beat a little faster, but what was most disconcerting was something he had not noticed at first; he and Tyler were not reflected in the mirror anymore.  Panic swelled up inside Johnathan and he had to force it back down.  He closed his eyes and took several deep breaths, trying to steady his nerves.


    ¡°You wanted this, kid, remember?¡± he heard Kelviana say.


    ¡°Right,¡± he said, opening his eyes again.  He paused for only a moment longer as he considered how best to climb through.  It had been easy enough for Kelviana, she was small enough that she barely had to bend her head down on the way through.  Jonathan was not so fortunate.  He leaned over and pushed his head and shoulders through, then climbed onto the surface of the table on his hands and knees.  His hands found the surface of the table on the other side and he scrambled somewhat awkwardly the rest of the way through.  He was a bit disappointed that there was no strange tingling sensation or wild light display.  He could have just as easily been passing from one room to the next.  The only odd thing was that now he was suddenly looking out of his open garage door when only a few moments earlier he had been facing the back wall.  Kelviana was hovering near the opening.  He turned around and saw Tyler watching him through the mirror and looking rather less confident than he had been a few minutes earlier.  ¡°You coming Ty?¡± he asked.  ¡°You¡¯re not chicken, are you?¡±


    That seemed to snap Tyler out of his daze.  His face hardened and he strode forward, pushing his way through the portal far less cautiously than Johnathan just had.  He was larger than Johnathan and his hips brushed against the frame, causing the mirror to wobble.


    ¡°Careful!¡± Kelviana cried, flying over and steadying it.  ¡°You don¡¯t want the portal closing when you¡¯re only halfway through, do you?¡±


    Tyler¡¯s face paled and he climbed the rest of the way through much more carefully.  He stood up and looked around.  ¡°Well, now what?¡± he asked.


    Kelviana drew her sword.  It seemed to glow more brightly than before, and now that Johnathan was looking, Kelviana¡¯s floating dust seemed more vibrant and lively as well.  ¡°Now,¡± she said.  ¡°We go find your friend¡¯s sister, assuming she hasn¡¯t been captured yet.¡±


    <h2 style="text-align: center">END OF PART TWO</h2>

 Part Three: Growing Stranger

    ¡°Did you see which way your sister went?¡± asked Kelviana. She flew towards the garage door and slowed as she approached the opening, peering cautiously in all directions before turning back to Johnathan and Tyler.


    ¡°That way,¡± Jonathan said, pointing to the right.


    Kelviana nodded. ¡°Good. Is there any particular reason she would choose to go that way?¡±


    Jonathan shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Probably because there weren¡¯t any Stormclouds in that direction?¡±


    Kelviana glared at him, ¡°Any useful reason you can think of? I want to get an idea of where she might be hiding.¡±


    ¡°What about the bike park?¡± Tyler said. ¡°It¡¯s not that far from here.¡±


    ¡°You mean that place with all the fake hills?¡± Kelviana asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s the one,¡± said Johnathan. He wasn¡¯t happy that Tyler had been the one to think of it, but he agreed with him. If Zoe wasn¡¯t able to get back home because of the Stormclouds, there was a very good chance she would take refuge there.


    ¡°Alright,¡± said Kelviana. ¡°I guess that¡¯s as good a place as any to start looking. Let¡¯s go.¡± She turned in the air and flew out of the garage. Johnathan stopped and grabbed his bike, which was lying near the entrance where he had left it earlier that evening, and swung a leg over the seat. Kelviana was right, it did seem like everything they did on Earth was mirrored there in the Fey realm. So far everything had been just like he left it, so much so that he had a hard time believing he was actually in another world.


    ¡°Hey!¡± Tyler cried. ¡°What gives?¡± Johnathan twisted around and saw Tyler staring at his own bike, just outside the garage door and a little to the left of the opening. Only half of it was there, though, the back half was completely gone as if it had been cleanly cut away and carried off. Kelviana turned and looked as well.


    ¡°What you do is reflected here, remember?¡± she said with a sigh.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± said Johnathan, still staring at Tyler¡¯s bike.


    ¡°So,¡± she said, sounding like she was talking to kindergartners again. ¡°If the mirror can¡¯t see the object, it can¡¯t exactly reflect it, now can it? Only half your bike was in the mirror¡¯s line of sight, so only half of it was reflected.¡±


    In an odd sort of way that made sense to Johnathan, except for one thing: ¡°What about all the houses?¡± he asked, looking up and down the street. ¡°The mirror can¡¯t see them.¡± It was eerily quiet, with no sign of life except for themselves, but otherwise looked just like his neighborhood.


    ¡°Notice anything missing?¡± asked Kelviana. Johnathan looked again. She was right, something was off, but he couldn¡¯t quite place it.


    ¡°Where¡¯s all the cars?¡± asked Tyler. Again he was quicker on the uptake, a habit that was starting to irritate Johnathan.


    ¡°An active portal fully reflects any object it can see, except for living creatures,¡± explained Kelviana. ¡°Those are reflected as whisps like you saw earlier. Seeing a whisp or some new items that don¡¯t usually show up here is one of the easiest ways for us to tell if there¡¯s a portal nearby. Other things from your world eventually make their way here whether there¡¯s a mirror involved or not, but it takes a long time, and things that get moved a lot, like cars, never show up unless they¡¯re abandoned. Once they get moved, they disappear again.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t that make things kind of tough on you?¡± asked Johnathan.


    ¡°We pretty much avoid cities and such because of that,¡± she said, glaring at him like he had done something wrong, then turned and flew off down the street. ¡°Let¡¯s get moving!¡± she shouted over her shoulder.


    Tyler looked dejectedly at his half-bike then turned and followed the Fey, trotting to catch up with her. Johnathan sighed and got off his bike, he wouldn¡¯t feel right riding while Tyler had to walk; and besides, Zoe wouldn¡¯t have a bike to ride either when they found her. He dropped his bike and caught up with Tyler and Kelviana a few houses down. Despite her small size, the Fey moved along at a fast clip, blue dust trailing behind her as she flew along on her colorful wings, and he had to walk at a brisk pace to keep up. It was nearly eleven o¡¯clock at night, but between the magical dust and her glowing sword Kelviana provided plenty of light for them to see by. In fact, it was almost too much light, Johnathan thought. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we be a little more careful?¡± he asked. ¡°What if there¡¯s more Stormclouds?¡±


    ¡°This is my world, kid,¡± said Kelviana, not looking back as she flew on ahead. ¡°The Stormclouds are the ones who should be hiding from me. Besides, I don¡¯t really do stealth. It¡¯s kinda hard to hide effectively when I¡¯m always glowing, wouldn¡¯t you say?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you like, turn it off?¡± asked Tyler.


    Kelviana did turn this time and gave him an icy stare. ¡°Can you take off your skin? It''s as much a part of me as your skin is to you, so no, I¡¯d rather not try, thank you very much.¡±


    They continued on in silence towards the bike park about a mile down the road. It was a very strange walk for Johnathan. He had made that same trip countless times before and always there had been some signs of life about, be it cars passing by, other pedestrians, or any of the thousands of noises he would normally hear when living in the city, but this night there was nothing besides him and Tyler and Kelviana with her strange glow as their only source of light. None of the streetlights were lit up ¨C in fact, no lights were on anywhere ¨C making the journey even more surreal and nerve-wracking. He kept expecting a Stormcloud to jump out at them from around every corner or bush, and it was only the sight of Kelviana¡¯s glowing sword and the memory of how easily she had dispatched the creature that had attacked him earlier that gave him the courage to keep going. All the landmarks he expected were there, but many of them were not quite right. The advertising signs at the burger joint on the corner were non-existent, the gas station next to it also had empty windows and the company logo looked strange and unfocused. Another company had bought them out the year before and as they drew closer Johnathan realized that the two logos were interposed over each other, the older logo was nearly completely faded away, while the newer one was more clear but still fuzzy around the edges. The paint on the building and the gas pumps were similarly blended. Now that he had noticed the strange phenomenon, he began to see similar occurrences on other buildings. It was very strange and hurt Johnathan¡¯s eyes to look at. He blinked hard and shook his head to clear it, absently rubbing at his wrist where the smoke monster had grabbed him. He drew in a sharp breath and winced at the stinging reminder of its burning grasp. Did Zoe have similar burns on her skin as well?


    ¡°You¡¯re hurt,¡± Kelviana said, startling him from his thoughts. He looked up and saw that she had stopped her flight and was watching him curiously.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± he said. ¡°The Stormcloud burned my wrist when it grabbed me. I had kinda forgotten about it until now.¡±


    ¡°Let me see,¡± she said, reaching out her hand. Jonathan hesitantly offered up his own hand. He was reluctant to touch Kelviana, even though it had been her suggestion. She was a creature of magic and legend, one that until only a short while ago he had never even thought could exist in reality. Was it right to touch such a being? Kelviana made that decision for him when she reached out and grabbed his arm with a huff. Her grip was surprisingly strong. ¡°I won¡¯t bite you, kid. I just want to patch you up, ok?¡±


    ¡°You can do that?¡± asked Tyler, who was watching with interest.


    ¡°Fey are the stuff of creation. My ancestors made this world. What kind of Fey would I be if I couldn¡¯t do something as simple as healing a little burn?¡±


    ¡°You made this world?¡± asked Tyler.


    ¡°I told you it was mine, didn¡¯t I? Now hush, my magic is stronger here than in your world, but it still takes some concentration.¡± She narrowed her eyes and focused on Johnathan¡¯s wrist. A bit of the blue dust drifted away from her and swirled about the red welt. The stinging immediately subsided and a few moments later the redness began to fade until nothing but healthy skin remained. ¡°There. All better,¡± she said. Her voice took on an almost motherly quality, and there was a hint of satisfaction to it that Johnathan hadn¡¯t heard from her before. She let go of Johnathan¡¯s hand as the bit of dust that had swirled about it returned to her.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± he said, rubbing at the freshly healed spot. There was no indication that it had ever been injured. ¡°It feels great.¡±


    ¡°I knew the Stormcloud had touched you,¡± Kelviana said, the satisfaction fading from her face and getting replaced with something that may have been regret. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize it had caused an injury. Their touch doesn''t hurt Fey like that. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s ok,¡± said Johnathan. ¡°You don¡¯t deal with humans much. There¡¯s bound to be some differences between us.¡±


    ¡°Besides the wings,¡± muttered Tyler. ¡°You said you guys are the stuff of creation. Can anything hurt you?¡±


    ¡°Besides stupid questions?¡± she asked, the familiar glare returning. ¡°Yes. Now let¡¯s go. We¡¯re almost there.¡± She turned and flew off a bit faster than she had before.


    ¡°What''s that all about?¡± Tyler grumbled. ¡°She was nice to you.¡± He bumped Johnathan¡¯s shoulder as he pushed past and followed after the Fey. Jonathan sighed and began walking as well. Tyler had almost been acting like a decent human being for a little while.


    The bike park looked almost like their own. The parking lot was empty, but since it was the middle of the night that would have been expected even back on Earth. None of the posters advertising upcoming events or the deal of the month were hanging on the walls, since those changed too often for them to appear in the Fey realm, and the lights were off. But aside from all that, it was the same old bike park that Johnathan was used to visiting.


    They walked up to the sliding doors which, of course, didn¡¯t open. ¡°How do we get in?¡± asked Tyler.


    Johnathan looked around. ¡°We could climb the fence,¡± he said, pointing to the side of the building where a tall chain-link fence surrounded the rest of the property. ¡°That¡¯s probably what Zoe did if she¡¯s here.¡±


    Blue dust drifted away from Kelviana and hit the glass doors, which instantly slid open. She flew through them without a word or even a glance in their direction. ¡°Or we can just do that,¡± said Tyler with a shrug.


    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    They stepped through the open doors and looked around the dark lobby. Johnathan could make out the faint outline of the front counter where they paid their admission fees, but nothing else. ¡°Stay close,¡± said Kelviana, tensing up and gazing about cautiously. ¡°You were right to choose this place. I can sense something here, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s your sister or even a Stormcloud.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± asked Tyler, sounding scared.


    ¡°If I knew, I would have said,¡± replied Kelviana with irritation. ¡°I¡¯d tell you to stay outside, but I think you¡¯ll be safer with me.¡± She waved them forward. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I don¡¯t want to be inside when we meet this thing. Whatever it is, its magic is as strong as mine. That means it most likely knows I¡¯m here too.¡±


    Kelviana flew onward into the dark. Tyler fell into step beside Johnathan. ¡°What kind of crazy mess did your sister get us into?¡± he hissed.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t have to come,¡± whispered Johnathan, straining his eyes against the dark, hoping to see whatever it was that Kelviana sensed before it pounced on them. His heart was pounding so hard he could hear it in his ears. If Zoe was here with this¡­ thing, she was in serious trouble. There was no way any of them could face something as strong as Kelviana. Even Stormclouds were too much for them. This was a world populated with magical creatures, and if his games had taught him anything, it was that you needed to fight magic with magic; something he, Zoe, and Tyler did not possess. What sort of mess had she dragged them all into?


    They followed Kelviana around the front counter ¨C actually, she just flew over the counter while they were forced to walk around ¨C and they stopped in front of the corridor that led out to the bike park. It was wide enough for several people and their bikes to walk down at the same time, just as he and Zoe had done countless times themselves. Right now, however, it felt dark and creepy, like one of the horror movies he and Zoe would watch when their parents weren¡¯t home. Each of the doors on either side of the corridor ¨C the bathrooms, offices, and storage closets ¨C seemed like a trap ready to spring open at any moment. It made him dizzy, staring into the darkness and the glass doors that waited at the far end.


    "Is that the way out?" Kelviana asked, gesturing down the corridor with her sword, the halo of light it made did little to pierce the darkness beyond.


    "Yeah," Jonathan said, his voice cracking slightly.


    Kelviana frowned. "Good place for an ambush," she muttered, and Jonathan found himself nodding in agreement.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it just be better to go back out and climb the fence?¡± Tyler asked, his voice also cracking slightly. Neither of them was thrilled with the idea of walking down that corridor and becoming horror movie bait, it seemed.


    ¡°Maybe when we had first arrived,¡± Kelviana said. ¡°If we tried that now whatever this is will just be waiting for us there too. Here, we might be enclosed, but our enemy will be too. Our best bet is to just run for it.¡± Tyler nodded and licked his lips nervously. Johnathan set his feet and leaned forward, getting ready to run. He suddenly found it rather odd that he and Tyler ¡ª two boys who were both in pretty decent shape ¡ª were relying on a girl who was much smaller and younger looking than themselves for protection. The Fey¡¯s blue dust drifted past Johnathan and down the hall, moving quicker than floating dust really should have. It hit the doors and they slid open just like before. Johnathan half-expected some sort of nightmare creature to come barreling through the doorway as soon as it was open, but nothing happened. A flash of light from behind made him jump and he felt a pulse of¡­ something rush past him. ¡°Go!¡± Kelviana said. He and Tyler ran.


    As they ran, Johnathan was certain that whatever was waiting for them would jump out of the shadows and grab them, wrapping fiery hot smoky tendrils around him and Tyler and dragging them off to meet Acrimony. Nothing grabbed them, though, and his heart was pounding and his lungs were burning by the time he and Tyler reached the doors with Kelviana right behind them. She, of course, did not seem winded in the slightest. Johnathan and Tyler both slowed and let Kelviana pass through the open door first. Johnathan felt a small twinge of guilt at allowing her to go into a dangerous situation first until he remembered her glowing sword. He wondered if he would be able to get himself one of those before this was all over.


    Kelviana stopped a few feet out and hovered in the air as she surveyed the area. She turned back to them and started to say something before her face hardened. ¡°Boys,¡± she said slowly. ¡°Don¡¯t panic, but come out here, nice and slow.¡±


    Something in her voice sent chills down Johnathan¡¯s back and despite his better judgment, he turned around to see what Kelviana was looking at. At the far end of the corridor, where he should have been able to see the ticket counter and the open door beyond, was nothing but an impossibly dark shadow with two large, glowing, red eyes watching them. It was like a Stormcloud, only several times larger than any he had seen yet. Tyler whimpered, and Johnathan¡¯s legs felt like wet noodles.


    ¡°They can stay there if they prefer,¡± said a voice similar to Kelviana¡¯s but deeper and less musical. ¡°It¡¯ll make things easier for my Hurricane.¡±


    He slowly twisted back around, torn between turning his back on the nightmare behind them and his desire to see who was speaking. His legs threatened to give out beneath him at any moment. He settled for a half-turn, so he could keep an eye on both. The speaker was another Fey, hovering before them at about roof height, looking down on them. She looked as young as Kelviana, which he was learning enough about Fey to know meant almost nothing. She was darker than Kelviana, both in her attire ¡ª which was a dark-colored shirt and a pleated skirt with leggings ¡ª and her wings, which were jet-black. Her hair was also black and hung loose around her shoulders. She held a sword like Kelviana¡¯s except it did not glow but instead seemed to suck in all the light around it, kind of like a black hole. Johnathan didn¡¯t think she had any magic dust surrounding her either until he realized that was just because it was so black that he couldn¡¯t see it easily against the dark of the night.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± asked Kelviana with a low growl, as she spun around and lifted her sword, her dust swirling quickly. ¡°And what is a Fey doing consorting with Acrimony¡¯s spawn?¡±


    The dark Fey drifted down a few feet. ¡°They called me Chrysanthemum of the Goldmeadow clan once, but you can call me Vendetta.¡±


    ¡°The Goldmeadows?¡± Kelviana said, lowering her sword just a hair. ¡°They were wiped out twenty years ago.¡±


    ¡°Yes, they were, weren¡¯t they?¡± Vendetta said, placing a finger on her lips. ¡°I wonder whose fault that was?¡±


    ¡°It was Acrimony¡¯s,¡± said Kelviana, raising her sword and motioning for Johnathan and Tyler to get behind her, which they did eagerly. Johnathan had the distinct feeling they were about to get caught up in some sort of grudge match between the two Fey. No one gave themselves a name like Vendetta if they were happy with the status quo.


    ¡°Acrimony¡¯s army may have swung the sword,¡± said Vendetta, her voice turning icy. ¡°But they never would have succeeded had the Darkwoods honored their word.¡±


    ¡°We were fighting our own battle,¡± said Kelviana. ¡°We destroyed the last portal and brought an end to centuries of war.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Vendetta asked with mock surprise. ¡°You destroyed the portal? Then why do my Stormclouds tell me there¡¯s one just like it sitting in this boy¡¯s garage right now?¡± She pointed at Johnathan with her sword and Kelviana¡¯s face paled. Vendetta laughed. It reminded Johnathan of the way the mean girls in the teen dramas on tv laughed. ¡°Did you truly think you could keep it hidden? The Fey may rarely journey to the wastes, but others call these lands home. It didn¡¯t take long for word to reach Lord Acrimony that a portal had been found. Imagine my surprise when I learned it was the exact same portal that was deemed more important than the lives of my own people. Not only that but there was a human already here, just waiting to be picked up. What did they say her name was?¡±


    ¡°What have you done with Zoe!¡± Johnathan cried, pushing around Kelviana. A wall of dust formed in front of him, and he threw himself against it, trying to get at the dark Fey who threatened his sister, but it held fast.


    ¡°Hush, fool!¡± Kelviana hissed at him. She glared down at Johnathan and he shrunk back, certain he had somehow just made a huge mistake. A half-remembered fragment of information came to his mind. Something about never giving fairies your true name. Was there truth in that bit of lore?


    ¡°Lord Acrimony will be glad to hear that little tidbit,¡± said Vendetta with a wicked smile. ¡°Imagine all the fun I can have with her name. Thanks, little boy.¡±


    ¡°You dare call him ¡®Lord¡¯?¡± said Kelviana through gritted teeth.


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I?¡± Vendetta asked. ¡°He¡¯s the only one who ever showed an ounce of interest in me.¡±


    ¡°Traitor,¡± growled Kelviana, her dust suddenly glowing so brightly it nearly turned white. ¡°You disgust me.¡±


    ¡°The feeling¡¯s mutual,¡± said Vendetta. Her dust did not glow but instead seemed to grow darker, though how such a thing was possible Johnathan did not know.


    The sensation of something rushing past hit Johnathan again. It seemed to flow out of Kelviana like a bubble and the force struck Vendetta hard an instant later. She braced herself against it as if fighting against a tornado. Her dust pulsed with darkness, there was a sound of crashing like broken glass and suddenly the wind was gone. Her dust pulsed again and Kelviana swiped out with her sword, slashing against some unseen force. The glass doors behind Johnathan shattered. He and Tyler ducked and covered their heads.


    ¡°This is insane!¡± Tyler cried. ¡°If we get out of here alive, I¡¯m gonna kill Zoe!¡±


    Kelviana flew towards Vendetta with a blur of speed that Johnathan could barely follow. Some of her blue dust stayed behind, surrounding him and Tyler like a dome. She crashed into Vendetta and their swords clashed with a shower of light and dark sparks. The two Fey began spinning about each other, blocking and parrying faster than Johnathan¡¯s eyes could see. Their black and blue dust mixed together, creating an odd glow of its own and nearly obscuring the two from view. The dust seemed to move as if it was alive and fighting a battle of its own.


    A cloud of black smoke crashed down on top of the dome surrounding Johnathan and Tyler, making them both jump. Johnathan whirled about and saw Vendetta¡¯s Hurricane had come down the corridor and grabbed at them with its smoky tendrils. Only Kelviana¡¯s blue dust had protected them from its grasp. The Hurricane loomed over them now, its red eyes flashing in anger and Johnathan saw that one of its tendrils was shorter than the others ¡ª most likely the one it had tried to grab them with. A massive hole opened beneath its eyes and it let out a scream that Johnathan had only ever heard before in his worst nightmares. Hot wind that smelled of brimstone and charcoal blew into his face and his legs failed him once more. He fell to the ground, looking up into what was sure to be his doom. The Hurricane reached up with a new tendril, ready to strike another blow against Kelviana¡¯s shield. It was already glowing weaker than it had before and Johnathan figured it only had strength for one more blow before it failed. The Hurricane smashed down on the dome and Johnathan¡¯s fears were realized. The shield broke with a crash and the dust dissipated even as the dark tendril that had destroyed it dissolved into the air. The Hurricane staggered back and screamed again, clearly not having escaped unscathed. But still, the damage was done. Their protection was gone. Tyler shouted something at Johnathan and grabbed him under the shoulders, tugging at him. A cluster of blue dust flew in from the side and struck the Hurricane square between the eyes, but it only staggered back some more and screamed in rage, whipping out at Kelviana with a long tendril. She slashed it in two, but the action allowed Vendetta to get a blow in with her own sword, and Kelviana reeled back, a bloody gash on her shoulder. The two Fey re-engaged in their own heated battle.


    ¡°Run!¡± screamed Tyler, tugging on him harder. Johnathan shook his head and snapped out of his daze. Kelviana got hurt fighting for them and he was just sitting there like a coward, waiting to get dragged off to who-knows-what kind of fate at the hands of Acromony. For all he knew, Zoe was in the burning grips one of these smoke creatures and on her way there now. He couldn¡¯t let that happen to her, and he would never be able to help her if he got himself captured too. He jumped up and did exactly what Tyler had said. He turned and ran.


    The world went black and searing pain enveloped him. Acrid smoke filled his nose and when he tried to scream it got into his mouth and burned his throat. He heard Tyler cry out beside him, sounding distant and muffled. It got us, he thought in despair. It¡¯s all over. Then the world flashed with brilliant light and the smoke that bound him disappeared. In the corner of his vision he saw Tyler frantically trying to break free from his own bonds even as the smoky tendrils that had wrapped themselves around him dissolved away. Then Zoe was standing before him, her hands stretched out before her and glowing green while little bits of shining green dust flowed back into them. Tyler stopped his struggle and stared at her, slack-jawed. Johnathan felt weak again and his world was growing dark. ¡°Zoe?¡± he managed to croak out. His throat burned so badly¡­


    ¡°Yeah, John,¡± she said with a half-smile. Her eyes were still mud-smeared where she had wiped away her tears of anger earlier that afternoon. New, different tears were forming in her eyes now. ¡°It¡¯s me. You came.¡±


    ¡°Of course I did. Who else was going to save you?¡± he choked out, coughing. His legs buckled and he dropped. He felt Zoe catch him as his world went black.


    <h2 style="text-align: center">END OF PART THREE</h2>

 Part Four: Growing Distance

    The sun had risen by the time Johnathan woke up.  He was lying on something soft and the sun was shining on his face just enough to be annoying, but not so much as to make it worth the effort of moving out of its way.  He remembered being engulfed in fire and smoke, his skin burning, and thinking he was done for.  Had it all been a dream?  Was he in his own bed?  The sun would sometimes hit his face when he forgot to close the curtains in his bedroom.  He put his arm over his eyes, blocking the light.  His skin didn¡¯t hurt.  If he had really been burned as badly as his memory told him he had, he would certainly be in a lot of pain still.  It must have all been a dream.  ¡°Good, you¡¯re awake,¡± said Kelviana¡¯s voice from across the room.  ¡°We need to get moving soon.¡±


    Johnathan groaned.  So it hadn¡¯t been a dream after all.  ¡°What happened?¡± he asked, his arm still covering his face.


    ¡°You passed out.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± he said.  ¡°I kinda figured that part out myself.¡±


    ¡°Your friend was also hurt, but he didn¡¯t pass out.¡±


    ¡°Good for him,¡± Johnathan grumbled.


    ¡°Your injuries were much worse than his, though,¡± she continued, ignoring him.  ¡°So I guess it¡¯s understandable.  I almost thought I wouldn''t be able to heal you completely.  You humans really wear me out, you know?¡±


    Johnathan opened his eyes and looked in the direction of her voice.  He recognized the room.  It was the bike park¡¯s security office.  He was lying on a couch and Kelviana was sitting cross-legged in an armchair near the door, her wings neatly folded behind her back.  The chair was far too big for her and seemed to swallow her up.  She looked tired, and there was something else about her bearing that seemed off to him, but he couldn¡¯t quite place it.  ¡°Where¡¯s Zoe?¡± he asked.  ¡°She is here, isn¡¯t she?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s in the next room with your friend, resting.  She didn¡¯t want to leave you, but I made her.  She wasn¡¯t in particularly good shape either.  She wasn¡¯t burnt, though.¡±


    Johnathan sat up and swung his legs over the side of the couch.  His mind was a bit fuzzy, but at least his head didn¡¯t hurt.  Kelviana¡¯s healing was very thorough, it seemed.  ¡°So Vendetta didn¡¯t capture her after all?¡± he asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s the thing,¡± said Kelviana, furrowing her brow.  ¡°The Stormclouds did capture her.  By the time we got there, they were already carrying her off.  Somehow she escaped on her own and came back when she heard all the commotion.  She¡¯s a tough kid, I gotta admit.¡±


    Johnathan couldn¡¯t help but chuckle a little.  Zoe always had been a fiery one.  The memory of her standing in front of him, her hands glowing with fairy light, drifted to the surface of his mind.  ¡°She was the one who destroyed the Hurricane, wasn¡¯t she?¡± he asked, already knowing the answer.  Kelviana frowned, her hesitation was all the confirmation he needed.  ¡°How was she able to do that?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Kelviana said, her frown deepening.  ¡°I have a theory.  I¡¯ll have to test it some more, but I wanted you all to rest first.¡±  She sighed deeply and seemed to sink into the armchair.  ¡°I apologize for letting you get hurt,¡± she said.  ¡°Chrysanthemum turned out to be a more formidable opponent than I thought she would.  Fey don¡¯t fight other fey, except when training.  It was a hard battle for me ¡ª in many ways.¡±  She rubbed her left shoulder and Johnathan remembered the injury she took while trying to keep the Hurricane away from him.  Her shirt was torn and he saw a white bandage tied underneath.  ¡°I thought I could fight her and protect you boys as well,¡± she continued.  ¡°I was wrong.¡±


    ¡°Is Vendetta¡­?¡± he couldn¡¯t say the rest, but he didn¡¯t need to.  Kelviana shook her head.


    ¡°She took off after the Hurricane was destroyed.  In a way, I am glad.  I would not want to be the first fey to ever kill another of our kind, even if there was good reason for it.  By the way,¡± she said, standing up in the chair.  Her wings unfolded behind her and Johnathan got his first good look at the pattern.  The large upper wings were a beautiful swirl of red and blue that flowed down to a circle of deep purple in the center of the lower wings.  The pattern was mirrored on each side, making it look like a pair of eyes.  She beat them against the air a few times and rose up out of the chair, somewhat shakily, Johnathan noticed.  She flew across the room and smacked him on the back of the head.  ¡°NEVER give a fey your name when they ask for it.  I thought everyone knew that.  You''re just lucky that your sister¡¯s name isn¡¯t yours to give, or Chrysanthemum would have complete control over her right now.  As it is, she may have some influence over her if they ever get close to each other.¡±


    Johnathan rubbed the spot where she had smacked him.  It had actually stung a bit.  ¡°But I told you my name, and so did Tyler.¡±


    She sighed and settled back down to stand on the floor, folding her wings back.  She looked pale and was sweating a little.  ¡°First off, he didn¡¯t tell me his true name, just a nickname, and second off, I never asked for your names, did I?  It¡¯s all about the details.¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± he grumbled.  ¡°I get it.  Anything else I should know?¡±


    ¡°Even freshly budded fairies know this stuff,¡±  She muttered, then thought for a moment.  ¡°Don¡¯t eat anything I or any other fey gives you, or you¡¯ll get stuck here forever.  You¡¯re on your own when it comes to food unless you decide you really like it here.  And DON¡¯T accept any gifts, not even from me.  There¡¯s always a catch, and it¡¯s never good.¡±


    ¡°Should we be trusting you at all?¡± Johnathan asked, all the old tales of fairies being tricky and untrustworthy were starting to sound like they were true after all.


    Kelviana shrugged.  ¡°I¡¯m telling you the rules, aren¡¯t I?  Most fey would be perfectly fine letting you bungle through it and ensnaring you the second you mess up.  We can¡¯t lie, but we don¡¯t have to tell the whole truth either.  I¡¯m being straight with you.  Somehow you¡¯ve managed to gain my favor, don¡¯t ask me how.¡±  Her legs wobbled and she steadied herself against the edge of the couch.  Johnathan reached out automatically to catch her, but she held up a hand, grimacing slightly.  ¡°I¡¯m ok, just a little tired.  I used a lot of magic last night.¡±  She took a deep breath and stood up straight.  She unfolded her wings and fluttered them slowly.  She lifted off the ground a few inches then fell back down.  She huffed.  ¡°Fine, my legs need the exercise anyway.¡±  She strode over to the door and pulled it open, and suddenly Johnathan realized what it was that seemed odd about her.


    ¡°Where¡¯s your magic dust?¡± he asked.  The blue haze of glowing dust continuously surrounding her last night was nowhere to be seen.


    ¡°It¡¯s still there,¡± she said, turning back to him with her hand on the doorknob.  ¡°If it weren¡¯t I¡¯d be dead.  It¡¯s just too dim to see easily in the daylight.  Like I said, I used up a lot of my magic last night.¡±


    Johnathan looked at the floor, feeling ashamed.  ¡°Thanks for saving us.  If I hadn¡¯t frozen up you wouldn¡¯t have gotten hurt.¡±


    She waved him off.  ¡°Protecting you was my responsibility.  I took on that job the second I brought you over here.  Don¡¯t sweat it.¡±


    He looked up, suddenly realizing something.  ¡°You let me win that argument, didn¡¯t you?  You didn¡¯t need my help finding Zoe.¡±


    She shrugged.  ¡°Like I said, you gained my favor somehow.  Maybe it¡¯s ¡®cause you¡¯ve got guts.  Not just anyone can stare down a mythical creature like me, you know.  Much less win.¡±


    At the moment Johnathan felt like he was anything but brave.  ¡°You like me and you don¡¯t even know why?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a fey thing,¡±  she said with a rare smile and a shrug, then her face hardened and she turned back to the open door.  ¡°Now let¡¯s go.  I need to get back to the Darkwood before nightfall.  The Seelie Court needs to know about Chrysanthemum.¡±


    ¡°And us?¡± Johnathan asked as he stood up.  Kelviana didn¡¯t answer, instead, she just turned and walked out the door.  He frowned after her, then sighed and followed her out.


    ¡°Johnny!¡± Zoe cried as soon as he stepped out of the room, pouncing on him from seemingly out of nowhere and wrapping her arms around him in a smothering hug.  Johnathan braced himself against the sudden assault on his balance and returned the embrace.  Neither of them was big on hugging as a general rule.  But this was one instance where an exception could be made.  He held her tight, not even minding that her hair tickled his nose.


    ¡°You guys weren¡¯t even apart for one full night, you know,¡± Tyler said, yawning and running his hands through his hair as he crossed the hall from the room he and Zoe had been sleeping in.  It looked like a manager¡¯s office.


    Zoe pulled away slightly and glared at him, her arms still wrapped around Johnathan.  ¡°Give it a rest, Ty.  I thought I¡¯d never see him again, ok?¡±


    ¡°And what about me?  I came all the way to another world to find you and I didn¡¯t get a big hug.¡±  He was sulking a little.  Could it be that he was jealous?  Zoe had told Mom that there was nothing going on between them, that they were just friends.  It seemed that Tyler maybe had a different opinion on the matter.  Johnathan was going to have to have a talk with him about that.  And won¡¯t that be a fun conversation? he thought.  ¡°Hey Ty, stay away from my sister.  She doesn¡¯t like you like that.¡±  Then Tyler would pound me and Zoe would hate me and nothing would be solved.  He sighed inwardly.  Why did life have to be so complicated?


    ¡°It¡¯s a twin thing,¡± Zoe said, oblivious to his thoughts.  Johnathan decided to leave it at that for now.  He pulled away from the hug and took a good look at her.  She was still covered in mud, her Team U.S.A. jersey was rumpled and torn in a few places, and her hair was a tangled mess, but her cheeks were rosy and her eyes were full of life.  She looked even better than she did on a normal day back home.  There was a liveliness about her that was usually only reserved for special occasions, like the trip to Disneyland they had taken a few years back before Dad¡¯s pay got slashed.  In comparison, Tyler looked reasonably well-rested, but still a bit run-down.  Kind of like how Johnathan felt.  He smiled at Zoe, just glad to see that she was safe.  She smiled back, then slugged him on the shoulder.  ¡°Don¡¯t scare me like that!¡± she said, glaring at him in much the same way Mom sometimes would.


    ¡°Don¡¯t scare you?¡± he asked, rubbing his shoulder.  That had hurt.  ¡°What about me?  I thought the Stormclouds had you.  How¡¯d you get away anyway?¡±


    Zoe¡¯s face fell and some of the liveliness left her cheeks.  ¡°I ¡ª I don¡¯t know,¡± she said, shrinking back from him a little.


    ¡°It was magic,¡± said Kelviana.  Johnathan and Zoe both turned to look at her.


    Tyler started laughing, then stopped short when he realized no one else was joining him.  ¡°That¡¯s impossible,¡± he said, looking at each of them in turn.  ¡°Isn¡¯t it?  I mean, she¡¯s human.  Humans don¡¯t have magic.¡±


    ¡°Not usually, you don¡¯t,¡± Kelviana said, looking up at Zoe with furrowed brows.  ¡°But it¡¯s not unheard of.  She¡¯s definitely got some magic in her, I can feel it.¡±  She reached down to her belt and pulled out her sword.  It was glowing with white light, as always, but it seemed dimmer than usual.  She turned it around and held it out to Zoe hilt first.  ¡°Here, hold this.¡±


    Zoe reached for it hesitantly, confusion in her eyes.  Jonathan grabbed her by the wrist, sudden panic rising inside.  ¡°Wait,¡± he said, then turned to Kelviana.  ¡°This isn¡¯t a gift, is it?¡±


    He half expected Kelviana to be offended at his accusation, but she just smiled with something like approval in her eyes.  ¡°Now you¡¯re starting to think like a fey.¡±  She shook her head.  ¡°Others may try to trick you like that, but I never will.  I¡¯m not giving it to her.  I just want to see what happens when she holds it.¡±


    Johnathan thought for a moment then nodded.  ¡°Ok.  Go ahead,¡± he said to Zoe, releasing his grasp on her wrist.  He didn¡¯t like the sudden suspicion with which he found himself regarding Kelviana¡¯s every move now.  He was glad she had told him the rules that governed the Fey, but some part of him wished she hadn¡¯t.  He had been much happier when he was blindly trusting her.


    Zoe looked between Johnathan and Kelviana a few times, clearly wondering what that had all been about, then reached down and took the sword from the fey¡¯s much smaller hand.  The soft white glow faded away as soon as it left Kelviana¡¯s grasp, making it look more like a child¡¯s toy sword than the deadly weapon it really was.  She held it up and regarded it curiously.  Jonathan watched closely, wondering what Kelviana was hoping would happen.  He didn¡¯t have long to wait.  After only a few moments the sword began to glow again, but this time it was green and much brighter than the soft white it had been before.  ¡°What¡¯s that mean?¡± Zoe asked, her voice wavering slightly.


    ¡°The sword reacts to the inherent magic of whoever¡¯s holding it.  The color it glows with reflects the type of magic.  White is for the fey.¡±


    ¡°And green?¡± asked Zoe, looking at the sword with wide, fearful eyes.


    ¡°Dryads,¡± said Kelviana, nodding as if she had expected this to happen.  ¡°There¡¯s dryad blood in you.  Strong too.  Maybe only a generation or two removed.¡±  She looked back at Johnathan.  ¡°I knew I liked you, now I know why.¡±  She turned back to Zoe.  ¡°This explains how you could open the portal.  You¡¯re part dryad, so you¡¯re already connected to this realm.¡±


    Zoe shoved the sword back into Kelviana¡¯s hand as if it were a snake about to strike, the green glow fading as soon as she let it go.  ¡°This is crazy,¡± she said, backing away.  ¡°You can¡¯t be serious.  There¡¯s no such thing as dryads.¡±


    ¡°Or fey?¡± Kelviana asked, cocking an eyebrow.


    ¡°What¡¯s a dryad?¡± asked Tyler.


    ¡°A tree spirit,¡± said Johnathan, watching Zoe.  She seemed frozen halfway between disbelief and shock.


    ¡°More like a tree nymph,¡± said Kelviana.  ¡°Most every creature in this realm is one sort of a nymph or another, but dryads are closer to humans in appearance than any of us, most of the time.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, ¡®most of the time¡¯?¡± asked Zoe, turning pale.


    ¡°Some of them have to transform into trees occasionally,¡± replied Kelviana, as casually as if she were giving a weather report.


    Zoe stared at the fey like she were crazy.  Slowly she began shaking her head and backing away.  ¡°I can¡¯t deal with this.  Just ¡ª just get us out of here,¡± she said, then spun on her heel and strode off, disappearing behind the door to the girl¡¯s restroom.


    ¡°Not exactly the reaction I would have expected,¡± said Kelviana.


    ¡°It¡¯s what she does,¡± said Johnathan, watching the bathroom door swing shut.  After a few moments, he turned back to Kelviana.  ¡°Zoe¡¯s right, though ¡ª this is nuts.¡±  He held out his hand.  ¡°Let me see that sword.¡±  She handed it to him without a word.  He grabbed it by the hilt and held it up, waiting for it to start glowing, but nothing happened.  Eventually, she took it back with a huff.  ¡°Why didn¡¯t it work for me?¡± he asked, disappointment welling up inside him.  Zoe may not have liked the idea of having a magical heritage, but he sure did.


    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    ¡°I said she was part dryad,¡± Kelviana said as she shoved the sword back in its sheath.  ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything about you.¡±


    ¡°But we¡¯re twins.  We share the same blood.¡±


    ¡°First off, you¡¯re fraternal twins, not identical, so you don¡¯t share the same DNA.  And second off, this is magic, not genetics.  It doesn¡¯t follow the same rules.  You can¡¯t be part dryad, because there¡¯s no such thing as a male dryad.¡±


    ¡°How do you know about DNA?¡± asked Tyler.


    She glared at him.  ¡°I was raised in the forest, not a barn.¡±


    ¡°But you don¡¯t know what WiFi is?¡± Tyler mumbled, then quickly clamped his jaw closed as her glare turned into a scowl.


    ¡°So Zoe gets to be magical but I don¡¯t, just because I¡¯m a boy?¡± Johnathan asked, anger welling up inside at the injustice of it all.


    ¡°Calm down kid,¡± growled Kelviana turning her glare on him.  ¡°Do you want to bring every Stormcloud within twenty miles of here bearing down on us?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not fair,¡± grumbled Johnathan, but he tried to push the anger down.


    ¡°It¡¯s the way things are,¡± said Kelviana.  ¡°Fairness has nothing to do with it.  Besides, you¡¯ll still probably get some sort of fringe benefits.  Good looks, a winning personality, long life, things like that.  A lot of celebrities in your world have dryad blood.  It¡¯s far more common than you would think.¡±


    ¡°Does any of this even matter?¡± asked Tyler.  ¡°We¡¯re leaving this place anyway.¡±


    ¡°The kid¡¯s right,¡± said Kelviana.  ¡°The magic of mixed-bloods doesn¡¯t work on Earth.  At least not like it does here.  Even my magic is weaker over there.  Once I get you all back home you can just keep on going with your lives like nothing ever happened.  Now stop pouting,  grab your sister, and let¡¯s get going.¡±  She turned and stalked down the hall towards the main counter and the still-open glass front doors.


    Tyler turned to follow but Johnathan stopped him.  ¡°Hey¡­ Tyler?¡± he said hesitantly.  He didn¡¯t want to say this but knew he needed to.


    ¡°Yeah?¡± said the bigger boy, looking impatient.


    ¡°I just¡­¡± he hesitated, then, with great effort, continued.  ¡°Uhm¡­ I just wanna say thanks¡­ you know for last night.  You helped me when things got real.  I froze, and you didn¡¯t.  So¡­ uh¡­ yeah¡­ thanks.¡±  He was babbling, he knew.


    Tyler shrugged.  ¡°Well, just ¡®cause I don¡¯t want to see those things get you doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯re best buds or anything.  I still think you¡¯re a geek.¡±  He looked down the hall to where Kelviana had walked.  ¡°We better catch up.  You wanna get Zoe?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here,¡± she said, coming out of the bathroom looking a bit less upset than she had going in.  ¡°Fair warning, the water doesn¡¯t work.¡±


    ¡°You ok?¡± asked Johnathan.


    ¡°I will be once we¡¯re out of this crazy place,¡± she said, looking all around.  ¡°Where¡¯s the fairy?¡±


    ¡°Waiting outside,¡± said Tyler.


    ¡°She¡¯s a fey,¡± said Johnathan.  ¡°Not a fairy.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care what she calls herself,¡± said Zoe, frowning and looking down the hall toward the front doors.  ¡°And I¡¯m not one of them, no matter what she says.¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re not,¡± agreed Johnathan.  ¡°You¡¯re a dryad.¡±  He realized it was the wrong thing to say even before he was done saying it.


    If looks could kill he would have been dead a dozen times over right then and there.  She whirled on him, her face bright red.  ¡°Don¡¯t ever call me that again.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get angry!¡± Kelviana shouted from across the building.


    ¡°This is so stupid,¡± grumbled Zoe.  ¡°Let¡¯s just go home.¡±  She turned and stomped away, leaving Johnathan and Tyler to catch up.


    ¡°Way to go, Little John,¡± Tyler said under his breath before following along after her.  Johnathan sighed heavily and wondered again why life had to be so darn complicated.


    <hr>


    It was a very, very, quiet walk home.  Zoe kept staring daggers into Kelviana¡¯s back and shooting the occasional angry glare back at Johnathan.  Tyler ¨C quite wisely ¨C decided to keep his distance from either of them and stuck close to Kelviana, who walked the entire way, her wings drooping behind her.  Johnathan found himself worrying about the fey.  Her pace was slow and her gait unsteady at times.  Once or twice she had to stop and catch her breath.  He still could only see her magic dust when she passed through the shadows, and even then it was just barely perceptible.  He did not think she was merely tired from the night¡¯s toils, despite her reassurances to the contrary.


    When they were about a block away from their house Kelviana brought the march to a halt.  ¡°Wait,¡± she hissed and urgently pushed them all behind a nearby hedge.  A few moments later a Stormcloud floated down the street where they had just been walking.  ¡°I was afraid of this,¡± Kelviana said after it was gone.  ¡°I¡¯d bet anything that Chrysanthemum is watching the house, just waiting for us to come to her.¡±


    ¡°Which is exactly what we¡¯re doing,¡± pointed out Tyler, who was crouched down next to her.


    ¡°Yes, it is,¡± said Kelviana with a frown.  ¡°We don¡¯t have much choice, though, do we?  And Chrysanthemum knows it.¡±


    ¡°So what¡¯s the plan?¡± asked Zoe.


    ¡°For now, you three stay here.  I¡¯ll scout ahead and take a look.¡±  She poked her head around the hedge and prepared to leave when Johnathan stopped her.


    ¡°What will you do if you¡¯re caught?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t get caught.¡±


    ¡°Maybe not,¡± he said, ¡°but I''ve been watching you all morning.  You¡¯re worse off than you¡¯re letting on.  Even I could probably catch you right now if I wanted to.¡±


    ¡°Just try it, kid,¡± she said with a low, dangerous growl.


    ¡°Ok then,¡± said Johnathan, looking her in the eyes and trying not to let her intimidate him.  Her voice may have been saying one thing, but the thin sheen of sweat and pale cast to her skin said another.  ¡°Prove that you¡¯re fine and fly.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have to prove anything to you.  Remember what I said last night?  I¡¯m in charge here.  You¡¯re just along for the ride.¡±


    ¡°And what happens to us when Vendetta catches you and no one¡¯s driving anymore?¡±


    ¡°I can handle Chrysanthemum.  Especially if I¡¯m not having to keep an eye on you kids.¡±


    ¡°Fey can¡¯t lie,¡± said Johnathan.  ¡°Tell me the truth.  How can you fight her if you can¡¯t even fly right now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll figure something out.  Don¡¯t think you can use our own rules against us, kid.  We¡¯ve been getting around them for thousands of years now.¡±


    ¡°Just let me come with you.  Maybe I can help.¡±


    ¡°If he goes, I go,¡± said Zoe.


    ¡°And me,¡± said Tyler.


    Kelviana glared at them all.  ¡°Humans,¡± she sighed.  ¡°Do you all have death wishes?¡±


    ¡°The opposite, actually,¡± said Johnathan.  ¡°You¡¯re our best bet at making it out of this.  I just want to make sure nothing happens to you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m more than a hundred years older than you, I don¡¯t need a babysitter.  Especially not one that¡¯s barely out of its bud.¡±


    ¡°Then stop acting like you do,¡± Johnathan said, trying to glare at Kelviana the way she always glared at him.  She glared right back, then suddenly swayed and fell forward.  Johnathan gasped and caught her by the shoulders before she hit the ground.  He was surprised at how frail she felt.  She had always seemed so strong, despite her diminutive frame.  She cried out in pain and pulled her injured shoulder away from Johnathan¡¯s grasp.  Through the ripped sleeve, he caught sight of some skin that wasn¡¯t covered by the bandage.  It was red and inflamed.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t heal yourself?¡± he asked.  He should have realized that sooner.  She wouldn¡¯t have bandaged the wound if she had been able to heal it the way she had healed his own injuries.


    ¡°I tried,¡± she said, holding her shoulder and scowling.  ¡°Chrysanthemum¡¯s sword has some sort of hex on it.  The wound won¡¯t heal and it''s keeping my magic from recovering.¡±


    ¡°And when were you planning on telling us this?¡± asked Tyler.  ¡°When we were all standing in front of the mirror, surrounded by Stormclouds?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been saving what little magic I have left hoping that wouldn¡¯t happen.  And the girl has plenty to get herself through without my help.  She could probably take both of you as well if she was trained up a bit.¡±


    ¡°My name¡¯s Zoe,¡± said Zoe.


    ¡°I know,¡± said Kelviana dismissively.  Zoe huffed and rolled her eyes.  Kelviana sighed heavily.  ¡°Fine, you win,¡± she said, rubbing her temples.  ¡°We¡¯ll all go and take a look.  Chances are, if Chrysanthemum¡¯s already there, we won¡¯t be going anywhere today anyway.  You¡¯re right.  We need a real plan, and that starts with knowing what we¡¯re up against.  Help me up.¡±


    Johnathan grabbed Kelviana by the hand and pulled her up.  She was so light he felt like he might rip her arm right out of its socket.  Kelviana took a few deep breaths while steadying herself against his arm, then let it go, stepping out from the hedge and motioning for them to follow her.  Tyler fell in behind Kelviana, but Zoe stayed with Johnathan.


    ¡°What¡¯s with you and the fairy?¡± she said, whispering so the other two couldn¡¯t hear.


    Kelviana was keeping them off the sidewalk, instead crossing lawns and staying close to the fronts of the houses.  It felt a little like trespassing to Johnathan and he had to remind himself that these houses weren¡¯t the same ones from his neighborhood and were unoccupied.  ¡°What do you mean?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Just that you two seem to have a thing going,¡± said Zoe, stepping over a low hedge lining a walkway.  The mailbox by the front steps was strangely blended between an old dented black one and a shiny new blue one.


    ¡°A thing?¡± he asked, blinking away the image of the strange phenomenon that still made his eyes hurt whenever he saw it.  He stepped around a large flower pot and realized that plants were always sharp and in focus despite their constant state of change; they did not seem to follow the same strange rules that inanimate objects followed.  He would have to ask Kelviana about that if the chance came up.  He realized with a sudden shock that their time together was nearly over.  He didn¡¯t like that one bit.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± said Zoe.  ¡°Like the two of you have some sort of agreement or something.  What rules was she talking about earlier?¡±


    ¡°She just gave me a few pointers this morning to help us when dealing with the fey.  That¡¯s all.  There¡¯s no ¡®thing¡¯ happening.¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh,¡± said Zoe, not sounding convinced.


    ¡°You could be a little nicer to her, you know,¡± said Johnathan.  ¡°She did save us last night.¡±


    ¡°And what about me?¡± Zoe asked.  ¡°Who destroyed that big smoke monster?¡±


    ¡°How did you do that, anyway?¡± Johnathan asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± said Zoe, looking irritated.  ¡°It just kinda happened on its own.  Just forget about it.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t, and I¡¯m glad it did happen,¡± said Johnathan.  ¡°No matter how you feel about it, I think it¡¯s pretty cool.¡±


    She glared at him.  He was getting glared at a lot lately, he realized.  ¡°You think it¡¯s cool that I might turn into a tree?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± said Johnathan, though a part of him actually did think the dryad part was cool, not the tree part.  ¡°I think it¡¯s cool that you can do magic.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to turn into a tree,¡± Kelviana said, crouching behind one of their neighbor¡¯s shrubs. ¡°Now hush, we¡¯re here.¡±


    Zoe shot Kelviana a nasty look, but she crouched behind the shrub with the rest of them. Their house was near the end of the block and set back a little further than their neighbor¡¯s houses, which made it hard to see much of it until they got closer.  The garage was still open, though from their vantage point behind the hedge they couldn¡¯t see more than a few feet in.  Dad¡¯s old Toyota was in the driveway next to the Chrysler minivan, which was a little odd since it was a weekday and he should have been at work.  He must have taken some time off, Johnathan thought, suddenly filled with guilt.  He had been so worried about finding Zoe that he had not given any thought as to how their parents would react when he also went missing.  ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Tyler said, squinting.  A hazy and translucent figure had emerged and was standing just outside the garage entrance.  Kelviana frowned.


    ¡°It''s Mom,¡± Zoe gasped, her eyes widening.


    Their mom stood there for a few moments, looking up and down the street then cupped her blurry hands over her mouth.  ¡°Zoe!¡± she called.  ¡°Where are you?¡±


    ¡°C¡¯mon, let¡¯s go,¡± said Zoe as she jumped up.


    ¡°Wait!¡± said Johnathan, grabbing her dirt-stained jersey.  Something about Mom¡¯s voice seemed off to him.


    Zoe shoved his hand away.  ¡°Why?  Mom wouldn¡¯t be there if that dark fairy was.¡±


    ¡°This smells like a trap to me,¡± said Tyler, trying to pull Zoe back down as well.  ¡°Vendetta could be hiding anywhere, as long it¡¯s not in the mirror¡¯s line of sight.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± said Zoe, roughly prying Tyler¡¯s hand from her jersey.  ¡°I gotta get out of here.  I can make it if I run.¡±  Kelviana watched them with a big frown and furrowed brows but was otherwise uncharacteristically quiet.


    ¡°You can¡¯t run faster than Vendetta can fly,¡± said Johnathan, suddenly worried that she might actually try.  ¡°Did you see that fight last night?  They moved so fast I couldn¡¯t even follow them.¡±


    ¡°Zoe!¡± Mom called again.  ¡°Zoe!¡±


    Zoe¡¯s head jerked up and she looked towards the ghostly specter of their mom.  ¡°She needs me,¡± she said, her voice suddenly becoming much quieter than it had just been.  ¡°I caused so much trouble already.¡±  She pushed aside Johnathan¡¯s hand as he grabbed for her again and took a step away from the cover of the bushes as if in a daze.  ¡°I have to go.¡±


    ¡°Stop her,¡± Kelviana said, finally breaking her silence.  ¡°This is Chrysanthemum¡¯s doing.  She¡¯s under a spell.¡±  Icy fear gripped Johnathan¡¯s heart.  He and Tyler both grabbed Zoe and pulled her back down.  She struggled, but only mildly, her eyes remaining fixed on their house.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Johnathan asked as he fought to hold down Zoe¡¯s legs.  She hardly even seemed to be aware of him and Tyler as she single-mindedly tried to get to their house.


    ¡°That¡¯s not your mother¡¯s voice,¡± said Kelviana.  ¡°Sound doesn¡¯t pass through the portal.  Didn¡¯t you notice that last night?  And even if it could, why wouldn¡¯t your mother be calling your name too?¡±  Kelviana answered her own question before Johnathan could even open his mouth to reply.  ¡°It¡¯s because you never gave it to Chrysanthemum.¡±


    Johnathan paused and thought for a moment, realizing she was right.  It must have been Vendetta mimicking their mom¡¯s voice.  For all he knew the whole thing could have been an illusion and that wasn¡¯t even their real mom¡¯s reflection.  One of Zoe¡¯s legs broke free from his grasp and she kicked him in the chest.  He grunted and grabbed the flailing leg, pinning it back to the ground.  ¡°Can¡¯t you break the spell?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Even if that was possible I¡¯m in no condition to do it right now,¡± Kelviana said then sighed.  ¡°I should have stuck to my guns and come alone.¡±


    ¡°What are you guys talking about?¡± asked Tyler as he wrapped his arms under Zoe¡¯s shoulders and held her against his chest.  She pushed against him, trying to stand back up.  ¡°What¡¯s Vendetta done to her?¡±  Johnathan shifted his position and sat on her feet.  Through all of this she was staying completely silent.  It was very creepy and had Johnathan very worried.


    ¡°This one,¡± Kelviana said, jerking her thumb in Johnathan¡¯s direction, ¡°in a shocking display of poor judgment, decided to give Chrysanthemum his sister¡¯s name last night.  I wasn¡¯t sure if that would be enough for Chrysanthemum to exercise any control over her, but it seems that it was.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± said Tyler.  ¡°She can control Zoe just by knowing her name?¡±


    Kelviana nodded, and Johnathan kicked himself for not realizing the danger sooner.  Of course it was a bad idea to let Zoe anywhere near Vendetta.  ¡°That¡¯s why you never use our names.  Isn¡¯t it?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Even so, she really shouldn¡¯t have this much influence over your sister,¡± Kelviana said, frowning at Zoe and ignoring Johnathan¡¯s question.  ¡°Her name isn¡¯t yours to give away.  And since she¡¯s part dryad, a fey¡¯s hold over her name should be even weaker than it would be against other humans.  Possibly even non-exisent.¡±  She looked back at the house.  ¡°This will make things tougher.  We need to get out of here.  Chrysanthemum¡¯s influence should wear off with distance.¡±


    ¡°A pity we¡¯ll never find out if you¡¯re right, Darkwood.¡±  A voice said from behind them.  Johnathan jumped and spun around to see Vendetta hovering about ten feet up in the air with four Stormclouds surrounding her.


    ¡°Let my sister go, traitor!¡± Johnathan shouted, jumping up and glaring at the dark fey.  Kelviana stood and faced her as well, a low growl forming in her throat.  Tyler was left alone to hold down Zoe, who was still desperately trying to get free.


    Vendetta giggled like a schoolgirl.  ¡°What a cute little group.  A human child who has no idea what¡¯s going on, a dryad who doesn¡¯t even know what she is, a useless tag-along, and a fey who can¡¯t sense a trap when she¡¯s standing right in the middle of one.¡±  She looked at Kelviana with mock concern.  ¡°How¡¯s your shoulder?¡±


    ¡°Get a little closer and I¡¯ll show you, coward,¡± said Kelviana, drawing her sword.  It was so dim that in the full daylight Johnathan couldn¡¯t even tell if it was glowing or not.


    ¡°Mmmm, no,¡± said Vendetta, placing a finger on her lips in thought.  ¡°I think I¡¯ll stay here.  My pets will be more than happy to play, though.¡±


    ¡°Get back, fool,¡± Kelviana said to Johnathan, her voice low.  ¡°This is going to get ugly.  I¡¯ll distract the Stormclouds.  Take your sister and make a break for the portal.  Maybe you¡¯ll get lucky and the girl can get you through.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not leaving you,¡± Johnathan said, shaking his head.  ¡°Teammates stick together.¡±


    Suddenly there was a rustling behind them and Johnathan turned to see Tyler jump up and run towards the house.  Zoe was climbing to her feet and heading in that direction as well.


    ¡°Zoe, stop,¡± said Vendetta cooly.  Zoe froze in her steps and stood there, silently waiting.


    ¡°Zoe!¡± Jonathan cried.  ¡°Snap out of it.  She¡¯s controlling you.¡±


    ¡°She can¡¯t hear you, little boy,¡± said Vendetta.  ¡°She¡¯s only got ears for me.¡±  She looked towards their house and smiled.  ¡°Looks like your friend has abandoned you.  How shockingly predictable, and since I have the girl, I have no use for either of you.¡±  She turned to the waiting Stormclouds and drew her impossibly dark sword, pointing it at Johnathan and Kelviana.  ¡°Get them,¡± she said then flew off towards the house.


    Zoe followed without a word.


    <h2 style="text-align: center">END OF PART FOUR</h2>

 Part Five: Growing Tiresome

    As one, Vendetta¡¯s Stormclouds let out a piercing screech and charged.  Johnathan wrenched his gaze away from Zoe as she walked away and focused on his own predicament.  He was completely unarmed with no magic, facing off against four charging Stormclouds.  Tyler had been right to run.  What was he thinking?  How could he help Kelviana fight these things when he couldn¡¯t even touch them without getting burned?  The last few times he had been in this situation he had completely frozen up.  But Kelviana was hurt, had almost no magic left, and couldn¡¯t fly.  She was nearly as helpless against these things as he was and it was his fault.  He had to help somehow.


    The Stormclouds reached them and the time for thinking was over.  Kelviana sliced out with her sword and the first Stormcloud dissolved into thin air.  The other three didn¡¯t slow at all, seemingly undisturbed by the loss of their comrade.  Two of them focused on Kelviana, circling her and lashing out with their tendrils like they were whips as she sliced and hacked at them.  The third set its sights on Johnathan.  It reached out for him with a smoky tendril and he jumped out of the way, the tendril missing him by inches.  Another tendril whipped towards him as the creature flew past and it grazed his shoulder, leaving a stinging welt where it had touched him. The Stormcloud turned in the air and flew back towards him.  He set his feet, ready to jump again, and caught sight of Kelviana as she fought against the other two.  One of them already seemed to be missing several tendrils and the other was leaking smoke from its side.  Kelviana was sweating heavily and breathing hard even though they had only been fighting for a few moments.  They had to end this quickly, but Johnathan had no idea how.


    He jumped to the side again as the Stormcloud reached him, but it anticipated this and adjusted its angle of flight.  It wrapped two of its tendrils around his upper arm and he cried out in pain as the smoke burned his skin, even through the sleeve of his hoodie.  Kelviana cried out and sliced her sword through the tendrils, freeing him as the Stormcloud drew back, screaming in rage.  The other two Stormclouds managed to get their tendrils around her, pinning her arms to her side and causing her to drop the sword.  Johnathan scooped it up with his uninjured arm and swiped it through one of the creatures holding her, but the sword had no effect.  He might as well have been trying to slay campfire smoke.


    ¡°Give it to me!¡± Kelviana grunted, sweat running down her face.  ¡°It only works if you have magic.¡±


    Johnathan dodged away from the remaining Stormcloud that was still attacking him, getting burned on his back and legs in the process, then lunged closer to her again, pressing the sword back into her hand.  She awkwardly swiped at the tendrils binding her and managed to slice a few.  Johnathan was forced away as his pursuer charged again.  He dodged around the shrub they had been hiding behind, buying him a second or two to think as the Stormcloud tried to reach him from behind the bush.


    Despite her magic sword, Kelviana wasn¡¯t fairing much better than him.  She had managed to free herself from the Stormclouds, and one of them had lost all its tendrils, rendering it pretty much useless, but the other one was still harrying her relentlessly and she was rapidly losing strength.  Every swing she took seemed weaker and slower than the last, and the Stormcloud easily avoided her strikes.


    A cry of frustration that sounded like Vendetta¡¯s came from behind him and he turned toward his house to see what it was.  Before he could see anything, however, the Stormcloud managed to get around the bush and wrap a fiery hot tendril around his waist.  The pain was so intense that all thoughts of Zoe or Kelviana or the noise from his house were driven from his mind.  He cried out and instinctively tried to push the tendril away, only to burn his hands as a result.  He pulled them back and tried wriggling out of the Stormcloud¡¯s grasp, but it only wrapped another tendril around his torso and held on tighter.  The pain nearly overwhelmed him and he felt his world going black once again.


    ¡°Hey!¡± shouted Tyler¡¯s voice from the direction of his house.  ¡°Let him go!¡±


    The Stormcloud turned towards Tyler but did not loosen its grip.  Johnathan forced himself to stay awake regardless of the relief that unconsciousness offered to bring.  He saw Tyler running back towards him, holding something dark and oddly shaped in his hand.  Zoe was right behind him, her hands glowing green.  Despite his pain and current predicament Johnathan smiled with relief.  She had somehow broken free from Vendetta¡¯s spell.  The Stormcloud let out a fierce cry of rage and Zoe pointed her arms at it.  A moment later it dissolved into thin air as a cloud of green dust engulfed them both.  More green dust flew past him as he sank to his knees, grasping his stomach where the worst of the pain was concentrated.  Zoe gave him a worried look as she ran by, shooting more green dust from her palms.  A Stormcloud screamed behind him, but he barely heard it.  Tyler came up and grabbed him as he began to wobble dizzily, despite already being on his knees.


    ¡°Hang in there, Little John,¡± he said.


    ¡°I thought you ran off,¡± said Johnathan.  His stomach hurt terribly and he could tell he was burned in at least half a dozen other places as well, but he thought he could manage to stay conscious this time.


    ¡°Nowhere to run to,¡± Tyler said with a shrug.  ¡°So I figured I should try to help.¡±  Johnathan chuckled then immediately regretted it as new waves of pain radiated out from his burned stomach.  He closed his eyes tight as his muscles spasmed.


    ¡°Kid, you¡¯re either crazy stupid or crazy brave,¡± Kelviana said as she came up beside him, limping and leaning on Zoe for support.  Her clothes were ripped in several places and her normally tightly braided hair was coming loose.  Most of the flowers that were woven into it had fallen out or wilted.  She knelt down and examined his wounds.  ¡°The burns aren¡¯t as bad as last night¡¯s, but they¡¯re bad enough.¡±  She sighed as her blue dust began to glow bright enough for him to see.  ¡°This is growing rather tiresome, you know?  We¡¯ve only known each other for twelve hours and this is the third time I¡¯ve had to heal you.¡±  She looked back at Zoe.  ¡°Is getting hurt a habit of his?¡±


    Zoe smiled half-heartedly and shook her head.  ¡°No.  That¡¯s usually my job.¡±


    Kelviana chuckled, then coughed a few times.  Her dust flared brighter and a moment later some of it left her and swirled about Jonathan, leaving soothing relief wherever it touched him.  The dust was not nearly as bright as he had seen before and after a short time Kelviana sat down, breathing hard.  Another wilted flower fell from her hair.   ¡°Sorry, kid.  That¡¯s the best I can do for now.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± said Johnathan, looking at his arms.  The welts were all still there, but the pain was nearly gone.  He smiled up at Zoe, who was standing a few steps back, looking worried.  ¡°You got away again, huh?¡±


    ¡°Thanks to Ty,¡± she said, looking at the ground.  Her hair fell over her face, covering her eyes.  ¡°He distracted Vendetta, which gave me a chance to break free from her spell.¡±  She hugged herself and shivered.  ¡°It¡¯s awful, being under someone else¡¯s control like that.  I knew what was happening but couldn¡¯t do anything about it.¡±  Johnathan¡¯s smile faded.  She was usually such a fierce fighter, never backing down no matter who she was up against, that he almost could have thought she was a different person at that moment.


    Tyler grinned and Johnathan wasn¡¯t sure if he wasn¡¯t picking up on the mood of the moment or was just trying to lighten it.  Tyler held up the odd-shaped object he had been holding.  It was their dad¡¯s old slingshot.  ¡°I remembered seeing this in your garage earlier,¡± he said.  ¡°Vendetta didn¡¯t much like getting peppered with bird pellets.¡±


    ¡°Hah!¡± Kelviana laughed, though it was weak and made her cough.  ¡°That¡¯s good thinking kid.  You keep that thing handy.¡±


    ¡°Where is Vendetta, anyway?¡± asked Johnathan, looking around.


    ¡°I hit one of her wings and she flew off,¡± Tyler said.  ¡°I think I punctured it.¡±


    ¡°Wing injuries can be serious,¡± said Kelviana.  ¡°I¡¯m surprised she was able to fly at all.  It doesn¡¯t take much damage to ground us, honestly.  She¡¯ll be out of commission for a few days at least.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll be long gone by then,¡± said Zoe, looking back at the garage.


    ¡°Right,¡± said Kelviana, grunting and trying to stand up.  She flopped back onto the ground, panting.  ¡°We need to get you kids out of here.  I never would have allowed you in if I had known that Acrimony was aware of the portal already.¡±


    ¡°Do you have enough magic left after healing me?¡± asked Johnathan.


    ¡°No, but your sister does,¡± she said.


    ¡°I can¡¯t do something like that,¡± Zoe said.  ¡°I don¡¯t even know how I¡¯m doing what I already do.¡±


    ¡°Sure you can,¡± said Kelviana.  ¡°It¡¯s as easy as flying.  I¡¯ll walk you through it.  Now someone help me up.¡±  Jonathan tried to get up to help her but he was so stiff and sore from his own injuries that he could barely move.  Zoe wound up helping Kelviana while Tyler pulled Johnathan up, reminding him just how strong Tyler really was.


    They slowly started across the last few lawns separating them from their home.  Kelviana was even worse off than Johnathan and had to lean on Zoe¡¯s arm for support.  The two of them were whispering back and forth like they were suddenly best friends.  He shook his head.  Girls were strange sometimes, even mythical ones.  ¡°You saved me again,¡± he said to Tyler, putting voice to what was really on his mind.  Kelviana, Zoe, and even Tyler had all managed to find effective ways of fighting Vendetta and her smoke creatures.  All he¡¯d managed to do so far was keep getting himself hurt.  He was beginning to feel like the useless tag-along on this adventure.


    ¡°Well, you know¡­¡± Tyler replied.  ¡°Zoe would be devastated if anything happened to you.¡±


    ¡°You like her, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Of course I do.  She¡¯s pretty cool, and a fantastic rider.¡±


    Jonathan stopped and looked Tyler in the eyes.  ¡°I mean, you like her, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Tyler¡¯s cheeks turned slightly red.  ¡°So what if I do?  You gonna pound me or something?¡±


    Jonathan grinned.  ¡°If you had asked me yesterday I would have said ¡®yeah¡¯.  But today?¡±  He shrugged.  ¡°I dunno.  Now it¡¯s just a ¡®maybe¡¯.  Save my life a few more times, then we¡¯ll see where we¡¯re at.¡±


    Tyler looked taken aback slightly and was silent for a moment, then he laughed and punched Johnathan¡¯s shoulder.  It wasn¡¯t very hard, but it still hurt.  Johnathan tried not to wince.  ¡°You¡¯re all right, Little John.  You¡¯re still a geek, but you¡¯re all right.  You did good today.  You¡¯ve got some real guts, you know?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± said Johnathan, looking away.  ¡°Kelviana¡¯s right.  You keep having to save me and she keeps having to heal me up afterward.¡±


    ¡°But you still faced those things unarmed.  Even I wasn''t willing to do that.  You¡¯ve got a special kind of crazy in you.  Don¡¯t lose it.¡±  He paused for a moment and gave Johnathan a serious look.  ¡°And don¡¯t tell anyone I ever said that, capisce?¡±


    Johnathan grinned.  ¡°You got it.¡±  Ahead of them Kelviana and Zoe reached the garage and stepped inside.  A few moments later Johnathan and Tyler followed and found them standing in the middle of the floor, staring at the empty spot where the mirror used to be.  Most of the rest of the garage was clean as well, the mess of opened and half-empty packing boxes and other miscellaneous junk that usually cluttered up the space was gone.  Only a few of the oldest items remained ¨C the stuff that hadn¡¯t been moved in years since it lay buried and forgotten beneath everything else.  Johnathan stared in disbelief, his mind not wanting to process what he was seeing ¨C or more specifically, what he was not seeing.


    ¡°Where is it?¡± asked Tyler.


    ¡°It was here a few minutes ago,¡± said Zoe, looking very confused.  Tyler nodded his agreement.


    ¡°It¡¯s been moved, or worse, destroyed,¡± said Kelviana, suddenly looking very tired.  ¡°There¡¯s no way to know for sure from this side.  Either way, the result is the same.¡±


    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°But¡­ the cars¡­ and Mom¡­¡± Johnathan stammered.  He turned back to look at the driveway and noticed that the cars were gone now.  He tried to remember when they had disappeared, but couldn¡¯t.


    ¡°Illusions,¡± Kelviana said.  ¡°Made by Chrysanthemum.  Only an active portal reflects your world in real-time, remember?  She probably got here and found the portal was already closed, then made the illusions to draw you in.¡±


    ¡°Well, it worked¡­¡± Johnathan said, feeling numb.


    ¡°So, we¡¯re stuck here?¡± asked Zoe, turning very pale.


    Tyler laughed a short, harsh, joyless laugh.  ¡°Figures,¡± he said, then turned and strode out of the room.


    ¡°Hey!  Wait!¡± said Johnathan.  ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°Home!¡± he called back.  ¡°Not that it matters,¡± he muttered as he disappeared around the corner.


    ¡°This explains why Chrysanthemum gave up so easily,¡± said Kelviana, mostly to herself.  ¡°I was wondering about that.  She knew that no matter what, you wouldn¡¯t be going anywhere.  The ball is completely in her court now.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t live here,¡± said Zoe, shaking her head.  ¡°I can¡¯t.  I-I¡¯ve got school, and a race coming up, and my friends, and Mom and Dad, and - and - and I just can¡¯t.¡±  Her voice was quickly rising and getting frantic and tears were forming in her eyes.  Johnathan just kept staring at the empty spot on the floor.  Was this really it?  There had to be another way back to Earth, didn¡¯t there?


    ¡°So that¡¯s it?¡± he said eventually.  ¡°There¡¯s no way to open it from here?¡±


    Kelviana shook her head.  ¡°We need an open portal, and portals are only made on your side.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no other way to get to Earth?¡± asked Zoe.


    ¡°Not that I know of,¡± said Kelviana, looking very pale.


    ¡°What do we do now?¡± asked Johnathan.  ¡°Do we just spend the rest of our lives here hiding from Vendetta and Acrimony?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± barked Kelviana.  She closed her eyes and rubbed her temples, swaying a bit.  ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she said again more gently.  ¡°I need some time to¡­ time to¡­ to think¡­¡± she trailed off and groaned quietly, covering her face with her hands.  All of a sudden her legs gave out and she fell to the floor before Johnathan could catch her.


    ¡°Kelviana!¡± he cried, dropping to the floor beside her.  He rolled her tiny frame over so she was facing him, careful not to bend her wings too badly.  He expected them to feel thin and fragile, but they were surprisingly thick and durable, like green leaves from a strong and healthy tree.  Her eyes were closed and her face was dripping with sweat.  Her skin felt hot and damp, even through her shirt.  He propped her head on his lap and the last few yellow flowers fell from her hair.  They were all wilted.  She moaned but did not open her eyes.  ¡°She¡¯s burning up,¡± he said to Zoe.  ¡°She needs water.¡±


    Zoe ran over to the shop sink in the back of the garage, next to the washer and dryer.  She turned the faucet handle but nothing came out.  ¡°Just like the park,¡± she said.  ¡°No water.¡±


    ¡°Try the bug-out box,¡± Johnathan said, suddenly glad that Dad had insisted on putting together an emergency stash a few years ago.  It had been stacked away in a corner and promptly forgotten about, but that meant it should still be sitting there in this world.  Zoe rushed over to it and pushed a box of junk aside, then threw open the lid.  She reached in and pulled out a gallon-sized water bottle.  She ran back over and handed it to him as she knelt beside him and the unconscious fey.


    Johnathan twisted the lid off the bottle and carefully dribbled a little water onto Kelviana¡¯s lips.  Her mouth moved and her tongue lapped it up, but she still didn¡¯t wake.  He suddenly realized that he was insanely thirsty and took a swig of his own before handing it to Zoe, who gratefully took a drink as well.  ¡°I need a rag or something,¡± Johnathan said, wiping his mouth as his mind raced with all the first-aid he had learned during the few years he had tried out the Boy Scouts.  ¡°She needs to cool off.¡±


    Zoe jumped up and ran back over to the bug-out box.  ¡°How about paper towels?¡± she asked, holding up a roll.


    ¡°Sure,¡± he said.  She ran back over and handed them to him.  He ripped off a few squares and folded them into one larger and thicker square.  He poured some water onto it and the paper soaked it up eagerly.  He placed it on her forehead, still dripping, then ripped open her shirt sleeve.  The bandage underneath was soaked with sweat and he could see that the skin beneath was very red.  Carefully he untied it and examined the wound beneath.  It was badly swollen and filled with ugly green puss.  Despite being unconscious Kelviana winced when he poured a little water over it.  He looked up at Zoe.  ¡°It¡¯s badly infected,¡± he said.  ¡°We can try using the first-aid kit, but this is a magical injury on a magical creature ¨C I have no idea if the normal rules even apply.  Do you think you could¡­?¡±  he wasn¡¯t sure how to word his question, but she understood his meaning.


    ¡°Are you kidding?¡± she asked, her worry getting replaced with irritation.


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know,¡± he said, panic building up inside.  ¡°We have to try something.  She could be dying for all I know.¡±  He couldn¡¯t even tell if Kelviana¡¯s dust was still surrounding her anymore.  Was it already too late?


    Zoe looked down at Kelviana and sighed.  ¡°Alright.  I¡¯ll try.  But I have no idea what I¡¯m doing.¡±  She glared at him for a moment.  ¡°And I don¡¯t like it.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± he said.  ¡°Dryad magic might not even be able to heal like fey magic does anyway.¡±  She gave him a withering look but didn¡¯t reply, then closed her eyes and held her hands out over Kelviana.  Johnathan watched with bated breath, not knowing what to expect.  After about a minute of nothing happening Zoe huffed and dropped her hands.


    ¡°This is ridiculous,¡± she said with a scowl.  ¡°I¡¯m just a kid, not a dryad, no matter what this fairy keeps saying.¡±


    ¡°Then how did you destroy those Stormclouds?¡± asked Johnathan.


    ¡°I keep telling you, I don¡¯t know!¡± she said, whirling on him.  ¡°Just drop it, already.  I¡¯m not some silly magical tree spirit and you¡¯re not a storybook hero.  We¡¯re just a couple of kids who need to get home, and right now that looks like it¡¯s not going to be happening, so I¡¯d say we have some bigger problems to deal with.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± said Johnathan, anger replacing his panic.  A gentle breeze from outside blew some old newspaper ads across the floor.  ¡°Like the fact that our only hope of getting home is lying here sick and probably dying?  I can¡¯t help her.  But you might be able to if you¡¯d actually try.¡±


    ¡°I am trying,¡± said Zoe with another huff.  The breeze grew stronger and stirred her hair.  ¡°I don¡¯t want her to die any more than you do, but I don¡¯t know how any of this works,¡± she said as she brushed her hair out of her face.


    ¡°You have to feel it, silly,¡± said a tiny, giggling voice from behind them.  Jonathan and Zoe both spun around.  Jonathan got ready to throw himself between Kelviana and whatever new danger had just arrived while Zoe¡¯s hands instantly began to glow green.  ¡°Yes! Like that!¡± said the voice with another giggle.


    ¡°Who¡­?¡± Jonathan began, looking around to try and see who was speaking, but the garage was empty.


    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± demanded Zoe.  The tiny voice giggled and a lock of Zoe¡¯s hair pulled itself straight out, yanking her head back slightly.  ¡°OW!¡± she cried, pulling it back down, green dust trailing behind her hand as it moved.  ¡°Hey! Knock that off!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re leaking magic,¡± said the voice, now seeming to come from behind Johnathan somewhere.  ¡°You shouldn¡¯t waste it.¡±  There was another giggle and a box of Christmas ornaments fell off one of the top shelves.


    ¡°Come on,¡± Johnathan said, relaxing a tiny bit.  It seemed that their mysterious guest wasn¡¯t much interested in attacking them, at least not right away.  Zoe¡¯s hands returned to normal.  ¡°Stop causing trouble and show yourself.  Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Aella,¡± said the voice as if that explained everything.


    ¡°Our friend is hurt badly,¡± said Johnathan, trying to pinpoint where the voice was coming from.  ¡°Can you help her?¡±


    ¡°Nope,¡± said the voice, coming from behind Zoe now.  ¡°Only fey can heal like that.¡±  It moved to somewhere up in the rafters.  ¡°A dryad could cleanse the wound.¡±


    ¡°And what are you?¡± asked Zoe.


    ¡°A sylph, silly,¡± giggled Aella from right behind Johnathan¡¯s head, making him flinch.  ¡°You¡¯re not a real dryad, are you?¡± the tiny voice said.  ¡°A real dryad would know better than to try healing a wound like that.¡±  Another lock of Zoe¡¯s hair seemed to pull itself.


    Zoe slapped at the air and her hair fell back as Aella¡¯s giggles flew off.  ¡°I¡¯m a human, not a dryad,¡± she said.  ¡°And stop that.  It hurts.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d worry more about the fey,¡± said Aella.  ¡°Her magic¡¯s nearly gone.¡±


    Zoe blinked and looked down at Kelviana, worry replacing irritation on her face.  ¡°What do I do?¡± she asked.  Johnathan noticed her hands beginning to glow again.


    ¡°Purify the wound, silly,¡± said Aella as if it were obvious.  A vague white figure appeared, hovering above Kelviana¡¯s shoulder, and as he watched the figure settled down on Kelviana¡¯s arm and took on a more solid appearance.  It looked like a tiny woman, only about four inches tall, wearing a long flowing white dress that seemed to move in a wind all its own.  Her wings were long and translucent, with thin veins running their length and spiderwebbing out to the edges like a dragonfly¡¯s.  Her skin was white, but far too white, with something of a pearlescent shine about it.  Her waist-length hair was blonde and loose, blowing in the same non-existent breeze that stirred her dress.  Aella bent over and examined Kelviana¡¯s wound closely, then wrinkled up her nose.  ¡°Someone put a nasty hex in there,¡± she said, then looked at Zoe and grinned.


    Zoe frowned down at the little sylph.  ¡°And how am I supposed to ¡®purify¡¯ it?¡±


    ¡°With your magic, of course,¡± she looked up at Johnathan.  ¡°Dryads aren¡¯t always the smartest nymphs, you know,¡± she whispered conspiratorially.


    ¡°If you call me a dryad one more time I swear I¡¯ll squash you like a bug,¡± growled Zoe.


    ¡°Ha!¡± Aella scoffed.  ¡°Fat chance of that happening.  If bats can¡¯t catch me there¡¯s no way you can.¡±  She turned her nose up and disappeared.


    ¡°Just ignore her,¡± said Johnathan.  ¡°Your hands are glowing, you know?¡±


    Zoe looked down and her eyes widened with surprise.  She held her hands up and turned them about, looking at them from all sides.  ¡°I don¡¯t even know how I¡¯m doing this right now,¡± she said.  ¡°It¡¯s not like I flip a switch or anything.¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s like breathing.  Don¡¯t decide to do it, just try to¡­ to¡­¡± Johnathan paused, not quite sure what he wanted to say.  ¡°I don¡¯t know.  Just feel what you want to do.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Zoe said sarcastically.  ¡°That was about as useful as the sylph¡¯s advice.¡±


    ¡°It was the best advice,¡± said Aella¡¯s voice.  She seemed to be in the bug-out box now.  ¡°It¡¯s not my fault you¡¯re not smart enough to follow it.  Is this food in here?  How can you humans eat this stuff?¡±


    ¡°By putting it in our mouths and chewing it,¡± said Johnathan irritably.  He turned back to Zoe.  ¡°I don¡¯t know then,¡± he said, his worry for Kelviana was making him edgy.  ¡°You¡¯re the magic twin, not me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s worse than calling me a dryad,¡± said Zoe, rolling her eyes at him.  ¡°It¡¯s not like I wanted any of this,¡± she added under her breath.


    ¡°Well, we¡¯d both be Acrimony¡¯s prisoners right now if it hadn¡¯t happened.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t remind me,¡± said Zoe as she pursed her lips.  She furrowed her brows and stared at Kelviana¡¯s injured shoulder, then placed a hand over the festering wound.  Green dust flowed from her hand and wrapped around the fey¡¯s shoulder like a bandage.  ¡°I think that¡¯s all I have to do,¡± she said, looking and sounding uncertain.  She pulled her hand away and it stopped glowing.  The green dust remained on Kelviana¡¯s shoulder.  ¡°It feels right, at least.¡±


    ¡°So what do we do now?¡± asked Johnathan.  Kelviana¡¯s fever hadn¡¯t gone down any, though she did seem to be resting more peacefully now.


    ¡°What do you think this is, magic?¡± said Aella with a giggle as she reappeared on Kelviana¡¯s shoulder.  ¡°Give it some time to work.¡±   She was munching on what looked like a piece of granola bar.  Johnathan¡¯s stomach growled as he realized he hadn¡¯t eaten anything since the night before.  Zoe must have been even hungrier since she had missed out on dinner.  Aella examined the magic bandage and nodded in approval then flew off to explore some more boxes.


    ¡°So you and Kelviana have a truce now?¡± Johnathan said after a few moments of awkward silence, more to give them something to talk about while waiting than anything else.


    ¡°What makes you say that?¡± asked Zoe, settling down cross-legged beside him.


    ¡°The two of you were whispering like BFFs just before we got here.  What were you talking about?¡±


    ¡°None of your business,¡± said Zoe.


    ¡°You were talking about me, weren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°As if,¡± scoffed Zoe.  ¡°Not everything has to be about you, you know.¡±


    ¡°Then what?¡± asked Johnathan.  He hadn¡¯t been all that interested before, but now his curiosity was burning.


    ¡°You and Ty were just as bad.  Tell me what you were whispering about and then I¡¯ll tell you.¡±


    ¡°Forget it,¡± said Johnathan.  ¡°Keep your secrets then.¡±  The last thing he wanted was to tell her that Tyler liked her as more than just a friend.


    ¡°I will,¡± she said with a satisfied smile.  ¡°And by the way, this isn¡¯t the olden days.  I don¡¯t need you to approve of my boyfriends.¡±  Johnathan stared at her in shock and her smile grew wider.  ¡°Kelviana heard you.  Fey have excellent hearing,¡± she said.  ¡°It¡¯s the big ears.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± groaned Kelviana.  ¡°And you two are hurting mine.  Try to keep it down, will ya?¡±


    Johnathan breathed a deep sigh of relief.  He hadn¡¯t realized just how tense he had been until that moment.  ¡°How are you feeling?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I just told you,¡± she said with another groan as she moved her head from side to side on his lap, trying to get more comfortable.  ¡°My ears hurt.¡±


    Aella flew over and landed on Kelviana¡¯s shoulder.  She lifted the magic bandage ¨C Johnathan wasn¡¯t sure how that worked, since it was made of dust ¨C and nodded her approval once again.  ¡°It looks clean,¡± she pronounced.  ¡°Good work, little dryad,¡± she said.  Zoe swatted at her and she flew off, giggling.  Kelviana watched for a moment then groaned again, placing a hand over her eyes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me we picked up a sylph,¡± she moaned, then uncovered one eye and looked up at Johnathan.  ¡°You should have just let me die, kid.  It would have been more merciful.¡±


    Johnathan looked at Zoe, hoping Kelviana wasn¡¯t actually serious.  Zoe looked back, a hint of worry on her face.  Somewhere up in the rafters, Aella giggled again.


    <h2 style="text-align: center">END OF PART FIVE</h2>

 Part Six: Growing Bigger

    PART SIX: GROWING BIGGER


    <h2 style="text-align: center"> </h2>


    It wasn¡¯t long before Jonathan began to think that maybe Kelviana was right about the newest addition to their little group.  Aella was nothing if not energetic.  She was like a little whirlwind, constantly moving from one distraction to the next, never lingering for long and always leaving a mess of destruction behind her.  It had been about an hour since Kelviana woke up, and after her magic recovered a bit she used some to help speed along her healing.  Jonathan passed out some nutrition bars from the bug-out box and they all ate a filling, though less-than-satisfying meal.  Aella ate half a bar of her own and was the only one who declared her meal to be delicious.  Kelviana ate hers without comment.  Tyler had still not returned, and Jonathan began to worry about him a little.  Zoe managed to find a hairbrush in the bottom of one of the long-forgotten boxes and combed out the worst of her tangles before offering it to Kelviana which the fey gratefully accepted.  Unfortunately, Aella had decided that it would be a fun game to wait until just before Kelviana was done brushing, then zoom in and mess it up all over again.


    ¡°I can¡¯t really blame her,¡± Kelviana said wearily as she tried to brush her hair for the third time.  ¡°It¡¯s in a sylph¡¯s nature to be chaotic,¡± she said with a sigh as she tugged at a stubborn tangle.  ¡°They¡¯re wind elementals, after all.¡±


    ¡°What about fey?¡± asked Zoe, who had sat down cross-legged on the floor to watch the contest between the sylph and fey.  ¡°Are you¡­ umm¡­ elemental too?¡±


    Kelviana nodded and finally broke the tangle free.  She swatted Aella away as the sylph tried to dart in and undo her victory.  ¡°All nymphs are.  Fey are forest nymphs ¨C specifically associated with herbs and flowers.  Dryads are forest nymphs as well ¨C but you¡¯re associated with trees.¡±


    ¡°Not me,¡± Zoe grumbled.  Kelviana arched an eyebrow but did not respond.  ¡°So,¡± said Zoe, perking back up like she hadn¡¯t said anything.  ¡°Do you like, make plants grow and such?  Like on TV?¡±


    Kelviana laughed, then coughed.  She was recovering far more quickly than Jonathan would have expected, but she still said that it would be at least another day or two before she could fly again.  ¡°Hardly.  That¡¯s fairy tale fluff.  Nature doesn¡¯t need our help.  More like it helps us.  New fey are born in flower buds, and we get our magic from the forest, but that¡¯s about as deep as our connection goes.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± said Jonathan.  ¡°You¡¯re born in a flower?  So you don¡¯t like¡­ you know¡­ have babies the normal way?¡±


    ¡°That is the normal way,¡± said Kelviana.  She finally managed to keep Aella away long enough to start braiding her hair.  ¡°What?  You mean like humans do?¡±  She shuddered.  ¡°That¡¯s just gross if you ask me.¡±


    ¡°What about¡­?¡± Zoe started to say before trailing off, looking rather uncomfortable.


    ¡°Dryads?¡± asked Kelviana, not unkindly.  Zoe nodded, looking away.  ¡°Dryads are an odd bunch,¡± said Kelviana, absently twisting some red hair near the top of her head into an intricate braid.  Jonathan always wondered how girls could manage to do that without being able to see what they were doing.  He still had to look at his shoelaces when tying his shoes.  ¡°There¡¯s about as many ways to make a new dryad as there are trees in the forest.  The most common one is the hamadryad.  Their life force is tied to a specific tree.  They¡¯re born with it, and die with it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not¡­¡± Zoe started to say, looking pale.


    ¡°No, you¡¯re not one of them,¡± said Kelviana.  ¡°Your ancestor was most likely one of the old dryads, maybe even one of the Meliae.  That would explain why your magic is so powerful.  They¡¯re true immortals, and some of the strongest nymphs out there.  They¡¯ve always been more free-spirited than most of the younger dryads.  Most dryads tend to be shy and stick close to the trees, even if they aren¡¯t bound to one in particular.  Even us fey rarely see them, and we¡¯re their closest cousins.  They never get involved with anything outside the forest.  They didn¡¯t even put up a fight when Acrimony started cutting down the forest to make his war machines ¨C though we could hear them mourning their lost sisters.¡±  Kelviana¡¯s face fell at that, and Jonathan felt something clench up in his stomach.  ¡°Anyway,¡± said Kelviana, perking back up slightly and continuing with her braiding.   ¡°That was ages ago and the Darkwood clan put a stop to that right quick.¡±  She braided the last bit of her hair and Zoe handed her an elastic hair band.  ¡°I do like these things,¡± she remarked, twisting it into place and then looking up at Zoe.  ¡°Want me to do yours?¡±  Zoe shook her head with a frown and Kelviana shrugged.  ¡°Anyway, I wonder who your ancestor was,¡± she mused as she tossed the long braid behind her back and between her wings.  ¡°Do you have any ideas?¡±


    Zoe and Jonathan both shook their heads.  ¡°You said it was only a generation or two back, right?¡± asked Jonathan.


    ¡°Most likely.  Her magic is too strong for it to be any further ¨C OW!¡± she cried as her head was yanked back.  ¡°Stop that, you little menace!¡± she yelled as she pulled her hair away from Aella¡¯s grasp.


    ¡°You guys are boring,¡± said the sylph with a pout.  ¡°And I saw some Stormclouds coming this way.  I thought you might want to run away.¡±


    ¡°That was faster than I expected,¡± said Kelviana, her face suddenly turning grim.  ¡°Is Chrysanthemum with them?¡±


    ¡°That dark fey who likes hexes?¡± asked Aella.  Kelviana nodded and tried to stand up.  She was still very weak and Jonathan had to steady her with his arm.  Her dust was starting to glow enough to see faintly, though, so that was a good sign in his opinion.  ¡°Didn¡¯t see her,¡± said Aella.  ¡°Just a few Stormclouds.  Oh, and a Tempest.¡±


    Kelviana muttered something under her breath.  Jonathan couldn¡¯t quite make it out, but it sounded like another language and made the musical quality of her voice stand out more than usual.  ¡°That was pretty,¡± said Zoe.  ¡°What was it?¡±


    ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll tell you when you¡¯re older, kid.  Needless to say, if the Tempests are back, then that means the situation is rapidly deteriorating.  We need to get back to the Darkwood as soon as possible.  I had hoped to keep you all away from the Seelie Court, but I don¡¯t think that¡¯s going to happen.  Sorry.¡±  She let go of Jonathan¡¯s arm and took a few tentative steps forward, her stride getting stronger and more confident with each step.  ¡°On the plus side, I¡¯d say you kids have officially annoyed Acrimony if he¡¯s sending a Tempest after you.  Congratulations on joining the big leagues,¡± she said, looking back at them with a smirk.  ¡°Now, we should go get your friend and then get out of here.¡±  She looked out the open garage door and sighed.  ¡°I wish he hadn¡¯t taken off like that.  You guys do that a lot, you know?¡±


    ¡°His house isn¡¯t far from here,¡± said Zoe.  ¡°That¡¯s where he said he was going.¡±


    ¡°Which way?¡± Kelviana asked and Zoe pointed to the left.  Kelviana turned to Aella.  ¡°And where are the Stormclouds?¡±


    Aella zipped over to the right, in the same direction as the bike park.  ¡°Over there,¡± she said.  ¡°A few blocks away still.  The Tempest is flying around all over the place though.  It¡¯s disturbing the clouds.¡±


    ¡°Can you distract it until we get out of the Wastelands?¡± asked Kelviana.  ¡°Annoy it so much that it doesn¡¯t notice us?¡±  Aella giggled and gave an over-exaggerated salute before zipping up into the sky.  ¡°Huh,¡± said Kelviana as she watched the sylph fly off.  ¡°Maybe she¡¯ll be useful after all.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s a Tempest?¡± asked Jonathan as they began walking towards Tyler¡¯s house.


    ¡°Remember the Hurricane?¡±


    ¡°Kinda hard to forget,¡± said Jonathan as memories of fire and pain crept into his head.


    ¡°Picture one with massive teeth, razor-sharp talons, and a wingspan of a city block, then give it a temper that makes a Hurricane look like a teddy bear.¡±


    ¡°And you sent Aella off to face one alone?¡± asked Zoe, looking horrified.


    ¡°Have you ever tried catching the wind?¡± asked Kelviana.  ¡°A sylph is even harder to catch and nearly impossible to kill.  They¡¯re ridiculously tough little buggers and their magic is very strong, if somewhat limited in its application.  She¡¯ll be fine.  It¡¯s us I¡¯m worried about.¡±  She stopped next to a small garden bed filled with little blue flowers.  She plucked several and tucked them into the braids on either side of her head.  ¡°That¡¯s better,¡± she said, satisfied, then turned to Zoe.  ¡°Want a few?¡±


    Zoe scowled and shook her head.  Jonathan repressed a chuckle at the thought of his sister with flowers in her hair.  ¡°Not my style, thanks,¡± she said.


    Kelviana shrugged.  ¡°To each her own, I guess.  You¡¯re really quite pretty though.  You should show it off.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re starting to sound like my mom,¡± said Zoe with a little huff.  ¡°She¡¯s always on my case about my hair or what I¡¯m wearing.¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯ve got the grunge look down, that¡¯s for sure,¡± said Kelviana as she started walking again.  ¡°Your mother¡¯s got more dryad in her than you do.  Of course she¡¯s gonna want you to look nice.  It¡¯s what dryads do.  Sylph cause chaos, dryads make stuff pretty, it¡¯s the natural order of things.¡±


    ¡°And what do fey do?¡± asked Zoe with a pointed look at Kelviana.


    ¡°We meddle,¡± she replied with a grin.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we be a bit more concerned about those Stormclouds?¡± asked Jonathan, looking behind him.  He half expected to see one bearing down on them, tendrils stretching out to grab him.


    ¡°Your sister and I can handle a couple of Stormclouds, don¡¯t worry about them,¡± said Kelviana with a dismissive wave.  ¡°Though I am a bit concerned about that ¨C¡±  An earsplitting scream pierced the sky above them and they all three ducked instinctively.  Jonathan looked up and saw a massive black shadow burst out of the clouds above them.  It looked like a dragon, with huge bat-like wings that seemed to cover half the sky and a head with glowing red eyes and a long, pointed snout.  The neck was shorter than Jonathan would have expected for a dragon, and its legs looked a bit more like chicken feet than a lizard¡¯s.  Its body seemed more solid than a Stormcloud¡¯s but it was still hazy and undefined around the edges, with whisps of smoke trailing behind it as it banked and flew past them far more closely than Jonathan was comfortable with.  Its long tail moved and coiled about just like a Stormcloud¡¯s tendrils, nearly hitting the roof of the house they were next to.  Its head was snapping back and forth as if trying to snatch something from the sky ¡ª something very small and annoying, he figured.  ¡°That would be the Tempest,¡± said Kelviana.  Her voice was bright and almost cheerful, but her eyes echoed fear.  ¡°And it looks like our little sylph friend is keeping up her end of the bargain.  We should get going.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a dragon¡­¡± said Zoe, her voice trembling.


    ¡°It¡¯s a Tempest,¡± Kelvina corrected, her face turning hard as stone.  ¡°Those things are responsible for most of the losses we¡¯ve suffered over the centuries.  Acrimony designed them specifically to be good at hunting and killing fey.  We call them ¡®ring makers,¡¯ and if he¡¯s creating them again it will not win you any fans on the Seelie Court.¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s not fair,¡± said Zoe.  ¡°None of this is our fault.¡±


    ¡°Fairness and logic rarely have a place at the Seelie Court,¡± said Kelviana grimly.  ¡°They don¡¯t listen to reason.  It¡¯s why I gave up my seat on it.¡±  The sky above them suddenly lit up with an orange glow.  Jonathan ducked again and looked up.  A huge line of fire was coming from the Tempest''s mouth as it swept the sky, clearly trying to catch Aella in the flames.  Jonathan decided right then that he didn¡¯t care what Kelviana called it.  That thing was a dragon.  ¡°Let¡¯s move,¡± she said, a bit more urgently than she had been a few moments earlier.  ¡°My shield can¡¯t protect us against tempestfire right now.¡±


    ¡°But what about Aella?¡± asked Zoe, still watching the last of the fire burn out above them.  The Tempest flew off, still snapping its jaws at the air.  He probably imagined it, but Jonathan thought he heard a small giggle just before a strong gust of wind blew the Tempest off-course, making it scream in rage.


    ¡°Sylph are stupid tough, remember?¡±  Kelviana said as she began walking down the street at a brisk pace.  ¡°It¡¯ll take more than a little tempestfire to take one of them out.  She¡¯d probably just laugh it off and thank the Tempest for taking the chill out of the air.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like they¡¯d be valuable allies in the fight against Acrimony,¡± said Jonathan as he scrambled to catch up with her.  She was really moving now.


    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°Yeah, they would.  Problem is, since very little can hurt them and almost nothing that happens in the world directly affects them, everything just becomes a game to them.  Aella¡¯s helping us today.  Tomorrow?¡± she shrugged.  ¡°Who knows?  She might decide that it¡¯s boring and fly off to bug someone else.  They¡¯re completely unreliable.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s too bad,¡± said Zoe.


    ¡°Yeah, it is,¡± said Kelviana, glancing up at the sky.  ¡°It was a lesson we learned early on in the war, at great cost to our side.¡±


    They rounded a corner at the end of the block and stopped dead in their tracks.  The entire street ahead of them was blocked with Stormclouds.  Jonathan turned to run but froze when he saw another group of Stormclouds filling the street behind them.  They were trapped.  Kelviana muttered something in her own musical language and drew her sword.  At least now Jonathan could tell that it was glowing.  The dust around her began to shine brighter, though it was still faint.  Zoe¡¯s hands lit up and Jonathan suddenly felt very, very useless.


    Kelviana reached up and plucked one of the flowers from her hair.  It instantly wilted in her hand and her magic dust flared even brighter.  Jonathan stared and Zoe¡¯s eyes widened.  ¡°You didn¡¯t think they were only for decoration, did you?¡± Kelviana asked.  ¡°I told you, we get our magic from the forest.  I always keep some on me when I¡¯m away.  These won¡¯t last long though.  Flowers from the Wasteland are weak.¡±  She looked at the blockade of Stormclouds and her face hardened.  ¡°Your sister and I will clear a path and hold them off.  You run and grab the boy.  Make for the edge of town.  We¡¯ll catch up.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not leaving you,¡± said Jonathan, steeling himself for the fight.  This was going to hurt.  Again.  And he wasn¡¯t looking forward to it.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t up for debate, kid,¡± said Kelviana.  ¡°I¡¯m not questioning your bravery, but you know as well as I do that you¡¯re more of a liability in these fights than a help.  Not your fault, but it''s true.  Now, think rationally and do something that you can do.  Get your friend out of the Wastelands safely.  I¡¯ll watch your sister.  Trust me.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you stop me last time?¡±


    ¡°If I remember right, I tried, but I was half-dead and didn¡¯t have much choice.  This time I do, now go on.¡±


    Jonathan turned to Zoe hoping to get her support but he immediately saw by the look of pity in her eyes that she agreed with Kelviana.  His heart sank into his feet.  ¡°Fine,¡± he mumbled, turning back towards Tyler¡¯s house.


    ¡°John¡­¡± Zoe started to say.


    ¡°Just open a path for me, okay?¡± he snapped, not turning to look at her.  Tears blurred his vision and he angrily blinked them away, forcing himself to focus on his task.  The house was still over a block away, and there were at least a hundred Stormclouds between him and it.  He crouched down, getting ready to sprint like he never had before.


    ¡°Good boy,¡± Kelviana said gently.  The tone of her voice made his heart sink even lower.  It sounded like a mother speaking to a little child.  Maybe he was just a useless tag-along after all.  The army of Stormclouds let out an ear-piercing scream that sent a chill down his spine as they began their charge.  He started running.


    Instantly Jonathan felt the now familiar sensation of something rushing past him and the wall of Stormclouds before them parted as the smoke creatures were blown screaming with rage in every direction, though only a few of them dissolved away into nothingness.  Jonathan didn¡¯t wait to see if the path was clear yet but just kept running, his eyes squinting and focused on nothing but what was immediately in front of him.  Green dust flew past him in waves, and he ran through several dark clouds of harmless smoke.  The world became nothing but red eyes, green dust, dark smoke, and nightmarish screams of rage all around him.  Searing pain slashed his back, but he kept running.  Something hot brushed his shoulder, his face, and his legs, but he kept running.  A huge black shadow loomed before him, red eyes fixed on him, but he kept running.  There was a green flash and the shadow dissolved away into dark mist.  He kept running.  All he saw, all he remembered, was the look of pity Zoe had given him.  All he knew was that ¨C once again ¨C Zoe was the one rescuing him.  Once again, they were in trouble because of her and she was the one who was fighting to get them out while he was stuck as a passenger.  Along for the ride, but not contributing anything.


    And then he was clear.  The dark clouds parted before him and the screams died away.  He slowed his run and turned and realized that he was already half a block away from the raging battle.  A blue flash came from somewhere in the middle of the roiling cloud of dark smoke and a dozen more Stormclouds went flying into the air.  Flashes of green and blue lit up the cloud in several places, flickering about like some sort of morbid Halloween dance party.  For one mad moment he almost ran back to help, but he knew Kelviana and Zoe were right.  All he would do was get himself burned and then have to be rescued by everyone else.  This was not a fight he could help with.  And he hated it.


    With great effort, he turned his back on the fight and scanned the street for Tyler¡¯s house.  He did not go there often and had to take a moment to remember which one was his.  It turned out that it wasn¡¯t hard to find.  It was the one that the Tempest was rushing straight for.  Aella appeared next to him looking contrite.  ¡°Sorry,¡± she said.  ¡°It lost interest in me as soon as the fighting started.¡±


    ¡°Ty!¡± he screamed as he began sprinting to Tyler¡¯s house.  ¡°Get out of there!¡±  The Tempest opened its mouth and the world around Jonathan seemed to slow down as everything happened all at once.  He saw a glow coming from the back of the Tempest¡¯s throat at the same time as Aella dashed out in front of him.  Fire erupted from the monster¡¯s mouth, furiously crashing into the roof of Tyler¡¯s house.  Aella pushed her hands out in front of her as the house exploded in a deafening eruption of wood and fire as if, somehow, she could stop it all by herself.  The houses on either side of Tyler¡¯s splintered into tiny bits and he threw his hands up as a crushing wall of heat and debris rushed towards them.  The wave of fire smashed into an invisible wall just in front of Aella and pushed violently past them both.  The noise was so loud he couldn¡¯t even hear himself screaming Tyler¡¯s name.  The Tempest spread its wings wide and pulled up just before it would have crashed into the now-destroyed house, passing over their heads with what felt like only inches to spare.  It beat its wings a few times and the rush of wind threatened to push Jonathan to the ground.  Smoke and fire swirled about in its wake and with a few more beats of its great wings the beast was gone again almost as quickly as it had appeared.


    ¡°Ty!¡± Jonathan screamed again, suddenly able to hear himself despite the ringing in his ears.  ¡°Tyler!¡±  He forced his legs to start moving and ran as fast as he could over the smoldering remains of the neighborhood.  The destruction was unimaginable.  Every house on the block had been completely flattened.  It reminded him of the photos of warzones he had seen in school textbooks and news websites.  If only one breath had caused all this it was no wonder that even Kelviana was afraid of these monsters.  How could anyone fight against such power?


    Aella flew alongside him, looking worried.  ¡°Run away, silly,¡± she said.  ¡°That¡¯s what you should be doing.¡±


    ¡°I need to find my friend first,¡± he said, his heart pounding.  He had to fight the urge not to look back, afraid that he would see the Tempest returning with its massive jaws opening wide again.  ¡°Keep a watch for that thing and let me know if it comes back,¡±  said Jonathan as he continued stumbling towards the decimated ruins of Tyler¡¯s house.


    Aella saluted and turned away.  She returned only a few moments later.  ¡°It¡¯s coming back,¡± she said, pointing at the sky.


    A dark shadow covered the ground and Jonathan¡¯s legs failed him once more.  He stumbled and fell, his hands and knees slamming into the debris-strewn ground.  Something sharp poked him in the palm of his left hand and his right wrist twisted painfully.  He fell the rest of the way to the ground, landing hard on his shoulder and rolling to the side.  He found himself looking up into the jaws of death.  The entire sky above him was filled with nothing but the Tempest and its mouth was open and glowing with fire.  Someone shouted his name, but he couldn¡¯t tell who it was.  He felt a moment of regret for his frustration with his sister and another pang of regret that he would never have the chance to tell her he was sorry about it.


    The Tempest let out an ear-splitting scream and Jonathan closed his eyes against his impending doom.  There was a rush of heat and wind and then¡­ nothing.  He opened his eyes and saw that the Tempest had flown past him and was focusing its attention a short ways off, towards the edge of the neighborhood where the houses were bigger and more spread out.  Green bursts of dust slammed into it from all sides and it let out another scream, whipping its head back and forth as if it didn¡¯t know where it needed to look.  It opened its mouth and fire poured from it in waves, blanketing the land all around with flame.  A wall of green dust rose from the ground nearby and smothered the flames, extinguishing them instantly.  Arrows and spears ¨C all glowing green and far larger than Jonathan would have expected ¨Cflew up from the ground, their source obscured from Jonathan¡¯s vision by the surrounding landscape, and rained back down on the beast.  Most of them bounced off its side, but some stuck fast, only enraging it even more.  It opened its mouth to rain fire once again but this time a blanket of green dust wrapped itself around its muzzle, clamping its jaws shut.  The Tempest thrashed against the bond, but it held fast and the monster flew off in a rage as arrows and spears continued to rain down on it.


    ¡°John!¡± Zoe cried, running up to him.  She threw herself down and landed on top of him in a heap.  ¡°You¡¯re alive!¡±


    ¡°Barely,¡± he said, coughing.  He pushed her aside and sat up.  His left palm was bleeding where a sharp splinter of wood had punctured it and his right wrist hurt, but otherwise he seemed to be uninjured.  ¡°You won your fight, I take it?¡±


    Zoe nodded.  ¡°Kelviana¡¯s really something else, I have to admit.  I¡¯d love to see her at full strength.  How did you manage to survive that blast?¡±


    ¡°Aella saved me,¡± he said, looking around.  He didn¡¯t see the little sylph anywhere.  ¡°Where is she?  I didn¡¯t get to say thanks.¡±


    ¡°She flew off to see what was going on over there,¡± said Kelviana, who had followed Zoe at a more dignified pace.  Her hair looked like it needed another brushing and there were no flowers left in it.  She pointed to where the commotion that had distracted the Tempest ¨C and saved his life ¨C had come from.  ¡°I would definitely say it¡¯s a safe bet that Acrimony¡¯s irritated with you.  That Tempest meant business.¡±


    ¡°I thought he wanted us alive¡­¡±  Jonathan started saying, then he remembered about Tyler.  ¡°Tyler!¡± he cried, jumping up and trying to run towards the remains of the house but Kelviana stopped him with a small wall of blue dust.  He wheeled about to yell at her but stopped at the look of sorrow on her face.  She slowly shook her head.


    ¡°It¡¯s hopeless, kid.  Look around.  What do you think you¡¯d find?  Acrimony only needs one of you, and I think it¡¯s pretty clear he wants your sister.  You boys are loose ends that would only complicate matters ¡ª which you¡¯ve done a fine job of so far, I gotta admit.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Jonathan started to say.  He didn¡¯t know what he wanted to say, just that he needed to say something, anything that would make Tyler be okay, but of course that was foolishness, and he knew it.  He looked over at Zoe.  She was trying to keep a stern face, but there were tears in her eyes as she surveyed the debris.  A rustling sound came from behind and Jonathan turned, ready for another fight, but stopped cold when he saw what was approaching.


    He instantly recognized it as a centaur ¡ª and that shouldn¡¯t have surprised him, yet somehow it did.  He was huge ¡ª his head stood at least nine feet tall, maybe more ¡ª and he was shirtless and extremely well-muscled.  His skin was a light brown shade and crisscrossed with scars.  He seemed older than most of the people Jonathan had met in the Fey Realm so far, with rough and well-worn skin and a sharp, intense face.  His beard was long and braided, as was his gray hair which still had some bits of dark peppered about in it.  He had a large, round shield slung across his back, and a shining brass helmet with a large red plume of stiff-looking hair cresting it cradled under one arm.  In his other hand he held a massive longbow, and a quiver was slung along one flank of his horse¡¯s body.  Only a few arrows remained and Jonathan could clearly see that they were much larger than any arrow he had ever shot at Scout camp.


    His horse¡¯s body was covered in thick reddish-brown hair and his hoofs were covered by long, fluffy, white hair that reached the ground.  His tail was also white and braided in a similar fashion as his beard and hair.  Jonathan was reminded of the working horses he would see on farms, pulling heavy loads.  Half a dozen more centaurs came up behind him.  They were all men and just as well-muscled as their leader.  They wore their hair long and braided their tails, a few had shaved the sides of their heads and wore mohawks while a few others still wore the same sort of helmet their leader carried under his arm.  Some of their beards were not long enough to braid yet, though they all had braids down their backs.  Their skin came in many different shades that Jonathan could not place with any particular ethnicity and their horse bodies varied just as dramatically.  One was speckled like a Mustang, while another was sleek and black like a racing stallion, and yet another was small and nimble-looking with yellow hair.  They all looked hard and dangerous, though.  Several of them had just as many scars on their bodies as their leader.  A few held spears that must have been ten feet long and they all carried longbows and shields with designs on them as varied as their bodies.


    ¡°General Kelviana,¡± the lead centaur said, bowing slightly at the waist.  His voice was just as deep and grave as Jonathan expected it would be.  Zoe stared, wide-eyed, and her gaze kept drifting down to his lower horse¡¯s half.  ¡°I did not expect to find you here, though given the state of affairs, I cannot say I am surprised to find you in the thick of it.¡±


    ¡°I could say the same, Captain Thane,¡± Kelviana said with a nod of her head.  Jonathan looked at her and mouthed, ¡®General?¡¯  She smiled, very slightly.  ¡°Though your timing was most fortuitous indeed.  What brings you to the Wastelands?¡±


    ¡°Fate, it would seem.¡±  He turned his gaze on Jonathan.  ¡°Fear not, young Cousin.  It was brave of you to try and help your friend despite the Tempest¡¯s presence, but you need not have worried.  The human colt is safe.  We removed him from the structure before our enemies arrived, though he did not come easily.  That one has the heart of a warrior.¡±  He rubbed a small red welt on his shoulder that Jonathan had not noticed before.  ¡°The hamadryads are watching over him as we speak.¡±  Jonathan breathed out a huge sigh of relief and beside him Zoe covered her mouth and sobbed with joy.  When he saw Tyler next, he would have to hug him, just before he killed him for putting them through all that.


    ¡°You have dryads with you?¡± asked Kelviana with raised eyebrows.  ¡°I feel like there¡¯s a story here.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, General,¡± said Thane with another bow.  ¡°I notice you are afoot and seem to have very little magic remaining.  I¡¯m certain you have a story of your own.  We were sent to retrieve the foals and bring them to the Grove.  You are most welcome to join us and recover in peace.¡±


    Kelviana¡¯s eyes narrowed and her posture stiffened slightly.  ¡°I¡¯m afraid that will be difficult since I am taking them to the Darkwood.¡±


    ¡°Forgive me, General, but I must insist that they come with me.  I am acting on a higher order than the Seelie Court today.¡±


    ¡°My mother would call you a traitor if she heard you say that,¡± said Kelviana with a slight growl.


    ¡°Your mother is of little concern to us, General.  We have always followed a higher authority.¡±


    ¡°Daphne has not ruled in the Grove for more than forty years.¡±


    ¡°She does yet again,¡± said the gruff old centaur.  He looked down on Jonathan and Zoe with a level of reverence that surprised Jonathan.  ¡°Last night she awoke and now very much desires to meet her grandchildren for the first time.¡±


    <h2 style="text-align: center"> </h2>


    <h2 style="text-align: center">END OF PART SIX</h2>

 Part Seven: Growing Deeper

    Part Seven: Growing Deeper


    ¡°Queen Daphne¡¯s awake?¡± Kelviana asked in a rare display of genuine surprise.


    ¡°Just last night,¡± said Thane. ¡°She awoke and immediately summoned the dryads, telling them that her grandchildren had arrived in our realm. How she came by this information she did not say, or if she did the dryads did not convey it to me. The Queen has always been mysterious and secretive, and favors her dryads above all others.¡±


    ¡°And she thinks these kids are her grandchildren?¡± Kelviana said, nodding at Jonathan and Zoe.


    ¡°She does. It is not my place to question my Queen. I only obey.¡±


    ¡°When it suits you,¡± Kelviana mumbled. Thane arched an eyebrow but remained silent. Kelviana looked up at him. ¡°So, she expects to just sweep back in and act like nothing ever happened? Can she even do that or is she still¡­?¡±


    ¡°There has been no change in her condition aside from waking up,¡± Thane said grimly.


    ¡°That will make it hard to invite her to dinner,¡± Kelviana remarked, furrowing her brows.


    Thane chuckled, a low rumbling sound rising from deep inside his chest. ¡°Indeed, it will, General. Besides, you would find her communication skills somewhat limited these days.¡±


    ¡°Every dryad under the sun could be considered one of her children or grandchildren. What makes these kids any different?¡±


    ¡°That is Queen Daphne¡¯s concern, not mine,¡± said Thane, and his face hardened once again. ¡°We must get moving. The dryad¡¯s magic will not hold the Tempest for long and we should be well away from here by the time it returns.¡±


    Jonathan spoke up, finally finding his voice. ¡°Hold on,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯ve got about a million questions here.¡± Zoe nodded her agreement.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid they must wait, young Cousins,¡± said Thane.


    ¡°The Captain¡¯s right,¡± said Kelviana. ¡°We don¡¯t want to be anywhere near this place when that Tempest comes back. If you think it was in a bad mood before, it¡¯s sure to be twice as mad now.¡±


    ¡°I take it you mean to come with us then, General?¡± Thane asked.


    ¡°These kids are my responsibility. I¡¯m not gonna let Daphne sink her roots into them.¡±


    ¡°But you can¡¯t just drop something like this on us and then not explain it,¡± said Zoe.


    ¡°In due time, young one,¡± said Thane. He turned to Kelviana. ¡°Are you well enough to make haste? I mean no offense, but your legs are very short. It is easy to forget how small you fey are when not in flight. I worry that you may not be able to keep up with us.¡±


    Kelviana frowned and opened her mouth to speak, then seemed to think better of it. ¡°You are right, Captain. Can I impose upon you and your men to carry us?¡±


    ¡°We came prepared to carry the foals. One more will make no difference. You are so tiny and light that I will barely know you are there anyway.¡± He said the last part with a smile and a twinkle in his eye. It reminded Jonathan of his grandfather. If his grandfather was nine feet tall, muscled like a pro wrestler and half-horse, that was.


    ¡°You mean we are going to ride on your backs?¡± asked Zoe. Jonathan couldn¡¯t tell if she was excited or terrified by the prospect. He wasn¡¯t entirely sure how he felt about it either, for that matter.


    ¡°Indeed, Princess,¡± said Thane. ¡°Far be it for the Queen¡¯s granddaughter to walk when another option is available.¡±


    Zoe¡¯s face hardened at that and whatever excitement that may have been there vanished. ¡°I¡¯m no princess and I don¡¯t need to be pampered. I¡¯m perfectly capable of walking.¡±


    ¡°You have a strong spirit for a dryad, young Cousin,¡± said Thane with another chuckle. ¡°Nevertheless, it would be a great dishonor to my men if we were not allowed to carry you.¡±


    Zoe frowned at being called a dryad but nodded her consent. ¡°Fine, if it¡¯s that important to you. I am kind of tired after that fight anyway.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no wonder. You used a lot of magic,¡± said Kelviana. She looked at Jonathan and Thane. ¡°She did well today. If it hadn¡¯t been for her, this battle would have gone very differently.¡±


    ¡°As one would expect of Queen Daphne¡¯s granddaughter,¡± said Thane with a smile. ¡°The Queen will be most pleased to hear this.¡±


    Zoe blushed and turned her face away. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we be going?¡± she asked. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that the dragon''s coming back soon?¡±


    ¡°Dragon?¡± asked Thane, confused.


    ¡°The Tempest,¡± explained Kelviana. ¡°I guess they call them dragons on Earth.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I see,¡± he said with a nod. ¡°The filly¡¯s right, we should be going.¡± He set his helmet on his head and then waved his hand in a circle. His men sprang into action.


    The centaur with a body like a racehorse trotted up to Jonathan and offered him his hand. Jonathan grasped it and found himself being pulled onto the centaur¡¯s back with surprising ease. His grip was as strong as steel, but his motions were amazingly smooth and graceful. The warrior smiled back at him from beneath his helmet as Jonathan settled down onto his back. He was young, probably only in his twenties if Jonathan had to guess, with a beard that wasn¡¯t quite long enough to braid yet, and hair as black as the rest of his body. The warrior was carrying his shield to make more room for Jonathan and he realized with surprise that the centaur¡¯s hair was not long like he had first thought, but was growing out of his back, much like a horse¡¯s mane. ¡°My name is Dalir, young Cousin. It is my honor to carry you today.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± said Jonathan. ¡°You can call me John.¡±


    Zoe climbed onto the graceful yellow centaur and Kelviana was lifted onto Thane¡¯s back. When they were all settled Thane motioned them forward and they took off at a brisk trot. Thane and Kelviana immediately became engrossed in a deep conversation of their own, but they were too far away for Jonathan to hear what they were saying. He assumed they were bringing each other up to speed on their respective situations. He wrapped his arms around Dalir¡¯s waist and held on tight as they wove their way through the debris back toward where the centaurs had fought with the Tempest. Despite his smooth motions Jonathan still found himself bouncing up and down on Dalir¡¯s bony spine and his bottom was very quickly getting sore. He was glad that they were not moving at a full gallop. He wished he had a saddle but somehow doubted a centaur would ever consent to wearing one. ¡°How far is the Grove?¡± Jonathan asked.


    ¡°About half a day¡¯s run at full gallop,¡± answered Dalir. ¡°Since we are carrying young riders who are not used to such a strenuous journey it will likely take a full day. The Captain plans on camping tonight and arriving by midday tomorrow. But first, we must collect the dryads and your human friend.¡±


    ¡°Zoe and I are human too, you know,¡± said Jonathan, suddenly understanding a little of Zoe¡¯s reluctance to accept their dryad heritage. He found he didn¡¯t like the idea of being not-quite-human.


    Dalir laughed pleasantly. ¡°Forgive me for saying so, youngling, but anyone with eyes and a nose can tell that your sister is a dryad ¡ª and you¡­¡± he paused before continuing. ¡°Well, we shall see what your grandmother says.¡±


    Jonathan wondered just who this woman claiming to be their grandmother was. Both grandparents on their dad¡¯s side were still alive and well. Mom¡¯s mother had died when she was only a few months old, so none of them had ever known her. Their grandfather had never remarried and rarely spoke of her, except to praise her beauty and say how much he missed her. But her name had not been Daphne, it was Rose. Though, now that he thought of it, that would be exactly the sort of name a dryad would choose as an alias. An uneasy feeling rose in his stomach that was not related to the bouncing and jostling he was receiving from Dalir¡¯s back. At least not entirely related to that. ¡°Kelviana doesn¡¯t think there¡¯s anything odd about me,¡± Jonathan pointed out.


    ¡°General Kelviana is a fey,¡± the centaur replied. ¡°They are good at sensing magic, but their noses are as poor as a human¡¯s ¡­¡± he hesitated. ¡°Forgive me, Cousin. I mean no offense. I am often scolded for my thoughtless tongue.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s alright,¡± said Jonathan, happy to change the subject. ¡°I know humans don¡¯t have a great sense of smell. Our hearing isn¡¯t all that good either, I¡¯m told.¡±


    ¡°Do you mind if I ask you a question, young Cousin?¡± Dalir asked. They had reached the battleground and slowed their pace while a few of the centaurs wandered about, retrieving what they could of their fallen arrows and spears.


    ¡°Go for it,¡± said Jonathan. He liked the talkative young centaur.


    Dalir turned and looked back at Jonathan. ¡°I did not want to ask, for fear of being rude, but since you mentioned it; how do humans tell each other apart, if you cannot smell very well?¡±


    ¡°Uhmm¡­¡± Jonathan started, wondering just how to answer such a bizarre question.


    ¡°Dalir,¡± Thane said gruffly, coming up alongside them and thrusting a spear into Dalir¡¯s hand. ¡°Bother the youngling no more with your inane chatter.¡± He turned to Jonathan. ¡°Apologies, young Cousin. Dalir is a competent warrior ¨C if only his tongue were as disciplined as the rest of his body. We will arrive soon to where we left the human with the dryads. There are yet three hours of light left. With your leave, I would that we push on until dark before making camp for the night. I want to be as far from the Tempest as possible before we stop.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine with me,¡± said Jonathan, hoping his rump would survive for that long. ¡°Why ask my opinion though? Isn¡¯t Kelviana the General?¡±


    Kelviana rolled her eyes, but there was a bit of a grin on the edges of her mouth. ¡°The Captain insists on getting your permission since you¡¯re the Queen¡¯s grandson. Besides. This isn¡¯t my operation. I¡¯m just an observer here.¡±


    ¡°Why not ask Zoe too?¡± said Jonathan. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t she be included?¡±


    ¡°We would never bother the Princess with such mundane matters,¡± said Thane, clearly offended at the mere suggestion.


    ¡°But it¡¯s ok to ask me?¡± he asked.


    ¡°As the granddaughter to the Queen, she is second only to the Queen herself, young Cousin. She may have a strong spirit, but as a matter of honor we must afford her the respect that her station requires.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± said Jonathan. The frustration he had felt towards Zoe earlier was beginning to rise back up inside. As twins, they had always been treated equally. But lately, even before they came to the Fey Realm, it seemed that she was overshadowing him in just about everything. Now, all of a sudden, on top of having magical powers she was literally getting the royal treatment. It just wasn¡¯t fair. ¡°Whatever you want to do is fine with me,¡± he pouted. ¡°You guys know what you¡¯re doing better than me anyway. I¡¯m just along for the ride, isn¡¯t that right, Kelviana?¡± It wasn¡¯t a fair dig at her, but at the moment he didn¡¯t really care.


    Kelviana¡¯s brows crinkled and her face hardened slightly but she nodded. Thane nodded as well. ¡°Very well, young Cousin. We will retrieve the dryads and your friend, then push on with all haste. Our party is growing larger and includes some who are tired and injured. We will move slowly.¡±


    If the pace with which the centaurs were moving was considered slow, Jonathan wondered what a fast pace looked like. In a matter of minutes they had left the suburbs and were winding their way through the woods outside town. Dalir had remained silent after his captain¡¯s admonition and Jonathan used the chance to observe his surroundings. He was familiar with the road they had traveled down, it was the freeway that took them from the suburbs to the main city a few miles further on. There was a green belt between the two with a large park and several trails leading into the woods beyond. They had visited the park many times over the years, and Jonathan was a little surprised when the centaurs avoided it and instead headed into the woods.


    As Dalir pushed further into the trees and undergrowth, following a trail only the centaurs could see, Jonathan began to see more and more signs of life all around him. Small critters scampered away at their approach, birds chirped in the trees and insects buzzed all around. It was a stark contrast to the eerie silence that had prevailed during their time in the Wastelands. He also began to notice other, less familiar, things. Little lights occasionally flitted out of bushes, circling about their heads with tinkling laughter following in their wakes. Giggling sylphs would fly past whenever the wind stirred in the trees, tugging at the centaur¡¯s tails or mussing up Zoe¡¯s hair, though Jonathan was pretty sure none of them were Aella. A pair of eyes blinked at him from what he had been certain was a tree branch until it waved at their party before unfolding itself from its perch and wandering off to attend to whatever business a strange stick creature would have. Other nymphs, both small and large, sometimes followed them for a short time until they caught either Kelviana¡¯s or Thane¡¯s attention, then they would scamper off, chittering all the while.


    Kelviana laughed the first genuine laugh Jonathan remembered hearing from her. It had a distinct musical quality that made him want to hear more. He noticed a rosiness to her cheeks and her magic dust was glowing brightly once again. ¡°It seems you kids are drawing quite a crowd,¡± she said with a smile.


    ¡°Are we that interesting?¡± asked Zoe from atop her yellow-haired centaur.


    ¡°The first humans to wander beyond the Wastelands in untold centuries?¡± said Kelviana. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯d say you¡¯re going to create a stir.¡±


    ¡°Which will make it hard to hide the younglings from Acrimony,¡± Thane pointed out.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± replied Kelviana thoughtfully. ¡°We may want to consider some disguises.¡±


    ¡°The filly will be easy enough. She already looks like a dryad. The colts will be more difficult.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a girl, not a filly or a dryad,¡± said Zoe, looking irritated.


    ¡°Forgive me if I give offense, young Cousin,¡± said Thane with a bow. ¡°I am unfamiliar with human terms, and use our own instead.¡±


    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    ¡°Maybe we can dress them in long robes and try to pass them off as satyrs?¡± Kelviana mused, ignoring the others. ¡°No, anyone with half a grain of sense would see right through that.¡± She huffed and crossed her arms, falling into her own thoughts. ¡°Maybe I can shrink them enough to look like gnomes?¡± she mumbled.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± said Zoe. ¡°I¡¯m just tired.¡± Thane nodded and trotted off, carrying Kelviana with him, still lost in her own thoughts. Jonathan hoped that the fey wasn¡¯t serious about shrinking them. When they were far enough away to not overhear anything Johanthan turned back to Zoe.


    ¡°Are you really okay?¡± he asked, even though he already knew the answer. He knew his sister too well to believe what she had told Thane.


    ¡°I just wish everyone would stop telling me what to be,¡± Zoe said with a huff. ¡°Mom wants me to be more girly. Kelviana wants me to be some sort of magical dryad. The centaurs think I¡¯m their long-lost princess. Tyler¡¯s the only one who lets me be just me.¡± She sighed. ¡°I thought we¡¯d lost him, John. I don¡¯t know what I would have done if we had.¡±


    ¡°You like him too, huh?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she said, shaking her head. ¡°Sometimes. Other times I think he¡¯s a bully. I don¡¯t like how he acts when he¡¯s with his buddies; especially the way he treats you. By himself, he¡¯s pretty cool, though.¡±


    Jonathan just smiled. He had to admit, he was starting to like Tyler too. He just hoped the friendship would last once they returned to Earth and settled back into real life. ¡°Mom¡¯s gonna freak, you know?¡±


    She smiled back. ¡°After all this, I think Tyler¡¯s the last thing she¡¯ll need to worry about.¡±


    ¡°You going to tell her she¡¯s a dryad, then?¡± Jonathan asked. He had been wondering if they should.


    ¡°I think she¡¯d want to know. Especially since it concerns Grandma.¡±


    ¡°We think it does. All of this could be wrong, you know?¡±


    Zoe held up her hands and they started glowing. ¡°I don¡¯t think it is, John.¡±


    Jonathan pursed his lips and nodded. He didn¡¯t know why he was suddenly so apprehensive. At first, he had liked the idea of having dryad blood, but now he wasn¡¯t so sure. ¡°You know what this means if it¡¯s true?¡± he asked.


    Zoe nodded, her hands returning to normal. ¡°It means Grandma¡¯s not dead, and she abandoned Grandpa when Mom was just a baby.¡±


    ¡°Do we really want to meet her, then?¡±


    ¡°I think we need to. Just so we know what happened.¡± Jonathan nodded again, not sure what else to say. They fell into silence as the woods closed in about them. The centaurs moved into a single file. Branches slapped Jonathan in the face as Dalir pushed through the dense underbrush, and he quickly grew weary, remembering just how full their day had already been. After what seemed to have been hours but was really only a few minutes the trees began to thin out again and the underbrush grew less dense.


    ¡°Finally!¡± a thin, airy voice cried out. Aella appeared next to Jonathan, a small gust of wind accompanying her and blowing against his face. ¡°You people are so slow. I almost joined my sisters. There¡¯s a storm brewing down south and they invited me to go with them. It¡¯s supposed to be a really good one, too¡±


    ¡°So why didn¡¯t you?¡± asked Kelviana, turning back from where she and Thane were at the head of the column. ¡°I appreciate your help back there, but you don¡¯t have to stay with us, you know?¡±


    ¡°Because I like you, silly. At least I like them,¡± she zipped about Jonathan and Zoe¡¯s heads. ¡°They¡¯re interesting. You¡¯re just a boring old fey.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re just another annoying sylph,¡± retorted Kelviana. She faced forward again and Jonathan noticed that her wings were starting to perk up. They had been drooping ever since that morning. A wave of exhaustion hit him as he realized their day was not over yet. Why had he agreed to another few hours of riding? Being in the forest might have been invigorating for Kelviana, but all he wanted to do was curl up into a ball and go to sleep. As Thane led them into a clearing he glanced over at Zoe, and noticed that she, too, was looking refreshed, sitting with her back straight and tall and a healthy red glow to her cheeks. The uneasy sensation returned to his stomach and he turned away without saying anything. She cocked her head curiously, but he ignored her.


    Before she could say anything Tyler appeared at the edge of the clearing, accompanied by three young and beautiful women. Zoe immediately jumped off her centaur¡¯s back ¡ª Jonathan felt bad that he still had not learned the warrior¡¯s name ¡ª and ran over to Tyler, throwing her arms around him in a big hug. Aella followed, giggling and knocking over some spare spears that one of the centaurs had started neatly lining up, ready to grab if the need arose. Tyler looked stunned and it took him a moment before he wrapped his own arms around Zoe and closed his eyes, looking very content. Jonathan sighed and turned his attention to the three women. They were all smiling and had an aura of gentleness about them. They were barefooted and wearing light and airy dresses of pale green. Each one had skin of a slightly different color, none of which Jonathan could quite place into any particular category. Much like the centaurs they seemed to belong to no one particular ethnicity but instead had a beauty that was wholly and uniquely their own. Their hair was as varied as their skin tones, with flowers and leafy branches woven into and around their braids, making it hard to tell where their hair stopped and the decorations began. The longer he studied them the more he began to wonder if they were indeed decorations, or actually part of their bodies. Their faces had fine lines creasing them that were strongly reminiscent of tree bark, and as Dalir took a few steps closer he noticed the same lines on each woman¡¯s arms and legs, giving them an unmistakable resemblance to trees. Jonathan wondered how, if these were dryads, Kelviana or the centaurs could possibly consider Zoe one of them.


    ¡°Those are hamadryads, not full dryads,¡± said Kelviana from beside him. He jumped slightly, not having heard Thane come up beside them. Then he realized Thane was on the other side of the clearing, talking to the mustang-centaur.


    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re flying again,¡± said Jonathan, turning to look at her. She was hovering beside his head, her colorful wings flapping too fast for him to see the pattern clearly and blue dust swirling all around, just like it was supposed to be.


    ¡°Only for a few minutes. I needed to stretch my wings. They were starting to cramp up. It¡¯ll not be until sometime tomorrow that I can try flying all day long again.¡±


    ¡°What were you saying about the dryads?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re hamadryads ¡ª more tree-like and less powerful than full dryads such as your sister. They¡¯re also very, very, shy around anything that isn¡¯t a dryad. Even more so around men. You¡¯ll be lucky if you get more than a few words from them, and forget about getting their names.¡±


    ¡°I thought you said Zoe was only part dryad.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s complicated,¡± said Kelviana, settling down on Dalir¡¯s back and breathing heavily from the exertion of flying. Jonathan had to give the young centaur credit, he had not spoken one word since his captain chastised him. ¡°As far as the Fey Realm is concerned she¡¯s a full dryad. Genetically she may be only one-quarter dryad, but that doesn¡¯t matter here. The only true difference between your grandmother and your sister is that she can¡¯t use her magic in your world.¡±


    ¡°You couldn¡¯t have told us this sooner?¡± Jonathan asked, watching Zoe and Tyler as they sat down on a log and chatted with each other, seemingly having forgotten all about him. Aella flitted about, excitedly exploring each hamadryad¡¯s hair. Rather than getting annoyed with the little sylph, the women giggled and played along with her. Hadn¡¯t Kelviana just said they were super shy around non-dryads? Maybe sylphs didn¡¯t count.


    ¡°Mainly because I wasn¡¯t certain,¡± said Kelviana, also watching the proceedings. ¡°All of this depends a great deal on who your ancestor really was. I suspected it was a full dryad, just because of her magical abilities. Anything less and she¡¯d barely have any magic at all. But if your grandmother really is one of the Meliae, and Queen Daphne at that, then she is definitely a full dryad, here in the Fey Realm at least.¡±


    ¡°So does that make her immortal too? And what about me?¡± asked Jonathan, hearing the bitterness in his own voice.


    ¡°Honestly? I have no idea,¡± said Kelviana. ¡°Immortality is a dangerous thing to test, and I¡¯ve never heard of a male dryad before. I mean, I know dryads can have male children, just not here in this realm. Like I said before, there¡¯s a lot of celebrities in your world, both male and female, who are part dryad, but none of them have ever found their way here before. I don¡¯t know what having her blood will mean for you.¡±


    Jonathan pursed his lips. Kelviana had already tested him for magic and he didn¡¯t have any, so what else mattered? Did he even want any of this anymore anyway? One minute he didn¡¯t, but then the very next minute he was finding another reason to be jealous of Zoe and all that was happening to her. He placed his head in his hands and shook it back and forth. Why did life have to be so darned confusing? Dalir stirred and Jonathan looked up. ¡°Something is happening,¡± said the centaur. Over where Zoe and Tyler were sitting the hamadryads were now urging Zoe to stand with them. Zoe looked hesitant and Jonathan would have been worried that something was wrong if Tyler hadn¡¯t been laughing. Thane trotted over and began a heated discussion with one of the young women. Aella zipped over to Jonathan and Kelviana.


    ¡°Come on, Fey,¡± she said. ¡°They want you too.¡±


    ¡°Who wants me?¡± asked Kelviana, tensing up noticeably. ¡°And why?¡±


    ¡°The dryads, silly,¡± giggled Aella, grabbing Kelviana¡¯s shirt and pulling on it. ¡°They say it¡¯s bath time. They won¡¯t go anywhere until the princess is cleaned up and presentable, and they say you are in just as bad shape.¡±


    Jonathan laughed and Kelviana shook her head, slapping Aella away. ¡°Nope,¡± she said, ¡°not happening. I¡¯m perfectly capable of washing myself, thank you very much.¡±


    Tyler was crossing the clearing now and called out to them. ¡°You¡¯d better go, Kel,¡± he said. ¡°They¡¯re threatening to strip Zoe and scrub her down right there if she doesn¡¯t go with them. They¡¯ll do it too,¡± he said with a shudder.


    ¡°They wouldn¡¯t dare¡­¡± Jonathan said, glancing side-eyed at the hamadryads as they pushed and pulled Zoe to her feet, giggling loudly despite her protests. He looked back at Tyler, who seemed remarkably clean considering all they had been through lately. Even his clothes seemed cleaner. ¡°Wait,¡± Jonathan said, feeling a grin forming. ¡°They didn¡¯t¡­¡±


    Tyler turned bright red. ¡°Just go, help Zoe, please,¡± he mumbled. ¡°Personal boundaries mean nothing to them. She needs an ally.¡±


    ¡°Ugh,¡± Kelviana groaned. ¡°Fine, but she owes me one.¡± She unfolded her wings and fluttered off with the sylph following close behind, chuckling with glee. They passed Thane as he approached Jonathan and the others, and he did not look pleased.


    ¡°It seems we will be camping here tonight after all, young cousins,¡± he said with a scowl. ¡°Dalir, help the men secure the perimeter then grab some food. You have first watch along with Hamaan.¡±


    Dalir bowed at the waist, tapping his closed fist against his bare chest. ¡°Yes, Captain,¡± he said, then turned to look back at Jonathan. ¡°It has been an honor carrying you, young cousin. I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s time to get off, though.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right,¡± said Jonathan. He had been so caught up in everything that he had almost forgotten he was still sitting on the centaur¡¯s back. He swung his leg over and slid off, landing a bit awkwardly on the ground. His legs and rump were a lot more sore than he had realized.


    ¡°Why are we doing what those dryads say, anyway?¡± asked Tyler. ¡°Aren¡¯t you in command here?¡±


    Thane looked down on the two of them. ¡°Listen to the wisdom of one who has been married for a hundred years and alive for half as long before. As men, you will often find yourselves in command. But when there are women about, you will rarely be in charge. Now come along, I will take you to your tent.¡±


    Two centaurs had already pulled a canvas tent from some saddle bags and were nearly finished setting it up on the edge of the small clearing, next to another, much nicer-looking tent. Jonathan and Tyler offered to help but the centaurs wouldn¡¯t hear of it. They were guests, they said, and it would be a dishonor to make a guest work, so they were forced to sit and watch while the warriors set up camp. Centaurs, it turned out, did not sleep in tents; which, once Jonathan thought about it, made perfect sense. Any tent large enough to hold even one centaur would be far too big to pack conveniently. Instead, they used one large tarp and stretched it between some trees, making a single roof that they could all gather under to sleep, which two of them did immediately. These, Thane explained, were the ones who would be taking the last watch, so they needed to get to sleep early or miss out on valuable rest. Each centaur had a single blanket that they wrapped around their upper torso then they settled down side-by-side, leaning against each other¡¯s flanks for support. It was very efficient and a spectacular showcase of teamwork and community support, in Jonathan¡¯s opinion. Tyler just thought it was odd. That reminded Jonathan that he still needed to give Tyler a good punch in the arm for scaring them all ¨C so he did.


    The mustang-centaur, who turned out to be Dalir¡¯s watch partner Hamaan, brought them some blankets of their own and some wooden bowls filled with soup, and after Jonathan made certain there were no strange rules about accepting food from centaurs that would get them stuck there for all eternity, they dug into it eagerly. It was vegetarian ¨C and delicious. They both asked for seconds, which they devoured more slowly, but no less completely. Right about the time they were finishing their second helping of soup, the women returned from bathing. The sun had not quite set yet and bits of sunlight were flickering in and out of the branches as they blew in the breeze. Tyler was the first to notice them as they came out of the woods. ¡°Wow,¡± he said, somewhat breathlessly. The tone of his voice made Jonathan look up and he stopped with his spoon halfway to his mouth, barely noticing the soup as it dripped onto his lap. The dryads looked the same as they had before, and Aella was with them, flittering about their heads and making their hair and dresses blow in their own breeze, but he almost didn¡¯t recognize the other two figures who were standing a pace or two behind them. Kelviana and Zoe were both wearing dresses similar to the dryad¡¯s ¨C light green and made of lightweight material ¨C and their hair was tied up in intricately complex braids with flowers wreathing their heads like crowns. Their faces were flushed red and practically glowing ¨C Kelviana¡¯s very well might have been ¨C and neither wore shoes. Kelviana was walking again and only stood about half as tall as Zoe. Her wings were folded behind her back, but at least now they were pointing upward instead of drooping wearily. Zoe was looking at the ground, clearly uncomfortable, while Kelviana merely looked annoyed. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen Zoe in a dress before,¡± Tyler said, staring openly, his mouth agape.


    ¡°The last time I remember her wearing one was for our eighth birthday party,¡± Jonathan said, also staring. ¡°Even then it was covered in mud and birthday cake.¡± He blinked and shook his head, then glared at Tyler. ¡°Hey!¡± he said, elbowing the other boy. ¡°That¡¯s my sister you¡¯re staring at.¡±


    Tyler elbowed him back. ¡°Yeah, your sister. Not mine.¡±


    ¡°At least try to keep the drooling to a minimum,¡± Jonathan grumbled.


    Aella flew over and Jonathan noticed that even though she was still wearing the same white and fluttery dress as before, her hair was now also braided and tied up making her look slightly less wild than usual. ¡°What do you think?¡± she asked, patting her hairdo proudly. ¡°Aren¡¯t we pretty?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± said Tyler, still looking at Zoe.


    Kelviana strode over to them and huffed. ¡°Your sister really owes me for this. Those fool dryads refuse to return our clothes now. They say they¡¯re not appropriate. Do you have any idea how inconvenient it is to fly or fight while in a dress?¡± She pulled irritably at her skirt to demonstrate her point.


    ¡°Can¡¯t say that I do,¡± replied Jonathan, looking her over again now that she was closer. She really was quite pretty, in a cute ¡ª almost childish ¡ª sort of way. It was sometimes hard to remember that she was a full-grown adult, older than even his grandparents.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s basically impossible,¡± she grumbled, crossing her arms.


    ¡°That sylph doesn¡¯t seem to have any trouble with it,¡± Tyler pointed out. Kelviana glared at him. ¡°Hey! You look nice, Zoe,¡± he said, quickly changing the subject as Zoe came up to them, still looking very uncomfortable.


    ¡°Never tell anyone about this,¡± she said, shooting daggers at both of them.


    ¡°You¡¯re lucky none of us brought a phone. Mom would kill to get a picture of you right now,¡± said Jonathan, grinning.


    ¡°I hate this place,¡± she said, pouting. ¡°They took my jersey and won¡¯t give it back.¡±


    ¡°You look very lovely, Princess,¡± said Thane, approaching them from across the clearing. ¡°And you as well, General. It reminds me of the old times at court.¡±


    Kelviana nodded her acknowledgment. ¡°I assume from the state of the camp that we will not be continuing on tonight?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Indeed, General. The dryads were quite adamant that the Princess needs her rest.¡± Zoe huffed and crossed her arms at that comment. ¡°Darkness is nearly upon us at this point anyways,¡± Thane continued, ignoring her. ¡°The dryads have prepared spaces for you and the Princess to use tonight, and they shall attend to you both for the rest of the journey.¡±


    ¡°I can sleep in the tent with Jonathan and Tyler, it''s no big deal,¡± said Zoe.


    ¡°Out of the question, young Cousin,¡± said Thane. ¡°Queen Daphne would have my hide for a throw rug if she learned that I allowed you to sleep in the same tent as men, even if one of them is your brother. Dryads are especially particular about such things.¡±


    ¡°I grew up with attendants,¡± Kelviana said with a shrug. ¡°You get used to them after a while.¡±


    ¡°So why¡¯d you make such a fuss earlier?¡± asked Tyler.


    ¡°I said I was used to it. I didn¡¯t say I liked it.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to get used to it!¡± Zoe snapped. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be a princess, or a dryad, or anything else. I just want to be left alone!¡± She pushed her way past Jonathan and the others and stormed off to the women¡¯s tent, ignoring the hamadryads who were trying to open the flaps for her.


    ¡°I was wondering how long it would take for her to lose it,¡± said Kelviana with a sigh. She turned to the others. ¡°We should all get some rest. Hopefully tomorrow we can meet the Queen and get this all sorted out. Who knows? Maybe we¡¯ll get lucky and she knows of some way to get you kids home.¡±


    <h2 style="text-align: center">END OF PART SEVEN</h2>

 Part Eight: Growing Irritated

    PART EIGHT: GROWING IRRITATED


    The hamadryads refused to let Jonathan go to bed without taking a bath first. Tyler thought that was the funniest thing ever, of course, but Jonathan decided that he was not going to go down without a fight. Tyler, Zoe and even Kelviana had all fallen prey to the dryad¡¯s ministrations, but he wouldn¡¯t. He just wasn¡¯t sure how he could possibly avoid them. He was saved when the yellow centaur informed them that he and another centaur were going to the creek to bathe and that the young Cousin was welcome to join them. Jonathan accepted gratefully and started to follow the centaurs when he was stopped yet again and told to leave his clothes behind for washing and mending. He looked down at his outfit and realized that it was in desperate need of both. He had been slashed and burned so many times over the last day that he was amazed his clothes weren¡¯t falling off his body. His hoodie was so full of holes that he wondered if it would even be possible to mend and his jeans were no better. Still, he dutifully ducked into his and Tyler¡¯s tent and peeled his tattered clothes off, wrapped his blanket around his shoulders, and surrendered them to the young women. Tyler¡¯s clothes had been returned to him, so he was fairly confident he would get his own back, unlike Zoe and Kelviana.


    Dalir and Hamaan stayed behind with Thane to watch the camp while the two remaining soldiers and Jonathan walked down to the nearby stream. He was shocked at how playful the centaurs became once they got into the cool water. They splashed and pranced about, acting like little puppies, and Jonathan had to stay well clear of them to avoid being trampled. He learned that the nimble, yellow centaur¡¯s name was Taraan and the other was named Sangar. He seemed to be from the same breed as Dalir, except his coat was dark brown instead of pure black. They were both extremely polite and treated Jonathan with respect, but not the same reverence that they afforded Zoe. As he dried himself off with his blanket he asked Taraan why that was. ¡°Centaurs hold dryads in the highest regard, young Cousin,¡± explained Taraan as he stepped onto the bank and shook himself dry. ¡°Many ages ago, before Acrimony appeared, our people swore to protect the beautiful and fragile tree spirits. In return, they bless us with their magic and allow us free passage through their forests. Like humans, we are not nymphs, and have no magic of our own.¡±


    ¡°But what about the Tempest? I saw magic during your fight with it. The dryads weren¡¯t fighting alongside you, were they?¡± He remembered Kelviana telling him that dryads never involved themselves directly in outside affairs, not even to defend themselves. He had a hard time imagining that they would suddenly change such a deeply ingrained philosophy.


    ¡°No, the dryads never fight. They are far too shy and gentle for such vulgarity. They do, however, imbue our weapons with their magic. Without such blessings, we would be as helpless against Acrimony¡¯s forces as you are, young Cousin.¡±


    ¡°Zoe fights,¡± Jonathan pointed out. ¡°And she¡¯s far from shy.¡±


    Taraan laughed. ¡°Your sister has much of her grandmother in her, I think. The Meliae are a different breed of dryad. They were the first, and do not follow the same rules as the others. It was to them that our ancestors first made their vow. Queen Daphne still remembers that day, though she was not yet Queen at the time.¡±


    ¡°So, do the smoke creatures burn you as well?¡± Jonathan asked as Sangar climbed the bank and began drying off.


    ¡°Indeed they do. If not for the healing touch of the dryads and fey, we would all be covered in many more scars than these few you see. As you would be as well, I suspect.¡± He smiled at the look of surprise on Jonathan¡¯s face. ¡°The stories of your bravery and that of your human friend have spread quickly. We are honored to count you among our number, Cousin.¡±


    Jonathan felt his face grow hot and he wrapped his blanket around his shoulders a little tighter. ¡°I haven¡¯t even defeated a single Stormcloud,¡± he admitted, shame filling him. ¡°Tyler managed to drive off Vendetta at least, but all I¡¯ve managed to do is get hurt and inconvenience everyone else.¡±


    Taraan clasped his hands over Jonathan¡¯s shoulders and looked him square in the eyes. ¡°Look at my size, young Cousin. I am often set to other tasks besides the main battle, yet I am no less a warrior than any of my brothers. You managed to gain the General¡¯s favor and convinced her to bring you here. You have consistently refused to back down no matter the odds against you, and you knowingly face a foe who is unimaginably more powerful than you in order to protect your kin. You risked everything to save your friend when you believed his life to be in danger. It matters not how many slain enemies lie at your feet, but where your heart lies. I see in you the heart of a true warrior, and I am proud to call you Cousin.¡±


    Jonathan felt himself blushing at such words of praise and turned away, simply nodding because he didn¡¯t know what else to say. The centaur¡¯s words made him sound so noble, like some sort of hero, when all he had done was what any other decent human being would have done. His problem was that he hadn¡¯t done a very good job of it. He silently followed the centaurs back to camp while they continued in high spirits, laughing and joking with each other. The sun was nearly completely set by now and the path was hard to see. Fortunately, the centaurs were large and cleared the way ahead of him so he did not have much trouble.


    When they reached the camp Thane chastised them mildly for their rowdiness and ordered them to get some rest. The warriors immediately mellowed out and complied with their orders, Taraan giving Jonathan a knowing nod before heading to their communal tarp. Jonathan wandered over to the tents set aside for the more human-shaped members of their party and found them dark and quiet. Kelviana was sitting on a log near the front of the women¡¯s tent absently playing with a ball of blue magic dust and seemingly lost in thought. She had somehow managed to get out of the dress and was back to wearing her green shirt and brown capris, though her hair was still done up in the elaborate braids the dryads had fixed earlier. She smiled at him as he approached. ¡°Feeling better now?¡± she asked, the ball of dust disappearing back into the cloud that surrounded her. He nodded and sat down beside her. ¡°Your clothes are waiting in your tent,¡± she said. ¡°Those ladies really did a good job. They look almost brand-new again. They put a nightshirt in there for you too, so you don¡¯t wrinkle your outfit by sleeping in it, they said.¡± Jonathan chuckled at the thought of anyone worrying about a T-shirt, jeans, and a hoodie getting wrinkled.


    ¡°How¡¯s Zoe doing?¡± he asked as he adjusted the blanket he was wrapped in.


    ¡°Sleeping. Poor girl¡¯s exhausted. I don¡¯t know how much rest she got last night, but I wager it wasn¡¯t much.¡±


    ¡°She started looking better as soon as we got into the woods,¡± he said, remembering the sudden change he had seen come over her. ¡°So did you.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re forest nymphs,¡± she replied with a shrug. ¡°We get our magic from the forest, and magic is life for a nymph.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s a human,¡± he said, a sudden knot forming in his stomach, ¡°not a nymph.¡±


    ¡°Yes, she¡¯s a human.¡± Kelvianan agreed, looking him in the eyes. ¡°But she¡¯s also a nymph. You may be as well, though I don¡¯t know what kind you could possibly be. Either way, you both need to accept that fact. Constantly denying it won¡¯t change that it¡¯s true.¡±


    Jonathan shook his head. ¡°Yesterday we were just kids. Now¡­ I don¡¯t know. I just wish things would go back to normal.¡±


    Kelviana sighed and smiled gently. ¡°Sorry, kid,¡± she said, patting him on the back. ¡°Unless we can find another way back to Earth, this might just be the new normal for you. It would be best if you started getting used to it now.¡± She nodded towards the men¡¯s tent. ¡°Go get some sleep. You look halfway there already.¡±


    Jonathan stood and yawned, suddenly realizing that he was indeed exhausted. He said goodnight to Kelviana and ducked through the flaps of his and Tyler¡¯s tent. Tyler was already curled up along one side, snoring beneath his blanket. A small lantern hung from the peak of the tent, casting a gentle, flickering yellow glow on everything. Jonathan found his clothes neatly folded atop a pillow at the head of a sleeping mat that had already been laid out for him. An extra bundle of white linen was stacked on top. He grabbed it and unfolded it, holding it out in front of him. Kelviana might have called it a nightshirt but it sure looked like a girl¡¯s nightgown to him. It wasn¡¯t covered in lace or ruffles or anything overtly feminine like that. In fact, it was mostly just a really long shirt. But still¡­ Did the dryads really expect him to wear this? He glanced over at Tyler to see if he could catch a glimpse of what he was wearing, but his blanket was pulled all the way over his head. He decided it was better to endure the wrath of the dryads rather than Tyler¡¯s relentless teasing if the older boy ever saw him wearing what was essentially a girl¡¯s pajamas. He set the nightshirt aside and pulled on his jeans and T-shirt. He left his hoodie neatly folded. It was not even slightly chilly and he could pull it on in the morning and still look fresh. He settled down on the mat, which was surprisingly thick and comfortable, wrapped up in his blanket, and was asleep before he knew it.


    <hr>


    When he woke up the next morning Jonathan was surprised to see that Tyler had, in fact, worn one of the nightshirts to bed. ¡°Read a history book,¡± the older boy grumbled. ¡°Men used to wear them all the time.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve read more books than you ever have,¡± Jonathan said, suppressing a chuckle. ¡°And you¡¯ll still never catch me wearing one.¡±


    Tyler grumbled something about pounding Jonathan then pulled the nightshirt over his head and tossed it into a corner before hastily tugging his own jeans and T-shirt on. The two boys stepped out and found Thane anxiously pacing about, clearly eager to be on the road again. Unfortunately for him, the dryads didn¡¯t seem to be in the same hurry. Two of them were busying themselves around a small cookfire they had set up outside the women¡¯s tent, working on some sewing and heating water in a kettle. Kelviana was standing at the tent entrance, wearing a white linen nightgown ¨C this one was covered in frilly lace ¨C and a large scowl. Thane kept shooting sharp glances in their direction and then barking orders to his warriors, who quickly jumped to obey. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Jonathan asked Kelviana as he yawned and rubbed his eyes against the morning sunlight.


    ¡°Thane was about to tear that tent down around you boys,¡± she said. ¡°They tried waking you up three times with no success. He was complaining that Acrimony¡¯s forces could sack the whole camp and you would sleep right through it.¡±


    Jonathan yawned again and stretched his arms over his head. Tyler ran his hands through his hair, blinking. ¡°He¡¯s probably right,¡± Jonathan said. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize how tired I was.¡±


    She grinned at him and looked him up and down. ¡°You slept in your clothes, huh?¡±


    Jonathan looked down at his shirt. He didn¡¯t think it was that wrinkly. ¡°Is it obvious?¡±


    She nodded, grinning even wider. ¡°Those dryads will tan your hide for that. You know both men and women wear nightshirts in this world, right? It¡¯s no big deal.¡±


    ¡°Told you,¡± said Tyler, yawning, then he looked towards the woods. ¡°I gotta go¡­ Yeah ¨C uh ¨C I¡¯ll be back,¡± he stammered, then wandered off into the trees.


    Jonathan looked down at Kelviana and found himself wondering how she managed to sleep without bending her wings. Did she lay on her side, or¡­ what? He couldn¡¯t quite picture how that worked. He shook his head and blinked. His mind was wandering. ¡°Does everyone here know as much about our world as you?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Nah,¡± said Kelviana with a wave. ¡°Most don''t know any more about your world than you do about ours.


    ¡°So how do you know so much?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just say that a while back I spent a bit more time there than I intended.¡±


    Thane trotted up to them before Jonathan could ask Kelviana what she meant by that. ¡°Good, you¡¯re awake,¡± he said. ¡°I do not wish to be rude, young Cousin, but we must be moving on. The day is nearly half spent already.¡±


    ¡°What time is it?¡± asked Jonathan, looking up at the sky as if he could somehow tell the time by the sun¡¯s position like the heroes in his books. Of course, the trees obscured his sight so it was pointless anyway.


    ¡°Nearly noon,¡± said Kelviana. ¡°You kids can really sleep in when given the leeway.¡±


    ¡°Seriously?¡± he asked. Suddenly Thane¡¯s impatience seemed very much justified. ¡°But what about you? You¡¯re still in your pajamas.¡±


    ¡°Not by choice,¡± Kelviana grumbled. ¡°Daphne¡¯s handmaidens over there decided that if I was going to insist on wearing my old clothes then they would at least make them more presentable for when we see the Queen ¡ª as if she could see what we¡¯re wearing anyway,¡± she muttered the last part mostly to herself and Jonathan wondered just what she meant. ¡°They¡¯re ¡®fixing¡¯ them now while your sister¡¯s sleeping.¡±


    ¡°We should wake her up,¡± Jonathan said. ¡°She¡¯ll sleep all day if we let her.¡±


    Thane waved him forward. ¡°Be my guest, young Cousin. You won¡¯t make it past the dryads. They left one in there, guarding the Princess. She won¡¯t let anyone near her.¡±


    ¡°Let me try. I am the Queen''s grandson, after all. Maybe that has some weight with them.¡± He doubted it. So far the dryads had shown him no more respect than they showed Tyler. He didn¡¯t even know their names and they only spoke to him when giving instructions. They seemed to be solely focused on Zoe ¡ª and Kelviana by association. ¡°Mom has me wake Zoe up all the time. I¡¯m pretty good at it,¡± he said as he stepped towards the tent¡¯s entrance. Kelviana stepped to one side, giving him some room. The dryads at the fire instantly stopped what they were doing and looked over, but did not move to intercept him. He took that as a good sign.


    ¡°Princess Zoe needs her rest,¡± one of them said ¡ª she had light brown skin with just a hint of green in it, like a sapling tree. Her hair was filled with flowery vines. She remained sitting, holding her mending in her lap.


    ¡°We need to get moving,¡± replied Jonathan, very much aware of how silly that sounded coming from him, since he had only just woken up himself.


    ¡°We will continue the journey when the Princess is ready,¡± said the other dryad. Her skin was darker brown and her hair had leafy branches woven about in it.


    ¡°I¡¯m her brother and I say she¡¯s ready,¡± replied Jonathan, stepping into the tent. The inside was nothing like his and Tyler¡¯s tent. Theirs had been plain, with nothing on the ground but their sleeping mats and blankets. This one was covered in carpets with a table, some chairs, a wardrobe, and two cots. He stopped and blinked a time or two, then poked his head back out, then back in. The inside was definitely much larger than the outside.


    ¡°It¡¯s the deluxe model,¡± Kelviana explained, clearly guessing his question. ¡°Comes fully furnished with extra legroom. Only the best for the Queen.¡±


    Jonathan shook his head. What was one more oddity to get used to? He looked back at the cots. One was unoccupied and a little disheveled ¡ª that must have been Kelviana¡¯s ¡ª and Zoe was still sleeping on the other one. The third dryad stood over her, watching Jonathan like a hawk.


    ¡°Do not disturb the Princess,¡± she said. Her skin was the most alien of the three. It was greener than the others, almost mossy, and her hair was green to match. Large, colorful flowers like roses sprouted all over it, and he noticed large thorns on the stems.


    ¡°This is ridiculous,¡± said Jonathan. ¡°She¡¯s a teenager. She¡¯ll sleep the day away if you let her.¡±


    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°Then, if that is what she needs, that is what will happen,¡± said the dryad. Her voice was calm, but there was a tension about her he had not seen before.


    Jonathan took another step deeper in and the dryad moved between him and Zoe. ¡°I¡¯m waking her up,¡± he said. ¡°She wouldn¡¯t want you doing this, you know.¡±


    The dryad''s hands glowed green and dust flew from them, hitting the ground before him. A translucent green wall rose up where it had hit. ¡°Do not disturb the Princess,¡± repeated the dryad. Jonathan sighed. He had seen this sort of barrier from Kelviana before. He figured it would work the same but pushed against it anyway. To his surprise, his hands passed right through it as if it were little more than mist. The dryad was even more surprised than him. Another wall immediately rose up and he pushed through it as well, gaining more confidence with each step. Behind him, Kelviana gasped slightly. ¡°Sisters!¡± the hamadryad cried in alarm. There was an instant commotion behind him and Kelviana cried out in alarm as she was pushed aside. Green dust surrounded him like a blanket ¡ª just like the dust that had held the Tempest¡¯s muzzle closed the day before ¡ª but it did nothing to him. He took one more step forward and was standing before the dryad, who was still guarding Zoe with her body. She looked determined but scared.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to hurt her,¡± he said gently. ¡°Or you. I just need to wake her up.¡± The other two dryads rushed in and stood beside their sister, with looks of determination and apprehension on their faces. ¡°I¡¯m her brother,¡± Jonathan said, ¡°and your Queen¡¯s grandson. I would never hurt her, or any of you.¡±


    ¡°You are a man,¡± said the dryad with darker skin. ¡°Men cannot be trusted.¡±


    ¡°Well you can trust me,¡± he said. ¡°And where I¡¯m from it doesn¡¯t matter if you''re a man or a woman. You trust someone or don¡¯t trust them based on their actions. Have I done anything threatening?¡± The dryads looked at each other with uncertainty. ¡°Look. I can promise you that Zoe will not be happy when she learns you¡¯ve been acting like this. I know she¡¯s tired, we all are. But we can¡¯t stay here all day long. Acrimony will find us if we do. I¡¯m surprised he hasn¡¯t already.¡± From outside the tent he heard Thane grunt in agreement. The hamadryads looked between themselves for a few more moments then seemed to come to a consensus. Their bodies relaxed and they moved aside. Jonathan sighed and stepped forward. He reached out and shook Zoe on the shoulder, feeling the dryad¡¯s eyes burning holes in his back the whole while.


    Zoe did not wake easily ¡ª she rarely did ¡ª and he had to shake her a bit harder than the dryads were comfortable with, but eventually, she woke with a groan and a few undecipherable mutterings. As soon as she was awake the dryads ushered him out of the tent, saying that a man should not see a lady rise from her bed. Kelviana, Thane, and Tyler all met him outside. ¡°Well that was interesting,¡± said Kelviana with a grin.


    ¡°That¡¯s how I always have to wake her up,¡± Jonathan said.


    ¡°Not that,¡± Kelviana said. ¡°Their magic should have stopped you from getting anywhere near her. You had them in a full panic.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, young Cousin,¡± said Thane. ¡°That was the same magic we used to restrain the Tempest, yet it had no effect on you. I have never seen such a thing.¡±


    ¡°Could it be because of my dryad blood?¡± Jonathan asked, a small surge of hope rising inside that he might just be magical after all.


    ¡°Almost definitely,¡± said Kelviana. ¡°That¡¯s one small mystery solved,¡± she said. ¡°And about a dozen new questions to replace it.¡±


    ¡°WHAT?¡± Zoe cried from the tent. There was a commotion inside and the tent flaps ripped open. ¡°How could you let me sleep so long?¡± Zoe demanded, not even waiting to see who she was speaking to. Her hair was still braided, but the flowers had been removed and the braids were pulling out in several places. She wore a nightgown similar to Kelviana¡¯s, with lots of lace and ruffles. It was a far cry from the sweatpants and camisoles she usually wore.


    ¡°Forgive us, Princess,¡± said Thane. ¡°The dryads refused to let anyone near you. It was your brother who was finally able to get past them.¡±


    Zoe scowled. ¡°I¡¯m so sick of this princess stuff,¡± she grumbled, then disappeared back into the tent.


    ¡°Well,¡± said Jonathan. ¡°I guess we can start taking down¡­¡± he turned as he was speaking and saw that the centaurs had already taken down his and Tyler¡¯s tent. They really did move quickly. The rest of the camp had been long since packed away, and most of the troops stood at the ready, saddlebags strapped in place and weapons in hand. Kelviana stepped over to the small fire and snatched her clothes from where the dryads had left them in their haste to protect Zoe.


    ¡°I¡¯m never taking these off again,¡± she muttered, then slipped into the tent. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it,¡± he heard her growl a few moments later. ¡°They look fine. She¡¯s not my Queen anyway.¡±


    ¡°Come, young Cousin. Let us leave the women to themselves,¡± said Thane. ¡°We have some food prepared for you.¡±


    ¡°Sorry we slept so late,¡± Jonathan said as Thane led him and Tyler away from the tent.


    ¡°It is I who should apologize,¡± said Thane, shaking his head. ¡°You are our guests and have been through a great trial. You are not warriors. I should not hold you to the same standards.¡±


    ¡°Do you think I could be?¡± asked Tyler. ¡°A warrior, I mean. I¡¯m planning on joining the Marines when I¡¯m old enough.¡±


    Thane laughed. ¡°I do not know what the ¡°Marines¡± are, but you have a warrior¡¯s heart, young human. If you were a centaur colt, you would already be in training. And you as well, young Cousin,¡± he said, nodding to Jonathan.


    ¡°Are you all warriors?¡± asked Jonathan. Thane pointed them to a log and as they sat, Dalir approached with two steaming bowls of soup. It was the same they had eaten last night, but neither boy was inclined to complain. It was excellent soup.


    ¡°No herd can exist for long if all its members are warriors,¡± said Thane. ¡°Just as one could not exist if all its members were only blacksmiths, or farmers, or hunters. A herd must have all these, and more if it is to survive.¡±


    ¡°Hunters?¡± asked Tyler, sipping noisily at his soup. ¡°Aren¡¯t horses herbivores?¡±


    ¡°We are not horses, Human,¡± said Thane, his voice taking on a slightly harder edge. ¡°Remember that in the future.¡± His voice lost its edge and he continued. ¡°We are mostly vegetarian, yes, but we do eat meat from time to time. Our lower stomach cannot digest it, this is true. But our upper stomach can, and it helps to build our muscles. We also use the bones and hides from our kills for clothing and crafts. We do not waste the gifts of nature, nor take the animal¡¯s sacrifice for granted.¡±


    ¡°Two stomachs?¡± Tyler said, wide-eyed. Jonathan wanted to smack him. Thane just laughed and patted his belly.


    ¡°Centaurs are very large, little Human. There is much of us to feed, yes?¡±


    ¡°Speaking of which,¡± said Kelviana, flying over to them. ¡°Got any more of that soup?¡± She had changed into her usual clothes, though there was now a bit of lace around her shirt collar and the cuffs of her capri pants. ¡°Those dryads barely fed us enough to keep a mouse alive.¡±


    ¡°You changed quick,¡± observed Jonathan.


    ¡°You think I was going to hang around in there any longer than I had to?¡± she asked, taking a bowl from Dalir and digging into it, not even bothering with a spoon. ¡°They¡¯re fusing over your sister like crazy. She¡¯s going to be rather grouchy today, I suspect.¡±


    ¡°Will they be ready soon?¡± asked Thane.


    ¡°You just left her with them?¡± asked Jonathan at the same time.


    ¡°She''s not in any danger,¡± said Kelviana with a dismissive wave. ¡°And she¡¯ll have to get used to it at some point. I only put up with that treatment for so long because I like you kids. I¡¯ve got my own image to uphold, thank you very much. I¡¯m a general, not a pampered princess.¡±


    Thane stifled a cough and earned himself a glare from Kelviana. ¡°Watch it, Captain,¡± she said.


    ¡°Yes, General,¡± he said, stiffening and saluting. ¡°Will the Princess be ready to depart soon?¡±


    ¡°Do you have to call her that?¡± asked Jonathan. ¡°She hates it. Besides, you don¡¯t call me ¡®Prince¡¯.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because¡­¡± Kelviana began.


    ¡°... There¡¯s no such thing as a male dryad, I know.¡± Jonathan finished with a sigh. Tyler suddenly laughed, spitting some soup out. ¡°What?¡± Jonathan asked, eying him suspiciously.


    ¡°Prince John,¡± he said, barely holding in his laughter.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare start with that,¡± Jonathan said, shaking a fist at the older boy. Tyler stifled another giggle.


    Kelviana looked between the two then shook her head. ¡°Whatever. But I am curious to know how you brushed off their magic like that. Any idea how you did it?¡±


    Jonathan shook his head. ¡°No. I expected it to stop me, honestly. Like yours does.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Kelviana said, looking at him with her head cocked slightly to the side. Suddenly he was surrounded by blue dust. ¡°Try to get through,¡± she said.


    ¡°Hey!¡± he said. ¡°C¡¯mon. Really?¡±


    ¡°Just indulge me,¡± she said. Tyler reached over and rapped his knuckles on the outside. There was no sound, but the dust did stop him.


    ¡°Fine¡­¡± Jonathan huffed, setting his bowl of soup down beside him. He reached out and pushed against the wall. It held him fast.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± said Kelviana. The blue wall disappeared and she turned to Thane. ¡°You got any of those acorns left?¡±


    ¡°A few, General,¡± he said, reaching into a pouch at his side and holding out what looked like some large acorns, except they had a slight green glow about them.


    ¡°Use a restraint on him,¡± she nodded in Jonathan¡¯s direction.


    ¡°General?¡± Thane asked, hesitating.


    Kelviana sighed heavily. ¡°Just do it, Captain. I only want to see if it works on him. I have a theory and this will help prove it.¡±


    ¡°As you command, General,¡± Thane said with a small bow. He crushed one of the acorns in his hand and pointed his palm out towards Jonathan. Green dust billowed out of the acorn¡¯s crushed remains and swirled about his hand for a moment before flowing over to Jonathan and wrapping itself around him, just like had happened in the tent. This time he felt it hugging him like a blanket. His arms were pinned tightly to his side.


    He struggled for a few moments. ¡°Yep,¡± he grunted. ¡°It works alright.¡±


    ¡°Now think about your sister. Pretend she¡¯s in danger or something,¡± said Kelviana, watching him closely. Jonathan tried to picture Zoe getting carried off by a bunch of Stormclouds. The moment the image popped into his head the pressure surrounding him vanished and he could move freely. The dust remained, but it was only dust, nothing more. ¡°Fascinating,¡± mumbled Kelviana. ¡°You may not have any magic of your own, but I think you have some control over it regardless. Dryad magic, at the very least, seems to obey you. I should have had you try that against my shield first.¡±


    ¡°This is very interesting, General,¡± said Thane. ¡°But it is not helping us move towards our destination. Will the Princess be ready soon?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± said Kelviana, waving him off. ¡°Ask the dryads. I¡¯m busy.¡±


    ¡°Think I can get some of those magic acorns for my slingshot?¡± Tyler asked.


    Thane frowned, first at Kelviana then at Tyler. ¡°The dryads entrust us with their magic. It would be a grievous breach of faith if we were to give it away without leave.¡±


    ¡°I like that thinking, though,¡± said Kelviana, breaking out of her thoughts.


    ¡°What if I say it¡¯s ok?¡± asked Jonathan.


    ¡°You may be the Queen¡¯s grandson, young Cousin. But you are not a dryad. However,¡± said Thane before Jonathan could start feeling too bad about getting shot down, ¡°even the young princess cannot give permission for this thing. Only Queen Daphne has that authority.¡±


    Tyler frowned, then grinned. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing I¡¯m in with the right crowd then, huh?¡±


    As if on cue Zoe stormed out of the tent wearing a scowl and her usual jeans and Team U.S.A. jersey, all cleaned and repaired. Her hair was unbraided and flowing loose about her shoulders. ¡°They¡¯re impossible,¡± she huffed, plopping down next to Jonathan and glaring at the tent. The dryads were standing by the entrance, holding a frilly green dress and some hair-dressing implements.


    ¡°Managed to escape, did you?¡± commented Kelviana as she sipped her soup.


    ¡°No thanks to you,¡± Zoe replied, brushing her hair back with her hands and taking a few deep breaths to calm herself down. ¡°You flew out of there so fast I thought the place was on fire.¡±


    ¡°It might have been if they had tried anything,¡± the fey mumbled into her bowl.


    ¡°I liked that dress,¡± said Tyler.


    ¡°Then you wear it,¡± replied Zoe, taking the bowl of soup that Dalir had quietly brought over. Jonathan was impressed with how silently the young centaur could move.


    ¡°I would like to begin as soon as you finish with your food, Princess,¡± said Thane with a small bow.


    Zoe nodded. ¡°Sorry I slept in. I know we''re in a hurry.¡±


    ¡°It was not your doing, Princess,¡± said Thane.


    ¡°Just call me Zoe,¡± she said with a scowl.


    ¡°Apologies, young Cousin. I cannot.¡±


    Jonathan slurped up the last bits of soup straight from his bowl and looked up. ¡°Why not? I know why Kelviana won¡¯t call us by name, but you don''t have the same power over people¡¯s names, do you?¡±


    ¡°No, young Cousin,¡± said Thane. ¡°Names are deeply personal, though. Unless you are one of our herd, it would not be proper to use your names so casually.¡±


    ¡°This place is a trip, man,¡± said Tyler, shaking his head before gulping down the rest of his own soup.


    <hr>


    It wasn¡¯t until they finally started walking that Jonathan realized he had not seen Aella since he woke up. Thane told him that he had asked the little sylph to monitor the sky for any signs of the Tempest, a task she had taken very seriously, it seemed. Kelviana was of the personal belief that she had simply gotten bored and left them for more exciting diversions. It wasn¡¯t long after she voiced her opinion that Aella returned, reporting that the Tempest was still circling the Wastelands, seemingly unaware that they had left. Kelviana frowned at that news, but would not share her thoughts.


    In the end, they were only able to walk for a few hours before Thane instructed Sangar and another centaur named Turva to begin looking for a suitable campsite. After about half an hour Sangar returned and said that they had found an adequate site not much further ahead and that Turva was securing the area. He led them a short ways off-trail into a clearing that was much the same as the one they had spent the previous night at and, on Thane¡¯s orders, the centaurs immediately began setting up camp, starting with the women¡¯s tent and then Jonathan and Tyler¡¯s, saving their own canopy for last.


    Zoe and Kelviana both managed to avoid the Queen¡¯s handmaidens by staying close to Jonathan and Tyler for the entire evening. Ever since the events of that morning the hamadryads had been keeping well clear of Jonathan. He felt a little bad about that. He hadn¡¯t meant to scare the young women, but Thane had told him not to worry too much about it. Dryads were generally shy around men anyway. When it came time for bed the boys let Zoe and Kelviana use their tent and they slept outside near the door. The night was warm and Jonathan actually found it quite pleasant. He decided that if they ever made it back to Earth he would give the Scouts another try.


    One advantage to sleeping under the stars was that it was easier to wake up with the sun. Thane was visibly relieved when he saw the boys stirring, and Kelviana emerged from the tent only a few moments later with a bedraggled-looking, but awake, Zoe behind her. The hamadryads came out of their own tent, shooting angry glares at Jonathan. Aella blew in with the morning breeze and reported that the Tempest was still circling the Wastelands. Jonathan wondered if sylphs slept and where they lived. Kelviana frowned again at the news but still wouldn¡¯t answer when Jonathan asked her why.


    The answer came a few hours later. They were all on foot ¨C except Kelviana, who could fly indefinitely once again ¨C and Thane was in good spirits. He said that the Grove was only a few more hours away and that they should be arriving by mid-afternoon. Tyler was walking with Sangar, the two were engrossed in conversation and seemed to be becoming fast friends. Zoe was staying close to Jonathan near the back and the Dryads were at the front with Thane. They took it in turns to glare back at Jonathan from time to time as if he had stolen their most prized possession. There was a spring to Zoe¡¯s steps and her face was rosy and bright. Jonathan should have been glad to see her looking so healthy and energetic, but Kelviana¡¯s words from a few nights ago kept coming to mind and making his stomach flip-flop about. ¡°You ok?¡± Zoe asked when she noticed him grimacing.


    ¡°How about you?¡± he asked. ¡°How are you feeling?¡±


    ¡°Really good, actually. This world is crazy, but it¡¯s kinda nice right here.¡± She smiled as a tiny light passed them by, a tinkling giggle coming from it.


    ¡°Kelviana says it''s because you¡¯re a nymph and part of the forest,¡± he said with a scowl. ¡°I don¡¯t like that.¡±


    Zoe¡¯s face hardened a bit. ¡°Really? She didn¡¯t tell me that.¡±


    ¡°I like her, but she definitely keeps secrets,¡± Jonathan observed. He still meant to ask about her time on Earth.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve noticed,¡± said Zoe. ¡°You know she¡¯s some kind of nobility or something? She grew up with servants and is good at dealing with them. She won¡¯t let Thane talk too much about her past when we¡¯re around though. Even the dryads won¡¯t tell me about it, and I know they know.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s easy to forget that she¡¯s super old,¡± said Jonathan, looking up at the fey where she was flying alongside Thane, looking for all the world like she was a few years younger than him and Zoe. ¡°There¡¯s no telling what her past was like.¡±


    Kelviana stopped suddenly and held up a hand. The centaurs instantly halted and Tyler almost bumped into Hamaan¡¯s rear-end. ¡°Hey!¡± he cried. ¡°What¨C¡±


    ¡°Shh!¡± hissed Kelviana. A strong breeze blew the branches of the nearby trees back and an instant later Aella zoomed out of the sky looking frantic. ¡°I know,¡± said Kelviana before the sylph could say anything. ¡°I can feel it.¡±


    ¡°Stormclouds,¡± Aella said, breathlessly. ¡°A lot of them. More than you fought the other day. About a mile behind you and moving fast.¡±


    ¡°This is what I was afraid of. They were waiting for reinforcements,¡± said Kelviana grimly.


    ¡°What about the Tempest?¡± asked Thane as he and the other warriors began strapping on their helmets and grabbing their shields.


    ¡°That¡¯s the real problem,¡± said Aella, zipping about madly. ¡°It¡¯s coming too. And it¡¯s bringing a friend with it.¡±


    <h2 style="text-align: center">END OF PART EIGHT</h2>

 Part Nine: Growing Tougher

    PART NINE:  GROWING TOUGHER


    ¡°This is not good,¡± said Thane.  ¡°We used most of our magic nuts during the fight in the Wastelands.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m back to full strength and have magic to spare,¡± said Kelviana.  ¡°I might not be able to stop all the Stormclouds, but I can at least delay them a little, especially if the Princess helps.  The Tempest will still be a problem though.  And with two of them on the way¡­¡±  Her face darkened and she shook her head.  ¡°No.  We need to run.¡±  She looked all around at their little group.  ¡°Anyone with two legs and no wings find a centaur!¡±  She shouted, then turned to Aella.  ¡°How long ¡®till they get here?¡±


    ¡°Right now,¡± said the sylph, pointing.  ¡°They¡¯re very fast.¡±


    ¡°We need to work on your communication skills,¡± sighed Kelviana.  ¡°Run!¡± she yelled as her blue dust swirled and flared brilliantly.  ¡°You!¡± she shouted to Aella.  ¡°Distract them!¡±  The sylph flew off and moments later a violent wind blew in from ahead of them.


    ¡°Come, Cousin!¡± shouted Dalir as Jonathan shielded his eyes against the wind.  Taraan was hoisting Zoe up and Tyler was already on Sangar¡¯s back.  Each of the dryads had a centaur of their own, leaving only Thane without a rider.  Jonathan grabbed Dalir¡¯s outstretched hand and the centaur pulled him up with one strong, fluid motion.  An ear-splitting scream pierced the sky and Jonathan crouched as low as he could even as he turned and looked up.  Through the blowing trees he saw two Tempests flying towards them, struggling against Aella¡¯s windstorm.  They beat their wings hard and smoke blew off of them in waves, but they were still approaching at an alarming rate.  ¡°Hold on tight!¡± Dalir shouted as he began to run at a full gallop.


    Kelviana flew up beside them, trailing blue dust behind her.  ¡°Acrimony must be desperate if he¡¯s attacking us in the forest like this,¡± she said, hollering to be heard over the sound of wind and pounding hooves.


    ¡°Wh¨C¡± Jonathan tried to say as he was bounced and jostled about on Dalir¡¯s back.  ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡±


    In response her dust flared so brightly it nearly went white and Jonathan had to turn his head away.  ¡°Because here, forest nymphs can¡¯t run out of magic.  I need your sister.¡±  She glanced up at the sky before looking ahead at the others as they ran through the thick forest.  ¡°Taraan!¡± she shouted. ¡°Bring the Princess, the rest of you go, lead them away from the Grove!¡±  Taraan broke away from the group and dropped back to run alongside Kelviana.  Zoe had her arms wrapped tightly around his waist, her hands glowing bright green and her eyes scrunched shut.  Kelviana drew her glowing sword.  ¡°Hope you''re ready for another practical lesson, Princess,¡± she said.  Zoe opened her eyes and nodded, her face hardening with concentration as her hands began to glow brighter than they already were.  She hadn¡¯t even flinched at being called a princess.


    ¡°I¡¯m ¨C¡± Jonathan started to say.


    ¡°No, you¡¯re not!¡± Kelviana snapped, interrupting him.  ¡°Dalir, get him away from here, and don¡¯t let him jump off your back, that¡¯s an order.¡±


    ¡°Yes, General,¡± Dalir said and began to run faster.  Before Jonathan could say anything in protest Kelviana and Taraan dropped back, taking Zoe with them.  Jonathan hadn¡¯t even had a chance to say one word to her.  The sky flared brilliant orange and the trees they had run past only a moment before were engulfed in flame.  A wall of blue dust rose behind them and the flames crashed into it, only feet from where Taraan had stopped.


    ¡°Zoe!¡± Jonathan shouted, but his cries were lost in the rush of wind, smoke, and ash that came right behind the firestorm.  By the time it cleared, Dalir was so far ahead that Jonathan couldn¡¯t see Zoe, Kelviana, or Taraan through the trees.  The glow of the fire was still all too visible, though.  ¡°We have to help them!¡± Jonathan cried as a pillar of green dust shot up into the air.  He couldn¡¯t see the Tempest through the trees, but he heard its scream.  More fire rained down on the forest.


    ¡°We cannot, young cousin.  We have no magic.  This is not a battle we can fight.  Besides, I have my orders.¡±


    Jonathan reached down and tried to grab the spear that was strapped to Dalir¡¯s side.  It wasn¡¯t easy since Dalir was still running at a full gallop and tree branches were constantly whipping past, slapping and scratching at him.  When he finally had the spear in his hands he found it was surprisingly easy to hold, despite its nearly ten-foot length.  It began to glow green as soon as he grasped it.  ¡°What about these?¡± he asked.  ¡°They¡¯ve got magic in them, right?¡±


    ¡°Indeed, but not the kind your sister and the General possess.  All it does is allow our weapons to injure the smoke creatures.¡±


    ¡°Well, at least that¡¯s something!¡± Jonathan said as Dalir burst from the trees and into a large meadow.  Jonathan started to swing a leg over to jump off and run back to Zoe but Dalir reached back and stopped him.


    ¡°Leave the Tempests to the nymphs, brave Cousin,¡± he said, slowing his pace.  ¡°We have our own battle to fight.  Look,¡± he said and pointed ahead.  Jonathan followed the centaur¡¯s gesture and saw what he meant. Thane and the others had stopped in a cluster near the center of the meadow, protectively surrounding the hamadryads and pointing their longbows at a massive, roiling crowd of Stormclouds that were blocking their way.  Behind Jonathan, the forest burned.


    ¡°Prepare for battle, Cousin!¡± Dalir said as he ran to join their companions.


    ¡°You want me to fight?¡± asked Jonathan.  ¡°What about your orders?¡±


    ¡°I was told to get you away from the Tempests.  I have fulfilled that duty.  Now I have a new duty, to fight alongside my herd and defend those we have sworn to protect.  Will you do me the honor of fighting by my side, Cousin?¡±


    Jonathan felt a surge of pride and gripped the spear tight.  ¡°How do I use this?¡±


    Dalir grinned and pointed.  ¡°See those Stormclouds?¡±  Jonathan nodded.  ¡°Hit them with it.  Preferably with the sharp end.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡±  He had thought there would be a bit more to it.


    Dalir began stringing his longbow.  ¡°Don¡¯t drop your weapon.  If you do, I have a spare on the other side.  And don¡¯t fall off me.  If you do, keep your back to a friend.  And don¡¯t wet yourself.  If you do, you will owe me a good brushing later.¡±


    Jonathan laughed despite his nervousness.  ¡°After staring down a Tempest''s throat, a few Stormclouds don¡¯t seem all that bad anymore,¡± he said, trying to sound braver than he felt.


    ¡°They brought some Hurricanes too,¡± Tyler said grimly as Dalir came alongside Sangar.  The two centaurs touched the tips of their bows to each other in a sort of greeting.  Tyler eyed Jonathan¡¯s spear then his own slingshot.  ¡°How¡¯d you score one of those?¡±


    ¡°He claimed it, brave Human,¡± said Dalir, with a hint of pride.


    Tyler reached down to grab one of Sangar¡¯s spears.  ¡°Then I claim this one,¡± he said.  Sangar reached back and slapped his hand.  ¡°Hey!¡± he cried.  ¡°C¡¯mon.  This,¡± he held up the slingshot, ¡°won¡¯t do any good against those guys.¡±


    ¡°The human is right,¡± said Thane, coming over to them.  ¡°It is time these colts became stallions.¡±  He reached into his side pouch and pulled out some acorns.  ¡°Use these wisely, Cousin.  I do not believe the Queen would mind, in this instance.  You can return any you have remaining when this is over.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Tyler said, reverently taking the acorns and putting them in the front pocket of his hoodie.  ¡°How do they work?¡±


    ¡°Break them while picturing what you need in your mind.  As long as it is within the dryad¡¯s powers the magic does the rest.¡±


    A massive shriek from behind made Jonathan and Tyler both turn.   Jonathan could see a small blue speck flying around one Tempest, bursts of blue flashing from it while green dust assailed the beast from below.  That has to be Kelviana and Zoe, he thought.  Meanwhile, it seemed Aella had made a small tornado that was currently demanding all of the second Tempest¡¯s attention.


    ¡°Captain!¡± Turva called.  ¡°Something approaches.¡±  With great effort, Jonathan turned from the battle behind and looked where Turva indicated.  A small, dark figure was walking across the field towards them.  Jonathan¡¯s heart sank in recognition.  Beside him, Tyler groaned.


    ¡°You know this nymph?¡± Thane asked, sensing their reactions.


    ¡°It¡¯s Vendetta, the dark fey,¡±  Jonathan said with a groan.


    Thane nodded in understanding.  He waited until she was closer then called out: ¡°What words would an unseelie traitor have to say before justice is delivered?¡±


    ¡°I have broken no pact with the Centaurs or Dryads,¡± Vendetta said, stopping about twenty feet away.  Her voice betrayed no hint that she took offense to his accusations.  ¡°Give up the humans and I will leave your lands intact and in peace.¡±  She paused and watched the battle raging in the sky behind them for a moment.  ¡°Well, mostly intact, at least.¡±


    ¡°The humans are under our protection.  We will not surrender them to the likes of you, Oathbreaker.¡±


    ¡°To fey, forest, or forest-kin I have sworn no oaths, Horse-spawn,¡± said Vendetta.  ¡°My allegiance is to none but myself.¡±


    ¡°Not even to Acrimony, whom you dare call ¡®Lord¡¯?¡± Thane growled, bristling.


    ¡°A title, nothing more.  He is providing me a means to my own ends, and if the price for that is me calling him ¡®Lord,¡¯ then so be it.  What name I call him by matters not.¡±


    ¡°Names are never meaningless.  A fey should understand this better than most.¡±


    ¡°Names do have power,¡± agreed Vendetta.  ¡°But only true names.  You see, truth is something else fey understand better than most.  No one knows Lord Acrimony¡¯s true name, least of all me.  He would never be so foolish as to give it up.¡±


    ¡°And what of your true name, Chrysanthemum?¡± asked Thane.


    ¡°She died beneath the waning moon, dancing the endless rings left by her fallen clan.  When she passed, Vendetta was born.  Now, enough of this foolish banter.  Surrender the humans or make your last stand.  The choice is yours.¡±


    ¡°Many centuries ago my people swore to protect the dryads and their lands.  Your lord became our enemy the day he decided to slaughter hamadryads by the hundreds so he could make war on the fey.  This crime he has yet to answer for.¡±  He paused and looked at the burning forest behind them.  His face darkened and suddenly the kindly grandfather Jonathan had come to see him as was gone.  In his place was a hardened ¡ª and very dangerous ¡ª warrior.  ¡°We have a vendetta of our own,¡± he said, raising his spear.  The other centaurs did the same.


    ¡°Have it your way,¡± Vendetta said, then turned to walk away.


    ¡°Your wing still bothering you?¡±  Tyler called out suddenly, surprising Jonathan.  ¡°Or did you just decide that you like walking?¡±


    Vendetta turned and glared at him.  ¡°Watch it, little boy.  We have unfinished business, you and I.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll say,¡± replied Tyler.  ¡°It was all fun and games until you blew up my house.¡±


    Vendetta smiled.  ¡°You know?  I think I¡¯m glad the Tempest missed you.  Lord Acrimony only needs one human, and he wants the girl.  That means I can keep you all to myself.  Think of the fun and games we can have together then.¡±


    ¡°Sorry,¡± said Tyler.  ¡°I only play with kids my own size.¡±  It was a good line, but Jonathan couldn¡¯t help remembering all the times he¡¯d seen Tyler and his cronies picking on the smaller kids at school.  He liked this version of Tyler much better.


    Vendetta smiled deviously then put her fingers to her lips and whistled far more loudly than Jonathan would have thought possible from someone as small as her.  ¡°Big things can come in little packages, boy,¡± she said.  There was an earth-shaking roar followed by a blast of hot wind as one of the Tempests landed with a crash on the ground beside her.  The other one was still circling the forest, surrounded by flashes of light and colored dust.  Zoe and the others didn¡¯t seem to be hurting it much, but the Tempest didn¡¯t seem to be making much progress against them either.  Jonathan wondered what had happened to Aella if this Tempest was suddenly free from the little Sylph¡¯s attacks.  He hoped she was alright.  Vendetta walked up to the waiting Tempest and patted it on the side before climbing up and settling down at the base of its neck.  ¡°See you around, kid.  If you survive this day.¡±


    Thane immediately crushed an acorn and green dust flew toward the Tempest¡¯s muzzle.  Vendetta casually swatted it away with a wave of her hand and some black dust of her own.  A moment later a pulse of something crashed into their group, nearly knocking Jonathan off Dalir¡¯s back.  The centaur grunted and struggled to keep his own balance.  The Tempest beat its wings and rose into the sky, the wind flattening the grass all around it.  ¡°Form up!¡± Thane shouted and the seven centaurs formed a ¡°V¡± around the dryads, with the tip pointing towards the waiting Stormclouds, who had begun their charge the moment Vendetta rose into the air.  Dalir and Sangar took their positions at the back ends of the ¡°V,¡± keeping Jonathan and Tyler as far from the charge as possible.  Thane shouted a command and as one the centaurs raised their bows and fired at the Tempest as it flew higher.  Most of the arrows found their marks, causing the Tempest to cry out in pain and anger.  It opened its great jaws and fire billowed out.  As soon as he had released his arrow Thane broke another acorn and used the green dust to form a sort of umbrella above them.  The fire crashed into the barrier and spilled out onto the ground all around them like molten lava.  Jonathan shielded his face from the heat, waiting for the magic to extinguish the flames, but the umbrella just faded away instead.


    ¡°Ready your spear, Cousin!¡± Dalir called back as he held his shield up in front of them with one hand and swapped his bow for his spare spear with the other.  ¡°They come!¡±  Jonathan fought down a sudden urge to vomit and clenched his spear tight.  Across the way, on the other side of the dryads, Jonathan saw Sangar lifting his own spear while Tyler readied an acorn in his slingshot.  The centaurs all had their shields up, each overlapping their neighbor¡¯s slightly in what Jonathan recognized as a phalanx maneuver.  Behind him, the other Tempest roared.  Vendetta¡¯s Tempest answered with its own deafening roar, and then the Stormclouds reached them.


    The fire that the Tempest had lit still burned and most of the charging Stormclouds were forced to turn away, saving the front of the centaur¡¯s ¡°V¡± from the worst of the initial assault.  A few of the enemy managed to find their way through some small gaps in the flames, but the centaur¡¯s spears easily dispatched them.  A large portion of the Stormclouds veered around the flames and came at the group from the rear, suddenly placing Jonathan and Tyler at the front of the charge.  Jonathan lashed out as the smoke creatures lunged at them, not bothering to aim carefully.  Dalir struck with precision, each stroke finding its mark and dispatching two or three at a time.  Jonathan felt like a little child, swinging wildly at a baseball sitting on a tee, but there were so many Stormclouds he still managed to hit one or two with each stroke of his spear, and the red-eyed monsters would dissolve into mist regardless of what part of the spear hit them, be it tip or shaft.  A few tendrils managed to reach him, despite Dalir¡¯s massive shield, but he didn¡¯t even feel their bite and just kept slashing away.


    A wall of green dust rose before them, causing any Stormclouds that hit it to dissolve.  A few became trapped inside with the centaurs and were quickly eliminated.  The advancing wave of Stormclouds that remained outside the wall stopped several feet back, churning like the tide on a dark and angry sea.  Jonathan was breathing heavily, sweat stung his eyes and his palms were slick, threatening to make him lose his grip on his spear.  The exchange had lasted only moments, but it had felt like an eternity to him.  Even Dalir was breathing hard, though he stood tall and defiant as he glared out of the eyeholes of his helmet, his muscles twitching eagerly beneath Jonathan¡¯s seat.


    The reprieve was short-lived as a piercing scream sounded from above and Vendetta¡¯s Tempest flew at them, fire billowing out of its mouth.  Tyler cried out and fired an acorn from his slingshot at the same time as Thane crushed one of his own, forming a new dome above them.  Tyler¡¯s acorn made it past the dome just before it finished forming and struck the wall of fire first.  It exploded into a massive ball of water, extinguishing the flames and raining down all around them.  Thane¡¯s dome kept them dry, but the Stormclouds outside were drenched and dozens of them faded, washed away by the deluge.  ¡°Excellent shot, Cousin!¡± Thane called, and Tyler grinned.  ¡°We must conserve our magic though.  I am already nearly spent.¡±  Tyler''s grin fell and his brows furrowed.  Jonathan wondered how many Tyler had left.


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ¡°Can¡¯t the dryads make more?¡± asked Jonathan, gesturing to the women still huddled nearby, their eyes wide with fear.  Dalir shook his head, the red plume at the top of his helmet swaying.  ¡°No, only full dryads can do that.¡±  Jonathan felt Dalir¡¯s muscles tense and looked up to see three Hurricanes pushing through the crowd of Stormclouds towards them.  ¡°Ready yourself, Cousin.  The shield will not last long against these.¡±  Jonathan nodded, remembering his first encounter with one of the massive beasts.  Above them, Vendetta¡¯s Tempest snarled and shook itself.  It seemed that it wasn¡¯t overly fond of getting wet.


    The sea of Stormclouds parted as the Hurricanes reached them.  Several tendrils immediately whipped out and began beating against the green dome, which shuddered with each strike but held fast.  Thane trotted over from his place at the head of the ¡°V¡± and called Sangar over.  ¡°When the dome fails we make for the trees, keep the dryads and the colts in the center.¡±


    The centaurs bowed.  ¡°Yes, Captain,¡± they said but exchanged nervous glances with each other.  Thane nodded and moved on to relay more orders, and the centaurs began moving into a new formation putting the dryads in the center of a circle.  Unfortunately, there weren¡¯t enough centaurs to make a solid wall, and there were large gaps in the perimeter.


    ¡°Our duty is to protect you and the dryads,¡± explained Dalir, taking his place in the formation, not quite a part of the circle, but not fully in the center either.  ¡°We cannot do that here.  This position is too vulnerable.  Our best hope is to push through the enemy and find cover in the woods.  I will try to keep the enemy away, but I trust you to deal with any that get by.  Do not let them reach the Hamadryads.¡±  He looked back as the Hurricanes continued to pound against the dome.  Vendetta and the Tempest hovered menacingly overhead, waiting.  ¡°I will not lie, Cousin.  This battle will be hard with slim chance of success.  Are you prepared?¡±


    Jonathan nodded, his throat suddenly very dry.  He hoped that Zoe would at least be able to get away and was glad Kelviana was with her.  A powerful gust of wind blew in from the direction of the other fight and Vendetta¡¯s Tempest screamed in frustration as it tried to maintain its stability.  It cried out again when it suddenly found itself surrounded by dozens of tiny sylphs harassing it with bursts of white light and miniature tornadoes.  Vendetta screamed and black dust flew all around, but the sylphs just laughed and darted away before it could hit them.  The centaurs cheered, and the dome shattered.


    ¡°NOW!¡± roared Thane and Jonathan wrenched his gaze from the welcome yet unexpected sight above.  Stormclouds and Hurricanes rushed forward.  Tyler let another acorn fly, this one hit the lead Hurricane, and another massive ball of water exploded, eliminating it and most of the Stormclouds around it.  The circle of centaurs quickly moved into the muddy gap left behind, shields held before them and spears pointing out in all directions.  Wherever a Stormcloud tried to push through, a spear would slash out, leaving only smoky vapor behind.  For one brief moment, Jonathan dared to hope that they might actually make it.  Then one of the Hurricanes swooped out with its massive tendrils and Hamaan went flying, his four legs flailing.  Spears and even a few arrows rained down on the Hurricane, which quickly dissolved away, but the damage had been done.  Stormclouds poured through the opening left by Hamaan, and Dalir, Sangar, Tyler, and Jonathan found themselves hacking wildly at a crushing wave of darkness.  Burning hot tendrils slashed at Jonathan¡¯s legs and Dalir¡¯s flanks, but Jonathan was so focused on his task that he barely noticed.  He shoved his spear into the midst of a cluster of Stormclouds and watched with satisfaction as three of them turned into harmless smoke ¨C then with a violent twist, his spear was wrenched from his grasp and went spinning off into the pressing tide of dark clouds.


    Before he could reach down to grab one of Dalir¡¯s spare spears he felt some tendrils wrap themselves around his waist and pull.  He was very nearly yanked right off Dalir¡¯s back, but managed to grasp one of the saddlebags and held on tight as panic rose inside him.  He knew that if he fell off now it would be all over for him.  He screamed in rage and kicked out with his feet, feeling them connect with the soft bodies of the Stormclouds, though it did no good and his only reward was burnt ankles.  The Stormcloud that held him yanked even harder and Jonathan gripped the saddlebag desperately, pulling harder than he had ever pulled on anything in his life.  He screamed again while Dalir slashed with his spear, managing to hit several Stormclouds but missing the one that held Jonathan.  Then the strap broke.


    For one eerily peaceful moment everything was still as he fell through the air.  He landed flat on his back and the world erupted in a flash of red and black as the air was pushed from his lungs and mud splattered all around.  Stormclouds swarmed him and he tried to scream, but his lungs only filled with burning hot smoke.  Then the world erupted again, this time in blue, and the Stormclouds were blown away, leaving Jonathan alone on the muddy ground only a few feet from the terrified Hamadryads.  A fit of coughing overtook him and he curled into a ball as he hacked and wretched, trying to get cool, clean air into his charred lungs.  ¡°We¡¯ve gotta stop meeting like this, kid,¡± said Kelviana with a sigh as she landed next to him.  Blue dust surrounded him and he instantly felt better, his lungs greedily gulping in the fresh air.


    ¡°Hamaan,¡± he gasped.  ¡°He¡¯s hurt too.¡±


    She turned and noticed Hamaan lying motionless not too far from where they were and quickly flew over to him, blue dust swirling around him before she even landed.  Immediately he began to stir and a few moments later he got his legs beneath him and pushed himself up, covered in mud and bellowing in rage.  He grabbed a spear from the straps at his flanks and hurled it at the last remaining Hurricane.  The spear buried half its length squarely between the creature¡¯s eyes and it dissolved away an instant later.  The surging Stormclouds hesitated at the loss of their champions and Kelviana took that moment to hit them with another pulse, sending dozens of them flying and fading away.  Jonathan made a mental note never to anger a centaur ¨C or Kelviana, for that matter.


    Taraan arrived, still carrying Zoe on his back.  With a cry she jumped off and ran over to Jonathan, dropping to her knees by his side.  He groaned.  ¡°What happened?¡± he asked, still panting slightly.  ¡°Where¡¯s the Tempest?¡±


    ¡°A bunch of sylphs showed up and chased it off,¡± she said with a relieved smile.  She was breathing heavily and sweating but seemed unhurt.


    ¡°My sisters!¡± Aella said, appearing next to Zoe and looking very pleased with herself.  ¡°The storm down south was over and they thought it would be fun to help.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± said Jonathan, sitting up and rubbing his head.


    ¡°Keep moving!¡± bellowed Thane.  Taraan had taken a spot in the circle, and the others adjusted their positions accordingly, making the gaps that much smaller, but they were still being pressed hard from all sides.  Jonathan took a few more deep breaths then picked up his fallen spear, which had landed only a foot from where he fell.  He stood up with Zoe¡¯s help then Dalir reached out and helped him climb onto his back once again.  ¡°Stay in the center now, Princess,¡± Thane called as he swiped his spear through a cluster of Stormclouds.  The entire group was inching forward step by step as more new ground was freed.  ¡°Do what you can from there, but stay safe.  Can you cover us from above, General?¡±


    In response, Kelviana took to the air and began hurling balls of blue dust down on the Stormclouds in front of them.  Jonathan worried that this would expose the fey to Vendetta and her Tempest, but they were still fully occupied with the sylphs, who were harassing the Tempest so badly that Jonathan was certain if it hadn¡¯t been for Vendetta¡¯s control, it would have long since flown off like its counterpart had.  Kelviana¡¯s magic balls exploded like grenades wherever they landed, scattering the smoke creatures in every direction.  It was kind of ridiculous how much of a difference her presence made.  Zoe was doing her part too.  She set up a wall of green dust at their backs and kept it close as they moved, preventing their enemies from reaching them from behind.  This let the centaurs adjust their formation to a semicircle with even smaller gaps.  Tyler had given up entirely on the slingshot and was now hacking away at the Stormclouds with one of Sangar¡¯s spears.  The two of them had moved from just behind the main line to the front, between Hamaan and Turva.  Jonathan noticed with a small twinge of envy that they actually made a good team.  Sangar would bash the Stormclouds with his shield, pushing them back and away where Tyler could more easily stab at them.  With his greater size and strength, Tyler was much more effective with the spear than Jonathan, easily dispatching two or three with each stroke, whereas Jonathan was lucky the few times he had managed two at once.  They were gaining ground much quicker now, and Jonathan began to think the worst was over ¡ª until the second wave arrived.


    The sky darkened and the sound of hundreds of flapping wings filled the air.  The fighting paused for a brief moment as everyone from both sides looked to the sky.  A black cloud blotted out the sun, but as Jonathan watched, the cloud changed direction and small bits of sunlight sparkled through in several places.  He quickly realized that it wasn¡¯t a cloud at all, but a giant flock of some sort of bird-like creatures.  As the cloud drew nearer, loud, piercing screeches filled his ears and the army of Stormclouds replied with nightmarish screams of their own before surging forward with renewed fervor.


    ¡°Cloudbursts!¡± Kelviana cried, flying down towards them.  ¡°Get to the trees now!¡±  She sent an invisible pulse out in front of them and a hole opened up in the enemy lines directly ahead of them as Stormclouds flew screaming in every direction.  ¡°Ty!  If you have any acorns left, now¡¯s the time to use them!¡± she called out as she flew past, her sword glowing brighter than he had ever seen it glow before.  Despite the urgency of the moment Jonathan paused, realizing she had used one of their names for the first time ever.  Part of him was disappointed it hadn¡¯t been his.  ¡°Keep that gap open!¡±  She pointed her sword at the gap she had just made before flying off to meet the new threat.


    ¡°Princess!¡± Thane called, grunting as he held back several Stormclouds with his shield.  Zoe turned to him, holding her arms out towards the wall she was still maintaining at their rear.  She was sweating heavily.


    ¡°I can only make one wall at a time!¡± she called back.  The gap was already filling back in with Stormclouds.  Hamaan and Turva were doing what they could to hold back the pressing hordes but were rapidly losing ground while Tyler and Sangar pressed ever deeper into the fray.  Dalir and Jonathan were sticking close to the Hamadryads as ordered even though the bulk of the fight was at the front lines.  Jonathan swiped ¡ª almost lazily ¡ª at a solitary Stormcloud that was making straight for Zoe, easily dispatching it.


    ¡°Sangar!¡± Dalir cried out.  ¡°Remember your orders!¡±  The other centaur turned and raised his spear in salute, but did not turn back.  Dalir muttered something under his breath but before Jonathan could ask him what he said there was a piercing shriek directly above them.  Jonathan looked up just in time to see a large net falling down on them.  It landed before he could even raise his hands.  It was far heavier than he would have thought, and it pressed down on him and Dalir, tangling in their spears and wrapping about their arms and necks.  Dalir began to stumble and Jonathan knew even before it happened that they were going to fall.  Dalir landed heavily on his side, pinning Jonathan¡¯s leg between his heavy body and the ground.  Dalir rolled back and forth, grinding Johnathan¡¯s leg deeper into the ground in his struggle to get free from the net, momentarily forgetting that he was still on his back.  Jonathan screamed in pain, causing Dalir to come to his senses and stop thrashing about.


    ¡°Help them!¡± he heard Kelviana cry from above.  Johnathan looked up and saw her flying towards them, hot on the heels of a group of Cloudbursts.  A ball of blue dust hit the creature in the rear of the pack, exploding and dissolving the others along with it.  ¡°Sangar, Ty!¡± she shouted.  ¡°Get back in formation!¡±  Another group of Cloudbursts tried dropping a net on her, but she slashed it to pieces with her sword before it landed and flew off in pursuit after shooting an angry glare at Tyler and Sangar, who were making their way back to their positions, looking rather sullen.


    Tyler jumped from Sangar¡¯s back and the two of them helped pull the heavy net off of Dalir and Jonathan.  With a quiet apology, Sangar helped Dalir get back up, careful not to grind Jonathan¡¯s leg any worse.  As the centaur¡¯s heavy body was lifted away a fresh wave of pain coursed through Jonathan¡¯s leg and he gritted his teeth, determined not to cry out in front of the others.  ¡°Come on, Prince John,¡± said Tyler, holding out a hand.  There was a sharpness to his voice and when Jonathan looked at his face he saw anger in the older boy¡¯s eyes.  Jonathan took Tyler¡¯s hand and he roughly pulled him up.  He nearly fell right back over as he tried to put some weight on the leg Dalir had landed on.  The pain was so intense he saw stars.  Tyler glanced at his injured leg and shook his head, scoffing slightly.


    ¡°What?¡± Jonathan asked, grimacing in pain and leaning on his spear.


    A scream interrupted any response Tyler might have been about to make.  They turned just in time to see another net land on top of the Hamadryads, barely missing Zoe, who was a few feet away, keeping the rear wall intact.  She jumped in surprise and the wall flickered as she lost her concentration.  A half dozen Stormclouds broke through before she was able to make it solid again.  ¡°Sorry!¡± she cried in dismay.  Dalir, Tyler, and Sangar immediately jumped into action.  Sangar and Tyler ran to the Hamadryads and began pulling at the net while Dalir focused on keeping the Stormclouds away.  Jonathan tried to move to help, but his leg refused to work properly and whenever it did move the pain was so bad it brought tears to his eyes.  He hoped it wasn¡¯t broken.  A new sound drew his attention upward and he saw a huge cluster of Cloudbursts directly above them, carrying the largest net he had seen yet.


    ¡°Watch out!¡± he cried, pointing.  Dalir heard and looked up in time to see their danger.  He bellowed something and immediately ran for Tyler as the net began to fall.  Sangar had been engaging with a Stormcloud, which he quickly dispatched, but Jonathan could already tell that he would not escape in time.  Dalir grabbed a shocked Tyler and dove away just as the net landed, covering Sangar and the Hamadryads once more.  Dalir landed in a heap ¨C there is no way for a centaur to dive gracefully ¨C and was instantly beset by three remaining Stormclouds.  Tyler was too stunned to help, Zoe had to keep her focus on the wall, and Jonathan was useless with his bad leg.  Dalir bellowed again, kicking out with his hooves and swiping awkwardly at the Stormclouds with his spear, which was too long and unwieldy to be much use on the ground.  ¡°Kelviana!¡± Jonathan shouted, scanning the sky for her tell-tale blue glow, but she was nowhere to be seen.  Cloudbursts began to descend on them, chittering and cawing and grabbing at them with their sharp claws, pecking at Sangar as he struggled helplessly beneath the heavy net.  A few Sylphs flittered about, harassing the Cloudbursts, but they had whipped themselves into a frenzy and ignored the little wind elementals.  ¡°Help!¡± Jonathan cried again, but his voice was lost in the cacophony of the battle.  Zoe screamed as a Cloudburst flew at her.  She destroyed it with a burst of green dust, but the wall dissolved away as she did and Stormclouds poured through like a tidal wave.  ¡°Zoe!¡± Jonathan screamed and began limping his way towards her as fast as he could, blinking away the tears that sprang to his eyes from the pain in his leg.


    ¡°General!¡± Thane¡¯s voice thundered, easily breaking through the din and confusion of the battle.  ¡°Get the foals to safety!¡±


    In response a blue wall larger than any Jonathan had seen yet sprang up behind Zoe, destroying a cluster of Stormclouds in the process.  Another pulse of energy rushed past them and Stormclouds and Cloudbursts flew screaming in every direction.  Blue balls exploded all around, a few hitting close to Jonathan and Zoe, but the explosions did nothing but cover them in blue dust.  Any smoke creature that was hit, however, dissolved instantly.  ¡°Run, fools!¡± Kelviana cried, rushing past their heads in a brilliant blue flash.


    ¡°But my ¨C¡± Jonathan started to say, realizing that she didn¡¯t know about his leg.


    ¡°No buts!¡± she shouted, adding a curse in her own tongue as she swiped her sword through a few Cloudbursts.  ¡°I can¡¯t keep this up forever, you know!  Dalir, carry them out of here if you have to!¡±


    ¡°Yes, General,¡± Dalir said as he and Tyler stood up.  Tyler still seemed a bit dazed but was quickly snapping out of it.  He looked over at Sangar and the Hamadryads, who were still struggling beneath the net, and his eyes widened.  He moved as if to run over and help, but Kelviana stopped him with a small wall of dust.  Dalir looked torn between his orders and his desire to help Sangar.


    ¡°I¡¯ll help them,¡± said Kelviana, glancing at Dalir as she continued to fight off the circling Cloudbursts.  ¡°You worry about the kids.  They¡¯re more important at the moment.  Acrimony can¡¯t get his hands on them, no matter what.¡±  Dalir¡¯s face hardened and he nodded, placing a closed fist on his chest.


    ¡°I¡¯m not leaving Sangar!¡± Tyler shouted up at her.  He shoved past Dalir and began running toward the fallen centaur.  A blanket of blue dust wrapped itself around him, clamping his arms to his side and squeezing his legs shut.  He cried out in surprise and nearly fell over but instead floated up and hovered a few inches off the ground.  Kelviana slashed a few more Cloudbursts to mist then flew back down.  Zoe watched with wide eyes and one hand over her mouth.


    ¡°I¡¯m not asking,¡± she growled, getting right up in Tyler¡¯s face.  ¡°I told you that I expected you all to obey me when I brought you here.  That was my only condition, and I expect you to keep your word.  You don¡¯t want to break faith with the Fey.  Understand?¡±  Tyler nodded, eyes wide.  ¡°Good,¡± Kelviana said with a curt nod.  ¡°Get them out of here, soldier,¡± she said to Dalir.  With a bright flash of light another pulse radiated out from her and a hole in the wall of enemies opened up behind them.  Dalir grabbed Jonathan and swung him onto his back.  It was all Jonathan could do not to drop the spear he was still clutching.  Suddenly a piercing screech seemed to shatter the sky above them and the world turned orange.  Zoe screamed and Tyler cried out as the blanket of dust holding him dissolved.  He fell back to the ground and stumbled as he regained his balance.  Jonathan looked up and saw Vendetta¡¯s Tempest hovering above them, the last remnants of its tempestfire fading away where Kelviana¡¯s shield had stopped it.  A few Sylphs still flew about, trying to harass it, but Vendetta had placed a black shield around herself and the Tempest was ignoring them entirely.   Most of the little creatures had flown off to annoy the Cloudbursts.


    ¡°Darkwood,¡± Vendetta said from her perch.


    ¡°Chrysanthemum,¡± Kelviana growled back.


    ¡°That naive little fairy died along with the rest of her clan,¡± said Vendetta.  ¡°I am her avenger.¡±


    ¡°I will not give your little game credence by playing along with it,¡± said Kelviana.  ¡°Your true name is Chrysanthemum.  You gave it to me, and that is what I shall call you.¡±


    ¡°Do what you will with it,¡± said Vendetta with a dismissive wave.  ¡°I hold not to that name any longer.¡±  She smiled and looked down at the scene below.  ¡°Thanks for collecting the humans for me.  Though it seems my Cloudbursts need some help with their aim.¡±  Kelviana said something in her own language and Vendetta¡¯s eyes widened in mock surprise.  ¡°Such language, and from a princess, no less.¡±  She smiled again as Kelviana faltered slightly.  ¡°Oh yes, I have not been idle these last few days.  I know all about you ¨C Kelviana, daughter of Queen Melody, heir to the Darkwood clan.  Your mother says ¡®hi,¡¯ by the way.  She wants you to come home as soon as you can.¡±


    Kelviana¡¯s dust spun wildly and burned brilliant white, forcing Jonathan to close his eyes and turn away. The fighting had mostly stopped, he realized, and nearly all eyes were on the two Fey.  ¡°What have you done, traitor?¡± Kelviana said, her voice strained.


    ¡°I just paid a visit to your home and gave them a reminder that their little war is far from over.  Besides, I wanted to see where my new friend lives and meet her parents.  Isn¡¯t that the polite thing to do?  I left a few Hurricanes behind though, and they really can¡¯t be trusted without constant supervision, we should hurry back to check on them.  You have such a lovely garden.  It would be a shame if anything happened to the little fairy buds.¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t¡­¡± Kelviana said, her face turning white.  Zoe gasped and several of the centaurs grumbled and stirred angrily.  Dalir stamped his hooves and Jonathan sensed his muscles tightening beneath him.


    ¡°Not me, Princess Darkwood.  It all depends on how reasonable you can be.  Their fate is in your hands.  Give me the humans, surrender peacefully, and they¡¯ll be just fine.¡±  She put a finger to her lips and thought for a moment.  ¡°They should be fine.  Like I said, those Hurricanes really need to be supervised.¡±


    ¡°You would hurt innocent fairies just to get your revenge?¡± Thane growled.  ¡°Have you no honor?¡±


    ¡°Honor died along with my clan, Horse-spawn,¡± Vendetta spat.  ¡°That included our fairies,¡±


    ¡°And yet you side with the one responsible?¡±


    ¡°Blah, blah, blah,¡± she said mockingly.  ¡°The longer we talk the more bored the Hurricanes become.  What answer do you give, Darkwood?  Surrender, or fight and lose your clan¡¯s future?¡±


    Kelviana glared at Vendetta, shaking with rage.  Vendetta smiled back calmly.  Eventually, Kelviana¡¯s magic dust slowed its frantic swirl and dimmed back to its normal blue.  She turned and looked at Thane, defeat clear in her eyes.  Thane nodded, and she nodded back, a faint, pained, smile on her face.  ¡°You win, Chrysanthemum.  You can have the kids.  I won¡¯t stop you.¡±


    <h2 style="text-align: center">END OF PART NINE</h2>

 Part Ten: Growing Desperate

    PART TEN: GROWING DESPERATE


    After that, things moved very, very quickly.  Vendetta immediately created a blanket of black dust and wrapped Kelviana in it, immobilizing her.  Tyler bellowed in rage and tried to charge but found himself wrapped in yet another blanket of dust.  He toppled and fell over, this time hitting the ground hard.  Taraan cried out in protest but Thane ordered him to stand down, though Jonathan could tell that the order pained him greatly.  Zoe¡¯s hands flared bright green, brighter than Jonathan had ever seen them glow before.  A pulse of green light radiated out from her, much the same way Kelviana and Vendetta¡¯s invisible pulses did, and most of the smoke creatures around her disintegrated.  Vendetta chuckled from atop her Tempest, which was unaffected by Zoe¡¯s magical pulse.


    ¡°Zoe, Zoe,¡± she said, clicking her tongue.  ¡°Be a good girl now and don¡¯t cause any trouble, ok?¡±


    To Jonathan¡¯s dismay, Zoe stopped struggling and her hands lost their glow.  She stood perfectly still, staring straight ahead with blank eyes.  Tyler struggled against his bonds, but they held him fast, his screams of rage muffled by the black dust covering his mouth.  Jonathan stood, frozen in shock, unable to process what was happening.  Had Kelviana really just turned them over to Vendetta, after all they had been through?  She had to protect the fairies and fey of her clan, he understood that, but wasn¡¯t there another way?  Hadn¡¯t she been saying that Acrimony couldn¡¯t be allowed to get his hands on them, no matter what?  Now she was just giving up?  Couldn¡¯t she challenge Vendetta to a duel, then rush back to the Darkwood with an army of centaurs behind them, ready to liberate her beleaguered clansmen?


    A stinging lash to his back made him cry out in pain.  He spun around to find himself surrounded by Stormclouds pushing their way between him and Dalir, who looked like he was ready to take on the entire enemy army by himself.  ¡°Ok, ok,¡± Jonathan said, raising his hands, ¡°I¡¯m coming.¡±  He started limping towards Vendetta, leaning heavily on the spear that was his improvised crutch.  One of the Stormclouds lashed out again, causing another stinging welt on his back.  ¡°What?¡± he shouted.  ¡°I¡¯m going!¡±  The Stormcloud that had whipped him creaked out something that wasn¡¯t quite a scream and fixed its glowing red eyes on his spear.  ¡°You¡¯re kidding,¡± Jonathan said.  ¡°You want me to fall?  I¡¯m not going anywhere on this leg without help.¡±  The Stormcloud screeched again and pulled a tendril back menacingly.  ¡°Fine,¡± Jonathan said, letting the spear fall to the ground.  The green glow it had been emanating faded instantly.  ¡°Don¡¯t blame me when I end up on my face in the mud,¡± he grumbled and tried to take a step.  As soon as he placed his weight on his bad leg it buckled beneath him and he toppled over, landing heavily on his hands and knees, sending mud splattering all around.  The Stormclouds growled in irritation but Vendetta stopped them with a command.


    ¡°Have the other boy help him,¡± she said with a wave of her hand.


    The black dust surrounding Tyler dissolved and he stood up, glaring at Vendetta.  ¡°Why don¡¯t you just heal him?  You¡¯re supposed to be a Fey, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Vendetta narrowed her eyes at him.  ¡°Keep pushing me, boy,¡± she said, her voice taking on a menacing tone, ¡°and I¡¯ll let my Tempest have you.  I only need to deliver one human to Lord Acrimony.  Remember that.¡±


    Tyler grumbled something under his breath and walked over to Jonathan.  ¡°Come on, Prince John,¡± he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.  He bent down and helped Jonathan to his feet.  ¡°You just had to go and get hurt again, didn¡¯t you?¡± Tyler muttered as Jonathan wrapped an arm around the older boy¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like I did it on purpose, you know?¡± Jonathan said as they began awkwardly shuffling forward.


    ¡°You never do, do you?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± Jonathan asked, gritting his teeth.


    ¡°Never mind,¡± Tyler said.


    ¡°Glad to know you can still be a pain in the butt,¡± Jonathan grumbled.


    ¡°Get moving,¡± said Vendetta from her perch atop the Tempest.  ¡°It¡¯s a long walk to the Darkwood.¡±


    The Tempest took flight with a few beats of its massive wings.  Most of the Sylphs had gotten bored and flown away when the fighting stopped, but the few still lingering nearby laughed as they let the gust of wind blow them about.  Jonathan¡¯s heart sank; Kelviana had been right about relying too much on the tiny nymphs for support.  He couldn¡¯t tell if Aella was still with them or not and he had a sinking feeling that he would never see her again after this.  He was surprised to realize that he would miss her.


    Vendetta turned her Tempest in a wide arc and swooped low over their heads.  She pulled into a hover above Thane and the centaurs.  ¡°Go back to your trees, horse-kin,¡± she said, drawing her black sword and pointing it at them.  ¡°You¡¯ll get your precious dryads and the warrior back as long as you stay out of Lord Acrimony¡¯s business.¡±


    ¡°You have made an immortal enemy today, Oathbreaker,¡± Thane growled through gritted teeth.  ¡°Queen Daphne will not forget this.¡±


    ¡°Forgive me if I don¡¯t tremble in fear,¡± Vendetta responded with a dismissive wave.  ¡°Now get moving, my patience is at an end.¡±  The Tempest turned and flew back to the front of the column where the Stormclouds were forming up.  Vendetta kept Kelviana and Zoe at the front of the column with her but had Jonathan, Tyler, and the others put near the middle, surrounded by a roiling mass of Stormclouds.  Jonathan quickly lost sight of Thane and the rest of the centaurs as their group was urged forward into a march.  Sangar¡¯s upper torso had been wrapped in a blanket of Vendetta¡¯s black dust, pinning his arms to his side and his legs were shackled together with chains, forcing him to shuffle along at an awkward gait.  Tyler tried to ask him if he was alright and was rewarded for his efforts with a cruel whip to the back from one of the Stormclouds, causing him to stumble and nearly drop Jonathan, who was still leaning heavily on the larger boy for support.


    After that, they settled into a sullen silence, marching along with their captors.  There were so many Stormclouds around them that all Jonathan could see was the few feet of ground in front of them and the canopy of trees overhead.  It was a strangely quiet march.  Stormclouds had no feet, so there was no pounding of footsteps as they moved, and now that the fervor of battle had left them their snarls and screeches had quieted, leaving the rustling of branches as their group pushed past the trees and the soft sobbing of the hamadryads as the only sounds.  As time went on Jonathan¡¯s leg started to loosen up and he was eventually able to put some weight on it.  Jonathan had no idea what had caused Tyler¡¯s sudden hostility towards him, but being forced into such close proximity had not done the situation any favors and they were both glad for the chance to put some distance between each other.


    Hours passed and the sky began to darken.  Even though Jonathan¡¯s leg could bear his weight it was by no means in good shape.  It throbbed painfully with each stumbling, limping step he took.  More than once his leg buckled and he nearly tumbled over.  Each time Tyler managed to grab him and keep him from falling, but when Jonathan tried to thank him he was just greeted with an angry scowl from Tyler and another whip from a Stormcloud.  He was worried about Zoe, too.  He kept imagining her walking along at the front of the column, her eyes glazed over and staring straight ahead, doing whatever Vendetta ordered her to.  He remembered her saying that she could still tell what was going on when Vendetta had control like that, but couldn¡¯t do anything about it.  It must have been terrifying for her.


    Jonathan was so wrapped up in his own miserable thoughts that he didn¡¯t notice when the Stormclouds in front of him suddenly stopped and he nearly walked right into them.  He was confused for a moment until he realized that Vendetta must have called a halt for the night.  The Stormclouds ordered the captives to lay down, using threatening gestures and screeches that took very little imagination to interpret.  There was no campsite, no cookfire or food, and no tents.  They just stopped in the middle of their march and that was that.  Jonathan was so exhausted he didn¡¯t care.  He curled up into a little ball, barely even noticing the rocks and roots he was lying on, and fell asleep, hoping that Tyler didn¡¯t notice his quiet sobbing.


    <hr>


    A sharp pain on Jonathan¡¯s scalp woke him with a start.  He reached up and slapped at whatever was causing it, visions of spiders or other biting insects running through his head.  The pain stopped and a quiet, girlish giggle echoed in his ear.  His panic subsided.  ¡°Aella?¡± he asked, looking about in the darkness.  All he could see were the indistinct shadows of sleeping Stormclouds billowing all around him.  The nymph had probably made herself invisible.


    ¡°Hush, silly,¡± her voice said in his ear.  ¡°Do you want to wake them up?  I made a bubble of dead air around us to muffle any noise, but it¡¯s not perfect.¡±


    ¡°I thought you had left with your sisters,¡± he whispered.


    ¡°Why would I do that?¡± the sylph asked, sounding slightly offended.  ¡°I already told you, you guys are far too interesting.  This is the most fun I¡¯ve had in a century.¡±


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Jonathan said.  ¡°Have you seen Zoe?  Is she ok?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s fine,¡± said Aella.  ¡°She¡¯s waiting in the woods for you.¡±


    Jonathan sat up at that news, causing Tyler, who was lying next to him, to mumble and stir.  ¡°She and Kelviana already escaped?¡± he asked, forgetting to whisper.  Tiny invisible hands pressed against his lips, painfully pushing them against his teeth.


    ¡°Quiet!¡± Aella hissed.  ¡°I thought us sylphs were supposed to be the foolish ones.¡±  Jonathan brushed her away and nodded silently.  ¡°Wake your grumpy friend and let¡¯s get out of here,¡± Aella said.


    ¡°What about the others?¡± Jonathan whispered, gently nudging Tyler in the side.


    ¡°My bubble can¡¯t get big enough to cover all of you.  They¡¯ll be safe until we can come back for them properly.  It¡¯s you humans Acrimony wants anyway.  If he gets you, it¡¯ll be the end of the Fey Realm and really bad news for yours.  Now get moving.  We can talk more later.¡±  Jonathan nodded, surprised at how serious the normally carefree sylph was being.  It took some careful prodding to wake Tyler and even more work to get him to quietly follow him as he slowly crawled past the sleeping Stormclouds.  He hadn¡¯t even known that Stormclouds needed sleep and wondered why none of them had been set to keep watch.


    After several tense minutes of crawling, they were finally deep enough into the woods for Aella to show herself.  Jonathan had never realized it before, but in the darkness he saw that she glowed with a silvery-white light.  That was probably why she had remained invisible until now.  Jonathan and Tyler stood up, brushing the dirt and leaves off their clothing.  Aella pressed her fingers to her lips and motioned for them to follow.  Tyler looked back the way they had come, clearly not wanting to leave the others behind.  Jonathan understood.  It felt like a rock had settled in his stomach at the idea of abandoning their comrades, but at the moment they didn¡¯t have any other choice.  Reluctantly they turned and followed Aella deeper into the woods.  A few minutes later they entered a small clearing and found Zoe sitting on a large fallen branch, anxiously tapping a foot against the loamy ground.  She jumped up and hugged Jonathan as soon as she saw them.


    Jonathan held Zoe tight for a few moments, letting relief wash over him at seeing her unharmed and seemingly back to her old self.  ¡°How?¡± he asked.  ¡°I thought you were under Vendetta¡¯s spell?¡±


    Zoe grinned.  ¡°It was all pretend,¡± she said, clearly proud of herself.  ¡°Didn¡¯t know I was that good an actor, huh?¡±


    Jonathan stared at her, trying to understand what she had just said.  ¡°Wait¡­ what?¡±


    ¡°No way,¡± said Tyler.  ¡°There¡¯s no way that was an act.¡±


    Zoe looked down, her grin fading.  ¡°The first time, back at the house, it wasn¡¯t.  When we were in the centaur¡¯s camp I asked Kelviana if there was anything we could do about it.  She figured that since I wasn¡¯t the one who gave my name to Vendetta in the first place there was a good chance it didn¡¯t fully belong to her.¡±


    Jonathan grimaced at that.  ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Zo.  That was stupid of me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± she said with a sympathetic smile that didn¡¯t make Jonathan feel any better.  ¡°None of us could have known.  It was bound to happen to one of us at some point.¡±


    ¡°So what did Kelviana do to fix it?¡± asked Tyler.  ¡°It must have worked.¡±


    ¡°Actually,¡± said Zoe, a bit sheepishly.  ¡°It was something I had to do.¡±


    Tyler looked confused but Jonathan made the connection almost immediately.  ¡°You didn¡¯t¡­¡± he said, aghast.


    ¡°It was the only way,¡± Zoe replied.


    ¡°What?¡± asked Tyler, looking back and forth between the two of them.


    ¡°She gave her name to Kelviana,¡± Jonathan said, watching Zoe carefully.  She looked away, confirming his suspicion.


    ¡°That¡¯s nuts,¡± said Tyler.  ¡°Why would you ever willingly give someone that much power over you?¡±


    ¡°She promised never to use it,¡± said Zoe defensively.  ¡°Besides, by doing that it took all of Vendetta¡¯s power over me away.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, and gave it all to Kelviana instead.  I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s any better,¡± said Tyler, his voice rising slightly.


    ¡°I had to.  It was too dangerous not to.¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± said Tyler with a scowl.  ¡°But I still don¡¯t like it.¡±


    ¡°Neither do I,¡± agreed Jonathan.  ¡°But it¡¯s done, and there''s nothing for it now.¡±  He glanced around the clearing.  ¡°By the way, where is Kelviana?  Aella said the two of you managed to escape.¡±


    ¡°Uhmm¡­¡± Aella said hesitantly.  She had been flitting about in the branches above Zoe and now drifted down to join them.  ¡°I never actually said that.¡±


    ¡°You mean she¡¯s still back there?¡± Jonathan asked, alarmed.  ¡°We have to go back for her.¡±  He turned, ready to run back the way they had just come.


    ¡°Forget that,¡± Tyler said, grabbing Jonathan by the arm and yanking him back so hard that he nearly fell over.  ¡°We¡¯re lucky we got away as easily as we did.  You think we stand a chance of rescuing her?  Without our magic weapons, Vendetta would swat us like flies.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s right, John,¡± said Zoe.  ¡°I only got away because Vendetta thought she still controlled me, so she didn¡¯t bother guarding me or tying me up.  Kelviana¡¯s locked up tight and being personally watched by her.  It¡¯s hopeless.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t just leave her.  Not after everything she¡¯s done for us.¡±


    Tyler scoffed.  ¡°You mean selling us out to the enemy the first chance she got?  She can get what she deserves.  I¡¯m tired of being caught up in the Fey¡¯s grudge match anyway.  We have our own problems to deal with.¡±


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    ¡°She had no choice!¡± Jonathan said, squaring himself up to the larger boy as best he could.  Tyler still towered over him by half a head at least.  ¡°Her clan¡¯s being held hostage.  Can you say you wouldn¡¯t have done the same in her shoes?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s barefoot,¡± Tyler said, glaring down at him and leaning forward slightly, causing Jonathan to involuntarily take a step back.  ¡°Besides, if we¡¯re going back there, it should be to rescue Sangar and the Dryads.¡±


    ¡°Guys¡­¡± Aella said, drifting down and lighting on Zoe¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°We¡¯re going back for Kelviana,¡± Jonathan said, ignoring her and glaring back at Tyler.  ¡°We need her magic to rescue the others.¡±


    ¡°We have Zoe and the pixie,¡± said Tyler, crossing his arms.  ¡°Between the two of them, that¡¯s plenty of magic.¡±


    ¡°I am not a pixie,¡± Aella said, sounding offended.  ¡°And you guys should really calm down.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t take on an entire army,¡± said Zoe.  ¡°Most of the fighting so far has been done by Kelviana.  We should go find Thane and the rest of the centaurs.  They¡¯ll know what to do next.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll take too long,¡± Jonathan said.  ¡°We¡¯d never catch up to Vendetta before she reaches the Darkwood.  I doubt we¡¯d be able to rescue anyone once they¡¯re in there.¡±


    ¡°How could you possibly know that?¡± Tyler asked.  ¡°You don¡¯t know any more about this Darkwood place than me or Zoe.  Just because Kelviana likes you doesn¡¯t make you our leader or anything.¡±


    ¡°Just what¡¯s your problem, man?¡± Jonathan asked, stepping forward so they were chest to chest once again.  ¡°You¡¯ve been ticked at me ever since the battle.  What gives?¡±


    ¡°Maybe I¡¯m just getting tired of saving your sorry little butt all the time,¡± Tyler said, jabbing a finger into the center of Jonathan¡¯s chest.  ¡°The last thing I want is to pull you out of the fire again just because you forget how puny you are and get in over your head trying to save someone who¡¯s already sold us out.¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± Zoe said, a hint of anger in her voice now too.  ¡°Don¡¯t talk to him like that.¡±


    ¡°Please calm down, guys¡­¡± Aella pleaded from her perch on Zoe¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine, Zo,¡± Jonathan said, glaring up at Tyler.  ¡°He¡¯s still just the same brainless bully he¡¯s always been.¡±  He turned and began limping back into the woods, his heart was pounding so hard by this point he could feel the veins throbbing in his skull.  ¡°Thanks for the reminder.¡±


    ¡°John, wait¡­¡± said Zoe, but Tyler interrupted her by striding forward and grabbing him by the arm once again.


    Jonathan spun around, clenching his fists and ready to deck Tyler.  The older boy saw the fire in his eyes and actually grinned slightly, clenching his own fists.  ¡°You really want to do this, Prince John?  You may have found your guts, but I can still cream you.¡±


    ¡°Try it,¡± growled Johnathan.


    A piercing scream came from the woods behind him and a moment later the small clearing exploded into chaos as Stormclouds and Cloudbursts poured into it from every direction.  The air instantly turned green as Zoe cried out and released one of her magic pulses, sending the enemy flying and dissolving a few of them.  Jonathan immediately forgot about fighting Tyler and began looking around for something, anything, to use as a weapon while desperately wishing he still had Dalir¡¯s spear.  He grabbed two long branches from the ground and tossed one to Tyler, who snatched it from the air without a word.


    Aella shook her head and flew into the air above their heads.  ¡°I told you guys to calm down,¡± she said, sending out a blast of wind that pushed back some of the Stormclouds that were starting to recover from Zoe¡¯s initial attack.  As soon as the area was clear again Zoe put a barrier all around them.  ¡°Your anger woke them up and probably reinvigorated them too.  Didn¡¯t you notice how tired they were getting?¡±


    Jonathan groaned as he realized she was right.  Kelviana had told them that Acrimony fed on human anger.  It only made sense that his minions would too.  He had ruined their chances by letting his temper get the better of him.  He looked around in dismay.  Zoe¡¯s barrier protected them from the enemy but also imprisoned them in the clearing.  ¡°Great,¡± said Tyler as he also watched the clearing fill back up with smoke creatures.  Stormclouds began to pound against the barrier with their tendrils as Cloudburst dove at it from above, scraping against it with their sharp talons.  ¡°Now what?¡±


    Jonathan glanced at Zoe.  ¡°Do you think you could add some magic to these branches?¡± he asked, holding up his makeshift weapon.  ¡°I think Dalir said full dryads can do it.¡±


    Zoe gave him an icy glare but considered his request.  ¡°Not without dropping this shield,¡± she said after a few moments.  ¡°Even then, I have no idea how I would manage it.  I¡¯m winging all this as it is, remember?¡±


    ¡°Then what about making a hole big enough for us to run for it like you did the other day in the Wasteland?¡±


    She furrowed her brow.  ¡°I can try.  But I had a lot of help from Kelviana.  I wasn¡¯t kidding when I said she¡¯s been doing most of the fighting.  There weren¡¯t any Cloudbursts then either.¡±


    ¡°I can help,¡± said Aella.  ¡°But my magic mostly just pushes these things around.  It¡¯s not very good at destroying them.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all we need,¡± said Johnathan, preparing himself for a mad dash.  He hoped his leg would hold out.  He had hardly noticed it these last several minutes.  His argument with Tyler and the subsequent ambush had gotten his blood pumping, and while adrenaline was a fantastic painkiller, it didn¡¯t actually fix anything.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Vendetta?¡± Tyler asked suddenly, looking around and gripping his branch tight.  ¡°She¡¯s had to have noticed the commotion by now.¡±


    Zoe¡¯s barrier shook violently and Johnathan spun around in time to see a cloud of black dust fading away behind him.  Another burst of black dust crashed into the barrier a moment later, making it tremble again.  The section where the dust had hit faded noticeably.  ¡°You are a sneaky one, aren¡¯t you, dear Zoe?¡± Vendetta said, striding out of the shadows.  ¡°Giving your name to Darkwood like that.  I admit, it almost worked.¡±  She whistled and a pair of Stormclouds came up behind her, dragging Kelviana between them.  ¡°Too bad I still have your master.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not my master,¡± Zoe said with a bit of a growl.  Jonathan tightened his grip on the branch.


    ¡°Really?¡± Vendetta said with a small giggle.  ¡°I''m sure the little princess here could make you sing a different tune, couldn¡¯t you, Darkwood?¡±  She nudged Kelviana with her foot, causing the captive fey to struggle against her bonds.  ¡°You could even make the human do a little dance along with it.  Wouldn¡¯t that be cute?¡±


    ¡°Leave her alone!¡± Jonathan cried.  He stepped forward only to be stopped by Tyler grabbing his shirt.


    Vendetta narrowed her eyes and her smile faded.  ¡°Careful, boy.  You don¡¯t want to make a fey angry with you.¡±


    ¡°Can you even call yourself a fey anymore, traitor?¡± he asked, gripping his stick tight.


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk about things that don¡¯t concern you, boy,¡± replied Vendetta, her voice taking on a hard edge.  ¡°You don¡¯t belong here.  Lord Acrimony can get you back home, you know.  With the portal gone, he¡¯s your only hope of ever seeing your parents again.¡±


    Jonathan¡¯s breath caught for a moment at the mention of home.  He had been trying not to think about it these last few days.  Was Vendetta telling the truth?  Fey couldn¡¯t lie, so she must have been, but what wasn¡¯t she saying?  What would it cost the Fey Realm if Acrimony got his hands on them?  What would it cost Earth, for that matter?  The same stubborn resolve that had made him insist on coming to the Fey Realm in the first place rose up inside.  ¡°You want me?¡± said Jonathan.  ¡°Come and get me.  No Stormclouds, no illusions.  Just you and me.¡±


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± hissed Tyler.


    Vendetta grinned and shot a huge cloud of black dust at Zoe¡¯s barrier.  Behind him, he heard Aella gasp and Zoe grunted.  The barrier shattered like glass and before Jonathan could even blink, a heavy weight crashed into his chest and sent both him and Tyler sprawling to the ground.  He found himself staring up into Vendetta¡¯s eyes ¨C which he realized were silvery-gray ¨C shocked that she could still move so fast without being able to fly.  ¡°Stupid boy,¡± she said, stepping on his chest and pressing down with her bare foot with far more force than her diminutive size should have allowed.  ¡°Never challenge an opponent you don¡¯t understand.¡±


    Zoe cried out and a ball of green dust slammed into Vendetta, knocking her over.  Before she hit the ground a blast of icy-cold wind from Aella blew her back to the edge of the clearing, where she landed and rolled a few times.  She groaned and stood slowly back up, ice glimmering in her hair and at the edges of her wings.  She flapped them a few times to shake the ice off and patted down her clothes before brushing her hair back and knocking the ice crystals out of it.  Jonathan and Tyler picked themselves up.  The branch Jonathan had been wielding was broken in half.  He dropped what remained.  Not that it had done him any good anyway.  ¡°Good shot, kid,¡± Vendetta said when she had herself back in order.  ¡°Now it¡¯s my turn ¨C¡±  She started to reach for her sword but stopped when she realized the scabbard was empty.


    ¡°Looking for this?¡± Zoe asked as Aella flew over and handed Vendetta¡¯s sword to her.  The little sylph must have grabbed it when no one was looking.  Jonathan marveled at Aella¡¯s strength, the sword was massive in comparison to her size, though it looked like a child¡¯s toy in Zoe¡¯s hand.  It began glowing green as soon as Zoe grasped it.


    Tyler let out a whoop of joy.  ¡°Nice move!¡± he cried.


    Vendetta glared at the sword for a moment then scoffed and let out a series of shrill whistles.  After only a few moments a Cloudburst appeared, clutching something straight and narrow in its claws.  It dropped its package as it flew past Vendetta and she caught it without looking.  The item immediately began to glow an impossible shade of black.  Jonathan groaned.  It was Kelviana¡¯s sword.  Vendetta grinned.  ¡°Do you really want to cross swords with me, little girl?  Didn¡¯t I just teach your brother this same lesson?¡±


    Zoe raised a hand and a barrier of green dust instantly began to surround them again, but it was too late. Vendetta vanished in a blur of speed and was inside the barrier before it could form completely.  Zoe somehow managed to block Vendetta¡¯s attack, and the two swords clashed together in a shower of green and black sparks.  The barrier dissolved as Zoe focused all her attention on the fight.  Vendetta began a series of sweeping attacks that Zoe barely managed to fend off, even with Aella zipping about, doing her best to distract Vendetta.  Jonathan watched helplessly as Zoe was pushed steadily back, closer and closer to the waiting crowd of Stormclouds that surrounded the edges of the clearing.  It was clear to Jonathan, who had seen Vendetta fighting against Kelviana once before, that she was only playing with Zoe, and could have easily defeated his sister any time she pleased, despite their differences in size.  Vendetta swung her sword down in a vicious overhead slice and Zoe just barely managed to get her sword up in time to block the attack, but stumbled on a snag of brush and tumbled backward, landing hard on her rump and dropping the sword.  Tyler cried out and sprang forward while the Stormclouds snarled and hissed.  Vendetta lowered her sword, pointing it at Zoe.  She started to say something, but Zoe let out another blast of magic, forcing Vendetta to slice through the pulse with her sword or risk getting blown away.  Aella kicked up a whirlwind between Zoe and the dark fey, driving Vendetta back a few steps.  Tyler reached them and grabbed Zoe¡¯s hand, pulling her back up.  Jonathan took a step in their direction and his leg chose that moment to decide that it didn¡¯t want to support his weight anymore.  He stumbled and fell to the ground in a heap.  Tyler scooped Zoe¡¯s fallen sword up from the ground and held it out in front of them, looking entirely too much like an action movie hero for Jonathan¡¯s taste.  Vendetta scowled, brushing away the leaves and dirt Aella¡¯s whirlwind had deposited on her clothes and hair.


    ¡°Not bad,¡± said Vendetta, lifting her sword.  ¡°You¡¯re a strong one, for a dryad.  But playtime¡¯s over.¡±  Zoe narrowed her eyes and her hands started glowing.  Tyler clutched the sword so tight his knuckles turned white.  A green barrier sprang up between Zoe and Vendetta.  Vendetta laughed and disappeared in another blur of motion.  A moment later Jonathan felt the cold press of a steel blade against his throat.  Vendetta grabbed a fistful of hair and painfully yanked his head back.  ¡°Drop the sword and the barrier, or say goodbye to your brother,¡± Vendetta said, all traces of amusement gone from her voice.  ¡°I''ve said it before and I meant it ¨C Lord Acrimony only needs one human.¡±


    Zoe sighed with defeat and the barrier disappeared.  Tyler hesitated for a brief moment before dropping the sword.  ¡°Well, so much for that,¡± he muttered.


    ¡°Now,¡± said Vendetta.  ¡°Come here, nice and slow.¡±


    ¡°And if I refuse?¡± Zoe asked.  In response, Vendetta pressed her sword tighter against Jonathan¡¯s throat.  ¡°Ok!¡± Zoe cried, holding up her hands, which were no longer glowing.  ¡°Ok!  I¡¯m coming.¡±  She took a few steps forward before Vendetta stopped her.


    ¡°On second thought, wait.  Don¡¯t move.¡±  Zoe stopped, her terrified eyes fixed on Jonathan.  Vendetta waved her free hand and Kelviana was lifted into the air and floated over to the space between her and Zoe.  The black band of dust that had been covering Kelviana¡¯s mouth disappeared, but she was still bound tightly around the middle, immobilizing her arms and wings.  She glared at Vendetta but remained silent.  ¡°Tell dear little Zoe to stop resisting and do anything I say,¡± Vendetta said.


    Kelviana laughed bitterly.  ¡°I promised not to stop you.  But I have no intention of helping you.¡±


    Vendetta pulled back on Jonathan¡¯s hair, causing him to cry out despite the blade pressed against his throat.  ¡°If you don¡¯t,¡± she said, her voice filled with malice.  ¡°The number of humans Lord Acrimony has to choose from starts dwindling.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s supposed to bother me?¡± asked Kelviana.  ¡°Won¡¯t that be a bigger problem for you?  It would have been better for me if the humans had never come here.  What happens to them means little to me, but I doubt Acrimony would be happy with you if you kill off his prizes before he even gets a chance to see them.¡±


    ¡°You expect me to believe you don¡¯t care about these humans?¡± Vendetta asked incredulously.  ¡°No one fights as hard as you have for something they don¡¯t care about.¡±


    ¡°I care about stopping Acrimony.  Anything he wants, I don¡¯t want him having.  In this case, it happens to be humans.¡±


    ¡°I knew it!¡± Tyler said.


    Vendetta looked down on Kelviana, who met her gaze.  The two fey stared at each other for what seemed ages, until, with a scoff, Vendetta turned her attention back to Zoe.  ¡°If you were any other fey, I¡¯d almost believe you, but you''ve got a soft spot for these creatures, don¡¯t you, Princess?¡±  As she spoke she pressed the sword even harder into Jonathan¡¯s neck.  He felt a sharp pain and something warm and wet dripped down into the collar of his shirt.  Zoe screamed and Kelviana shouted for Vendetta to stop.  She pulled the blade away and smiled back at Kelviana.  Jonathan wiped his neck and held his hand up in front of his eyes.  It was covered in blood.  His head swam and he thought he might faint at any moment.  ¡°So the boy does have your favor,¡± said Vendetta.  ¡°How interesting.  Living in their world for so long has made you weak, Princess.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Tyler asked, surprised.  ¡°You lived on Earth?  And you didn¡¯t tell us that?¡±  Zoe seemed surprised by that news as well, but Jonathan remembered Kelviana telling him that she had once spent longer than she had planned to on their world.  He never had gotten around to asking her why.


    ¡°I¡¯ve lived in lots of places and have been around longer than your parents and grandparents combined, kid,¡± said Kelviana.  ¡°I don¡¯t have to tell you anything.  Now shut your trap.¡±


    ¡°Everyone shut their traps,¡± said Vendetta.  ¡°The only thing I want to hear is Darkwood telling Zoe to behave.¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s going to be a quiet night,¡± said Kelviana.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I thought you¡¯d say,¡± said Vendetta, raising her sword.  ¡°Say goodbye to the boy.¡±


    ¡°NO!¡± screamed Zoe, releasing another green pulse.  Vendetta raised her free hand and stopped it with a wall of her own black dust.  She started to swing her sword arm down but stopped with a lurch and a grunt.  She looked up and her eyes widened as she saw a small band of green dust wrapped around her wrist.  A moment later a horn rang out and the surrounding woods filled with shouts.  At least a dozen centaurs burst from the cover, hacking at the Stormclouds with glowing green swords and short spears.  The clearing lit up with green light as acorns burst all around, dissolving any Stormclouds caught by their blast.  A canopy of green filled the sky above them, keeping the Cloudbursts at bay.  Vendetta instantly enclosed herself, Kelviana, and Jonathan within a dome of black dust.  Two centaurs ¨C Taraan and another centaur Jonathan had never seen before ¨C placed themselves between the worst of the fighting and Zoe.  As the rest of the centaurs began forming a perimeter around the clearing Thane emerged from the crowd, a sword in each hand and covered in red welts from top to bottom.  He strode toward them, followed by  Sangar and the three hamadryads.


    ¡°You¡¯ve lost, Oathbreaker,¡± Thane said, pointing a sword at her and sounding gruffer than Jonathan had ever heard before.  ¡°We¡¯ve defeated your Tempest and destroyed your army.  Give up the general and the colt and we will spare your life.¡±


    Vendetta scoffed.  ¡°You dare call me Oathbreaker, Horse-spawn?  You have broken the terms of your surrender and the fates of both the Darkwood and the Grove now lie on your heads.¡±


    ¡°The centaurs never surrendered, Chrysanthemum,¡± said Kelviana from where she lay, still bound tight.  ¡°Only I did, and I have kept my word.  I have done nothing to prevent you from capturing the humans.¡±


    ¡°And I still have one,¡± said Vendetta, placing her sword at Jonathan¡¯s throat again.  ¡°Or do you truly not care about the boy¡¯s life?¡±


    ¡°If you kill the human, you will have nothing to offer your master,¡± said Thane.  ¡°I doubt he is one who forgives easily.¡±


    ¡°Even if I surrender, my life is still forfeit,¡± said Vendetta.  ¡°As you say, Lord Acrimony is not the forgiving type.  Fortunately for me, I have a third option.¡±


    ¡°You have nowhere to go,¡± said Thane, stepping closer.  ¡°You cannot fly, your Tempest is destroyed, and your army decimated.  Give up.  You have lost.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never been good at quitting,¡± said Vendetta.  ¡°But I do know when to make an exit.  Or did you forget that I had two Tempests?¡±


    Vendetta let out another series of shrill whistles.  A few moments later an ear-splitting scream filled the air and the sky lit up in a brilliant orange.  Everyone in the clearing ducked as tempestfire burst against the green dome above them, destroying most of the Cloudbursts in its fury.  The barrier shattered like glass as the Tempest crashed into it, claws-first, and landed between Vendetta and Thane.  Vendetta dropped her dome of black dust as Thane began bellowing orders.  Green spears flew at the Tempest, a few managing to stick into its side before the Tempest struck out with its long tail, sending Thane and several other centaurs flying back.  The Tempest beat its wings a few times, lifting back into the air as Vendetta batted away the Centaur¡¯s acorns with her dark magic.  Jonathan barely had time to cry out in terror as the Tempest grabbed him, Kelviana, and Vendetta in its massive claws and carried them away.  As Jonathan watched Zoe and the others drop away below him, he barely even noticed that the Tempest, at least, didn¡¯t burn him with its touch.


    End of Part Ten

 Update: New chapter coming soon!

    First of all, I want to apologize for the long silence.  Life happens to us all, and authors are no exception.  This has been a hectic time in my life, as work began to slow down and finances dried up, I found myself working harder and harder for less and less.  All of this made it very hard to find time to write, and when I did have time, stress and the pressures of providing for my family made the creative juices dry up.  Thus began a job search and the joys of entering a new career.  Many, many applications and a lot of waiting and a new job was finally found; but this came with adapting to a new schedule, training, and the stresses of my family adjusting to all this along with me.  A nasty case of bronchitis during all this also didn''t help.


    Well, now things are finally settling down, a new life rhythm is established and the creative juices are flowing again.  I have finished the first draft of the next chapter in the saga.  It''s a bit bloated; the rough draft is over seven thousand words long.  I need to pare it down a bit, figure out where to cut the fat, and see if I can get it up to my standard of quality, but overall I''m happy with it.  We are entering part two of the story, and new characters and perspectives are being introduced.  This, I hope, will broaden the story and shed some new light on the world, but this also means that, as the author, I had to find a narrative voice to put to those new perspectives, and that hasn''t been as easy as I originally thought it would be.  We''ve been exclusively inside Jonathan''s head until now, and it was a pretty comfortable place.  New places to explore can be exciting, but it''s not always easy getting there.  I''m still not completely satisfied with these new voices, but it''s close, and I hope to have the wrinkles ironed out sometime in the next week or so.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    In the meantime, please bear with me and know that I have not abandoned this story.  I have a clear ending in mind, and will not rest easy until I have put it down on the proverbial paper.

 Part Eleven: Changing Perspectives

    BOOK TWO


    PART ELEVEN: CHANGING PERSPECTIVES


    The centaurs of the Grove gave Thane and his warriors a hero¡¯s welcome as they marched into the village early the next morning. Zoe watched from her perch atop Thane¡¯s back as centaurs of every shape, size, and color lined the dirt streets and cheered their return. She frowned as she heard many shouts of ¡°Princess!¡± mixed with the exultant cheers. Even though she was getting more comfortable with using her magic, she was still not used to the idea that not only was she not quite human, but royalty as well. Tyler, on the other hand, was thoroughly enjoying all the attention. The way he grinned and waved from his seat on Sangar¡¯s back would have made one think he had defeated Acrimony¡¯s forces single-handedly. Zoe shook her head and returned her attention to the commotion all around them, desperate to distract herself from the knowledge that Jonathan was still in Vendetta¡¯s clutches ¡ª most likely on his way to some terrible fate even as she was being given a royal welcome. She felt sick.


    The men of the Grove were dressed in sturdy roughspun wool jerkins of varying colors, mostly shades of brown or tan, and a few wore leather aprons bearing the tools of their trades such as blacksmithing tongs or leatherworking awls. Only the warriors wore their hair long and braided while the rest of the men kept their hair and manes cut shorter. The women were mostly smaller than the men, though Zoe noticed a few who matched their male counterparts in size and even a few who surpassed them. The most common attire for the women was a loose blouse that looked much softer and more comfortable than the men¡¯s wool jerkins, draped a little lower past the waist, and was tied with a colorful braided cloth belt. The blouses came in an array of colors; with reds, blues, and purples seeming to be the most popular choices. Unlike the men, nearly all the women braided their hair and tails, often held with colorful ribbons or intricately carved wooden combs or clips.


    The children, or foals as the centaurs called them, surprised Zoe. They trotted up to the procession of warriors, handing them garlands of flowers while laughing and squealing with glee as Aella zipped about, joining their fun and adding a blustery touch of her own. All of this wasn¡¯t so surprising, but their clothes, or rather lack of them, was. She didn¡¯t know why that should be so shocking. All centaurs, both male and female, wore nothing below the waist unless they had some sort of strap or harness on, and even on Earth it was not uncommon to see toddlers running around in only their underwear or diapers, sometimes even less, but some of these foals looked nearly old enough to begin school. As Zoe watched the children frolicking about, she noticed that none of them seemed to have ever had a haircut either. In many cases, the only way she could distinguish the boys from the girls was that most of the girls seemed to have their hair pulled back into a simple ponytail, while the boy¡¯s hair was left wild and free. She leaned forward and asked Thane about this.


    ¡°It is simple, Princess,¡± he said with a laugh even as Zoe fought back a grimace at being called ¡°Princess¡±. ¡°The foals grow so fast we would be fitting them with new clothes and cutting their hair every week. Is it not the same with humans?¡± Zoe shook her head. ¡°It is best to let the younglings grow first,¡± Thane continued. ¡°A foal¡¯s first haircut is a big event in their lives, and cause for much celebration.¡±


    Zoe nodded in understanding. That made sense, in a way. She tried to relax and enjoy the festive mood as Thane continued leading their procession through the village. Zoe began to realize that it was much larger than she had expected. She began to think of it less as a village and more like a town, or even a city. The street remained unpaved, but the buildings ¨C which were all single-story affairs with large doors and windows ¨C grew closer together, giving the town a slightly more claustrophobic feeling. Most of the shops she saw were open to the outside like vendors at a street fair, but with more permanent structures. She saw no benches or other furniture for sitting, and all the counters were taller than she would be comfortable standing at without a stool. Despite the early hour, the streets were busy with activity, with centaurs buying their daily supplies or working at their crafts. Most stopped what they were doing and joined the procession as they passed, making Zoe more and more uncomfortable as they went, especially since most of them seemed to be cheering for her. As they walked, Zoe noticed that wherever a tree was growing the street flowed around it and that each one was carefully protected and guarded by a low fence. Some even had small offerings of food or handiwork laid by their trunks. The centaur¡¯s reverence for dryads was evidenced in other ways, too. Intricate carvings of trees and vines adorned the trim of their structures, and she noticed many relief carvings of beautiful dryad women on what would otherwise be bare patches of wall. ¡°Where did the handmaidens go?¡± she asked, craning her neck to look behind, suddenly realizing they had quietly slipped away at some point in the morning.


    ¡°They do not enter the Grove, Princess. Not during the day, at least. A few visit at night, to commune with their tree if it happens to be one of the few here, and to collect their offerings, but we rarely see them. The three dryads who accompanied us are among the bravest and boldest of Her Highness¡¯s retinue. This is why we are so excited for your arrival. Many centaurs hope you can help bridge the gap between our two peoples. Recent events have almost certainly reinforced the hamadryads¡¯ reluctance to engage with the outside world. You will find them waiting for you at the palace, but we centaurs will not see them again anytime soon, I think.¡±


    ¡°Palace?¡± asked Zoe, her stomach twisting in knots. ¡°There¡¯s a palace here?¡±


    Thane laughed heartily. ¡°Indeed, young cousin. Where did you think we were going?¡±


    Zoe blushed. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she mumbled. ¡°I guess I didn¡¯t really think about it.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to an actual palace?¡± asked Tyler as Sangar trotted up to their side.


    ¡°You will only be seeing the outside, young warrior,¡± said Thane. ¡°The Queen¡¯s house is no place for men to enter.¡±


    ¡°So Zoe gets to go and get treated all royal-like and we can¡¯t even go inside?¡±


    ¡°That is the way of things, Cousin.¡±


    Tyler huffed and folded his arms. ¡°What a rip-off.¡±


    Sangar laughed and turned to look at Tyler. ¡°Take heart, Cousin. I will show you the training grounds and barracks while the Princess gets settled. You can stay there. You have earned the right to be counted among us.¡± That seemed to satisfy Tyler, as a huge grin spread across his face.


    ¡°Daphne will be there, at the palace, right? Will I get to see her soon?¡± asked Zoe. She wasn¡¯t exactly eager to meet her supposed grandmother for the first time without Jonathan by her side, but if this woman was as powerful as she sounded, then she was probably their best hope at rescuing him and Kelviana.


    Thane looked confused for a moment. ¡°No, Princess. Queen Daphne has not resided in the palace for more than fifty years. I was still serving on the Seelie Court when she left. Has no one told you what happened?¡±


    Zoe shook her head, frustration building inside. ¡°No one¡¯s told us anything. We keep asking, but all you guys say is, ¡®Later, there¡¯s no time now¡¯.¡±


    Thane frowned. ¡°I suppose that is true. My apologies, Princess¡­¡±


    He was interrupted by Aella zipping up and stopping only a few inches from Zoe¡¯s face. She had to shut her eyes against the gust of wind that accompanied the sylph. ¡°You¡¯ve got to see this place,¡± Aella said, speaking a mile a minute. ¡°I¡¯ve seen it from above lots of times, of course, but I never bothered going inside. It¡¯s sooo beautiful. The floors are all clean and white, and of course, the woodwork is amazing, but what do you expect when dryads built it?¡±


    ¡°You''ve been inside already?¡± asked Zoe, shocked.


    ¡°Of course I have. I keep saying you lot are too slow. I wanted to see what all the fuss was about.¡±


    ¡°And the Queensguard did not stop you, Small One?¡± Thane asked with a frown.


    ¡°Hah!¡± Aella replied, zipping about the old centaur¡¯s head, causing him to flinch away slightly. ¡°They¡¯d have to catch me first, and that¡¯s only if I let them see me, which I didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°But what about the charms?¡± asked Sangar.


    ¡°They can¡¯t stop the wind, so they can¡¯t stop me,¡± said Aella, puffing out her chest in pride. ¡°Now come on, slowpokes, we¡¯re almost there,¡± she said before flitting off once more. Zoe watched the tiny woman fly away on her dragonfly-like wings and couldn¡¯t help but smile, feeling some of her tension melt away. She was glad Aella had decided to stay with them. Whenever things seemed to be getting too serious she always managed to burst in and liven things up with her carefree antics, like a breath of fresh air.


    ¡°Never mind the sylph,¡± Thane said. ¡°Though she has exposed a breach in our defenses that will have to be resolved. Fortunately, without the Queen there the palace is of little concern to Acrimony, and even in her current state, the Queen is more than capable of seeing to her own defense, if need be.¡±


    ¡°There you go again,¡± said Zoe. ¡°What do you mean by, ¡®her current state¡¯?¡±


    Thane took a deep breath and let it out slowly. A small filly with long blonde hair and a golden coat to match trotted up and handed a wreath of flowers to Zoe. She smiled and accepted the gift, placing it on her head despite her usual aversion to such decorations. ¡°I am not the best one to tell you this story, Princess,¡± said Thane as the young girl pranced away, chatting excitedly with her friends. ¡°I was away at court when most of it happened. About fifty years ago, not long before the war with Acrimony came to an end, Queen Daphne left the Fey Realm suddenly and without explanation. We centaurs were in disarray, and the fey were furious, feeling like their alliance with us had been betrayed. I, with no small amount of help from General Kelviana ¨C who was still only Princess Kelviana at the time but was making quite a name for herself in the war effort ¨C managed to salvage the alliance.


    ¡°The war was eventually won when the general and I led an expedition to the location of the last known portal, which had been recently discovered. There we met with Acrimony¡¯s forces and engaged in a great battle. During that fight, Kelviana herself passed into your world, and shortly afterward the portal was closed, ending the battle and, we thought, the war ¡ª though she was trapped on the other side with no way home. I resigned my position on the Seelie Court and returned to the Grove, grieving the loss of both my Queen and my friend, and began rebuilding our society without the guidance of Queen Daphne. The hamadryads were inconsolable, and many of them disappeared into the woods, never to be seen again even to this day. Then, about forty years ago, both Queen Daphne and General Kelviana suddenly returned together. The General seemed no worse off for her ordeal, but the Queen was¡­ greatly reduced and immediately fell into a deep sleep.¡±


    ¡°So Kelviana does know a way to get here without a mirror?¡± Tyler asked. ¡°I knew that fairy was lying.¡±


    ¡°The fey cannot lie, young Cousin,¡± said Thane. ¡°It is impossible for their kind. If the General told you she did not know how to return you to your realm then she spoke the truth. Whatever method she used to return here must not be possible for getting you back home.¡±


    ¡°Do you know how she did it?¡± asked Zoe.


    ¡°She would not speak of it to me. I do not believe she has ever told anyone, even her mother.¡±


    ¡°And what about Daphne? You said she¡¯s awake again. Does she know?¡±


    ¡°That, Princess, is a question best asked of her yourself. You shall see her tonight. The hamadryads will take you to her.¡±


    ¡°Please,¡± said Zoe with a sigh. ¡°Stop calling me ¡®Princess¡¯.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s impossible, young Cousin.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± she said. ¡°But I still don¡¯t like it.¡± And after what she had just heard about her grandmother abandoning her own people, she liked it even less than before.


    They arrived at the palace a short while later. Beyond the tall, vine-covered outer walls was a huge tree, sprawling away in every direction, covering the compound with its leafy green branches. Within those branches she spied windows and hints of walls and peaked roofs, and she realized that Daphne¡¯s home was more like a massive tree-house straight out of a Disney movie than any palace she had seen pictures of back on Earth. The only trees she could think of that compared to this one were the ancient redwoods of California. But even those giants didn¡¯t quite do justice to the magnificent tree the palace seemed to be built out of.


    Thane escorted her through the main gates while the rest of the procession waited outside. They were met by a pair of guards just inside, who, Zoe noted with some surprise, were both female centaurs, wearing highly polished plate armor in sharp contrast to the bare chests and large wooden shields of Thane¡¯s forces. With surprising grace, Thane lowered himself to his knees and gently helped Zoe dismount his back.


    ¡°Thank you for bringing us the princess, Captain Thane,¡± said one of the guards with a slightly haughty air that bordered on contempt. She was much smaller than Thane, though the red plume on her helmet was just as large as his. Her coat was dappled brown and white, much like Hamaan¡¯s. ¡°We will see to her from here. You may depart in peace.¡±


    Thane¡¯s face tightened and his eyes narrowed slightly. ¡°Thank you, Captain Kaira,¡± he said, his voice sounding slightly strained. He glanced at the other guard and gave her a small nod. ¡°It is good to see you again, Andriana.¡±


    ¡°Captain,¡± she replied with a curt nod. Thane¡¯s face tightened even more, but he said no more. This centaur was larger than her companion but looked and sounded younger. Her coat was the same chestnut color as Thane¡¯s, and the tufts of white covering her hooves looked just like his. Zoe couldn¡¯t see her hair beneath her helmet, but her tail was creamy blonde and intricately braided.


    Thane frowned at Andriana for a few moments more, then composed himself and stood, bowing toward Zoe, one hand clasped over his chest in a fist. ¡°I leave you in good hands, Princess. As I said before, men are not allowed in this sacred place. We will meet again on the morrow, and you will tell me what you can of your meeting with the Queen.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Thane, for everything,¡± she said, blushing slightly. She didn¡¯t know how to respond to someone bowing to her, and she hated that it made her blush.


    The centaur straightened and smiled down at her kindly. ¡°We will rescue your brother and Kelviana, Princess. Of that, you have my word.¡±


    Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    Without quite knowing why, Zoe lunged forward and wrapped her arms around his waist in a big hug. Thane tensed up, then relaxed and wrapped his strong arms around her, patting her gently on the back ¨C though it still felt as if she were getting hit by a small wrecking ball. As they pulled away Zoe was embarrassed to find that she had been crying, leaving a big wet spot upon him.


    Thane smiled down at her. ¡°I shall prepare our forces, Princess,¡± he said, then departed with another bow. She could only see a little of what was beyond the palace gate, but it looked like the crowds had begun to disperse now that the excitement was over.


    As the gates shut with a dull thud Zoe felt a tug on her hair and something tickled her neck. She shivered and almost reached back to swat at whatever it was. ¡°Quiet!¡± Aella¡¯s voice hissed in her ear. ¡°Let me sneak in with you. This¡¯ll be fun!¡±


    Zoe sighed, wondering why the sylph needed to sneak in on her shoulder if she had already found her way in once before. Still, she didn¡¯t want to give away her little companion¡¯s presence, so she remained silent. Besides, it would be nice to have a friend with her as she faced whatever was coming next. She turned to the two guards, who were impatiently waiting. ¡°Well,¡± she asked, wiping her still-wet eyes with the sleeve of her jersey. ¡°What now?¡±


    <hr>


    The centaur guards, who Zoe learned were called the Queensguard, led her to a room deep inside the tree palace and up several stories. There were no stairs, only gently sloped ramps spiraling around inside the towers. She assumed this was for the benefit of the centaurs, who would probably struggle with traditional staircases. The room was luxurious and held a large four-poster bed, a gold-framed floor-to-ceiling mirror, lush green carpeting, and three very familiar hamadryads. Kaira and Andriana bowed without a word then turned and hurried back down the corridor, leaving her with the handmaidens.


    The hamadryads immediately rushed her into a side room and straight into a steaming hot bath. The water felt quite nice, and if it hadn¡¯t been for the hamadryad¡¯s complete disregard for her privacy or personal space, she might even have enjoyed it. Aella flitted out of her hiding spot in Zoe¡¯s hair and spent the duration of the bath zipping about the ceiling and laughing at her. To Zoe¡¯s surprise, the hamadryads didn¡¯t seem to mind the sylph¡¯s presence, which made her wonder why Aella felt the need to be sneaky in the first place. She didn¡¯t have much time to ponder this, however, as the hamadryads got right to work scrubbing her raw with a wider variety of sweet-smelling soaps than she ever knew existed, many of which ended up spilled into the bath water, courtesy of Aella. When the bath was over they shoved a frilly nightgown over her head and sent her to bed even though the day was still young. Zoe wanted to protest, but the plush mattress and thick, light green comforter called to her, reminding her how little sleep she had gotten the night before. Before she knew it she had been tucked snuggly under the covers and the curtains were drawn shut, blocking out most of the light and sweet, blissful sleep took her.


    She woke feeling incredibly guilty, angry at herself for lying around in luxury, doing nothing, while Jonathan was still out there, in Vendetta¡¯s clutches. When she had needed him, Jonathan rushed to her aid, somehow managing to find her even though she was in an entirely different world. Now he was in need and she was doing nothing. Kelviana was with him, so that was something, at least. But the fey had been forced to promise not to stop Vendetta, and fey could not break their promises. Even with her newfound magic, Zoe couldn¡¯t take on an entire army of smoke creatures by herself. And even if she could, Vendetta had clearly demonstrated how little chance Zoe stood in a one-on-one fight against her. Thane had promised the centaur¡¯s help, but it would take time to get an army together and make a plan, so what other choice did Zoe have but to meet with Queen Daphne and see what came of that? The whole situation made her want to rip her hair out and run screaming down the hall, even if such actions weren¡¯t befitting of a ¡°princess¡±. She covered her face with her hands and groaned in frustration. Immediately she heard a stirring from the other side of the curtains and a moment later they were pulled back, revealing the strangely textured, brown-tinted face of a hamadryad.


    ¡°Did you rest well, Princess?¡± the handmaiden asked. Melia was her name if Zoe remembered correctly. She was the one with leafy branches growing out of her head ¡ª the thought of how that would feel still made Zoe shudder inside.


    ¡°I did,¡± she replied, trying to hide her impatience. ¡°But I¡¯m worried about my brother. I can¡¯t just keep sitting here, safe and comfortable while he¡¯s in danger.¡±


    ¡°I do not understand your attachment to him, Highness,¡± Melia said as she opened the curtains fully and began helping Zoe out of bed. She was too tired to try telling the dryad that she was perfectly capable of climbing out on her own. It would have been a losing argument anyway, as previous attempts had proven. ¡°He may be kin, but he is still a man. And a rather brutish one at that.¡±


    Despite everything, Zoe had to stifle a chuckle. Jonathan may have been many things, but ¡°brutish¡± was not one that came to her mind when trying to describe him. ¡°He¡¯s my twin brother,¡± Zoe explained as the dryad leaned over and slid some fuzzy slippers onto her feet before helping her stand up. ¡°That alone should be enough. But even if it were Tyler or anyone else in his place I¡¯d still be upset. It¡¯s not right, what Vendetta is doing. No one should be kidnapped like that.¡±


    ¡°It would indeed be disastrous if Acrimony came into possession of a human. You must meet with Queen Daphne as soon as possible. She may have a solution to the problem. After you have been appropriately dressed, we will take you to see her. But first, the hobgoblins have prepared a small dinner for you.¡±


    A chill ran down Zoe¡¯s spine at the mention of ¡°appropriate¡± clothing. Visions of all the frilliest, laciest dresses she had ever seen cartoon princesses wearing flashed through her mind as Melia led her to, of all things, a dressing table. ¡°Where¡¯s Aella?¡± she asked, trying to distract herself from her impending torture.


    ¡°Your sylph companion has gone exploring,¡± Melia replied as she pulled out a hairbrush and ran it through Zoe¡¯s hair. ¡°We warned her not to let the Queensguard catch her ¨C they''re very particular about who is allowed in the palace ¨C but she only giggled and said that was what made it fun. There has been no alarm, so I assume she has not been noticed. I like her. She¡¯s cute.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you like men?¡± Zoe asked, wincing as the brush hit a snag in her hair.


    ¡°Men cannot be trusted. Everyone knows this.¡±


    ¡°But you trust Thane and his men.¡±


    ¡°Centaurs are creatures of principle. Once they make a vow the Fey Realm itself will tear asunder before they break it. Even the vow of a fey is not that strong. Because of that, their men fight our battles for us. For more¡­ delicate matters, however, we have the Queensguard. Men have their uses, but we must not rely too much on them.¡±


    ¡°That makes no sense,¡± Zoe said but let the matter drop. She was tired of arguing with these women, and despite their strange quirks, they did seem like nice enough folk.


    Dinner was served in her room. She remembered Jonathan¡¯s warnings and checked with the dryads to make sure there were no strange rules about eating any food offered to her. They just giggled and replied that such rules wouldn¡¯t apply to her anyway, since she was a dryad herself. Zoe frowned, both at the unwelcome reminder of her heritage and at the fact that, in the end, they never did actually answer her question. She sighed and ate the food, which was a simple but refreshing green salad with a sweet, sugary dressing, and then resigned herself to the dryad¡¯s ministrations as they finished getting her ready. The dress, it turned out, was nowhere near as horrible as she had imagined it would be. In fact, aside from the fact that it was still a dress, it wasn¡¯t that bad at all. It was made from a light green fabric ¡ª which seemed to be the color of choice for dryads ¡ª with a skirt that fell right around her ankles. It was trimmed with leafy gold embroidery around the hem, neckline, and cuffs, and flowed comfortably about her as she moved. It felt sturdy, too, as if it were designed to be worn while traveling, and this, she was informed, was precisely the case. When the hamadryads were finished dressing her and braiding her hair they brought out a dark green traveling cloak with a large hood and draped it over her shoulders, clasping it about her neck with a gold brooch that looked a lot like the ones the characters in the Lord of the Rings movies wore. She almost laughed, imagining that she must have looked like someone at a cosplay event or something, but the laugh died in her throat when she remembered what was truly at stake. If she didn¡¯t do something, and soon, then Jonathan would never get the chance to tease her about how silly she looked in this getup.


    The hamadryads led her out of the chambers where they were met by Captain Kaira and Andriana, who were both wearing red cloaks and had their swords strapped to their sides. They bowed at the waist, clasping their fists to their chests and dipping their front legs slightly in something that looked a bit like a curtsey. Zoe just stood there silently, not sure how she was supposed to respond. ¡°We shall be your guards this evening, Princess,¡± Kaira said after a few moments. She rose from her bow and turned to Melia. ¡°The streets have been cleared. No one will see us.¡±


    Melia nodded, suddenly much more reserved than she had been when it was just her and the other hamadryads alone in the room. The three hamadryads, still wearing only their thin, silky dresses ¨C cool temperatures didn¡¯t seem to affect them much ¨C fell into place behind Zoe as Kaira took the lead. Andriana hung back, guarding their rear. Zoe felt very self-conscious as they made their way down the winding ramps and out of the palace. No matter how often the dryads and centaurs claimed that she was their princess she just couldn¡¯t believe them. She felt like a fraud, even though they were the ones who insisted on treating her like this despite her constant protests. She was just a normal kid who liked riding bikes and was trying to make it through school with something that resembled decent grades.


    They reached the ground level and stepped outside. The front gates were already open and flanked by two more Queensguards. They clasped their fists over their chests and bowed their heads slightly as Captain Kaira approached. Kaira nodded her acknowledgment and the two guards snapped back to attention. ¡°The way is clear, Captain,¡± the mare on the right reported.


    ¡°Very good,¡± Kaira replied, then stepped through the gates. The Queensguards bowed their version of a curtsey as Zoe passed, keeping their eyes on the ground. She couldn¡¯t help but feel a blush rising even as she wondered why they were going through so much trouble to protect her when they were probably currently in the safest place in the entire Fey Realm. She smiled sheepishly and waved as she followed Kaira around the gates and up the road. Once they were past the aura of light the flickering torches provided Zoe realized just how dark it was that night. A layer of clouds covered the sky, obscuring any light that the moon and stars may have provided. The darkness did not seem to bother the centaurs or dryads any, however, as they continued forward without so much as slowing down, and Zoe was suddenly glad to be in the middle of the group so she could have someone to follow. A gentle breeze blew in, rustling Zoe¡¯s hair and bringing with it the smell of autumn rain and a soft, girlish giggle. Zoe gasped slightly as something brushed against her neck.


    ¡°Shhh!¡± Aella hissed in her ear.


    ¡°Is everything well, Princess?¡± Kaira asked, turning back as she kept walking forward, her hooves clopping softly against the dirt street.


    ¡°Y ¨C Yes,¡± Zoe stammered. ¡°Sorry. I just stumbled. It¡¯s so dark I can¡¯t see the road very well.¡±


    ¡°Would you prefer that I carry you?¡±


    ¡°No, it''s fine. My eyes are starting to adjust, I think.¡± Kaira nodded and faced forward again. ¡°Where exactly are we going, anyway?¡± Zoe asked, trying not to squirm when Aealla tickled her neck as she settled down on her shoulder.


    ¡°To the queen, of course,¡± Kaira replied, matter-of-factly. Aella giggled.


    ¡°Yes, but where is she?¡± Zoe asked, trying not to frown at Aella despite her invisibility. ¡°Why isn¡¯t she in the palace? If she was sleeping, wouldn¡¯t that be the best place to put her?¡±


    Kaira turned to look at her. Even in the dark Zoe could tell she had a puzzled look on her face. ¡°She is a dryad, Princess. It¡¯s because she has been sleeping that we could not move her to the palace.¡± That made no sense, but she decided to let the matter drop. Nothing around here made any sense anyway. Since she had arrived she¡¯d been kidnapped by creatures made out of pure smoke, met and fought with real-live fairies and dragons, ridden on a centaur¡¯s back, and learned that she was a magical princess. If the next thing that had to happen was traipsing off in the dead of night to meet up with Sleeping Beauty, well, that was pretty much par for the course by this point.


    Zoe¡¯s eyes really were slowly adjusting to the darkness, and she began to make out some of the details of the houses and other structures around them. It seemed that they were heading out of town. The buildings were more spaced out here than in the center of town and more and more trees were growing along the side of the road, with little picket fences set around them. Most had offerings of food or tiny wooden hair decorations set by their trunks. As they neared one tree at the edge of town a dark shadow at the base suddenly moved, startling Zoe until she realized it was a hamadryad who seemed to have been visiting with her tree. At first, it seemed that the timid woman was going to flee, startled by the sudden appearance of a group of strangers, but when she caught sight of Zoe she gasped and bowed instead. Zoe smiled and waved sheepishly, still not sure how to respond. Kaira kept walking as if nothing had happened and Zoe hurried to match the centaur¡¯s much longer strides. She glanced back in time to catch a glimpse of the hamadryad scurrying off into the woods.


    Not long after that, the road left the Grove behind entirely and led them into a thick forest. Zoe didn¡¯t remember any forests like this near where she lived, but she had long ago stopped trying to keep track of where their location in the Fey Realm coincided with its mirror on Earth. As they entered the forest, darkness enveloped them completely, and even Kaira had to slow her pace until little balls of green light sprang from the hamadryad¡¯s hands and flew out ahead of them, lighting their way. That surprised Zoe a little. She hadn¡¯t known the dryads could do that. ¡°That¡¯s useful,¡± she said, startling herself with how loud her voice sounded. The hamadryads jumped and seemed to shrink back a little. Kaira turned her head slightly, but then faced forward again and kept walking. ¡°Can I do that too?¡± Zoe asked, deciding that a little conversation was better than listening to the strange chittering noises she had just heard coming from the darkness just beyond the green glow of the dryad¡¯s lights. The temperature dropped and Zoe was suddenly glad for the cloak the hamadryads had given her as she pulled it tight around her shoulders. Jonathan had given the Scouts a try once and had enjoyed camping and the outdoors, but Zoe had always been perfectly happy to leave nature to itself. Even their mom supported environmental causes and attended rallies at the local parks and such, but they never much interested Zoe. She wondered what that meant. If she really was a dryad princess, shouldn¡¯t she have been naturally drawn to that sort of thing?


    ¡°Anything we can do is a pale reflection of what you can achieve, Your Highness,¡± said the hamadryad with thorny roses in her hair. ¡°Your power far exceeds whatever meager amounts we possess.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s true, then why couldn¡¯t I beat Vendetta?¡±


    The third hamadryad looked at the ground and spoke, her voice so soft Zoe could barely hear it. ¡°The fey created this realm, Highness. None but Queen Daphne herself are more powerful than any one of them. And, forgive me, but you simply don¡¯t yet have the experience needed to overcome someone like her, who has devoted most of her long life to the path of destruction.¡±


    Zoe shuddered, remembering how Vendetta had toyed with her during their fight. ¡°If the fey are so strong, then why is Acrimony giving them such a hard time?¡±


    The question came out more harshly than Zoe had intended, and the poor hamadryad looked like she was about to sink into the ground. Zoe felt a little bad about that but still wanted an answer. Some things about this whole situation just didn¡¯t add up. ¡°His power doesn¡¯t come from this realm,¡± the hamadryad replied, shaking so hard Zoe feared she might faint. ¡°It comes from yours, Highness. From the anger humans feel. There¡¯s so much of it in your world that not even the fey can combat it alone.¡±


    ¡°And now that he has Jonathan he can go there,¡± Zoe said, a cold chill running up her back that did not come from the cool forest air.


    ¡°Were he will have unfiltered access to all the raw emotions he could ever dream of,¡± Kaira said, her voice hard. ¡°General Kelviana should never have allowed those boys into the realm. Your presence alone was dangerous enough if you will forgive me for saying so.¡±


    ¡°No forgiveness needed,¡± Zoe said, trying to remember how exactly she had wound up there in the first place. She was surprised to realize that she did not know.


    A soft gasp in her ear broke Zoe out of her contemplation. A cool breeze blew against her neck and she felt Aella lift into the air, blowing her hair aside. ¡°We''re here!¡± Aella said, no longer trying to hide her presence, glee evident in her voice. Kaira sighed as Aella zipped forward, suddenly visible and emitting a soft white glow.


    ¡°I suspected we had a sylph trailing us. I could smell it but never could find it. Is this the one that has been accompanying you, Princess?¡±


    ¡°Her name¡¯s Aella,¡± Zoe said apologetically. ¡°Sorry for hiding her. She¡¯s friendly, though, and has helped us out a lot.¡±


    ¡°It is well, Princess. If I had been truly concerned I would have been more diligent. Sylphs can be mischievous, but they are harmless enough.¡±


    Zoe thought back to their battle with the Tempests and the huge tornadoes the tiny nymph had summoned. She also remembered the way Aella had assisted her when she fought with Vendetta and found herself wondering if Kaira was entirely accurate with her assessment of how harmless sylphs could be. Aella giggled again and Zoe watched as the nymph darted into the branches of a large tree that sat alone in the middle of a clearing. The clouds had cleared up while they were in the woods and now the moonlight illuminated the clearing enough for Zoe to see that the tree was a magnificent specimen unlike any of the other trees in the forest; dark green leaves grew thick on spindly branches that reached upward, splitting into more branches like twisted fingers from a gnarled hand. It would have been creepy if it hadn¡¯t been so beautiful. Kaira, Andriana, and the hamadryads all stopped at the edge of the clearing. ¡°You must go by yourself from here, Princess,¡± Melia said softly, her eyes downcast.


    ¡°Go where?¡± asked Zoe, confused. Melia glanced briefly at the grand tree in the center of the clearing. White light twinkled from between the leaves as Aella joyfully danced about in the branches. ¡°To the tree?¡± Zoe asked, her confusion growing even more. ¡°Why? Is the queen there?¡± A sudden thought occurred to her. ¡°Is this her tree?¡±


    ¡°No, child,¡± a deep, feminine, and powerful voice rang in her mind, as loud and clear as if it had been spoken out loud. Zoe jumped and the hamadryads all dropped to their knees, heads bowed in the direction of the tree. ¡°I am the tree. I am your grandmother, Daphne, Queen of the Dryads, and I have been waiting a long time to finally meet you, my heir.¡±


    END OF PART ELEVEN

 Update: I havent dropped the story. I promise!

    Hey everyone.  I feel like I owe you all an update.  I have not dropped this story, I promise.


    Several things have been happening lately, one of the biggest being that we have bought a new house and are neck deep in home improvement projects and moving, all of which make finding time to write difficult.  The other major thing is something all writers can sympathize with -- writer''s block.


    I have an outline.  The outline says this next chapter needs to go a certain way.  I was halfway through the next chapter, struggling and fighting with it all the way until I hit a wall and it came to a crashing, screeching halt and wound up as a mangled mess on the floor.  It was ugly.  The police are still investigating...


    And then, while the investigation was proceeding, the Royal Road Community Contest was announced.  I saw the prompt and thought, "Hmm, I had an idea a while back that fits with that, but I can''t; I need to get this next chapter out."  But no matter how hard I tried to push the idea away, it wouldn''t leave, so I gave in, thinking that a little break from Smoke and Mirrors would clear my head and let inspiration flow again.  Besides, a little eight to ten thousand word story wouldn''t be a major time commitment, right?  Hence, The Soul Divide</a> was born.


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    Twenty thousand words later, I finally wrapped that story up, and inspiration still had not struck for Smoke and Mirrors.  Every time I opened the file, it stared back at me, refusing to move forward.  So, I continued on with the Soul Divide: A Time to Seek.  I''m happy with how that story is shaping up, but it''s still not helping with Smoke and Mirrors, and my kids keep asking me how it''s going.  They''re bummed because The Soul Divide is a bit too dark for their young ears, so I can''t read it to them, and they''re eager to discover what''s happening next with Jonathan and crew, and honestly, so am I.  A week or so back, I remembered a little bit of advice Brandon Sanderson has regarding writer''s block.  According to him, it usually means you''re trying too hard.  Forcing an idea or concept that just doesn''t fit where you''re trying to put it, and in this case, I think he''s right.  So, I decided to scrap the chapter in its current form and take things in a different direction.  The outline still stands; it''ll just take a different path to reach the same destination.


    In the meantime, please have patience.  We will get there eventually.  And if you haven''t checked it out yet, give The Soul Divide a read.  I think you''ll like it.


    --Kevin